WO2001035851A1 - Device for cleaning and disinfecting a surgical waste discharge circuit - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention concerns a device for cleaning and disinfecting a surgical waste discharge circuit (1), said circuit (1) being produced in a pipe (2) through which the waste passes by suction, from a hollow needle (3) fixed at the free end of the pipe (2) towards the discharge outlet. The invention is characterised in that it comprises means continuously injecting disinfectant into the discharge circuit (1), at the junction between the hollow needle (3) and the pipe (2), enabling the waste to be immediately and continuously disinfected as they enter the discharge circuit (1). The invention also concerns a method for using said device.

Description

 "Device for cleaning and disinfecting a surgical waste evacuation circuit"

The present invention relates to a device for cleaning and disinfecting a circuit for discharging surgical waste, said circuit being created in a pipe through which the waste passes by suction, from a cannula fixed at the free end of the pipe towards the evacuation.

It will particularly find its application in the field of dental surgery. In this area, in fact, the suction of secretions (blood, saliva, pus, dust from teeth or materials) and the coolants of rotary instruments (water, physiological saline) used during the treatment of teeth or the milling of teeth. bone is traditionally made by suction systems which are incorporated in dental equipment, either by "saliva pumps" with Venturi effect, or by suction pumps, electric called water ring or ring air, or any other design, connected by tubing to the single intraoral suction cannula. The aspirated products as well as the micro waste are directly discharged into the wastewater evacuation network, without prior treatment and thus pollute the entire discharge zone.

The piping that supports the disposable intraoral suction cannula in contact with the client is itself soiled.

To combat nosocomial infection, manufacturers recommend sterilizing these pipes and have therefore designed removable pipes. However, in practice, for offices whose frequency of rotation of patients is close to 20 minutes, it is materially impossible to carry out their decontamination and sterilization because of their size, their price and the investments necessary in order to '' have one sterile for each patient (number of pipes and autoclave with sufficient chamber volume) and personnel attached only to this task.

Thus each surgical suction hose contains, when the next client arrives, the rejects from the client and from the previous treatment which, despite the aspiration, leave traces on the inner wall of the evacuation circuit.

There is a risk of contamination.

Document FR-A-2,660,188 has also proposed a method for maintaining the suction system (for example the flexible suction hose) of a dental suction device. This process is characterized by the following process operations

a) the suction zone is rinsed, b) a maintenance agent is introduced into this suction zone, c) this maintenance agent is distributed in the suction zone, d) the maintenance agent is deposited on the interior wall of the system, for example the flexible hose, e) the maintenance agent reacts with the constituents contained in the sucked material, f) the maintenance agent dissolves by itself and g) the active maintenance substances are obtained and released in the necessary quantity. The use of cleaning agents is effective but disinfection remains ad hoc. Decontamination is therefore neither immediate nor continuous. It also requires intervention by the practitioner.

The present invention aims to overcome the drawbacks of current decontamination processes.

First, it has the advantage of ensuring immediate and continuous cleaning and disinfection. What is more, its action is effective on the entire waste evacuation circuit because the device acts from the start of this circuit.

Another advantage of the invention is that the cleaning and disinfection process is started automatically and systematically.

To achieve these advantageous results, the device according to the invention comprises means for injecting a disinfection product into the evacuation circuit. Injection systems are known in other applications without achieving the result of the present invention.

Thus, the document FR-A-2. 641. 973 discloses a device for cleaning and disinfecting medical and surgical instruments. This device comprises a tubular body into which open nozzles for diffusing a nebulized product consisting of disinfectant liquid and pressurized air. The means for supplying air to the injectors comprise an annular and circular duct extending over 360 ° and directly supplying the injectors, while the means for supplying liquid to the injectors comprise several stages with separation in two of the fluid stream on each level.

This device aims for a different result and does not apply to the evacuation of surgical waste but only to the cleaning of instruments. In addition, its mode of operation and its structure are complex in actuation of the injection and the shape of the injectors.

The present invention relates to a device for cleaning and disinfecting a circuit for discharging surgical waste, said circuit being created in a pipe through which the waste passes by suction, from a cannula fixed at the free end of the pipe towards the evacuation, characterized in that it comprises means for continuously injecting a disinfection product in the evacuation circuit, at the junction between the cannula and the pipe, allowing immediate and continuous disinfection of the waste as soon as it enters the evacuation circuit. The embodiments introduced below are variants of the invention:

The device has a sleeve receiving the injection means and ensuring the junction between the cannula and the pipe. The injection means consist of a distribution chamber formed in the volume of the sleeve and capable of receiving the disinfection product from an inlet and injecting it into the evacuation circuit through a series of orifices opening onto the evacuation circuit. The sleeve has a female part receiving the cannula and a male part receiving the pipe, and the female part has an inner rim cooperating with a recess formed at the end of the male part in order to form the distribution chamber. The male and female parts are assembled by thread under the distribution chamber.

The disinfectant is a nebulized mixture of a disinfectant solution and a pulsed gas.

