Patent Application
20200383742
The present invention relates to sterile compartmentalized packaging. The present invention further relates to sterile compartmentalized packaging containing supplies for use in medical procedures. The present invention further relates to any procedure with multiple steps required in a sterile field in order to minimize infections, bacterial or other.
It is well known that medical procedures require sterile supplies and/or instruments in order to avoid infections. Every year an estimated 650,000 people in the United States develop infections during a hospital stay and about 75,000 die, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). More specifically, more than 8,000 patients are killed by MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus). Still another bacteria, C. diff (Clostridium difficile), kills approximately 27,000 patients in the U.S. annually while causing sickness in about 290,000 patients. These are but two of the many infectious diseases waiting to strike down patients in U.S. hospitals today. But treatment is often provided outside of hospitals, so there exists a need to provide a sterile environment in any place where various medical procedures are conducted such as clinics, ambulances, on the street, at home, and even on the battlefield.
Care providers often use individually packaged medical supply kits that include all the medical supplies necessary for a medical procedure bundled in a single package. Many medical procedures are staged procedures, wherein some medical items or supplies in a sterile condition are required at one time period during the medical procedure and other additional medical items in a sterile condition are required at a future time period, such as minutes, hours, or days later. In these situations, use of individually packaged medical supplies is not desirable. Once opened, kits and/or trays containing the required medical supplies that are needed during a first time period suffer the fate of having the items required in future time periods become exposed to the environment and pose a health risk when used in the future for lack of sterility.
Typically, suppliers have placed components in a kit according to specific guidelines, stacked in order of use from top to bottom. During shipping, however, these odd sized components can shift inside the kit making the stack awkward and challenging to determine the correct order of the components. Therefore, there is also a need for products and procedures for organizing the components used in staged protocol in the correct order, sequencing them to make it easier for users to follow a step by step process, and maintaining a sterile environment near the incision site, wound, or person.
The present invention relates to a sterile compartmented packaging and procedures for using same. In particular, the present invention encompasses a system, kit, or packaging system that keeps medical supplies and/or instruments used in a multi-step sequential procedure sterile so that the necessary medical supplies and/or instruments for a given stage can be accessed in stages as needed without sacrificing the sterility of the medical supplies and/or instruments. The present invention encompasses at least one sterile field or zone (e.g., such as at least two sterile fields) in a single use pocket and drape system kit.
The present invention provides a drape and a flap which maintains a second sterile field intended to hold medical components in order of use according to hospital procedural protocol in a two (or multi) part procedure. Each of the drape and the flap can include at least one row of clear or transparent pockets. The flap can separate the base drape material into two distinct sterile zones or fields (e.g., a first sterile field associated with a first row of pockets on the flap containing various medical supplies and/or instruments and a second sterile field associated with a second row of pockets on the drape containing various medical supplies and/or instruments). In addition, it is to be understood that the present invention also contemplates two or more flaps to separate the base drape material into three or more sterile zones or fields (e.g., a first sterile field associated with a first row of pockets containing various medical supplies and/or instruments, a second sterile field associated with a second row of pockets containing various medical supplies and/or instruments, and a third sterile field associated with a third row of pockets containing various medical supplies and/or instruments, etc.). Further, different colored wraps may be used for different procedures for ease of convenience in a hurried setting.
In one particular embodiment, the present invention is directed to a pocket and drape system that includes a base drape material having an upper edge, a lower edge, a first side edge, and a second side edge to define a perimeter, a first longitudinal fold line, a second longitudinal fold line, a first transverse fold line and a second transverse fold line, wherein the first and second transverse fold lines are generally perpendicular to the first and second longitudinal fold lines, where the base drape material has a first surface and an opposing second surface; a flap covering a portion of the first surface of the base drape material, wherein the flap has a first surface and an opposing second surface, wherein the flap maintains at least one sterile field; a first row of pockets configured on the first surface of the flap; and a second row of pockets configured on the first surface of the base drape material.
