Thermal treatment system and method for maintaining integrity and ensuring sterility of surgical drapes used with surgical equipment

• US 6,255,627 B1
• Filed: 06/27/2000
• Issued: 07/03/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Microtek Medical Incorporated (Ecolab, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: OR Solutions Inc (Ecolab, Inc.)
• Inventors: Blankenship, Calvin, Faries, Durward I. Jr., Heymann, Bruce R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Walberg, Teresa
• Assistant Examiner(s): FUQUA, SHAWNTINA T
• Application Number:
  US09/604,221
• Time in Patent Office: 371 Days
• Field of Search: 219/430, 219/433, 219/438, 219/435, 219/452, 219/502, 219/506, 219/540, 219/552, 219/553, 128/898, 604/114, 604/291, 465/5
• US Class Current: 219/430
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2050/002 having adhesive means, e.g. an adhesive strip
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 46/10 specially adapted for instruments, e.g. microscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 7/0085 Devices for generating hot or cold treatment fluids

Abstract

A thermal treatment system warming basin for warming a sterile liquid or medium includes a heating pad disposed on the exterior surface of the basin floor in various configurations (e.g., spiral, ‘I’, ‘X’ or serpentine configurations, multiple heating pad segments disposed about the basin floor, etc.) to prevent damage to a sterile surgical drape placed over the system when objects are placed within the basin. The configurations cover a portion of the basin floor to permit the basin to absorb thermal energy that may otherwise be absorbed by and cause damage to the drape. In addition, a thermal treatment system and corresponding sterile surgical drape may include a variety of mechanisms to ensure sterility of a sterile liquid within a basin. In particular, the drape may include a reflective material segment to reflect infrared light emitted from an infrared light source toward a detector to indicate the proper positioning and/or presence of the drape on the thermal treatment system. The infrared light source and corresponding detector may be disposed within the thermal treatment system below the basin or within the system top surface. Alternatively, magnetic media may be attached to the drape, while a magnetic detector is disposed within the thermal treatment system on the exterior surface of the basin floor or within the system top surface. The magnetic detector senses the drape magnetic media to detect the proper positioning and/or presence of the drape on the thermal treatment system.

Claims

1. A thermal treatment system for thermally treating and ensuring sterility of a sterile medium comprising:

a basin recessed within a top surface of a system housing;

a surgical drape covering and substantially conforming to said basin to serve as a drape container for containing the sterile medium and at least one medical utensil placed within said basin, wherein said drape provides a sterile field above said basin for maintaining sterility of the sterile medium and said at least one medical utensil; and

a heater disposed proximate a floor of said basin to heat the sterile medium and said at least one medical utensil contained within said drape container, wherein said heater is attached and applies thermal energy only to selected portions of said basin floor and said basin floor includes at least one basin floor section lacking coincidence with and direct application of thermal energy from said heater, and wherein said at least one medical utensil contacts said drape container at a location coincident at least one of said basin floor sections to enable said basin to absorb and disperse thermal energy in sufficient quantities to prevent damage to said drape and maintain the sterile field to ensure sterility of the sterile medium when said at least one medical utensil is placed within said basin.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said heater includes a plurality of individual heating pad segments each attached to different selected portions of said basin floor.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein said at least one medical utensil is placed within said basin entirely coincident said at least one basin floor section lacking direct application of thermal energy from said heater to enable said selected portions to disperse thermal energy from said heater to said basin in sufficient quantities to protect said drape.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein said heater includes a plurality of openings defined therein, and said basin includes a plurality of said basin floor sections each disposed coincident a corresponding heater opening.

