Method and apparatus for forming and collecting surgical slush
First Claim
1. In a surgical slush machine of the type wherein a sterile medium in liquid form is contained in a liquid-impervious sterile drape container conformed to a basin having cooled sides causing the sterile medium to freeze and adhere to specific locations on the drape adjacent cooled portions of the basin sides, a method for detaching frozen pieces of the sterile medium from the drape and collecting the detached pieces as sterile slush, said method comprising the step of:
- (a) automatically and repetitively manipulating the drape to displace said specific drape locations from the cooled portions of the basin sides.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Frozen pieces o sterile medium, such as saline, are dislodged from a sterile drape container in a surgical slush producing machine by manipulating the drape relative to the cooled basin to which the drape container conforms. Manipulation of the drape is achieved by pushing, twisting, pulling, lifting, etc. on the drape to displace it from the basin. Such movement of the drape may be effected on a continuous and automatic basis, or by manual means using a member or implement to facilitate drape movement. The system cabinet includes a refrigerated compartment for pre-chilling sterile liquid to be used in forming the surgical slush.
92 Citations
23 Claims
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1. In a surgical slush machine of the type wherein a sterile medium in liquid form is contained in a liquid-impervious sterile drape container conformed to a basin having cooled sides causing the sterile medium to freeze and adhere to specific locations on the drape adjacent cooled portions of the basin sides, a method for detaching frozen pieces of the sterile medium from the drape and collecting the detached pieces as sterile slush, said method comprising the step of:
(a) automatically and repetitively manipulating the drape to displace said specific drape locations from the cooled portions of the basin sides. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. In a surgical slush machine of the type wherein a sterile medium in liquid form is contained in a liquid-impervious sterile drape container conformed to a basin being cooled to cause the sterile medium to freeze and adhere to the drape adjacent cooled portions of the basin, a method for detaching frozen pieces of the sterile medium from the drape, said method comprising the steps of:
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(a) automatically and repetitively manipulating the drape relative to the basin to displace said drape from the cooled portions of the basin; and (b) collecting said detached pieces in said drape container as sterile slush. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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Specification