Surgery – Body protecting or restraining devices for patients or infants – Drapes
Patent
1996-04-09
1998-11-10
Brown, Michael A.
Surgery
Body protecting or restraining devices for patients or infants
Drapes
128853, A61B 1900
Patent
active
058329277
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a surgical drape which includes a liquid-absorbent top sheet and a liquid-impermeable sheet which is located immediately beneath the top sheet and faces towards a patient when the drape is used.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Applicants market a surgical drape under the registered trade name Klinidrape .RTM. which is comprised of a three-layer laminate, a liquid-absorbent nonwoven top sheet, a liquid-impermeable polyethylene intermediate sheet, and a bottom absorbent sheet of cellulose wadding or like material. The top sheet is intended to absorb blood and other fluids that originate from the surgical area, so as to protect theatre personnel and the operating theatre against contamination. The plastic film forms a barrier against the transporation of fluid-carried bacteria between patient and the surgical area, or wound, while the layer of cellulose wadding or like material is intended to enhance patient comfort, by absorbing perspiration and preventing direct contact of the patient's skin with the plastic sheet.
When a surgical drape is placed over a patient, large areas of the drape will slope steeply in relation to the horizontal. Blood or fluid discharged from the surgical area and landing on vertically sloping parts of the drape will strive to flow down the drape under the effect of gravity, meaning that the spread of fluid absorbed by these parts of the drape will take mostly a vertical pattern. This presents a problem, since it is desirable that fluid discharged from the surgical area will be absorbed in those parts of the drape that lie closest to the surgical area, therewith reducing the risk of personnel or instruments coming into contact unintentionally with blood that has been absorbed by the absorbent material in the top sheet.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to solve this problem.
In accordance with the invention, this object is achieved with a surgical drape of the aforedefined kind which is characterized in that at least one elongated element is placed between the top sheet and the liquid-impermeable sheet. The elongated element functions as a flow barrier and forces at least part of the fluid that flows towards and against the element to change direction and flow *generally parallel with the longitudinal direction of the elongated element.
According to one preferred embodiment of the invention, each elongated element extends in a direction which is generally parallel to one edge of the surgical drape and will include absorbent material. The elongated -elements may conveniently have the form of threads consisting of absorbent fibers, such as cotton fibers or polyacrylate fibers.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to an exemplifying embodiment thereof and also with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which
FIG. 1 illustrates schematically and from above one embodiment of an inventive surgical drape;
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of one part of the surgical drape shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 illustrates the drape shown in FIG. 1 placed over a patient; and
FIG. 4 illustrates an embodiment of a surgical drape which comprises four parts.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The illustrated surgical drape is constructed in the same way as the Klinidrape .RTM. marketed by Applicants and includes an absorbent top sheet 1, a liquid-impermeable intermediate sheet 2, and an absorbent bottom sheet 3. The drape includes an aperture 4 which is intended to be position over the surgical area.
In the illustrated preferred embodiment of an inventive surgical drape, as shown in the Figures, threads 5 are placed between the top sheet 1 and the liquid-impermeable sheet 2, these threads extending generally parallel with two mutually opposing edges of the drape. In the illustrated case the threads 5 extend in the longitudinal direction of the drape, on either side of the aperture 4.
FIG. 3 shows the surgical drape of FIGS. 1 and 2 placed over a p
REFERENCES:
patent: 3538912 (1970-11-01), Becker
patent: 3669106 (1972-06-01), Schrading
patent: 3763857 (1973-10-01), Schrading
patent: 3921627 (1975-11-01), Wilson
patent: 4873997 (1989-10-01), Marshall
patent: 5161544 (1992-11-01), Morris
Wijesinghe Christie
Zackrisson Kjell
Brown Michael A.
Molnlycke AB
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