6. The system of claim 1 further including:

a plurality of basins disposed within said top surface, wherein said surgical drape covers and substantially conforms to each said basin to serve as drape containers to contain the sterile medium and to provide the sterile field above each basin for maintaining sterility of the sterile medium, and wherein said at least one medical utensil is placed within one or more of said basins; and

at least one heater with each basin containing said at least one medical utensil having a corresponding heater disposed proximate a floor of that basin to heat the sterile medium and said at least one medical utensil placed within that basin, wherein each said corresponding heater is attached and applies thermal energy only to selected portions of a floor of said corresponding basin, and said corresponding basin includes at least one basin floor section lacking coincidence with and direct application of thermal energy from an associated heater, and wherein said at least one medical utensil contacts a drape container of said corresponding basin at a location coincident at least one of said basin floor sections of said corresponding basin to enable said each corresponding basin to absorb and disperse thermal energy in sufficient quantities to prevent damage to said drape and maintain the sterile field to ensure sterility of the sterile medium when said at least one medical utensil is placed within that basin.

5. A thermal treatment system for thermally treating and ensuring sterility of a sterile medium comprising:

a basin recessed within a top surface of a system housing;

a surgical drape covering and substantially conforming to said basin to serve as a drape container for containing the sterile medium and at least one medical utensil placed within said basin, wherein said drape provides a sterile field above said basin for maintaining sterility of the sterile medium and said at least one medical utensil; and

a heater disposed proximate a floor of said basin to heat the sterile medium and said at least one medical utensil contained within said drape container, wherein said heater includes a heating pad attached to and covering substantially the entire basin floor and a heating element disposed within said heating pad and applying thermal energy only to selected portions of said basin floor;

wherein said basin floor includes at least one basin floor section lacking coincidence with and direct application of thermal energy from said heating element, and wherein said at least one medical utensil contacts said drape container at a location coincident at least one of said basin floor sections to enable said basin to absorb and disperse thermal energy in sufficient quantities to prevent damage to said drape and maintain the sterile field to ensure sterility of the sterile medium when said at least one medical utensil is placed within said basin.

7. In a thermal treatment system for thermally treating a sterile medium including a basin recessed in a top surface of a system housing, a heater disposed proximate a floor of the basin and a surgical drape covering and substantially conforming to said basin to serve as a drape container for containing the sterile medium and at least one medical utensil placed within the basin, wherein the drape provides a sterile field above the basin for maintaining sterility of the sterile medium and said at least one medical utensil, a method of thermally treating and ensuring sterility of the sterile medium comprising the steps of:

(a) applying thermal energy only to selected portions and less than the entirety of said basin floor via said heater; and

(b) in response to placement of said at least one medical utensil within said basin, ensuring sterility of the sterile medium and protecting said drape from damage due to absorption of thermal energy in excess of a drape tolerance by dispersing said thermal energy from said selected portions of said basin floor to said basin in quantities within said drape tolerance.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein step (a) further includes:

(a.1) placing said at least one medical utensil within said basin partially coincident said selected portions of the basin floor to enable said selected portions to disperse thermal energy from said heater to said basin in quantities within said drape tolerance.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein step (a) further includes:

(a.1) placing said at least one medical utensil within said basin entirely coincident portions of the basin floor lacking direct application of thermal energy from said heater to enable said selected portions to disperse thermal energy from said heater to said basin in quantities within said drape tolerance.

10. The method of claim 7 wherein step (a) further includes:

(a.1) covering the selected portions and less than the entirety of said basin floor with said heater to enable said selected portions to disperse thermal energy from said heater to said basin in quantities within said drape tolerance.

11. The method of claim 7 wherein said heater includes a heating pad configured to cover substantially the entire basin floor and a heating element disposed within the heating pad, and step (a) further includes:

(a.1) applying thermal energy only to the selected portions and less than the entirety of said basin floor via said heating element.

