Abstract: An apparatus for monitoring intra-abdominal pressure in a medical patient includes a urinary catheter connected to a urine valve having selectable communication positions between a discharge end of the urinary catheter and either a drain or a fluid source. Preferably, the urine valve has a housing adapted to resist patient discomfort from body-valve contact. A plumbing structure desirably maintains fluid supply and drain conduits in a substantially parallel arrangement to assist routing those conduits between a patient's legs. When the urine valve is oriented for communication with the fluid source, a syringe may be used to introduce a known quantity of fluid through the urine valve into the patient's bladder where the fluid's pressure can be measured. Desirably, a double check valve is included in a fluid supply path and arranged to permit repetitive operation of the syringe to introduce a bolus of fluid into the patient's bladder.

Abstract: A wound irrigation apparatus including a disposable portion associated with a discharged irrigation stream and a reusable fluid dispensing portion. One embodiment combines a conventional disposable splash shield with a shroud operable as a second splash shield to further protect (for reuse) a flow control device and its fluid supply conduit from splash-back of irrigating fluid. An exemplary shroud can be formed from a plastic bag. The shroud generally is used with a check valve forming a fluid path from the flow control device to a discharge nozzle exterior to the shroud. A preferred check valve may be embodied as a LUER™ joint spacer, and is structured to form a fluid resistant connection in engagement with a shroud by piercing the distal end of the check valve through a membrane wall of the shroud for reception of that distal end in a hub of a splash shield.

Abstract: An apparatus for monitoring intra-abdominal pressure in a medical patient includes a urinary catheter connected to a urine valve having selectable communication positions between a discharge end of the urinary catheter and either a drain or a fluid source. Preferably, the urine valve has a housing adapted to resist patient discomfort from body-valve contact. A plumbing structure desirably maintains fluid supply and drain conduits in a substantially parallel arrangement to assist routing those conduits between a patient's legs. When the urine valve is oriented for communication with the fluid source, a syringe may be used to introduce a known quantity of fluid through the urine valve into the patient's bladder where the fluid's pressure can be measured. Desirably, a double check valve is included in a fluid supply path and arranged to permit repetitive operation of the syringe to introduce a bolus of fluid into the patient's bladder.