Surgical disk drape and method of dislodging surgical slush within thermal treatment system basins

• US 7,350,373 B1
• Filed: 12/22/2004
• Issued: 04/01/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microtek Medical Incorporated (Ecolab, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: OR Solutions Inc (Ecolab, Inc.)
• Inventors: Faries, Durward I. Jr., Heymann, Bruce R., Hendrix, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Tapolcai; William E.
• Application Number:
  US11/019,120
• Time in Patent Office: 1,196 Days
• Field of Search: 62342-343, 128849-856
• US Class Current: 62/342
• 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 surgical drape according to the present invention includes a disk member for removable attachment to a thermal treatment system dislodgment mechanism. The mechanism manipulates the drape to dislodge congealed sterile liquid adhered to the sides of a container formed by the drape within a thermal treatment system basin. The disk member includes a base and a cover, where the cover is disposed on the top portion or sterile surface of the drape. The drape sterile surface may further include other disk member components (e.g., base, etc.). In addition, the drape may further include one or more sensors to detect conditions within the drape container.

Claims

1. A surgical drape assembly for use as a sterile container of sterile medium in a surgical slush machine including a cooled basin recessed in the top surface of the machine and a dislodgment mechanism to manipulate said drape assembly to collect surgical slush, said drape assembly comprising:

a conformable sheet of sufficient size to cover and hang down from the top surface of said machine to maintain a sterile field above said machine, wherein said sheet includes sterile and non-sterile surfaces; and

a plate member secured to said sheet to engage said dislodgment mechanism and including;

a cover member disposed on a first sterile surface of said sheet and including a top surface and a bottom surface underlying said top surface and formed of peripheral and interior portions, wherein said peripheral portions of said bottom surface are disposed toward and include a cover member periphery and said interior portions encompass remaining portions of said bottom surface and are disposed inward of said peripheral portions within a cover member interior, wherein said peripheral and interior portions of said bottom surface are each engageable by said sterile surface of said sheet, and wherein at least an interior portion of said bottom surface engages said sterile surface of said sheet; and

a base member disposed on an opposing non-sterile sheet surface to engage said dislodgment mechanism.

2. The drape assembly of claim 1, further including at least one sensor disposed on said sheet to detect conditions within said sterile container.

5. The drape assembly of claim 1, wherein said sheet includes a pre-formed container portion adapted to be substantially conformed to said basin.

6. The drape assembly of claim 1, wherein said base member includes an engagement member to engage said dislodgment mechanism in at least one of a friction fit, snap-fit and weight-based type of engagement.

7. The drape assembly of claim 6, wherein said engagement member includes:

a plurality of resilient projections extending from an engagement member periphery, wherein each projection includes a lip extending transversely therefrom; and

a wall radially displaced from said projections to form a gap therebetween to receive and engage said dislodgment mechanism.

3. A surgical drape assembly for use as a sterile container of sterile medium in a surgical slush machine including a cooled basin recessed in the top surface of the machine and a dislodgment mechanism to manipulate said drape assembly to collect surgical slush, said drape assembly comprising:

a sterile conformable sheet of sufficient size to cover and hang down from the top surface of said machine to maintain a sterile field above said machine;

a plate member secured to said sheet to engage said dislodgment mechanism and including;

a cover member disposed an a first surface of said sheet; and

a base member disposed on an opposing sheet surface to engage said dislodgment mechanism; and

at least one sensor disposed between said base member and said cover member.

4. A surgical drape assembly for use as a sterile container of sterile medium in a surgical slush machine including a cooled basin recessed in the top surface of the machine and a dislodgment mechanism to manipulate said drape assembly to collect surgical slush, said drape assembly comprising:

a sterile conformable sheet of sufficient size to cover and hang down from the top surface of said machine to maintain a sterile field above said machine;

a plate member secured to said sheet to engage said dislodgment mechanism and including;

a cover member disposed on a first surface of said sheet; and

a base member disposed on an opposing sheet surface to engage said dislodgment mechanism; and

at least one sensor disposed on said sheet to detect conditions within said sterile container, wherein at least one sensor includes a plurality of electrodes to measure current flow therebetween indicating said conditions within said sterile container.

8. A surgical drape assembly for use as a sterile container of sterile medium in a surgical slush machine including a cooled basin recessed in the top surface of the machine and a dislodgment mechanism to manipulate said drape assembly to collect surgical slush, said drape assembly comprising:

a sterile conformable sheet of sufficient size to cover and hang down from the top surface of said machine to maintain a sterile field above said machine;

a plate member secured to said sheet to engage said dislodgment mechanism; and

at least one sensor disposed on said sheet to detect conditions within said sterile container, wherein at least one sensor is disposed between said sheet and said plate member.