The disinfection product is a disinfectant solution injected by the injection means and the device comprises means for applying a gas drawn from the disinfectant solution during its injection into the evacuation circuit. fig 4 The device includes a secondary chamber superimposed on the distribution chamber and identical configuration, supplied with gas drawn by an inlet and applying the gas flow to the disinfectant solution through secondary orifices opening into the evacuation circuit by cutting the direction of injection of the disinfectant solution.

The disinfectant supply circuit is integrated into the evacuation circuit. The sleeve rests on a support in the event of non-use and the device includes detection means capable of generating a command to stop or start the device depending on whether the sleeve rests on the support or not.

The device includes means for delaying the stop.

The invention also relates to a method for cleaning and disinfecting a circuit for discharging surgical waste, said circuit being created in a pipe through which the waste passes by suction, from a cannula fixed at the free end of the pipe towards the evacuation, suitable for being implemented by the device characterized by the fact

- that the waste is evacuated by suction in the evacuation circuit, that a continuous disinfection product is injected from the start of the evacuation circuit for immediate and continuous disinfection of the evacuation circuit.

The attached drawings are given as indicative and non-limiting examples. They represent a preferred embodiment according to the invention. They will allow the invention to be easily understood.

Figure 1 is a general view in which the cleaning and disinfection device is integrated into equipment for dental surgery. Figure 2 illustrates a first embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 3 illustrates a second embodiment. The device of the invention applies to the cleaning and disinfection of the surgical waste evacuation circuit. Such an evacuation circuit 1 generally comprises a pipe 2 through which the waste passes by suction as indicated by the main arrow in FIG. 1.

This aspiration is carried out from a cannula marked 3 fixed to the free end of the pipe 2.

The waste is thus sucked towards the evacuation.

In a preferred embodiment, the invention is particularly applicable to the evacuation of waste in dental surgery. FIG. 1 particularly illustrates this possibility in which the evacuation circuit 1 is integrated into a dental surgery assembly comprising in particular a tap 4 and a spittoon 5.

Furthermore, the cannula 3 or the pipe 2 can be fixed on a support 19 as also illustrated in FIG. 1.

According to the invention, the device comprises means for injecting a disinfection product shown diagrammatically in FIG. 2 by arrows entering the circuit entering the evacuation circuit 1. FIG. 2 shows that this injection is carried out substantially at level of the junction between the cannula 3 and the pipe 2.

In this way, the disinfection is carried out upstream from the start of the evacuation circuit 1. Furthermore, the injection means according to the invention carry out a continuous injection of the disinfection product 6.

In the preferred embodiment illustrated in Figures 2 and 3, the device has a sleeve 7. The sleeve 7 performs on the one hand, the function of receiving the ejection means and on the other hand, the junction between the cannula 3 and hose 2.

The right view of FIG. 2 clearly shows this intermediate position of the sleeve 7. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the injection means consist of a distribution chamber 8.

FIG. 2 shows such a chamber 8 formed in the volume of the sleeve 7.

As shown, the disinfection product 6 reaches the disinfection chamber 8 from an inlet 9 and is injected into the evacuation circuit 1 through a series of orifices 10. The inlet 9 may consist of one or more pipes of small diameter connected to a hole made in the thickness of the sleeve 7 and leading to the distribution chamber 8.

The orifices 10 leading to the evacuation circuit 11 may be formed in different ways and in various shapes.

Their diameter will generally be small, of the order of a few tenths of a millimeter, to ensure an injection under sufficient pressure of the disinfection product 6. In this way, to the chemical action of product 6 is added mechanical action.

The orifices 10 may be circular holes or have a different shape.

The distribution chamber 8 can be made up as follows:

The sleeve 7 comprises a female part 11 receiving the cannula 3 and a male part 12 receiving the pipe 2; the female part 11 further comprises an inner rim 14 cooperating with a marked recess 15 formed at the end of the male part 12.

The distribution chamber 8 is in this way formed during the assembly of the male part 12 and the female part 11. This assembly can in particular be carried out by thread 13 or by bonding.

According to a first variant illustrated in FIG. 2, a single component is injected into the evacuation circuit 1. It is the disinfection product 6.

Preferably, the disinfection product 6 is a nebulized mixture of a disinfectant solution and a pulsed gas.

Preferably, air will be used as the pulsed gas. Furthermore, the disinfectant solution may be of current design and will generally contain bactericidal, fungicidal properties and activity against viruses.

In a second variant embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3, the disinfection product 6 is an injected disinfectant solution as previously indicated by the injection means.

The device further comprises means for applying a pulsed gas 16 to the disinfectant solution.

The arrows 6 and 16 in FIG. 3 schematize these two parallel or concomitant injections.

To apply the pulsed gas 16, the device will include a secondary chamber 17 superimposed on the distribution chamber 8.

A substantially identical configuration and design can be implemented.

The pulsed gas 16 is applied from an inlet 20 which opens onto the secondary chamber 17 and through the secondary orifice 18 opening onto the evacuation circuit 1.