In another embodiment, the first row of pockets and the second row of pockets can be formed from a clear material.
In still another embodiment, a plurality of vertical seals can be present in the first row of pockets and the second row of pockets to define individual pockets in each of the first row of pockets and the second row of pockets.
In yet another embodiment, the first row of pockets and the second row of pockets can each include a free end and a sealed end. Further, a sealed end of the flap can be sealed or attached to the base drape material adjacent the sealed end of the second row of pockets. In addition, the flap can include a free end, and the flap can be movable such that the flap covers at least a portion of the second row of pockets in a first position and reveals at least a portion of the second row of pockets in a second position.
In one more embodiment, a boundary can exists between the perimeter of the base drape material and the first row of pockets, the second row of pockets, or both. For instance, the boundary can span a distance ranging from about 40 millimeters to about 150 millimeters.
In an additional embodiment, the base drape material, the flap, or both can be formed from a sterilization material. Further, the sterilization material can be a spunbond-meltblown-spunbond (SMS) material.
In another embodiment, the first row of pockets and the second row of pockets can contain instruments, medical supplies, or a combination thereof for use in a multi-step sequential procedure. For example, the multi-step sequential procedure can be selected from procedures for abdominal aortic aneurysm repair; limb amputation; appendix surgery; AV shunt for dialysis; bile duct, liver, or pancreatic surgery; breast surgery; cardiac surgery; coronary bypass with chest and donor incisions; coronary bypass graft; carotid endarterectomy; gallbladder surgery; colon surgery; craniotomy; cesarean section; spinal fusion; open reduction of fracture; gastric surgery; herniorrhaphy; hip prosthesis; heart transplant; abdominal hysterectomy; knee prosthesis; kidney transplant; laminectomy; liver transplant; neck surgery; kidney surgery; ovarian surgery; pacemaker surgery; prostate surgery; peripheral vascular bypass surgery; rectal surgery; small bowel surgery; spleen surgery; thoracic surgery; thyroid and/or parthyroid surgery; vaginal hysterectomy; ventricular shunt; and exploratory laparotomy.
In one more embodiment, one or more elastic loops can be disposed on the base drape material.
In another particular embodiment, the present invention is directed to a method for maintaining a sterile field while performing a multi-step sequential procedure. The method includes the steps of: providing a base drape material having an upper edge, a lower edge, a first side edge, and a second side edge to define a perimeter, a first longitudinal fold line, a second longitudinal fold line, a first transverse fold line and a second transverse fold line, wherein the first and second transverse fold lines are generally perpendicular to the first and second longitudinal fold lines, further wherein the base drape material has a first surface and an opposing second surface; providing a flap covering a portion of the first surface of the base drape material, wherein the flap has a first surface and an opposing second surface; providing a first row of pockets on the first surface of the flap; providing a first row of pockets on the first surface of the base drape material; wherein the first row of pockets and the second row of pockets contain instruments, medical supplies, or a combination thereof to be used in a multi-step sequential procedure, further wherein the flap covers at least a portion of the instruments, medical supplies, or a combination thereof prior to their use in the multi-step sequential procedure; and positioning the flap to cover the instruments, medical supplies, or a combination thereof not yet in use during the multi-step sequential procedure, thereby maintaining a sterile field comprising the instruments, medical supplies, or a combination thereof not yet in use during the multi-step sequential procedure.
In another embodiment, each of the first row of pockets and the second row of pockets can be formed from a clear material, where a plurality of vertical seals can be present in the first row of pockets and the second row of pockets to define individual pockets in each of the first row of pockets and the second row of pockets.
In still another embodiment, the first row of pockets and the second row of pockets can each include a free end and a sealed end, where a sealed end of the flap can be sealed or attached to the base drape material adjacent the sealed end of the second row of pockets, where the flap can further include a free end. For instance, the flap can be movable such that the flap covers at least a portion of the second row of pockets in a first position and reveals at least a portion of the second row of pockets in a second position.
