Universal medical cover sheet and process for draping

• US 4,627,427 A
• Filed: 10/17/1984
• Issued: 12/09/1986
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/1984
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Co (3M Company)
• Original Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Co (3M Company)
• Inventors: Arco, Judith A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shay, F. Barry
• Application Number:
  US06/661,688
• Time in Patent Office: 783 Days
• Field of Search: 128/132 D, 128/132 R, 128/155, 128/165
• US Class Current: 128/853
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2046/205 Adhesive drapes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 46/00 Surgical drapes

Abstract

An article adaptable for use as a universal medical cover sheet is shown. The article is comprised of draping material and an integrally associated surgical zone and is formed as a closed loop. The loop is dimensioned such that opening of the loop yields a cover sheet having the surgical zone positioned within the draping material so that non-surgical areas of a patient are covered sufficiently for surgical purposes by draping material when the surgical zone is placed to permit access to the surgical site involved in the procedure. The loop is preferably formed so that its outer surface will become the patient surface of the cover sheet resulting upon opening of the loop. It is preferably folded first along longitudinal fold lines and thereafter along transverse fold lines. The folding preferably results in exposure of the surgical zone at an outer surface of the folded loop. Selection of the line along which the loop should be opened for a given procedure is facilitated by providing transverse cut marks on the draping material. In use, the surgical nurse would determine where the loop should be opened, open the loop preferably by cutting with sterile scissors, place the surgical zone on the surgical site involved in the procedure, and then unfold the cover sheet.

Claims

1. An article adaptable for draping non-surgical areas of patient and providing a surgical zone during an invasive medical procedure comprising draping material having opposing side edges of substantially equal length and a surgical zone integrally associated with the draping material, the article being formed in a closed loop and being dimensioned such that opening of the loop yields a surgical cover sheet wherein the surgical zone is positioned within the draping material so that non-surgical areas of the patient are covered sufficiently for surgical purposes by draping material when the surgical zone is placed to permit access to the body area involved in the procedure.

2. The article of claim 1 wherein the outer surface of the loop is adapted to become the patient surface of the cover sheet upon opening of the loop.

3. The article of claim 1 wherein the transverse dimension of the article is reduced by longitudinal folding of the draping material.

4. The article of claim 2 wherein the draping material is folded from each side edge inwardly to form two juxtaposed stacks of longitudinal folds stacked on the inside of the closed loop.

5. The article of claim 4 wherein the longitudinal folds are fan folds.

6. The article of claim 4 wherein the surgical zone is substantially rectangular and the longitudinal axis of the surgical zone is substantially equidistant from the side edges of the draping material.

7. The article of claim 3 wherein the longitudinal dimension of the longitudinally folded article has been reduced by transverse folding of the article.

8. The article of claim 1 wherein the draping material is provided with a plurality of transverse cut marks spaced at intervals from the surgical zone to facilitate determination of the transverse line across the draping material at which the loop should be opened to achieve correct positioning of the surgical zone within the draping material for the procedure to be performed.

9. The article of claim 8 wherein the transverse cut marks are spaced at intervals from the surgical zone to facilitate determination of the transverse line along which the loop should be opened to achieve desired positioning of the surgical zone within the draping material for the procedure to be performed.

10. The article of claim 1 wherein the surgical zone is a fenestration.

11. The article of claim 1 wherein the surgical zone is a stretchy aperture.

12. The article of claim 1 wherein the surgical zone is an incise patch comprised of a film, a pressure sensitive adhesive coated on the surface of the film which will form the patient surface of the surgical zone when the loop is opened, and a liner releasably affixed to the adhesive.

13. The article of claim 7 wherein the surgical zone is an incise patch comprised of a film, a pressure sensitive adhesive coated on the surface of the film which will become the patient surface of the surgical zone when the loop is opened, and a liner releasably affixed to the adhesive and the loop is folded to expose the liner at an outer surface of the article to permit removal of the liner and placement of the surgical zone on the surgical site prior to unfolding of the cover sheet.

14. The article of claim 13 wherein the adhesive incorporates an antimicrobial agent.

15. The article of claim 7 wherein the surgical zone is a stretchy aperture and the article is folded to expose the surgical zone at an outer surface of the article to permit placement of the surgical zone on the surgical site prior to unfolding of the cover sheet.

16. An article adaptable for draping non-surgical areas of a patient and providing a surgical zone during an invasive medical procedure comprising draping material having opposing side edges and a surgical zone integrally associated with the draping material, the article being formed as a closed loop and being dimensioned such that transverse opening of the loop yields a medical cover sheet having the surgical zone positioned within the draping material so that non-surgical areas of the patient are covered sufficiently for surgical purposes by draping material when the surgical zone is placed to permit access to the body area involved in the procedure wherein:

the outer surface of the loop is adapted to become the patient surface of the drape upon opening of the loop;

the transverse dimension of the article is reduced by folding of the draping material in fan folds from each side edge inwardly to form two juxtaposed stacks of longitudinal folds stacked on the inside of the loop;

the longitudinal dimension of the loop is reduced by transverse folding of the longitudinally folded article;

the draping material is provided with a plurality of transverse cut marks spaced at intervals from the surgical zone to facilitate determination of the transverse line across the draping material at which the loop should be opened to achieve correct positioning of the surgical zone within the draping material for the procedure to be performed;

the surgical zone is an incise patch having a film, a pressure sensitive adhesive coated on the outer surface of the film, and a liner releasably secured to the adhesive; and

the loop is folded to expose the liner at an outer surface to permit removal of the liner and placement of the surgical zone prior to unfolding of the cover sheet.

17. The article of claim 16 wherein the adhesive incorporates an antimicrobial agent.

18. A process for draping a patient for an invasive medical procedure with an article having draping material and an integrally associated surgical zone the article being formed as a closed loop and folded first along annular longitudinal fold lines and thereafter along transverse fold lines circumferentially along the loop with the surgical zone exposed at an outer surface of the folded article comprising in sequential order:

transversely opening the closed loop along a line sufficiently distant from the surgical zone to form a cover sheet wherein the surgical zone is positioned within the draping material so as to provide lengths of draping material between the surgical zone and the respective ends of the cover sheet adequate to sufficiently cover non-surgical areas when the surgical zone is placed to permit access to the body area involved in the procedure;

placing the surgical zone with respect to the patient to permit access to the body area involved in the procedure;

unfolding the transverse folds of draping material; and

unfolding the longitudinal folds of draping material.

19. A process for draping a patient for an invasive medical procedure comprising:

providing a closed loop article comprised of draping material and a surgical zone integrally associated with the draping material;

opening the loop along a line distanced an appropriate length from the surgical zone to create a cover sheet with the surgical zone positioned within the draping material between the surgical zone and the respective ends of the cover sheet so as to provide lengths of draping material adequate to sufficiently cover non-surgical areas of the patient when the surgical zone is placed to permit access to the body area involved in the procedure; and

positioning the cover with respect to the patient so that the surgical zone is placed to permit access to the body area involved in the procedure and adequately cover the non-surgical areas of the patient.