Warming system and method for heating various items utilized in surgical procedures

• US 6,376,805 B2
• Filed: 03/19/2001
• Issued: 04/23/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Medical Solutions Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Medical Solutions Incorporated
• Inventors: Faries, Durward I. Jr., Blankenship, Calvin, Heymann, Bruce R.
• Primary Examiner(s): PELHAM, JOSEPH MOORE
• Application Number:
  US09/810,418
• Publication Number:
  US 20010042743A1
• Time in Patent Office: 400 Days
• Field of Search: 219/385, 219/386, 219/400, 219/392, 604/114, 312/209, 312/236
• US Class Current: 219/400
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 7/0241 Apparatus for the preparation of hot packs, hot compresses, cooling pads, e.g. heaters or refrigerators
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/362 by gas flow
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/445 the media being heated in the reservoir, e.g. warming bloodbags

Abstract

A surgical warming system heats medical items of various sizes, independently and simultaneously for immediate use. The warming system includes a plurality of compartments, each separately heated and controlled. The compartments may be modular and stackable, or multiple compartments of varying size may be formed into a single cabinet structure so as to receive different sized intravenous bags or bottles. Each compartment is heated by forcing a controlled mix of recycled and outside air through a heating chamber and then into the compartment. Each compartment includes a heating unit and controller allowing the simultaneous maintenance of different temperatures.

Claims

1. A warming system for heating medical items to desired temperatures within an approximate range of 86°

F. -104 °

F. prior to using said medical items within medical procedures comprising;

a warmer unit including;

a housing;

a compartment disposed within said housing to receive at least one medical item to be heated;

a heater disposed proximate said compartment to direct heated air into said compartment to heat said compartment and said at least one medical item contained within said compartment;

a temperature sensor disposed within said compartment to measure temperature in said compartment;

a medical item support structure disposed within said compartment and including a plurality of individual receptacles each for receiving and securing at least one medical item within said compartment, wherein said each receptacle is disposed in a flow path of said heated air through said compartment and is configured to enable said heated air to flow through that receptacle and heat said at least one medical item contained therein, wherein said medical item support structure further includes flow paths through said structure for said heated air that are defined by arrangement of said receptacles to reside between facing external surfaces of medical items contained in adjacent receptacles, and wherein said receptacle arrangement within said medical item support structure is configured to expose substantial portions of said medical items contained within said receptacles to said heated air to enable said heated air to surround and heat those medical items; and

a controller to facilitate entry of a desired temperature within said range for said compartment and to control said heater to heat said compartment to the entered desired temperature based on the temperature measured by said temperature sensor.

2. The warming system of claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of said warmer units each individually controllable to heat said medical items to said desired temperatures, wherein said each warmer unit maintains a corresponding desired temperature and said warming system simultaneously heats said medical items contained within said warmer units to the respective desired temperatures entered for said warmer units.

3. The warming system of claim 1, wherein said heater includes:

a heating element; and

a fan to direct air across said heating element to produce said heated air and to direct said heated air into said compartment to heat said compartment and said at least one medical item contained within said compartment.

4. The warming system of claim 3, wherein said warmer unit further includes:

a plurality of slots to enable outside air to enter said warmer unit, wherein said fan receives a mixture of said outside air and said heated air flowing from said compartment and directs said mixture across said heating element into said compartment.

5. The warming system of claim 1, wherein at least one of said plurality of receptacles is removably secured to said medical item support structure and interchangeable.

6. The warming system of claim 1, wherein said medical item support structure includes a selectively adjustable interior configuration for receiving and securing said at least one medical item within said compartment, wherein said interior configuration is selectively adjustable to include varying quantities of said individual receptacles.

7. The warming system of claim 1, wherein said receptacle arrangement facilitates uniform distribution of said heated air about said medical items contained within said receptacles.

8. The warming system of claim 2, wherein each said warmer unit further includes:

at least one fastening member disposed on an exterior surface of that warmer unit to interface an adjacent warmer unit; and

at least one fastening member receptacle to receive said at least one fastening member of another warmer unit and facilitate securing of said warmer units in stacked relation.