In yet another embodiment, a boundary can exist between the perimeter of the base drape material and the first row of pockets, the second row of pockets, or both, where the boundary can span a distance ranging from about 40 millimeters to about 150 millimeters.
In one more embodiment, the base drape material, the flap, or both can be formed from a sterilization material, where the sterilization material can be a spunbond-meltblown-spunbond (SMS) material.
In an additional embodiment, the multi-step sequential procedure can be selected from procedures for abdominal aortic aneurysm repair; limb amputation; appendix surgery; AV shunt for dialysis; bile duct, liver, or pancreatic surgery; breast surgery; cardiac surgery; coronary bypass with chest and donor incisions; coronary bypass graft; carotid endarterectomy; gallbladder surgery; colon surgery; craniotomy; cesarean section; spinal fusion; open reduction of fracture; gastric surgery; herniorrhaphy; hip prosthesis; heart transplant; abdominal hysterectomy; knee prosthesis; kidney transplant; lam inectomy; liver transplant; neck surgery; kidney surgery; ovarian surgery; pacemaker surgery; prostate surgery; peripheral vascular bypass surgery; rectal surgery; small bowel surgery; spleen surgery; thoracic surgery; thyroid and/or parthyroid surgery; vaginal hysterectomy; ventricular shunt; and exploratory laparotomy.
In one more embodiment, one or more elastic loops can be disposed on the base drape material.
The present invention ensures that users follow protocol/formulary exactly and reduces the risk of harm or spread of infection to the patient during medical care procedures.
The present invention also ensures that users follow protocol/formulary exactly and is designed to reduce the risk of harm or spread of infection during veterinary procedures.
Further, the present invention ensures that users follow protocol/formulary exactly and is designed to reduce the risk of harm or spread of infection during dental procedures.
The present invention further provides kits and procedures for use in research, lab testing, pharmaceutical testing, manufacturing, and the like.
One embodiment of the present invention encompasses IV start kits and procedures.
A further embodiment of the present invention encompasses central line dressing change kits and procedures. In addition, central line insertion and removal kits and procedures are also contemplated by the present invention.
A further embodiment of the present invention encompasses port access change kits and procedures. In addition, central line insertion and removal kits and procedures are also contemplated by the present invention.
A further embodiment of the present invention encompasses change kits and procedures for the veterinary field.
A further embodiment of the present invention encompasses change kits and procedures related to related dental care/dental procedures.
A further embodiment of the present invention encompasses change kits and procedures related to lab testing/lab procedures.
A further embodiment of the present invention encompasses change kits and procedures related to human or animal research testing.
A further embodiment of the present invention encompasses change kits and procedures related to pharmaceutical testing/manufacturing/research/delivery.
The present invention further contemplates a portable sterile field on a battlefield or other unsanitized place/area.
The present invention further contemplates kits customizable for any procedure requiring one or more sterile supplies or instruments.
Embodiments of the present invention also encompass change kits and procedures related to laceration and suture removal kits, disposable instrument kits, amenity kits, endoscopy kits, trach trays, and blood culture kits.
Embodiments of the present invention also encompass kits and procedures for abdominal aortic aneurysm repair; limb amputation; appendix surgery; AV shunt for dialysis; bile duct, liver, or pancreatic surgery; breast surgery; cardiac surgery; coronary bypass with chest and donor incisions; coronary bypass graft; carotid endarterectomy; gallbladder surgery; colon surgery; craniotomy; cesarean section; spinal fusion; open reduction of fracture; gastric surgery; herniorrhaphy; hip prosthesis; heart transplant; abdominal hysterectomy; knee prosthesis; kidney transplant; lam inectomy; liver transplant; neck surgery; kidney surgery; ovarian surgery; pacemaker surgery; prostate surgery; peripheral vascular bypass surgery; rectal surgery; small bowel surgery; spleen surgery; thoracic surgery; thyroid and/or parthyroid surgery; vaginal hysterectomy; ventricular shunt; and exploratory laparotomy.