10. The drape assembly of claim 8, wherein said sheet includes a pre-formed container portion adapted to be substantially conformed to said basin.

11. The drape assembly of claim 8, wherein said plate member includes an engagement member to engage said dislodgment mechanism in at least one of a friction fit, snap-fit and weight-based type of engagement.

9. A surgical drape assembly for use as a sterile container of sterile medium in a surgical slush machine including a cooled basin recessed in the top surface of the machine and a dislodgment mechanism to manipulate said drape assembly to collect surgical slush, said drape assembly comprising:

a sterile conformable sheet of sufficient size to cover and hang down from the top surface of said machine to maintain a sterile field above said machine;

a plate member secured to said sheet to engage said dislodgment mechanism; and

at least one sensor disposed on said sheet to detect conditions within said sterile container, wherein at least one sensor includes a plurality of electrodes to measure current flow therebetween indicating said conditions within said sterile container.

12. A thermal treatment system for thermally treating a sterile medium comprising:

a system housing including a top surface;

a basin recessed in said top surface for transferring thermal energy to said sterile medium;

a drape covering and hanging down from said top surface of said housing with a portion of said drape disposed in said basin to form a drape container for collecting said sterile medium, wherein said drape includes sterile and non-sterile surfaces;

a dislodgment mechanism to manipulate said drape container to collect surgical slush, wherein said drape includes a plate member to engage said dislodgment mechanism, said plate member including;

a cover member disposed on a first sterile drape surface and including a top surface and a bottom surface underlying said top surface and formed of peripheral and interior portions, wherein said peripheral portions of said bottom surface are disposed toward and include a cover member periphery and said interior portions encompass remaining portions of said bottom surface and are disposed inward of said peripheral portions within a cover member interior, wherein said peripheral and interior portions of said bottom surface are each engageable by said sterile surface of said drape, and wherein at least an interior portion of said bottom surface engages said sterile surface of said drape; and

a base member disposed on an opposing non-sterile drape surface to engage said dislodgment mechanism; and

a thermal treatment unit in thermal relation with said basin for thermally treating said sterile medium.

13. A thermal treatment system for thermally treating a sterile medium comprising:

a system housing including a top surface;

a basin recessed in said top surface for transferring thermal energy to said sterile medium;

a drape covering and hanging down from said top surface of said housing with a portion of said drape disposed in said basin to form a drape container for collecting said sterile medium, wherein said drape includes sterile and non-sterile surfaces and at least one sensor disposed within said basin to detect conditions within said drape container;

a dislodgment mechanism to manipulate said drape container to collect surgical slush, wherein said drape further includes a plate member secured to said sterile and non-sterile drape surfaces and configured to engage said dislodgment mechanism, and wherein said at least one sensor is disposed between said drape and said plate member; and

a thermal treatment unit in thermal relation with said basin for thermally treating said sterile medium.

14. A method of collecting surgical slush in a surgical slush machine including a cooled basin recessed in the top surface of the machine, a surgical drape assembly for use as a sterile container in said basin for a sterile medium and a dislodgment mechanism to manipulate said drape assembly to collect said surgical slush, said method comprising:

(a) engaging said dislodgment mechanism with said drape assembly via a plate member of said drape assembly to enable manipulation of said drape assembly and collection of said surgical slush within said sterile container, wherein said drape assembly includes sterile and non-sterile surfaces and said plate member includes;

a cover member disposed on a first sterile drape assembly surface and including a top surface and a bottom surface underlying said top surface and formed of peripheral and interior portions, wherein said peripheral portions of said bottom surface are disposed toward and include a cover member periphery and said interior portions encompass remaining portions of said bottom surface and are disposed inward of said peripheral portions within a cover member interior, wherein said peripheral and interior portions of said bottom surface are each engageable by said sterile surface of said drape assembly, and wherein at least an interior portion of said bottom surface engages said sterile surface of said drape assembly; and

a base member disposed on an opposing non-sterile drape assembly surface to engage said dislodgment mechanism.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein step (a) further includes:

(a.1) detecting conditions within said sterile container via at least one sensor disposed on said drape assembly.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein said drape assembly includes a pre-formed container portion adapted to be substantially conformed to said basin to serve as said sterile container.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein step (a) further includes:

(a.1) engaging said dislodgment mechanism with said plate member in at least one of a friction fit, snap-fit and weight-based type of engagement.

