Hospital Operating Room Re-Design

• US 20080287924A1
• Filed: 07/20/2006
• Published: 11/20/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Optimus Services AG
• Original Assignee: Optimus Services AG
• Inventors: Mangiardi, John R.
• Application Number:
  US11/996,043
• Publication Number:
  US 20080287924A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/1
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/302 having rotary tools
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/40 Parts or details of machines not provided for in groups A47L11/02 - A47L11/38, or not restricted to one of these groups, e.g. handles, arrangements of switches, skirts, buffers, levers
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2201/00 Robotic cleaning machines, i.e. with automatic control of the travelling movement or the cleaning operation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2050/005 with a lid or cover
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2050/314 Flexible bags or pouches
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 50/13 Trolleys, e.g. carts
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 50/36 for collecting or disposing of used articles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 50/362 for sharps
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 10/00 Treatment rooms or enclosures for medical purposes baby incubators, couveuses A61G11/00; devices for gas baths with ozone, hydrogen or the like A61H33/14 ; for isolating individuals from external stimuli A61M21/0094 ; containers or portable cabins for affording breathing protection in general A62B31/00
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 1/50 for storing hazardous materials in the laboratory, e.g. cupboards, waste containers sample containers B01L3/50
• CPC Class Codes: B65F 1/0093 specially adapted for collecting refuse from arrangements in buildings
• CPC Class Codes: B65F 1/06 with flexible inserts, e.g. bags or sacks B65F1/0073 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 5/48 Special adaptations of floors for incorporating ducts, e.g. for heating or ventilating in block-shaped elements E04C1/39; in slab- or sheet-shaped elements E04C2/52
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/005 Electrical coupling combined with fluidic coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 27/02 for simultaneous co-operation with two or more dissimilar counterparts

Abstract

An improved operating room design is disclosed. Interfering connection devices, such as wires, cables, and hoses, are eliminated from the working area by use of disappearing floor pods mounted between a sub-floor and a finished floor. The floor pods recess flush with said finished floor, thereby allowing floor cleaning by a robotic device that incorporates disposable, sterile cleaning cartridges. Movable carts, such as an anesthesiology cart, are adapted for docking with said pods on the upper surface of said pods with connectors presented underneath said carts. Said pods provide numerous utility connections such as gas, vacuum, and electric. Gas and vacuum lines are preferably supplied from a universal adaptor. A surgical table is mounted on the sub-flooring of the operating room. AU utilities are fed to the table from underneath the floor. The surgery operating room has a wall with an array of built-in compartments for carrying medical supplies that allows access to personnel both in and outside the operating room. The operating room preferably also includes a ceiling with focusing, “shadow-less” lights and/or a mounted imaging C-arm. Flat panel monitors are also embedded in one or more walls for real-time displays of information. In addition, the operating room walls provide a calming, ambient light by way of surfacing with translucent materials which are backlit.

Claims

1. An operating room comprising:

walls and a ceiling;

a sub-floor and a finished floor;

at least one pod with utility connections,

at least one of any said pod;

mounted between said sub-floor and said finished floor, and

movable between

a lowered position in which an upper surface of said pod is flush with said finished floor and

an upper position in which said pod is raised above said finished floor.

2. The operating room of claim 1 in which said utility connections are for supplying gasses, vacuum, and electricity.

3. The operating room of claim 1 in which said utility connections are for supplying gasses, vacuum, electricity, and water.

4. The operating room of claim 2 or 3 in which said utility connections further supply data transfer ports.

5. The operating room of claim 4 in which said gas and vacuum connections are provided using a uniform adaptor type.

6. The operating room of claim 1 further comprising a surgical table mounted on the sub-flooring of said operating room.

7. The operating room of claim 6 in which said surgical table is capable of being powered to raise, lower, and orient said surgical table.

8. The operating room of claim 6 or 7 in which said surgical table presents receptacles capable of connection to any one of said pods under or in proximity to said surgical table.

9. The operating room of claim 8 in which said surgical table further presents receptacles capable of connection to surgical apparatuses.