These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following description and appended claims. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.
A full and enabling disclosure of the present invention, including the best mode thereof, directed to one of ordinary skill in the art, is set forth in the specification, which makes reference to the appended figures, in which:
As used herein, the term “sterilization material” refers to a flexible article composed of fabric(s) and/or flexible material(s) that is wrapped around, folded around or otherwise encloses a non-sterile article or non-sterile content prior to sterilization. Sterilization material may have multiple panels and/or sections providing specific physical properties, functional characteristics and/or structure that provide advantages for wrapping or folding, handling, strength, sterilization, storage after sterilization, and/or unwrapping or unfolding.
As used herein, the term “nonwoven web” refers to a web that has a structure of individual fibers or filaments which are interlaid, but not in an identifiable repeating manner. Nonwoven webs have been, in the past, formed by a variety of processes known to those skilled in the art such as, for example, meltblowing, spunbonding, and bonded carded web processes.
As used herein, the term “spunbond material” refers to a nonwoven material containing a web of small diameter fibers and/or filaments which are formed by extruding a molten thermoplastic material as filaments from a plurality of fine, usually circular, capillaries in a spinnerette with the diameter of the extruded filaments then being rapidly reduced, for example, by non-eductive or eductive fluid-drawing or other well-known spunbonding mechanisms.
As used herein, the term “meltblown material” refers to a nonwoven material containing fibers formed by extruding a molten thermoplastic material through a plurality of fine, usually circular, die capillaries as molten threads or filaments into a high-velocity gas (e.g. air) stream which attenuates the filaments of molten thermoplastic material to reduce their diameters, which may be to microfiber diameter. Thereafter, the meltblown fibers are carried by the high-velocity gas stream and are deposited on a collecting surface to form a web of randomly disbursed meltblown fibers.
As used herein, the term “SMS laminate material” refers to fabric laminates of spunbond and meltblown materials. Such a laminate may be made by sequentially depositing onto a moving forming belt first a spunbond fabric layer, then a meltblown fabric layer and last another spunbond layer and then bonding the laminate in a manner described below. Alternatively, the fabric layers may be made individually, collected in rolls, and combined in a separate bonding step. Such fabrics usually have a basis weight of from about 0.1 osy to 12 osy (about 3.4 gsm to about 406 gsm), or more particularly from about 0.75 to about 3 osy (about 25.4 gsm to about 101.7 gsm).
For simplicity and illustrative purposes, the principles of the present invention are described by referring to various exemplary embodiments thereof. Although the preferred embodiments of the invention are particularly disclosed herein, one of ordinary skill in the art will readily recognize that the same principles are equally applicable to, and can be implemented in other systems, and that any such variation would be within such modifications that do not part from the scope of the present invention. Before explaining the disclosed embodiments of the present invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of any particular arrangement shown, since the invention is capable of other embodiments. The terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation. Further, although certain methods are described with reference to certain steps that are presented herein in certain order, in many instances, these steps may be performed in any order as would be appreciated by one skilled in the art, and the methods are not limited to the particular arrangement of steps disclosed herein.
The present invention is particularly useful for medical procedures that require a sterile field. The present invention provides a drape with clear pockets and a flap having clear pockets, where the flap maintains a second sterile field intended to hold medical components in order of use according to hospital procedural protocol in a two (or multi) part procedure. The flap is intended to separate the drape system into two sterile fields.
During a multi-part procedure that requires aseptic technique, a first sterile zone having a row of pockets on a flap portion of the drape with the appropriate medical items can be used. Once the first part of the procedure is complete, the flap portion can be folded or lifted up revealing a second sterile zone with the necessary items (e.g., in a second row of pockets) on the drape to perform the second part of the procedure.