9. The warming system of claim 1, wherein said warmer unit further includes:

a plurality of said compartments for heating said medical items to said desired temperatures, wherein each said compartment maintains a corresponding desired temperature;

a plurality of said heaters each directing heated air into a corresponding compartment to heat that compartment and at least one medical item contained within that compartment;

a plurality of said temperature sensors each disposed within a corresponding compartment to measure temperature in that compartment;

a plurality of said medical item support structures each disposed within a corresponding compartment for receiving and securing at least one medical item within that compartment; and

a plurality of said controllers each to facilitate entry of a desired temperature for a corresponding compartment and to control said corresponding heater to heat that compartment to the entered desired temperature for that compartment based on the temperature measured by said corresponding temperature sensor;

wherein said warming unit simultaneously heats medical items contained within said compartments to the respective desired temperatures entered for said compartments.

10. The warming system of claim 1, wherein said warmer unit further includes:

an air intake to supply ambient air from outside said warming system to said heater;

an air recycling unit to direct re-cycled air from said compartment back to said heater to be heated as necessary; and

a guide to direct heated ambient air and re-cycled air from said heater to said compartment.

11. The warming system of claim 1, wherein said warmer unit further includes a compartment access disposed on a top surface of said housing to facilitate access to said at least one medical item contained within said compartment.

12. In a warming system including a warmer unit, wherein said warmer unit includes a housing, a compartment for receiving at least one medical item, a heater to heat said compartment, a temperature sensor to measure a temperature of said compartment, a medical item support structure disposed within said compartment and including a plurality of individual receptacles each for receiving and securing at least one medical item within said compartment and a controller to control said heater, a method of heating medical items to desired temperatures within an approximate range of 86°

F.-104°

F. prior to using said medical items within medical procedures comprising the steps of;

(a) heating said medical items to said desired temperatures within said compartment, wherein step (a) further includes;

(a.1) receiving at least one medical item to be heated within at least one receptacle of said medical item support structure disposed in said compartment;

(a.2) facilitating entry into said controller a desired temperature within said range for said compartment;

(a.3) directing heated air into said compartment, via said heater, to heat said at least one medical item contained within said medical item support structure, wherein step (a.3) further includes;

(a.3.1) disposing said each receptacle in a flowpath of said heated air through said compartment wherein said each receptacle is configured to enable said heated air to flow through that receptacle and heat said at least one medical item contained therein;

(a.3.2) defining flow paths through said medical item support structure for said heated air via arrangement of said receptacles, wherein said flow paths reside between facing external surfaces of medical items contained in adjacent receptacles; and

(a.3.3) exposing substantial portions of said medical items contained within said receptacles to said heated air, via said receptacle arrangement, to enable said heated air to surround and heat those medical items;

(a.4) measuring the temperature of said compartment via said temperature sensor; and

(a.5) controlling said heater, via said controller, to heat said compartment to the desired temperature based on the compartment temperature measured by said temperature sensor.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein said warming system further includes a plurality of said warmer units each individually controllable to heat said medical items to said desired temperatures, and step (a) further includes simultaneously heating said medical items to said desired temperatures within at least two of said warmer units;

step (a.1) further includes;

(a.1.1) receiving at least one medical item to be heated within at least one receptacle of said medical item support structures disposed in the compartments of said at least two warmer units;

step (a.2) further includes;

(a.2.1) facilitating entry into the respective controllers of said at least two warmer units desired temperatures within said range for those warmer units;

step (a.3) further includes directing heated air into the compartments of said at least two warmer units, via the respective heaters, to heat the compartments and said at least one medical item contained within said medical item support structures disposed within those compartments;

step (a.4) further includes;

(a.4.1) measuring the temperature of the compartments of said at least two warmer units via the respective temperature sensors; and

step (a.5) further includes;

(a.5.1) controlling the heaters of said at least two warmer units, via the respective controllers, to simultaneously heat the compartments to their corresponding desired temperatures based on the compartment temperatures measured by the corresponding temperature sensors.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein step (a.3) further includes directing air across a heating element of the heater to produce the heated air and directing the heated air into the compartment to heat the compartment and said at least one medical item contained therein.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein step (a.3) further includes mixing heated air flowing from the compartment with outside air to produce an air mixture and directing said air mixture across the heating element and into the compartment.