10. The operating room of claim 1 in which at least one of said walls comprises built-in compartments for supplies, said compartments adapted to be accessible from the inside and outside of said room.

11. The operating room of claim 10 in which said compartments are adapted to provide mounted doors on either side of said compartments.

12. The operating room of claim 11 in which said mounted doors are comprised of see-through glass.

13. The operating room of claim 1 further comprising a ceiling-mounted imaging C-arm movable between a parked position against said ceiling and positions oriented to obtain imaging of a patient.

14. The operating room of claim 1 further comprising at least one flat-panel monitor disposed on one or more of said walls.

15. The operating room of claim 14 in which at least one said monitor is embedded into one or more of said walls.

16. The operating room of claim 1 further comprising in-wall or on-wall receptacles for disposing of biologics, sharps, and trash.

17. The operating room of claim 16 in which said in-wall or on-wall receptacles are disposable cartridges insertable into the wall.

18. The operating room of claim 17 in which said in-wall or on-wall receptacles are adapted with disposable inner bags.

19. The operating room of claim 16 in which said in-wall or on-wall receptacles are adapted with disposable inner bags.

20. The operating room of any one of claims 18 or 19 in which said in-wall or on-wall receptacles are color-coded.

21. The operating room of claim 1 further comprising at least one surgical light.

22. The operating room of claim 21 in which said surgical lights are adapted to provide shadow cancellation and automatic focus on a target area by placement of a focus locator.

23. The operating room of claim 22 in which said surgical lights are ceiling-mounted.

24. The operating room of claim 22 in which said surgical lights are mounted in a recessed cavity in the ceiling.

25. The operating room of either claim 23 or 24 in which at least two surgical lights are arrayed about a surgical table.

26. The operating room of claim 1 in which said pods are adapted for docking with carts or other apparatuses within said operating room.

27. The operating room of claim 26 further comprising a mobile cart adapted to dock with any of said pods by placement over a lowered pod that is raised until joined with connections under said mobile dock.

28. The operating room of claim 27 in which said mobile cart is adapted for anesthesiology purposes.

29. The operating room of claim 26 further comprising a mobile cart adapted to dock with any of said pods by joining with receptacles or connectors on the side of said pods.

30. The operating room of claim 29 in which said mobile cart is adapted for anesthesiology purposes.

31. The operating room of claim 1 further comprising a robotic cleaner.

32. The operating room of claim 31 in which said robotic cleaner is battery operated.

33. The operating room of claim 31 or 32 in which said robotic cleaner has a sterile, disposable cleaning cartridge and which said robotic cleaner and said cartridge are adapted to provide cleaning and sterilizing of said finished floor.

34. The operating room of claim 1 wherein said finished floor is raised and said finished floor is supported by interlocking floor support columns with each column dovetailed with adjacent columns.

35. The operating room of claim 1 wherein at least one wall comprises translucent backlit panels attached thereto.

36. The operating room of claim 35 in which said translucent backlit panels are made of low dielectric constant materials, non-porous materials, or low dielectric constant and non-porous materials.

37. The operating room of claim 1 further comprising a communication system adapted to wirelessly connect operating room apparatuses to at least one flat-panel monitors.

38. The operating room of claim 1 adapted to meet hospital operating room water, electrical, and fire ratings such as those by Underwriters Laboratories, Inc.

39. The operating room of claim 1 further comprising at least one ceiling-mounted UV, ozone, or UV and ozone sterilization device.

40. The operating room of claim 39 in which said ceiling-mounted UV sterilization device or devices are automated to clean when operating room personnel have left said operating room.

41. The operating room of claim 1 further comprising sink-trap UV sterilizers.

42. The operating room of claim 1 in which at least one corner defined by the intersection of any of said walls, of said finished floor and any of said walls, or of said ceiling and any of said walls are rounded.