In one particular embodiment, an exemplary kit in accordance with the present invention may include a single base drape or wrap material that includes one or more clear or transparent pockets in one or more rows, a flap that includes one or more clear or transparent pockets in one or more rows, where the flap also keeps a first set of supplies associated with removal of an old wound dressing separate from a second set of supplies associated with application of a new dressing, and a chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG) infused material (or similar antiseptic/antimicrobial material).
Referring now to
The pocket and drape system 100 includes a base drape material 102 that can be formed from a sterilization material, which can be any suitable nonwoven material. In one particular embodiment, the base drape material 102 can be in the form of a spunbond-meltblown-spunbond (SMS) laminate material. In one particular embodiment, the SMS laminate material can include a first spunbond layer and a second spunbond layer with a meltblown layer disposed therebetween. In some embodiments, the spunbond layers can be formed from a semi-crystalline polyolefin. Exemplary polyolefins may include, for instance, polyethylene, polypropylene, blends and copolymers thereof. In one particular embodiment, a polyethylene is employed that is a copolymer of ethylene and an α-olefin, such as a C3-C20 α-olefin or C3-C12 α-olefin. Suitable α-olefins may be linear or branched (e.g., one or more C1-C3 alkyl branches, or an aryl group). Specific examples include 1-butene; 3-methyl-1-butene; 3,3-dimethyl-1-butene; 1-pentene; 1-pentene with one or more methyl, ethyl or propyl substituents; 1-hexene with one or more methyl, ethyl or propyl substituents; 1-heptene with one or more methyl, ethyl or propyl substituents; 1-octene with one or more methyl, ethyl or propyl substituents; 1-nonene with one or more methyl, ethyl or propyl substituents; ethyl, methyl or dimethyl-substituted 1-decene; 1-dodecene; and styrene. Particularly desired α-olefin co-monomers are 1-butene, 1-hexene and 1-octene. The ethylene content of such copolymers may be from about 60 mole % to about 99 mole %, in some embodiments from about 80 mole % to about 98.5 mole %, and in some embodiments, from about 87 mole % to about 97.5 mole %. The α-olefin content may likewise range from about 1 mole % to about 40 mole %, in some embodiments from about 1.5 mole % to about 15 mole %, and in some embodiments, from about 2.5 mole % to about 13 mole %.
The density of the polyethylene may vary depending on the type of polymer employed, but generally ranges from 0.85 to 0.96 grams per cubic centimeter (“g/cm3”). Polyethylene “plastomers”, for instance, may have a density in the range of from 0.85 to 0.91 g/cm3. Likewise, “linear low density polyethylene” (“LLDPE”) may have a density in the range of from 0.91 to 0.940 g/cm3; “low density polyethylene” (“LDPE”) may have a density in the range of from 0.910 to 0.940 g/cm3; and “high density polyethylene” (“HDPE”) may have density in the range of from 0.940 to 0.960 g/cm3. Densities may be measured in accordance with ASTM 1505. Particularly suitable ethylene-based polymers for use in the present invention may be available under the designation EXACT™ from ExxonMobil Chemical Company of Houston, Tex. Other suitable polyethylene plastomers are available under the designation ENGAGE™ and AFFINITY™ from Dow Chemical Company of Midland, Mich. Still other suitable ethylene polymers are available from The Dow Chemical Company under the designations DOWLEX™ (LLDPE) and ATTANE™ (ULDPE). Other suitable ethylene polymers are described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,937,299 to Ewen et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,218,071 to Tsutsui et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,272,236 to Lai, et al.; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,278,272 to Lai, et al., which are incorporated herein in their entirety by reference thereto for all purposes.
