The above-mentioned features of the invention will become more clearly understood from the following detailed description of the invention read together with the drawings in which:
An apparatus for a heated surgical drape device is disclosed. A feature of the present invention is that the apparatus is made of thin sheets of material and is foldable into a compact space.
A surgical drape 100 includes an access panel 106 that allows access to the patient 122 from above the surgical drape 102. In the illustrated embodiment, the access panel 106 is a rectangular section that has a perforated boundary. The perforated boundary allows for the separation of the access panel 106 from the remainder of the drape 102. In one embodiment, the access panel 106 includes a dividing perforation 126 that allows flexibility in the size and location of the opening through the surgical drape 102. In the illustrated embodiment, the center dividing perforation 126 allows either the top portion of the access panel 106, the bottom portion of the panel 106, or the complete access panel 106 to be removed from the surgical drape 102. Those skilled in the art will recognize that the location, size, and number of the access panels 106 and dividing perforations 126 can be varied based upon the type of surgery being performed and the needs of the medical staff without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
The surgical drape 102 includes a viewing panel 104 that is a window in the surgical drape 102 that allows viewing of the area surrounding the head of the patient 122. In a typical operating room environment, the patient 122 is covered with an opaque surgical drape. Modern operating rooms and medical practice involve the use of many appliances and medical devices, including aspirators, tubes, and other specialized equipment, often mounted on articulated arms or stands. An opaque drape does not allow viewing of the patient 122; therefore, the exact location of the patient's extremities are not easily determined during operating room procedures. It has been known for operating room personnel to inadvertently strike the patient when moving and/or repositioning appliances and equipment. Striking the patient 122 on or near the head often dislodges aspirators and/or other equipment or injures the patient 122. Accordingly, the placement of the viewing panel 104 allows the medical staff to readily determine the location of the patient's head and the location of appliances and/or equipment connected to the head of the patient 122. In one embodiment, the viewing panel 104 is a clear sheet of flexible material. In another embodiment, the viewing panel 104 is a sheet of flexible, translucent material. In still another embodiment, the viewing panel 104 is a rigid panel.
Below the surgical drape 102 and illustrated with hidden lines is a convection heat therapy portion 112 of the heated surgical drape device 100. The convection heat therapy portion 112 is a U-shaped tube 112 that includes a pair of tubular legs 114 connected at one end with a tubular crosspiece 116. The crosspiece 116 includes an inlet opening, or port, 118 to which a heated air supply tube is connected to inflate the convection heat therapy portion 112. Those skilled in the art will recognize that the inlet opening 118 can be located at a convenient location on the convection heat therapy portion 112 without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
Along the inside of the U-shaped portion of the convection heat therapy portion 112 are a plurality of exhaust ports 120 positioned to exhaust the heated air that is used to inflate the convection heat therapy portion 112. In various embodiments the exhaust ports 120 are round holes, slits, V-shaped beaks, and/or a section of air permeable material. The number and position of the exhaust ports 120 are such that the heated air that is introduced into the inlet port 118 is sufficient to inflate the convection heat therapy portion 112 and to provide a supply of heated air directed toward selected areas of the body of the patient 122. In the illustrated embodiment, the exhaust ports 120 are positioned along the inside of each leg 114 and the crosspiece 116.
The convection heat therapy portion 112 is attached to the surgical drape 102 such that the heated surgical drape device 100 is a single, integral device. In the illustrated embodiment, lengths of double-sided tape 124 are disposed between the convection heat therapy portion 112 and the surgical drape 102. The tape 124 connects the surgical drape 102 to the convection heat therapy portion 112 with a flexible bond that allows the heated surgical drape device 100 to be readily positioned over the patient 122 and to maintain stability of the surgical drape 102 over the patient 122 when the convection heat therapy portion 112 is inflated with air. In another embodiment, the convection heat therapy portion 112 is attached to the surgical drape 102 by welding or heat sealing the surgical drape 102 to the convection heat therapy portion 112. In still another embodiment, the convection heat therapy portion 112 is attached to the surgical drape 102 with an adhesive that bonds the two parts 112, 102 together with a flexible connection.
In the illustrated embodiment, various pockets 132, 132′, 134 are positioned around the periphery of the drape 102. The pockets 132, 132′, 134 allow the surgeon and other medical staff to temporarily store appliances and other tool and devices when not being immediately used. A top pocket 132 is positioned on the drape 102 above the head of the patient 122. This pocket 132 has an opening facing the nearest edge of the drape 102 such that the pocket is operable when the top edge of the drape 102 is suspended to expose the head of the patient 122. Alongside the patient 122 are other pockets 132′, 134. On one side is a long pocket 134 that extends a substantial length of the patient's body. The long pocket 134 has its opening facing the patient 122 because, when covering the patient 122, the drape 102 hangs over the edge of the operating table and the long pocket 134 is vertically oriented with the opening facing upwards. On the opposite side of the patient 122 are a pair of short pockets 132′. Those skilled in the art will recognize that the number, location, and size of the pockets 132, 132′, 134 will vary depending upon the surgical procedure being performed.