43. The operating room of claim 1 in which the operating room is capable of being fumigated.

44. The operating room of claim 1 in which the operating room further comprises airtight doors.

45. The operating room of claim 1 in which said pod is anchored below said sub-floor.

46. An operating room comprising:

walls and a ceiling;

a sub-floor and a finished floor;

at least one surgical light adapted to provide shadow cancellation and automatic focus on a target area by placement of a focus locator;

a surgical table mounted on the sub-flooring of said operating room, capable of being powered to raise, lower, and orient said surgical table.

47. The operating room of claim 46 further comprising at least one pod with utility connections, at least one of any said pod:

mounted between said sub-floor and said finished floor, and movable between a lowered position in which an upper surface of said pod is flush with said finished floor and an upper position in which said pod is raised above said finished floor.

48. The operating room of claim 47 in which said pods are adapted for docking with carts or other apparatuses within said operating room.

49. The operating room of claim 48 further comprising a mobile cart adapted to dock with any of said pods.

50. The operating room of claim 49 in which said mobile cart is adapted for anesthesiology purposes.

51. The operating room of claim 47 in which said pod is anchored below said sub-floor.

52. The operating room of either claim 46 in which at least two surgical lights are arrayed about said surgical table.

53. The operating room of claim 46 in which said gas and vacuum connections are provided using a uniform adaptor type.

54. The operating room of claim 46 in which said surgical table presents receptacles capable of connection to any one of said pods under or in proximity to said surgical table.

55. The operating room of claim 54 in which said surgical table further presents receptacles capable of connection to surgical apparatuses.

56. The operating room of claim 46 in which at least one of said walls comprises built-in compartments for supplies, said compartments adapted to be accessible from the inside and outside of said room.

57. The operating room of claim 56 in which said compartments are adapted to provide mounted doors on either side of said compartments.

58. The operating room of claim 57 in which said mounted doors are comprised of see-through glass.

59. The operating room of claim 46 further comprising a ceiling-mounted imaging C-arm movable between a parked position against said ceiling and positions oriented to obtain imaging of a patient.

60. The operating room of claim 46 further comprising at least one flat-panel monitor disposed on one or more of said walls.

61. The operating room of claim 60 in which at least one said monitor is embedded into one or more of said walls.

62. The operating room of claim 46 further comprising in-wall or on-wall receptacles for disposing of biologics, sharps, and trash.

63. The operating room of claim 62 in which said in-wall or on-wall receptacles are disposable cartridges insertable into the wall.

64. The operating room of claim 63 in which said in-wall or on-wall receptacles are adapted with disposable inner bags.

65. The operating room of claim 63 in which said in-wall receptacles are adapted with disposable inner bags.

66. The operating room of any one of claims 64 or 65 in which said in-wall receptacles are color-coded.

67. The operating room of claim 46 in which said surgical lights are ceiling-mounted.

68. The operating room of claim 46 in which said surgical lights are mounted in a recessed cavity in the ceiling.

69. The operating room of claim 46 further comprising a robotic cleaner.

70. The operating room of claim 69 in which said robotic cleaner is battery operated.

71. The operating room of claim 69 in which said robotic cleaner is adapted for floor cleaning.

72. The operating room of claim 70 or 71 in which said robotic cleaner has a sterile, disposable cleaning cartridge and which said robotic cleaner and said cartridge are adapted to provide cleaning and sterilizing of said finished floor.

73. The operating room of claim 46 wherein said finished floor is raised and said finished floor is supported by interlocking floor support columns with each column dovetailed with adjacent columns.

74. The operating room of claim 46 wherein at least one wall comprises translucent backlit panels attached thereto.

75. The operating room of claim 74 in which said translucent backlit panels are made of low dielectric constant materials, non-porous materials, or low dielectric constant and non-porous materials.

76. The operating room of claim 46 further comprising a communication system adapted to wirelessly connect operating room apparatuses to at least one flat-panel monitors.

77. The operating room of claim 46 adapted to meet hospital operating room water, electrical, and fire ratings such as those by Underwriters Laboratories, Inc.

78. The operating room of claim 46 further comprising at least one ceiling-mounted UV, ozone, or UV and ozone sterilization device.

