CA-3032760-C - METHOD AND INSTALLATION FOR HANDLING MEDICAL WASTE COLLECTED IN A RECEPTACLE FOR MEDICAL WASTE, CATHETER BAG FOR USE IN SUCH AN INSTALLATION AND MEDICAL WASTE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method and installation for handling medical waste, bio-waste, or other corresponding contaminated waste, which is collected in a receptacle for medical waste. For an isolated treatment of the waste, the method employs a vacuum waste system (V), whereby medical waste is collected in the receptacle for medical waste, medical waste is discharged from the receptacle for medical waste into a waste fixture connected to a vacuum waste piping (13) of the vacuum waste system (V). The discharge sequence of the vacuum waste system is activated by an activating means for discharge of the medical waste from the waste fixture or the vacuum waste piping (13) of the vacuum waste system (V) to a waste collecting unit (20) of the vacuum waste system.

Inventors

• James Oltz
• Cody Bowers
• Chris Hawkins
• James Ehrlich

Assignees

• EVAC OY

Dates

Publication Date

20260505

Application Date

20170817

Priority Date

20160818

Claims (8)

1. 8 Claims 1. A method for handling a medical waste, the method comprising: collecting the medical waste in a disposable receptacle, wherein the disposable receptacle comprises a bag and a conduit coupled to the bag by a first valve; providing a vacuum waste system comprising: a waste collecting unit; a vacuum waste piping extending upwardly toward and in fluid communication with the waste collecting unit, wherein the vacuum waste piping is maintained under vacuum; a vacuum pipe section in fluid communication with the vacuum waste piping; a waste pipe section in fluid communication with the vacuum waste piping; and a second valve coupled to the waste pipe section and configured to releasably couple to the conduit; connecting the conduit to the second valve; selectively opening the first valve and the second valve to communicate vacuum from the vacuum waste piping to the bag, thereby to transfer the medical waste from the disposable receptacle to the vacuum waste piping; and activating a discharge sequence of the vacuum waste system by an activating means for discharge of the medical waste from the vacuum waste piping to the waste collecting unit.
2. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the disposable receptacle comprises a disposable catheter bag.
3. 3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the vacuum waste system comprises an additional waste fixture.
4. 4. An installation, comprising: a disposable receptacle for receiving a medical waste, the disposable receptacle including: Date Rei;ue/Date Received 2024-01-05 9 a bag; and a conduit coupled to the bag by a first valve; and a vacuum waste system, comprising: a waste collecting unit; a vacuum waste piping extending upwardly toward and in fluid communication with the waste collecting unit, wherein the vacuum waste piping is maintained under vacuum; a waste pipe section in fluid communication with the vacuum waste piping; a second valve coupled to the waste pipe section and configured to releasably couple to the conduit; and an activating means for activating a discharge sequence of the vacuum waste system; wherein, when the conduit of the disposable receptacle is coupled to the second valve, and with the first and second valves open, vacuum from the vacuum waste piping is communicated to the bag to transfer the medical waste from the disposable receptacle to the vacuum waste piping; and wherein activation of the activation means transfers the medical waste from the vacuum waste piping to the waste collecting unit.
5. 5. The installation according to claim 4, wherein the disposable receptacle comprises a disposable catheter bag.
6. 6. The installation according to claim 4 or 5, wherein each component of the installation is medical rated, approved for use in medical facilities, and/or vacuum rated.
7. 7. The installation according to any one of claims 4 to 6, wherein the installation comprises an additional waste fixture connected to the vacuum waste system.
8. Date Rei;ue/Date Received 2024-01-05

Description

1 Method and installation for handling medical waste collected in a receptacle for medical waste, catheter bag for use in such an installation and medical waste management system Technical field 5 The present invention relates to a method for handling medical waste or bio-waste, or other corresponding contaminated waste, which is collected in a receptacle for medical waste. The present invention also relates to an installation which includes a receptacle for medical waste. The method and installation can be employed in a hospital, medical center, or other corre- 10 spending institutions. The medical waste can originate from humans and animals. Background art Particularly in hospitals and medical institutions, medical human waste or bio-waste may be collected in medical waste containers, e.g. bed pans, catheter bags, fluid canisters, etc .. Such waste may contain contaminants, particularly by e.g. virus' or bacteria. Also, in con- 15 nection with cancer treatment, such waste may be contaminated by radiation. When the waste has been collected in such medical water containers, medical staff disposes of the waste by emptying the medical waste containers into a waste fixture, e.g. a sink, wash basin, toilet or urinal. Consequently, there is a great risk that the waste is exposed to the atmosphere or splatters on and around undesired locations, including the med- 20 ical staff, which handles the medical waste containers. This may give rise to the spreading of potentially infectious diseases, or radioactivity, resulting in a hazardous environment. Summary of the invention An object of the present invention is to avoid the above mentioned drawbacks and to achieve an efficient and environmentally safe method and installation to handle medical 25 waste, bio-waste and other corresponding contaminated waste which limits the transmission of virus', bacteria, and radioactive contaminants particularly in hospitals and medical institutions. Date Rei;ue/Date Received 2024-01-05 2 The basic idea of the invention is to provide an isolated handling of the collected waste. This is realized by employing a vacuum waste system, whereby the medical waste is collected in the receptacle for medical waste, medical waste is discharged from the receptacle for medical waste into a waste fixture connected to a 5 vacuum waste piping of the vacuum waste system. The discharge sequence of the vacuum waste system is activated by an activating means for discharge of the medical waste from the waste fixture or the vacuum waste piping of the vacuum waste system to a waste collecting unit of the vacuum waste system. This ensures that any contaminated waste does not spread into the surroundings or onto the 10 handling staff. An example of an advantageous receptacle for medical waste is a bed pan, whereby the bed pan is emptied into the waste fixture, after which the discharge sequence is activated in order to discharge the medical waste from the waste fixture. The waste fixture is preferably a sink, wash basin, urinal, toilet or other corre- 15 sponding unit. An advantageous alternative for the receptacle for medical waste is a catheter bag, whereby the catheter bag is connected to the waste fixture by means of at least one valve, and in which method the at least one valve is opened in order to provide a flow connection from the catheter bag to the waste fixture. This further 20 enhances the isolated handling of the waste. The catheter bag is provided with a first valve and a conduit connected to the first valve. In this case, the waste fixture is advantageously a vacuum pipe section, which is connected to the vacuum waste piping, and wherein the waste fixture is provided with a second valve. 25 According to one aspect, there is provided a method for handling medical waste, bio-waste, or other corresponding contaminated waste, which is collected in a disposable receptade for medical waste, in which method medical waste is collected in the disposable receptacle for medical waste, the medical waste is discharged from the disposable receptade for medical waste into a waste fixture connected to 30 a vacuum waste piping of a vacuum waste system, wherein the disposable receptacle for medical waste is provided with a first valve and a conduit connected to the first valve, in which method the disposable receptacle for medical waste is connected to the waste fixture by a second valve, the first valve and the second valve are opened in order to provide a flow connection from the disposable recep- 35 tacle for medical waste to the waste fixture, and in which method a discharge Date Re9ue/Date Received 2022-07-05 2a sequence of the vacuum waste system is activated by an activating means for discharge of the medical waste from the waste fixture or the vacuum waste piping of the vacuum waste system to a waste collecting unit of the vacuum waste system. According to another aspect, there is provided an installation, which includes a 5 disposable receptacle for me