The present invention concerns medical equipment used during medical procedures, such as during endoscopic surgery.
The organization of medical equipment (such as medical instruments, supplies, and the like) utilized during medical procedures can present various challenges. In some procedures, such as endoscopy procedures, instruments may be placed with no support on a workspace used to during medical procedures, such as a mayo stand (See, e.g.,
This unsecured positioning of medical equipment on the workspace may result in the equipment falling off of the workspace and onto the floor or into an open bag hanging off of the workspace (See, e.g., one side of saddle bag 210 in
As should be apparent from
An endoscopic surgical tool organizer consistent with the present description includes a holder section having an upper surface, a substantially flat lower surface, and at least one peripheral edge. The upper surface has a plurality of slits or channels, each having an entry point and an exit point on the at least one peripheral edge, and each dimensioned to hold at least a portion of a length of an endoscopic insertion tube or endoscopic tool wire or tube. The lower surface is provided with a non-slip material, finish, or adhesive. The holder section is dimensioned to fit on a tray of a mayo stand.
In some example embodiments of the endoscopic surgical tool organizer, the holder section is made from foam.
In some example embodiments of the endoscopic surgical tool organizer, the holder section is a foam block, or a foam disk.
In some example embodiments of the endoscopic surgical tool organizer, at least one of the plurality of slits or channels is a slit.
In some example embodiments of the endoscopic surgical tool organizer, at least one of the plurality of slits or channels is a channel having a U-shaped cross section.
In some example embodiments of the endoscopic surgical tool organizer, at least one of the plurality of slits or channels is a channel having a bulb-shaped cross section or a dovetail-shaped cross section.
In some example embodiments of the endoscopic surgical tool organizer, at least one of the plurality of slits or channels is a channel having a partially tapered cross section.
In some example embodiments of the endoscopic surgical tool organizer, at least two of the plurality of slits or channels have substantially parallel paths.
In some example embodiments of the endoscopic surgical tool organizer, at least two of the plurality of slits or channels have paths that spread out at an entry or exit side of the at least two of the plurality of slits or channels.
In some example embodiments of the endoscopic surgical tool organizer, at least two of the plurality of slits or channels have paths that concentrate at an entry or exit side of the at least two of the plurality of slits or channels.
In some example embodiments of the endoscopic surgical tool organizer, at least two of the plurality of slits or channels have paths that spread out at an entry or exit side of the at least two of the plurality of slits or channels, and that concentrate at an opposing exit or entry side of the at least two of the plurality of slits or channels.
In some example embodiments of the endoscopic surgical tool organizer, at least two of the plurality of slits or channels have paths that spread out at both an entry and an exit side of the at least two of the plurality of slits or channels.
Example methods for using the example endoscopic surgical tool organizers are also described.
A kit including a substantially circular endoscopic tool organizer and a substantially ring-shaped head rest is also described.
Example embodiments consistent with the present description are directed to a surgical tool organizer and methods for retrievably securing medical equipment, such as medical instruments, supplies, and the like, for use during a medical procedure. In various example embodiments, the surgical tool organizer is suitably sized and shaped for secure placement on a workspace (such as a tray of a mayo stand or endoscopy tower) during a medical procedure. Note that the tray of existing mayo stands can be about 12-26 inches wide and about 19-30 inches deep (e.g., 12×19 inches, 16×21 inches, 20×25 inches, 26×30 inches, etc.). However, the example embodiments can be used with trays or surfaces having different dimensions. In one or more example embodiments, the surgical tool organizer may be rectangular parallelepiped in shape, although in other example embodiments, the surgical tool organizer may be other three-dimensional shapes (e.g., disk or fat cylindrical, cubic, irregular, etc.).
The consistency of the surgical tool organizer material along with the size and shape of the slits or channels 440 are such that the medical instruments and/or supplies are securely held within the slits or channels 440 but can be rapidly removed from and returned to (and in some example embodiments, pulled and/or pushed through) the holding section as needed. For example, the cross-section of
In some example embodiments, the lower surface of the holder section (Recall, e.g., 420 of
The slits or channels of the holding section are suitably sized (length, width, and depth) and shaped (cross-sectional shape) to secure the medical equipment or supplies while allowing easy insertion and easy removal of the items as needed. In some embodiments, the slits or channels may be simple vertical cuts in the holding section (Recall, e.g.,
In one or more example embodiments, the surgical tool organizer is a foam material such as polyurethane foam, high density neoprene sponge foam, vinyl nitrate foam, vinyl nitrile foam, and the like. The properties of the foam material, such as density, firmness, support factor, tensile strength, resilience, and the like are such that medical instruments and/or supplies used during a medical procedure (such as an endoscopy procedure) are securely held within the slits or channels but can be rapidly and easily removed from and returned to the surgical tool organizer as needed. In some embodiments, at least part of the length of the tube(s) and/or wire(s) can be pulled (and/or pushed) through the slit or channel. The firmness and/or resilience of the foam material may be considered when determining the width of a channel relative to the diameter of the tube or wire to be held in the channel. For example, the width of a channel in a firmer foam might be very close (e.g., within a few percent of) the diameter of a tube or wire to be held, while the width of a channel in a softer foam might be significantly smaller (e.g., up to 50 percent less) than the diameter of a tube or wire to be held. Note that diameters of existing endoscope tubes and/or wires can be as small as 80-250 μm and up to 13 mm and more, and various diameters in between (e.g., 3 mm, 6 mm, 10 mm, etc.). However, the material of a channel and/or slit and/or the cross sectional dimensions of the channel and/or slit may be chosen to accommodate tubes and/or wires having other diameters.
In some embodiments, the surgical tool organizer holding section has on the order of 4-10 slits having depths from 1 to 1.5 or 2 inches (Recall, e.g.,
Within a single holding section, the slits or channels can have any combination of cross-sectional shapes and/or dimensions (Recall, e.g.,
Although some embodiments were described as being made from foam, other materials having suitable characteristics may be used in addition, or instead.
Although some example embodiments were described as having a substantially flat upper surface, other example embodiments may have contoured (e.g., convex, concave, or some combination of convex and concave) upper surfaces.
In certain embodiments, the surgical tool organizer may be part of a kit comprising one or more of the surgical tool organizer, a patient headrest, and a bag for use in retaining various items or portions of items used during the procedure. For example, referring to the plan view of
Any of the foregoing docks can be used as follows. The dock is placed on a stand such as a mayo tray or horizonal surface of an endoscope tower. The dock has a bottom surface touching the stand and an upper surface having a plurality of slits or channels. Each of the plurality of slits or channels has an entry end and an exit end. The surgeon or their assistant then inserts at least some of the plurality of flexible tubes and/or wires into the dock so that each of the plurality of slits or channels grips a respective one of at least some of the flexible tubes and/or wires.
In example embodiments in which a bottom surface of the dock has covered adhesive, the method further includes removing the adhesive cover to expose the adhesive on the bottom surface of the foam component before the foam component is placed on the stand.
A bag may be attached or otherwise held to the stand. Then, at least a portion of the lengths of at least some of the flexible tubes and/or wires may be placed into the bag.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/323,274 (referred to as “the ′274 provisional” and incorporated herein by reference), titled “FOAM DOCK FOR ORGANIZING MEDICAL EQUIPMENT FOR ENDOSCOPIC PROCEDURES,” filed on Mar. 24, 2022, and listing Jovanka MONTANEZ as the inventor. The scope of the invention is not limited to any requirements of the specific embodiments in the ′274 provisional.
Number | Date | Country | |
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63323274 | Mar 2022 | US |