79. The operating room of claim 78 in which said ceiling-mounted UV sterilization device or devices are automated to clean when operating room personnel have left said operating room.

80. The operating room of claim 46 further comprising sink-trap UV sterilizers.

81. The operating room of claim 46 in which at least one corner defined by the intersection of any of said walls, of said finished floor and any of said walls, or of said ceiling and any of said walls are rounded.

82. The operating room of claim 46 in which the operating room is capable of being fumigated.

83. The operating room of claim 46 in which the operating room further comprises air-tight doors.

84. A method of using an operating room comprising:

providing an operating room comprising;

walls and a ceiling;

a sub-floor and a finished floor;

at least one pod with utility connections, at least one of any said pod;

mounted between said sub-floor and said finished floor, and movable between a lowered position in which an upper surface of said pod is flush with said finished floor and an upper position in which said pod is raised above said finished floor.

85. The method of claim 84 further comprising utilizing wireless controls on apparatuses in said operating room to control said apparatuses.

86. The method of claim 84 further comprising utilizing passive-RF tagging of inventory to control inventory.

87. The method of claim 84 further comprising providing an automatic robotic cleaner adapted to clean and sterilize said operating room floor and utilizing said robotic cleaner to clean and sterilize said operating room floor.

88. The method of claim 84 further comprising utilizing at least one of any said pod to minimize cabling, wiring, and other obstructions in said operating room.

89. The method of claim 84 further comprising utilizing monitors disposed on a wall to display information in real-time.

90. The method of claim 84 further comprising utilizing surgical tables adapted to be fixed into the sub-flooring to provide a stable surgical working table.

91. The method of claim 90 further comprising using said surgical table, further adapted to be capable of powered movement including tilting, rotating, and movement up and down, to allow improved access to a patient on said surgical table.

92. The method of claim 84 further comprising utilizing a post-office wall adapted to allow access from the interior and exterior of the room.

93. The method of claim 84 further comprising utilizing imaging devices adapted for ceiling-mounting to provide ready imaging of a patient.

94. The method of claim 84 further comprising providing translucent backlit panels disposed on at least one interior wall.

95. The method of claim 94 further comprising using said translucent backlit panels to provide an ambient, colored light.

96. The method of claim 84 further comprising utilizing overhead surgical lights adapted to focus on and follow a placed RF-tag to provide enhanced surgical lighting.

97. The method of claim 84 further comprising utilizing ultraviolet room sterilization to provide a sanitary operating room environment.

98. The method of claim 84 further comprising utilizing in-wall waste disposal receptacles to provide convenient, off-the-floor waste disposal.

99. A method of using an operating room comprising:

providing an operating room with rounded corners comprising walls, a ceiling, and a finished floor; and

providing an automatic robotic cleaner adapted to clean and sterilize said operating room floor; and

utilizing said robotic cleaner to clean and sterilize said operating room floor.

100. The method of claim 99 in which said robotic cleaner is adapted with a disposable cartridge that can be replaced after cleaning with a new sterile disposable cartridge.

101. A method of controlling inventory in an operating room comprising

tagging items with radio-frequency identification tags,

placing said items on a shelf in an operating room, said shelf having a radio-frequency identification tag detector, and

having said detector communicate with a computer database of an inventory of said items that said item has been placed on said shelf, said database then indicating to a user said item has been placed on said shelf.

102. The method of claim 101 in which said tag detector communicates to said database that any said item has been removed from said shelf and said database indicates to said user said item has been removed from said shelf if any said item has been removed from said shelf.

103. The method of claim 101 in which some of said items are packaged in sterile packaging and radio-frequency identification tags are broken when said sterile packaging around said items is broken, opened, or removed.

104. The method of claim 103 in which said tag detector communicates to said database that any said item has been removed from said shelf and said database indicates to said user said item has been removed from said shelf if any said item has been removed from said shelf.

105. The method of claim 103 or 104 in which said database indicates to said user said item is no longer in said inventory if said item'"'"'s identification tag has been broken.