Patent Application
20210259828
The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for systematic, controlled removal of sterile products from blister packs for use during eye surgery.
During eye surgery, such as refractive surgery, sterile products are often provided in blister packs. These products of have sensitive surfaces, such as a lens.
Currently, a non-sterile user, such as the operating room nurse, opens the blister pack. The outside of the blister pack is not sterile and must be touched to open the closed blister pack. Then, non-sterile user must perform hand disinfection before removing items from the opened blister pack. This complicates and lengthens the surgical procedure and makes accidental contamination and loss of sterility more likely.
This disclosure provides a way to allow removal of the sterile items with sensitive surfaces from the blister pack without requiring the non-sterile user to perform hand disinfection.
In one embodiment, the disclosure relates to a method of using a blister pack with sterile products inside, removing the protective layer from the blister pack, inverting the blister pack, placing the blister pack on a sterile surface, pressing on at least one defined pressure point on the back of the blister pack, and removing the blister pack.
In another embodiment, the disclosure relates to a method of using a blister pack with sterile products inside, removing the protective layer from the blister pack, inverting the blister pack, placing the blister pack on a sterile surface, removing a removable lug from at least one defined point on the back of the blister pack, and removing the blister pack.
In another embodiment, the disclosure relates to a blister back with a sterile holding area, a sterile eye surgery instrument, and at least one point marked on the back of the back of the blister pack for controlled removal of the sterile eye surgery instrument.
Other technical advantages will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art in view of the following specification, claims, and drawings.
For a more complete understanding of the present invention and its features and advantages, reference is now made to the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, and in which:
This disclosure provides a way to allow removal of the sterile items with sensitive surfaces from the blister pack without requiring the non-sterile user to perform hand disinfection. This disclosure provides a blister pack with defined pressure points and methods of its use.
In the following description, details are set forth by way of example to facilitate discussion of the disclosed subject matter. It should be apparent to a person of ordinary skill in the field, however, that the disclosed embodiments are exemplary and not exhaustive of all possible embodiments.
Referring now to the drawings,
Non-limiting examples of sterile eye surgery instruments that could be used during eye surgery, such as refractive surgery, is an applanation cone or a lens.
The invention does not require the rear surface 190 of blister pack 100 to be sterile.
Pressure points are placed to avoid sensitive spots or brittle spots on the sterile eye surgery instruments. In the case of a package design with simple sterile barriers, the absence of such defined pressure points means an increased risk of damage, especially to sensitive surfaces during removal of the sterile eye surgery instrument. By allowing controlled removal of the sterile eye surgery instrument using the pressure points, the sterile eye surgery instrument should drop out at a controlled time and in a controlled manner.
In another embodiment, not shown, blister pack 100 may include movable lugs instead of any one or more of the pressure points. The movable lugs are designed to keep the inside of blister pack 100 sterile when they are moved, e.g. actuated, removed, moved, or unscrewed.
In this embodiment, operating room (OR) preparation or an eye surgery procedure is begun, 302.
A protective cover is removed from the blister pack, 304.
Then the blister pack is inverted onto a sterile surface, 306. It is important to maintain the surface and the inside of the blister pack as both sterile.
Next, at least one and likely all pressure points are pressed, 308. If the blister pack requires that the pressure points be pressed in a particular order or in particular combinations, then the blister pack will be so marked. In another embodiment, the pressure points are removable lugs that are removed at this step.
Finally, the blister pack is removed from the sterile surface, 310.
The above disclosed subject matter is to be considered illustrative, and not restrictive, and the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications, enhancements, and other embodiments which fall within the true spirit and scope of the present disclosure. Thus, to the maximum extent allowed by law, the scope of the present disclosure is to be determined by the broadest permissible interpretation of the following claims and their equivalents, and shall not be restricted or limited by the foregoing detailed description. For instance, many example embodiments herein are depicted and described using a blister pack. It will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that a variety of types of sterile eye surgery instruments, may be used in such embodiments with corresponding increases in the complexity of blister pack design.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 16309124 | Dec 2018 | US |
| Child | 17313245 | US |
