Stock material or miscellaneous articles – Hollow or container type article – Nonself-supporting tubular film or bag
Patent
1998-06-26
2000-04-18
Dye, Rena L.
Stock material or miscellaneous articles
Hollow or container type article
Nonself-supporting tubular film or bag
428137, 428192, 428195, 206305, 206363, 383211, 374209, B65D 8538, G01K 108
Patent
active
060512938
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
AREA OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a protective sheath (cover) for a probe for therapeutic or diagnostic use, in particular an aseptic disposable sheath aiming to protect the probe from body fluids and to protect contamination, and the patient and nursing personnel from the transmission of pathogenic mircoorganisms.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In medical care various types of probes for diagnostic or therapeutic purposes are used. For instance, probes intended for oral insertion in bronchoscopy, for rectal insertion for examination of the colon or for vaginal insertion for examination of the uterus. These probes comprise transmitters for various types of radiation, for instance, ultrasound or micro waves.
Probes are intended for long term use and examination of a large number of patients. In order to reduce the time consumed in preparing a used probe for the next examination, it is known to provide the probe with a removable cover of a polymer or similar material that can be disposed upon use. The sheath is designed in a way as to cover the parts of the probe coming into contact with body fluids and tissues. For instance, the sheath can have a form similar to a condom, i.e., in principle, the form of a finger with an opening at its base for insertion of the probe. `Having the form of a finger` signifies tubular covers of various length having an insertion opening in their one end and a more or less blunt opposite end (top end) in the direction of which the cover may taper. This prevents contamination of the probe proper and transmission of contamination to the next patient or nursing personnel. A change of cover suffices for preparing the probe for the next use. To make the probe function properly, it is essential for the sheath covering the probe to adopt the form or the latter thus to make as much contact with the probe as possible.
The known protective sheaths can however be improved in regard of their simplicity and safety in use, that is, the ease with which they may be mounted on the probe and their contact with the probe.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a protective sheath of the aforementioned kind which has improved properties in regard to the mounting and/or abutment, and thus function.
According to the invention, there is disclosed a substantially finger formed probe cover of the aforementioned kind provided mounted on a porous support and comprising a flat lower cover portion abutting against the support and being wholly or partially fixed at its border zone to the support in a way so as to enable it to be peeled off, and having a flat upper cover portion abutting against the lower cover portion and being congruent with it except at the insertion area, the lower cover portion at its insertion area being not covered by the upper cover portion and being fixed to the upper cover portion at its border zone congruent in form.
It is preferred for the protective sheath to have, at its top end, a chamber which can be opened from the base end side and which is filled with a liquid or gelatinous contact means, said chamber being formed by a transverse connection of the upper and lower cover portions, said connection being executed for being opened (broken) upon insertion of a probe into the sheath. Preferably the contact means is a liquid or a gel with appropriate optical and/or acoustical properties.
It is furthermore preferred for the cover thickness to be from 00.1 mm-0.1 mm, in particular from 0.02 to 0.05 mm.
It is also important for the protective sheath to have appropriate gliding properties in regard of its inside (the side facing the probe) and of its outside (the side facing the body). It is also preferred that one or both sides of the cover are treated with lubricating means; for instance, it is appropriate to silanize the outside or to cover it with a thin layer of polyurethane swellable in water, or with a similar covering. For the inside of the sheath simpler dry gliding means can also be used, such as talcum. Various known sterilizat
REFERENCES:
patent: 3732975 (1973-05-01), Poncy
patent: 3759370 (1973-09-01), Baltz
patent: 4136776 (1979-01-01), Poncy
patent: 4351616 (1982-09-01), Farnstrom et al.
patent: 4614442 (1986-09-01), Poncy
patent: 4684018 (1987-08-01), Jarund
patent: 5069337 (1991-12-01), Bala
patent: 5107988 (1992-04-01), Bala
patent: 5332092 (1994-07-01), Fischer
patent: 5795632 (1998-08-01), Buchalter
Amedic AB
Dye Rena L.
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