In a preferred embodiment, the orifices 18 are inclined relative to the transverse plane of the sleeve 7 so as to cut the plane into which the disinfection product 6 is injected. This trajectory intersection makes it possible to apply substantially at the same level both the pulsed gas 16 and the disinfectant solution.

Other particular embodiments of the invention are described below.

The disinfectant supply circuit 6 can be integrated into the evacuation circuit 1.

As such, the pipe connected to the inlet 9 of the disinfection product 6 could be outside or housed inside the pipe 2 or even formed in the thickness of the pipe 2.

According to another variant, the sleeve 7 rests on a support 19 in the event of non-use as it appears in FIG. 1.

In addition, detection means such as an induction sensor will make it possible to detect the presence of the sleeve 7 on the support 19 or its absence in order to generate a stop or start-up command for the device according to this position.

In this way, the device is started automatically and systematically as soon as the practitioner removes his support 19.

In addition, the waste suction system can also be started by this means.

In this regard, it is indicated that the suction system may be constituted by any means, in particular by means of generating a vacuum inside the evacuation circuit 1 by means of a pump.

In a preferred mode, the device comprises means for delaying its stopping so as to continue the injection or aspiration for a certain time after the practitioner has placed the sleeve 7 on the support 19.

The invention also relates to a method for cleaning and disinfecting a discharge circuit 1.

According to this method, the following steps are carried out: the waste is evacuated by suction in the evacuation circuit 1, a continuous disinfection product is injected from the start of the evacuation circuit 1. These continuity and injection characteristics from the start of the evacuation 1 ensures total efficiency in the present process and avoids any remanence of non-disinfected waste in the pipe 2.

Furthermore, the present device can operate in combination with the spittoon discharge system 5 or with the actuation of the tap 4. Their discharge can moreover be common.

REFERENCES

1. Evacuation circuit

2. Pipe 3. Cannula. Tap

5. Spittoon

6. Disinfection product

7. Sleeve 8. Distribution chamber

9. Entry of disinfectant

10. Ports

11. Female part

12. Male part 13. Thread

14. Ledge

15. Withdrawal

16. Tapped gas

17. Secondary chamber 18. Secondary ports

19. Support

20. Inlet gas

Claims

1. Device for cleaning and disinfecting an evacuation circuit (1) of surgical waste, said circuit (1) being created in a pipe (2) through which the waste passes by suction, from a cannula (3) fixed to the free end of the hose (2) towards the discharge, characterized in that it comprises means for continuously injecting a disinfection product (6) into the discharge circuit (1), at the level of the junction between the cannula (3) and the pipe (2), allowing immediate and continuous disinfection of the waste as soon as it enters the evacuation circuit (1). that it comprises a secondary chamber (17) superimposed on the distribution chamber (8) and of identical configuration, supplied with gas drawn by an inlet (20) and applying the gas flow to the disinfecting solution through secondary orifices (18) opening into the evacuation circuit (1) by cutting the direction of injection of the disinfectant solution. 2. Device according to claim 1 characterized in that it has a sleeve (7) receiving the injection means and ensuring the junction between the cannula (3) and the pipe (2). 3. Device according to claim 2 characterized in that the injection means consist of a distribution chamber (8) formed in the volume of the sleeve (7) and capable of receiving the disinfection product (6) from a inlet and inject it into the evacuation circuit (1) through a series of orifices (10) leading to the evacuation circuit (1). 4. Device according to claim 3 characterized in that that the sleeve (7) has a female part (11) receiving the cannula (3) and a male part (12) receiving the pipe (2), and that the female part (11) has an inner rim (14) cooperating with a recess (15) formed at the end of the male part (12) in order to form the distribution chamber (8). 5. Device according to claim 4 characterized in that the male (12) and female (11) parts are assembled by thread (13) under the distribution chamber (8). 6. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 5 characterized in that the disinfection product (6) is a nebulized mixture of a disinfectant solution and a gas or pulsed air. 7. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 5 characterized in that the disinfection product (6) is a disinfectant solution injected by the injection means and that the device comprises means for applying a gas drawn from the disinfectant solution when injected into the evacuation circuit (1). 8. Device according to claim 7 in combination with one of claims 3, 4 or 5 characterized in that it comprises a secondary chamber (17) superimposed on the distribution chamber (8) and of identical configuration, supplied with gas drawn by an inlet (20) and applying the gas flow to the disinfectant solution through secondary orifices (18) opening into the evacuation circuit (1) by cutting the direction of injection of the disinfectant solution. 9. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 8 characterized in that the disinfectant product supply circuit (6) is integrated in the discharge circuit (1). 10. A method of cleaning and disinfecting an evacuation circuit (1) of surgical waste, said circuit (1) being created in a pipe (2) through which the waste passes by suction, from a cannula (3) fixed to the free end of the pipe (2) towards the evacuation, suitable for being implemented by the device according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the waste is evacuated by suction in the circuit evacuation (1), - that is injected continuously and from the start of the evacuation circuit (1) a disinfection product (6) for immediate and continuous disinfection of the evacuation circuit (1).