16. The method of claim 12 wherein at least one of said plurality of receptacles is removably secured to said medical item support structure and interchangeable, and step (a.1) further includes:

(a.1.1) replacing at least one interchangeable receptacle of said medical item support structure to contain said at least one medical item.

17. The method of claim 12 wherein said medical item support structure includes a selectively adjustable interior configuration for receiving and securing said at least one medical item within said compartment, wherein said interior configuration is selectively adjustable to include varying quantities of said individual receptacles, and step (a.1) further includes:

(a.1.1) selectively adjusting said interior configuration of said medical item support structure; and

(a.1.2) receiving said at least one medical item within said receptacles to secure said at least one medical item within the compartment.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein step (a.3) further includes uniformly distributing said heated air about said medical items contained within said receptacles via said receptacle arrangement.

19. The method of claim 13 wherein each said warmer unit further includes at least one fastening member disposed on an exterior surface of that warmer unit to interface an adjacent warmer unit and at least one fastening member receptacle to receive at least one fastening member of another warmer unit, and step (a) further includes arranging said warmer units in stacked relation by interfacing adjacent warmer units via said at least one fastening member and said at least one fastening member receptacle.

20. The method of claim 12 wherein said warmer unit further includes a plurality of said compartments each for heating said medical items to a corresponding desired temperature, a plurality of said heaters each for heating a corresponding compartment, a plurality of said temperature sensors each for measuring a temperature of a corresponding compartment, a plurality of said medical item support structures each disposed within a corresponding compartment for receiving and securing at least one medical item within that compartment and a plurality of said controllers each for controlling a corresponding heater, wherein step (a) further includes simultaneously heating said medical items to said desired temperatures within at least two of said compartments;

step (a.1) further includes;

(a.1.1) receiving at least one medical item to be heated within said at least two compartments;

step (a.2) further includes;

(a.2.1) facilitating entry into the respective controllers of said at least two compartments desired temperatures for those compartments;

step (a.3) further includes directing heated air into said at least two compartments, via the respective heaters, to heat the compartments and said at least one medical item contained within each of the compartments, wherein

step (a.3.1) further includes;

(a.3.1.1) disposing said each receptacle of said medical item support structures disposed in said at least two compartments in a flow path of said heated air through said at least two compartments, wherein said each receptacle is configured to enable said heated air to flow through that receptacle and heat said at least one medical item contained therein;

step (a.3.2) further includes;

(a.3.2.1) defining flow paths through said medical item support structures disposed within said at least two compartments for said heated air via arrangement of said corresponding receptacles, wherein said flow paths reside between facing external surfaces of medical items contained in adjacent receptacles of those medical item support structures; and

step (a.3.3) further includes;

(a.3.3.1) exposing substantial portions of said medical items contained within said receptacles of said medical item support structures disposed within said at least two compartments to said heated air to enable said heated air to surround and heat those medical items;

step (a.4) further includes;

(a.4.1) measuring the temperature of said at least two compartments via the respective temperature sensors; and

step (a.5) further includes;

(a.5.1) controlling the heaters of said at least two compartments, via the respective controllers, to simultaneously heat the compartments to their corresponding desired temperatures based on the compartment temperatures measured by the corresponding temperature sensors.

21. The method of claim 12, wherein step (a.3) further includes:

(a.3.4) supplying ambient air from outside said warming system to said heater;

(a.3.5) directing re-cycled air from said compartment back to the heater to be heated as necessary; and

(a.3.6) directing heated ambient air and re-cycled air from the heater to the compartment.

22. The method of claim 12, wherein said warmer unit includes a compartment access disposed on a housing top surface, and step (a.1) further includes:

(a.1.1) accessing said at least one medical item contained within said compartment via said compartment access.