16. A method of collecting surgical slush in a surgical slush machine including a cooled basin recessed in the top surface of the machine, a surgical drape assembly for use as a sterile container in said basin for a sterile medium and a dislodgment mechanism to manipulate said drape assembly to collect said surgical slush, said method comprising:

(a) engaging said dislodgment mechanism with said drape assembly via a plate member of said drape assembly to enable manipulation of said drape assembly and collection of said surgical slush within said sterile container, wherein said plate member includes a cover member disposed on a first drape assembly surface and a base member disposed on an opposing drape assembly surface to engage said dislodgment mechanism, wherein step (a) further includes;

(a.1) detecting conditions within said sterile container via at least one sensor, including a plurality of electrodes, disposed on said drape assembly, and measuring current flow between said electrodes indicating said conditions within said sterile container.

19. A method of collecting surgical slush in a surgical slush machine including a cooled basin recessed in the top surface of the machine, a surgical drape assembly for use as a sterile container in said basin for a sterile medium and including sterile and non-sterile surfaces and at least one sensor to detect conditions within said sterile container, and a dislodgment mechanism to manipulate said drape assembly to collect said surgical slush, said method comprising:

(a) engaging said dislodgment mechanism with said drape assembly via a plate member of said drape assembly secured to said sterile and non-sterile surfaces and configured to engage said dislodgment mechanism to enable manipulation of said drape assembly and collection of said surgical slush within said sterile container; and

(b) detecting conditions within said sterile container via said at least one sensor, wherein said at least one sensor is disposed between said drape assembly sterile surface and said plate member.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein said drape assembly includes a pre-formed container portion adapted to be substantially conformed to said basin to serve as said sterile container.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein step (a) further includes:

(a.1) engaging said dislodgment mechanism with said plate member in at least one of a friction fit, snap-fit and weight-based type of engagement.

20. A method of collecting surgical slush in a surgical slush machine including a cooled basin recessed in the top surface of the machine, a surgical drape assembly for use as a sterile container in said basin for a sterile medium and including at least one sensor to detect conditions within said sterile container, and a dislodgment mechanism to manipulate said drape assembly to collect said surgical slush, said method comprising:

(a) engaging said dislodgment mechanism with said drape assembly via a plate member of said drape assembly to enable manipulation of said drape assembly and collection of said surgical slush within said sterile container; and

(b) detecting conditions within said sterile container via said at least one sensor, wherein at least one sensor includes a plurality of electrodes, and step (b) further includes;

(b.1) measuring current flow between said electrodes indicating said conditions within said sterile container.

23. A surgical drape assembly for use as a sterile container of sterile medium in a surgical slush machine including a cooled basin recessed in the top surface of the machine and a dislodgment mechanism to manipulate said drape assembly to collect surgical slush, said drape assembly comprising:

a conformable sheet of sufficient size to cover and hang down from the top surface of said machine to maintain a sterile field above said machine, wherein said sheet includes sterile and non-sterile surfaces; and

a plate member configured to engage said dislodgment mechanism and secured to one of said sheet sterile surface and a combination of said sheet sterile and non-sterile surfaces, wherein a plate member surface facing said sheet sterile surface includes peripheral and interior portions, wherein said peripheral portions of said facing surface are disposed toward and include a plate member periphery and said interior portions encompass remaining portions of said facing surface and are disposed inward of said peripheral portions within a plate member interior, wherein said peripheral and interior portions of said facing surface are each engageable by said sterile surface of said sheet, and wherein at least an interior portion of said facing surface engages said sterile surface of said sheet.

24. A method of collecting surgical slush in a surgical slush machine including a cooled basin recessed in the top surface of the machine, a surgical drape assembly for use as a sterile container in said basin for a sterile medium and a dislodgment mechanism to manipulate said drape assembly to collect said surgical slush, said method comprising:

(a) engaging said dislodgment mechanism with said drape assembly via a plate member of said drape assembly to enable manipulation of said drape assembly and collection of said surgical slush within said sterile container, wherein said drape assembly includes sterile and non-sterile surfaces and said plate member is configured to engage said dislodgment mechanism and is secured to one of said sterile surface and a combination of said sterile and non-sterile surfaces, wherein a plate member surface facing said drape assembly sterile surface includes peripheral and interior portions, wherein said peripheral portions of said facing surface are disposed toward and include a plate member periphery and said interior portions encompass remaining portions of said facing surface and are disposed inward of said peripheral portions within a plate member interior, wherein said peripheral and interior portions of said facing surface are each engageable by said drape assembly sterile surface, and wherein at least an interior portion of said facing surface engages said sterile surface of said drape assembly.