Of course, the spunbond layers of the SMS laminate material from which the base drape material 102 is formed are by no means limited to ethylene polymers. For instance, propylene polymers may also be suitable for use as a semi-crystalline polyolefin. Suitable propylene polymers may include, for instance, polypropylene homopolymers, as well as copolymers or terpolymers of propylene with an α-olefin (e.g., C3-C20) comonomer, such as ethylene, 1-butene, 2-butene, the various pentene isomers, 1-hexene, 1-octene, 1-nonene, 1-decene, 1-unidecene, 1-dodecene, 4-methyl-1-pentene, 4-methyl-1-hexene, 5-methyl-1-hexene, vinylcyclohexene, styrene, etc. The comonomer content of the propylene polymer may be about 35 wt. % or less, in some embodiments from about 1 wt. % to about 20 wt. %, in some embodiments, from about 2 wt. % to about 15 wt. %, and in some embodiments from about 3 wt. % to about 10 wt. %. The density of the polypropylene (e.g., propylene/α-olefin copolymer) may be 0.95 grams per cubic centimeter (g/cm3) or less, in some embodiments, from 0.85 to 0.92 g/cm3, and in some embodiments, from 0.85 g/cm3 to 0.91 g/cm3. In one particular embodiment, the spunbond layers can each include a copolymer of polypropylene and polyethylene.
Suitable propylene polymers are commercially available under the designations VISTAMAXX™ from ExxonMobil Chemical Co. of Houston, Tex.; FINA™ (e.g., 8573) from Atofina Chemicals of Feluy, Belgium; TAFMER™ available from Mitsui Petrochemical Industries; and VERSIFY™ available from Dow Chemical Co. of Midland, Mich. Other examples of suitable propylene polymers are described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,500,563 to Datta, et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,539,056 to Yang, et al.; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,596,052 to Resconi, et al., which are incorporated herein in their entirety by reference thereto for all purposes.
Any of a variety of known techniques may generally be employed to form the polyolefins. For instance, olefin polymers may be formed using a free radical or a coordination catalyst (e.g., Ziegler-Natta or metallocene). Metallocene-catalyzed polyolefins are described, for instance, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,571,619 to McAlpin et at; U.S. Pat. No. 5,322,728 to Davey, et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,472,775 to Obiieski et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,272,236 to Lai et al.; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,090,325 to Wheat, et al., which are incorporated herein in their entirety by reference thereto for all purposes.
The melt flow index (MI) of the polyolefins may generally vary, but is typically in the range of about 0.1 grams per 10 minutes to about 100 grams per 10 minutes, in some embodiments from about 0.5 grams per 10 minutes to about 30 grams per 10 minutes, and in some embodiments, about 1 to about 10 grams per 10 minutes, determined at 190° C. The melt flow index is the weight of the polymer (in grams) that may be forced through an extrusion rheometer orifice (0.0825-inch diameter) when subjected to a force of 2160 grams in 10 minutes at 190° C., and may be determined in accordance with ASTM Test Method D1238-E.
The meltblown layer of the SMS laminate material can also be formed from any of the semi-crystalline polyolefins discussed above with respect to the first spunbond layer and the second spunbond layer of the laminate material. In one particular embodiment, the meltblown layer can be formed from 100% polypropylene.
Regardless of the specific polymer or polymers used to form the SMS laminate material, the SMS laminate material from which the base drape material 102 is formed can have a basis weight ranging from about 5 gsm to about 50 gsm, such as from about 10 gsm to about 40 gsm, such as from about 15 gsm to about 30 gsm.
Returning now to
Turning now to
Now turning to
As shown in
The first zone of pockets 104 and the second zone of pockets 106 are disposed such that a boundary 138 between the perimeter 122 of the base drape material 102 and either the first zone of pockets 104 and/or the second zone of pockets 106 spans a distance of at least about 40 millimeters, such as at least about 45 millimeters, such as at least about 50 millimeters. For instance, the boundary 138 between the perimeter 122 of the base drape material 102 and the first zone of pockets 104 and/or the second zone of pockets 106 can span a distance ranging from about 40 millimeters to about 150 millimeters, such as from about 45 millimeters to about 125 millimeters, such as from about 50 millimeters to about 100 millimeters. Without intending to be limited by any particular theory, the present inventors have found that a boundary 138 spanning such a distance can help in maintaining the sterility of the system 100 and the strength and integrity of the system 100, by preventing the edges of the base drape material 102 from being breached by the contents of the first zone of pockets 104 and/or second zone of pockets 106.