12. The method of claim 7 wherein said thermal treatment system further includes a plurality of basins disposed within said top surface with said at least one medical utensil placed in one or more of said basins and at least one heater with each basin containing said at least one medical utensil having a corresponding heater disposed proximate a floor of that basin to heat the sterile medium and said at least one medical utensil placed within that basin, wherein said surgical drape covers and substantially conforms to each said basin to serve as drape containers to contain the sterile medium and to provide the sterile field above each basin for maintaining sterility of the sterile medium, and step (a) further includes:

(a.1) applying thermal energy only to selected portions and less than the entirety of a floor of each basin containing said at least one medical utensil via said heater corresponding to that basin; and

step (b) further includes;

(b.1) in response to placement of said at least one medical utensil within one or more of said basins, ensuring sterility of the sterile medium and protecting said drape from damage due to absorption of thermal energy in excess of said drape tolerance by dispersing said thermal energy from said selected portions of said floors of said basins containing said at least one medical utensil to those basins in quantities within said drape tolerance.

17. The method of claim 7 wherein said heater includes a plurality of individual heating pad segments each disposed coincident different selected portions of said basin floor, and step (a) further includes:

(a.1) applying thermal energy only to said selected portions of said basin floor via said heating pad segments.

18. The method of claim 7 wherein said heater includes a plurality of openings defined therein, and step (a) further includes:

(a.1) applying thermal energy to only said selected portions and less than the entirety of said basin floor via said openings within said heater.

13. A thermal treatment system for thermally treating and ensuring sterility of a sterile medium comprising:

a basin recessed within a top surface of a system housing for receiving a surgical drape substantially conforming to said basin to serve as a drape container for containing the sterile medium, wherein said drape provides a sterile field above said basin for maintaining sterility of the sterile medium; and

a heater disposed proximate a floor of said basin to heat the sterile medium contained within said drape container, wherein said heater is attached and applies thermal energy only to selected portions of said basin floor and said basin floor includes at least one basin floor section lacking coincidence with and direct application of thermal energy from said heater to facilitate dispersion of said thermal energy from said selected portions to said basin in quantities within a tolerance of said drape in response to placement of at least one medical utensil within said drape container, thereby preventing damage to said drape and maintaining the sterile field to ensure sterility of the sterile medium.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein said heater includes a plurality of individual heating pad segments each attached to different selected portions of said basin floor.

16. The system of claim 13 further including:

a plurality of basins disposed within said top surface, wherein said surgical drape covers and substantially conforms to each said basin to serve as drape containers to contain the sterile medium and to provide the sterile field above each basin for maintaining sterility of the sterile medium, wherein at least one basin heats the sterile medium; and

at least one heater with each basin heating the sterile medium having a corresponding heater disposed proximate a floor of that basin to heat the sterile medium, wherein each said corresponding heater is attached and applies thermal energy to only selected portions of a floor of a corresponding heated basin and said floor of said corresponding heated basin includes at least one basin floor section lacking coincidence with and direct application of thermal energy from said corresponding heater to facilitate dispersion of said thermal energy from said selected portions to said corresponding basin in quantities within a tolerance of said drape in response to placement of at least one medical utensil within said drape container of said corresponding basin, thereby preventing damage to said drape and maintaining the sterile field to ensure sterility of the sterile medium.

19. The system of claim 13 wherein said heater includes a plurality of individual heating pad segments each attached to different selected portions of said basin floor.

20. The system of claim 13 wherein said heater includes a plurality of openings defined therein, and said basin includes a plurality of said basin floor sections each disposed coincident a corresponding heater opening.

15. A thermal treatment system for thermally treating and ensuring sterility of a sterile medium comprising:

a basin recessed within a top surface of a system housing for receiving a surgical drape substantially conforming to said basin to serve as a drape container for containing the sterile medium, wherein said drape provides a sterile field above said basin for maintaining sterility of the sterile medium; and

a heater disposed proximate a floor of said basin to heat the sterile medium contained within said drape container, wherein said heater includes a heating pad attached to and covering substantially the entire basin floor and a heating element disposed within said heating pad applying thermal energy only to selected portions of said basin floor;

wherein said basin floor includes at least one basin floor section lacking coincidence with and direct application of thermal energy from said heating element to facilitate dispersion of said thermal energy from said selected portions to said basin in quantities within a tolerance of said drape in response to placement of at least one medical utensil within said drape container, thereby preventing damage to said drape and maintaining the sterile field to ensure sterility of the sterile medium.