US 11,896,755 B2
Chest drainage systems and methods
James Croteau, Brookline, NH (US); Theodore Karwoski, Naples, FL (US); Joanne Krawczyk, Dunstable, MA (US); Marc Larochelle, Bedford, NH (US); Patrick Lee, Lexington, MA (US); and Nicholas Want, Manchester, NH (US)
Assigned to ATRIUM MEDICAL CORPORATION, Merrimack, NH (US)
Filed by ATRIUM MEDICAL CORPORATION, Merrimack, NH (US)
Filed on Jan. 4, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/141,212.
Application 17/141,212 is a division of application No. 15/717,237, filed on Sep. 27, 2017, granted, now 10,933,175.
Application 15/717,237 is a division of application No. 14/672,784, filed on Mar. 30, 2015, granted, now 9,814,807, issued on Nov. 14, 2017.
Application 14/672,784 is a division of application No. 13/634,116, granted, now 8,992,493, issued on Mar. 31, 2015, previously published as PCT/US2011/022985, filed on Jan. 28, 2011.
Application 13/634,116 is a continuation in part of application No. 12/723,074, filed on Mar. 12, 2010, granted, now 8,882,678, issued on Nov. 11, 2014.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/160,037, filed on Mar. 13, 2009.
Prior Publication US 2021/0121610 A1, Apr. 29, 2021
Int. Cl. A61M 1/00 (2006.01); A61M 27/00 (2006.01); A61M 25/00 (2006.01); A61M 25/10 (2013.01); A61B 5/00 (2006.01); A61L 29/08 (2006.01); A61B 90/00 (2016.01)
CPC A61M 1/74 (2021.05) [A61B 5/00 (2013.01); A61L 29/08 (2013.01); A61M 1/69 (2021.05); A61M 1/73 (2021.05); A61M 1/75 (2021.05); A61M 1/84 (2021.05); A61M 25/0045 (2013.01); A61M 25/10 (2013.01); A61M 25/1002 (2013.01); A61M 27/00 (2013.01); A61B 90/39 (2016.02); A61L 2420/00 (2013.01); A61M 2025/105 (2013.01); A61M 2025/1075 (2013.01); A61M 2025/1079 (2013.01); A61M 2202/0492 (2013.01); A61M 2209/082 (2013.01); A61M 2210/101 (2013.01)] 9 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for clearing a fluid pathway of a chest drainage system, the fluid pathway having a proximal portion configured to extend proximally toward the patient and a distal portion configured to extend distally from the patient, the method including the steps of:
(1) detecting a difference in pressure having a predetermined magnitude between the proximal and distal portions of the fluid pathway;
(2) opening a valve configured to release pressure in the proximal portion of the fluid pathway;
(3) introducing sub-atmospheric pressure to the distal portion of the fluid pathway from an accumulator of a pressure source, the accumulator having been charged with negative pressure;
(4) closing the valve; and
(5) ceasing the introduction of sub-atmospheric pressure to the distal portion of the fluid pathway.