Moreover, the first zone of pockets 104 on the flap 132 are disposed such that a boundary 139 between the perimeter 123 of the flap 132 spans a distance of at least about 20 millimeters, such as at least about 22 millimeters, such as at least about 25 millimeters. For instance, boundary 139 between the perimeter 123 of the flap 132 and the first zone of pockets 104 can span a distance ranging from about 20 millimeters to about 75 millimeters, such as from about 22 millimeters to about 60 millimeters, such as from about 25 millimeters to about 50 millimeters. Without intending to be bound by any particular theory, the present inventors have found that a boundary 139 spanning such a distance can both help in maintaining the sterility of the system 100 and the strength and integrity of the flap 132, by preventing the edges of the flap 132 from being breached by the contents of the first zone of pockets 104.
Turning now to the first zone of pockets 104 and the second zone of pockets 106, the pockets can be formed in rows and can include any suitable number of individual compartments of varying sizes depending on what supplies 130 are required for any given procedure for which the system 100 is being used. For illustrative purposes only, the first zone of pockets 104 in
Further, it is to be understood that although only two sterile zones, e.g., rows of pockets, are shown, any suitable number of sterile zones or rows of pockets can be utilized on the base drape material 102 so long as a sufficient boundary 138 as described above is maintained between the perimeter 122 of the base drape material 102 and any additional rows of pockets. Regardless of the particular number of pockets, number of rows of pockets, and size of each individual pocket, the pockets can be formed from a clear or transparent material such that a user can easily identify the various supplies 130 contained within in each pocket. Depending on the procedure for which the system is being used, the supplies 130 can include, for example, hand sanitizer, alcohol prep pads, saline ampoules, gloves, masks, bouffant caps, surgical gowns, thermometers, measuring tape, scissors, scalpels, hemostats, syringes, tape, bandages, swabs, wipes, suture kits, skin closure tape, wound closures, antibiotic applicators or wands, antibiotic creams/gels/lotions/sprays, scalpel blades, catheters, catheter securement devices, filter straws, drapes, tourniquets, room stop signs, and the like.
Further, it is to be understood that, in some embodiments, one or more elastic loops 152 can be disposed on the base drape material 102 in alignment with one or more of the zones of pockets 104 and 106, as shown in
Turning again to the unfolded pocket and drape system 100 shown in
Referring to
The construction of the pocket and drape system 100 described above can be carried out as follows. First, the base drape material 102 and the flap 132 can each be cut to the appropriate size depending on the intended use of the pocket and drape system 100. Then, the clear or transparent material used to form the first zone of pockets 104 and the second zone of pockets 106 can be attached to the first surface of the flap 132 and the first surface 144 of the base drape material 102, respectively, using any suitable attachment or sealing method. The second zone of pockets 106 can be disposed on the upper left section 180, the upper central section 182, and/or the upper right section 184 of the base drape material 102. The free ends 128 of the pockets 104 and 106 are disposed facing the upper edge 114 of the base drape material 102 and the sealed ends 126 of the pockets 104 and 106 are disposed facing the lower edge 116 of the base drape material 102. In one particular embodiment, the first zone of pockets 104 and the second zone of pockets 106 can be attached to the first surface 148 of the flap 132 and the first surface 144 of the base drape material 102, respectively, via heat sealing. However, other sealing methods can be used and include, but are not limited to, the use of a pressure sensitive adhesive, ultrasonic bonding, double sided tape, etc. Further, vertical seals 124 can be formed in the first zone of pockets 104 and/or the second zone of pockets 106 via any suitable method such as via heat sealing, sewing a seam, etc. Each pocket size can vary based on the specifications necessary for the intended use. Next, the flap 132 can be attached to the first surface 144 of the base drape material 102 adjacent the sealed end 126 of the second zone of pockets 106 on or adjacent to the first longitudinal fold line 108 via any suitable attachment method, such as in the manner described above, to create the seal 142 between the flap 132 and the base drape material 102, where the flap 132 has a free end 140, and where the flap 132 initially covers the second zone of pockets 106 as described above. For instance, the flap 132 can be aligned to specifications and heat sealed or attached to the base drape material 102 via any suitable means to produce a second barrier which will initially cover the second zone of pockets 106 as described in detail above.