The illustrated surgical drape 102 includes the access panel 106 and an opening 206 for receiving the viewing panel 104. In one embodiment, the viewing panel 104 is sized larger than the opening 206 and the overlapping edges of the viewing panel 106 are attached to surgical drape 102. In various embodiments, the viewing panel 104 is bonded to the surgical drape 102 with an adhesive, a double-sided tape, or a welded or heat sealed connection.
A single short pocket 132′ is illustrated in
In the illustrated embodiment, between the surgical drape 102 and the upper sheet 204 are strips of double-sided tape 124. The tape 124 secures the surgical drape 102 to the upper sheet 204. In other embodiments, as discussed elsewhere, an adhesive or a welded connection bonds the surgical drape 102 to the upper sheet 204.
One method of fabricating the heated surgical drape device 100 is to first cut and shape the lower and upper sheets 202, 204 and then join them at their peripheral edges. The exhaust ports 20, in various embodiments, are formed in one or both sheets 202, 204 before or after the sheets 202, 204 are joined together. The opening 206 for the viewing panel 104 is cut in the surgical drape 102 and the viewing panel 104 is attached to the surgical drape 102. The perforations, including the dividing perforations 126, for the access panel 106 are cut into the surgical drape 102. Then the surgical drape 102 is attached to the upper sheet 204. The completed heated surgical drape device 100 is then folded such that it can be readily unfolded to cover the patient. Because the surgical drape 102 must be sterile to be used in an operating room, in one embodiment, the fabrication of the heated surgical drape device 100 is conducted in a clean room environment with sterile materials.
In the illustrated embodiment, additional sections of double-sided tape 324 are disposed between the surgical drape 102 and the convection heat therapy portion 112′. In other embodiments, the surgical drape 102 is attached to convection heat therapy portion 112′ as described previously. An advantage to attaching the extensions 302 to the surgical drape 102 is that when the heated surgical drape device 100′ is initially positioned over a patient 122′, the extensions 302 are disposed at the proper location and with the proper orientation.
The heated surgical drape device 100, 100′ includes various functions. The function of providing a sterile barrier over the patient 122, 122′ is implemented, in one embodiment, by the surgical drape 102. The function of warming the patient 122, 122′ is implemented, in one embodiment, by the convection heat therapy portion 112, 112′, which includes a pair of sheets 202, 204 joined at a peripheral edge.
The function of supplying heated air to the patient 122, 122′ is implemented, in one embodiment, by the convection heat therapy portion 112, 112′. The function of warming the outstretched arms 322 of a patient 122′ is implemented, in one embodiment, by the extensions, or wings, 302 of the convection heat therapy portion 112′, as illustrated in
The function of connecting the surgical drape 102 to the convection heat therapy portion 112, 112′ is implemented, in one embodiment, by double-sided tape 124 between a sheet 204 of the convection heat therapy portion 112, 112′ and the surgical drape 102. In other embodiments, the function is implemented by an adhesive disposed between the sheet 204 and the surgical drape 102 or by welding or heat sealing the sheet 204 to the surgical drape 102.
The function of providing access to the patient 122, 122′ is implemented, in one embodiment, by the access panel 306. The function of providing a viewing port of the area surrounding the head of the patient 122, 122′ is implemented, in one embodiment, by the viewing panel 104.
From the foregoing description, it will be recognized by those skilled in the art that a heated surgical drape device 100 has been provided. In one embodiment, the device 100 includes a surgical drape 102 attached to a tubular member 112 and the tubular member 112 is sized to receive the body of a patient 122. In another embodiment, the device 100′ includes a surgical drape 102 attached to a tubular member 112′ with tubular extensions 302 and the tubular member 112′ is sized to receive the body of a patient 122′ with the tubular extensions 302 positioned to be adjacent the outstretched arms 322 of the patient 122′. In both embodiments the tubular member 112, 112′ includes a plurality of exhaust ports 120 for discharging heated air toward a patient 122, 122′.
Because the heated surgical drape device 100, 100′ is fabricated of material that is thin sheets 102, 104, 202, 204, 124, the heated surgical drape device 100, 100′ is foldable into a compact package for shipping and for disposal after being used. Further, the heated surgical drape device 100, 100′ is easily placed in service by positioning the folded device 100, 100′ on the patient and unfolding the device 100, 100′ such that the surgical drape 102 is over the patient 122, 122′ and the tubular member 112, 112′ is adjacent the sides of the patient 122, 122′. The integral device 100, 100′ ensures proper placement of the tubular member 112, 112′ relative to the patient 122, 122′ with little or minimal interaction required by medical staff.
Additionally, disposal of the heated surgical drape device 100, 100′ after being used is facilitated by the thin sheets 102, 104, 202, 204, 124 requiring a small volume. Further, the materials used are compatible with incineration disposal methods.
While the present invention has been illustrated by description of several embodiments and while the illustrative embodiments have been described in considerable detail, it is not the intention of the applicant to restrict or in any way limit the scope of the appended claims to such detail. Additional advantages and modifications will readily appear to those skilled in the art. The invention in its broader aspects is therefore not limited to the specific details, representative apparatus and methods, and illustrative examples shown and described. Accordingly, departures may be made from such details without departing from the spirit or scope of applicant's general inventive concept.