Importance

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Abstract

Apparatus for drainage of a body cavity includes a housing body defining an inlet chamber and a discharge chamber, with the former having a catheter mounted to one wall thereof and communicating with the inlet chamber, and a one-way elongated valve of the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,463,159, and commonly known as the Heimlich valve, in fluid communication between the inlet chamber and the drainage chamber. An inlet port is provided in another wall of the housing body defining the inlet chamber which is adapted to reversibly receive a trocar and enable at least a portion of the trocar to pass through the inlet chamber and the catheter to enable the insertion of the catheter into the body cavity to be drained. In one embodiment, a collar is provided to support the open, inlet end of the sleeve of the one-way valve and a bellows-shaped member is provided to support the collar, valve and discharge chamber in spaced relation to the body housing portion defining the inlet chamber. In another embodiment, the inlet end of the sleeve of the one-way valve is fitted to a port of the inlet chamber housing and, optionally, a band thereover can be heat shrunk thereto. A hydrophobic filter is provided along one wall of the discharge chamber to filter gaseous fluids therefrom. Discharge and suction means can also be provided to the discharge chamber.

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First Claim