In addition, it is to be understood that more than one flap 132 can be used depending on the number of distinct sterile fields and/or rows of pockets desired. For example, if three sterile fields are desired, e.g., with three rows of pockets on the base drape material 102, the pocket and drape system of the present invention can include two flaps 132, where the flaps 132 can be heat sealed or attached to the base drape material 102 in the manner described with respect to a single flap 132. Additionally or alternatively, if three sterile zones are desired, the pocket and drape system of the present invention can include two flaps 132 each having a row of pockets on the flap 132, and a row of pockets on the base drape material 102 covered by the flaps 132.
In use, the pocket and drape system 100 is used to hold specific supplies 130 necessary for any number of medical or veterinary procedures, or any other procedure where a sterile environment is required. For instance, the pocket and drape system 100 can be used during port access dressing changes, dialysis dressing changes, peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) dressing changes, central venous catheter (CVC) dressing changes, PICC insertion procedures, Foley catheter insertion procedures, peripheral IV placement procedures, laceration repair procedures, etc., where the supplies needed to carry out such procedures are contained in the pocket and drape system 100 described herein. For instance, a portion of the supplies 130 can be present in the first zone of pockets 104, which are sterile upon opening. Once the supplies 130 in the first zone of pockets 104 are depleted and/or no longer needed, the flap 132 can be lifted, e.g., brought toward the lower edge 116, using an aseptic technique to expose the supplies 130 inserted into the second zone of pockets 106 which can also be utilized in during the procedure. The flap 132 essentially creates a second sterile field in a single pocket and drape system 100.
Turning now to
Now turning to
The construction of the pocket and drape system 200 of
Further, it is to be understood that although not repeated in detail with respect to
The following examples serve to illustrate the various uses of the claimed invention in actual practice in the medical field.
The following steps can be performed when utilizing the pocket and drape system of the present invention when changing port access dressing.
The following steps can be performed when utilizing the pocket and drape system of the present invention when changing a dialysis dressing.
The following steps can be performed when utilizing the pocket and drape system of the present invention when changing a PICC dressing.
The following steps can be performed when utilizing the pocket and drape system of the present invention when changing a CVC dressing.
The following steps can be performed when utilizing the pocket and drape system of the present invention to insert a PICC.
The following steps can be performed when utilizing the pocket and drape system of the present invention to insert a Foley catheter.
The following steps can be performed when utilizing the pocket and drape system of the present invention to insert a peripheral IV.
While the invention has been described with reference to certain exemplary embodiments thereof, those skilled in the art may make various modifications to the described embodiments of the invention without departing from the scope of the invention. The terms and descriptions used herein are set forth by way of illustration only and not meant as limitations. In particular, although the present invention has been described by way of examples, a variety of compositions and processes would practice the inventive concepts described herein. Although the invention has been described and disclosed in various terms and certain embodiments, the scope of the invention is not intended to be, nor should it be deemed to be, limited thereby and such other modifications or embodiments as may be suggested by the teachings herein are particularly reserved, especially as they fall within the breadth and scope of the claims here appended. Those skilled in the art will recognize that these and other variations are possible within the scope of the invention as defined in the following claims and their equivalents.
The present application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 62/857,848, filed on Jun. 6, 2019, which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference thereto.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62857848 | Jun 2019 | US |