23. A warming system for heating medical items to desired temperatures within an approximate range of 86°

F.-104°

F. prior to using said medical items within medical procedures comprising;

a warmer unit including;

a housing;

a compartment disposed within said housing to receive at least one medical item to be heated;

heating means disposed proximate said compartment for directing heated air into said compartment to heat said compartment and said at least one medical item contained within said compartment;

sensing means disposed within said compartment for measuring temperature in said compartment;

medical item supporting means disposed within said compartment and including a plurality of individual receiving means each for receiving and securing at least one medical item within said compartment, wherein said each receiving means is disposed in a flow path of said heated air through said compartment and is configured to enable said heated air to flow through that receiving means and heat said at least one medical item contained therein, wherein said medical item supporting means further includes flow paths through said supporting means for said heated air that are defined by arrangement of said receiving means to reside between facing external surfaces of medical items contained in adjacent receiving means, and wherein said arrangement within said medical item supporting means exposes substantial portions of said medical items contained within said receiving means to said heated air to enable said heated air to surround and heat those medical items; and

control means for facilitating entry of a desired temperature within said range for said compartment and for controlling said heating means to heat said compartment to the entered desired temperature based on the temperature measured by said sensing means.

24. The warming system of claim 23, further comprising:

a plurality of said warmer units each individually controllable to heat said medical items to said desired temperatures, wherein said each warmer unit maintains a corresponding desired temperature and said warming system simultaneously heats said medical items contained within said warmer units to the respective desired temperatures entered for said warmer units.

25. The warming system of claim 23, wherein said heating means includes:

a heating element; and

air direction means for directing air across said heating element to produce said heated air and for directing said heated air into said compartment to heat said compartment and said at least one medical item contained within said compartment.

26. The warming system of claim 25, wherein said warmer unit further includes:

a plurality of slots to enable outside air to enter said warmer unit, wherein said air direction means receives a mixture of said outside air and said heated air flowing from said compartment and directs said mixture across said heating element into said compartment.

27. The warming system of claim 23, wherein at least one of said plurality of receiving means is removably secured to said medical item supporting means and interchangeable.

28. The warming system of claim 23, wherein said medical item supporting means includes a selectively adjustable interior configuration for receiving and securing said at least one medical item within said compartment, wherein said interior configuration is selectively adjustable to include varying quantities of said individual receiving means.

29. The warming system of claim 23, wherein said arrangement facilitates uniform distribution of said heated air about said medical items contained within said receiving means.

30. The warming system of claim 24, wherein each said warmer unit further includes:

at least one fastening means disposed on an exterior surface of that warmer unit for interfacing an adjacent warmer unit; and

at least one connection means for receiving said at least one fastening means of another warmer unit and for facilitating securing of said warmer units in stacked relation.

31. The warming system of claim 23, wherein said warmer unit further includes:

a plurality of said compartments for heating said medical items to said desired temperatures, wherein each said compartment maintains a corresponding desired temperature;

a plurality of said heating means each for directing heated air into a corresponding compartment to heat that compartment and at least one medical item contained within that compartment;

a plurality of said sensing means each disposed within a corresponding compartment for measuring temperature in that compartment;

a plurality of said medical item supporting means each disposed within a corresponding compartment for receiving and securing at least one medical item within that compartment; and

a plurality of said control means each for facilitating entry of a desired temperature for a corresponding compartment and for controlling said corresponding heating means to heat that compartment to the entered desired temperature for that compartment based on the temperature measured by said corresponding sensing means;

wherein said warming unit simultaneously heats medical items contained within said compartments to the respective desired temperatures entered for said compartments.

32. The warming system of claim 23, wherein said warmer unit further includes:

air supply means for supplying ambient air from outside said warming system to said heating means;

air recycling means for directing re-cycled air from said compartment back to said heating means to be heated as necessary; and

guide means for directing heated ambient air and re-cycled air from said heating means to said compartment.

33. The warming system of claim 23, wherein said warmer unit further includes compartment access means disposed on a top surface of said housing for facilitating access to said at least one medical item contained within said compartment.