Method and apparatus for ensuring sterility of surgical drapes used with surgical equipment
First Claim
1. In a machine for thermally treating a sterile fluid medium in a drape container to permit use of fluid medium in a surgical procedure, a method for preventing re-use of non-sterile drapes comprising the steps of:
- (a) permanently placing on each drape coded indicia uniquely identifying said each drape;
(b) positioning one of said drapes on said machine, prior to each thermal treatment of sterile fluid, to form said drape container and to place said coded indicia adjacent a reading device;
(c) reading said coded indicia from the positioned drape;
(d) detecting sterility of the positioned drape by comparing said coded indicia of the positioned drape to coded indicia stored in a memory, wherein said coded indicia stored in said memory identify non-sterile previously used drapes; and
(e) controlling power to a temperature controller of said machine based on said comparison such that said machine is disabled in response to detecting a non-sterile drape.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The sterility of a drape for use on surgical equipment is ensured by the use of bar codes and a microprocessor. When a drape containing a bar code is placed on the corresponding surgical equipment, a bar code reader ascertains the bar code on the drape. A microprocessor receives the bar code and determines whether the bar code has been previously written to memory indicating the drapes prior use. If the bar code is not present, the current bar code of the drape is written into memory, and subsequent operation of the surgical equipment commences. If the bar code is present, the microprocessor prevents the surgical equipment from operating. The microprocessor conserves memory by deleting bar code numbers of drapes that surpass a user determined time period.
107 Citations
28 Claims
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1. In a machine for thermally treating a sterile fluid medium in a drape container to permit use of fluid medium in a surgical procedure, a method for preventing re-use of non-sterile drapes comprising the steps of:
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(a) permanently placing on each drape coded indicia uniquely identifying said each drape; (b) positioning one of said drapes on said machine, prior to each thermal treatment of sterile fluid, to form said drape container and to place said coded indicia adjacent a reading device; (c) reading said coded indicia from the positioned drape; (d) detecting sterility of the positioned drape by comparing said coded indicia of the positioned drape to coded indicia stored in a memory, wherein said coded indicia stored in said memory identify non-sterile previously used drapes; and (e) controlling power to a temperature controller of said machine based on said comparison such that said machine is disabled in response to detecting a non-sterile drape. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method for preventing use of unsuitable surgical drapes with a thermal treatment machine of the type having a basin into which a portion of a surgical drape is placed to conform to the basin and receive sterile liquid to be used during a surgical procedure and temperature controlled by controlling the temperature of the basin, said method comprising the steps of:
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(a) physically placing an indicator on suitable drapes; (b) detecting in said machine the presence of said indicator for a drape placed on said machine; and (c) enabling temperature control of said basin only in response to detection of said indicator for said drape placed on said machine. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. An apparatus for detecting a sterility of a surgical drape comprising:
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thermal treatment means for thermally treating a liquid, said means including at least one basin; a surgical drape covering and substantially conforming to said at least one basin to serve as a drape container for said liquid, said surgical drape including an identification code; reader means for reading said identification code of said surgical drape when said surgical drape is properly positioned on said thermal treatment means; actuable means for operating said thermal treatment means to control a temperature of each said basin; memory means for storing said identification codes read by said reader means, wherein said codes identify non-sterile previously used drapes; comparing means for detecting the sterility of said surgical drape by comparing said identification code of said surgical drape to identification codes stored in said memory means; and control means for controlling said thermal treatment means based on said comparison such that said thermal treatment means is disabled in response to said comparing means detecting a non-sterile drape. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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- 22. A device for use in a surgical apparatus to ensure sterility of liquid being temperature controlled, wherein said apparatus includes at least one temperature controlled basin and reader means fixedly positioned relative to said apparatus, and said device comprises a drape containing coded indicia adapted and disposed to be read by said reader means for automatic identification of said drape by said apparatus when said drape is placed on said apparatus such that said indicia are positioned over said reader means and a portion of said drape is disposed in said at least one basin to form a drape container in the basin for containing and maintaining said liquid, wherein said coded indicia indicate the sterility condition of said drape, and said apparatus includes means for disabling operation of said apparatus in response to identifying a non-sterile drape thereby preventing operation of said apparatus with a non-sterile drape container.
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25. An apparatus for detecting a sterility, comprising:
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thermal treatment means for thermally treating a liquid, said thermal treatment means including at least one basin; a surgical drape covering and substantially conforming to said at least one basin to serve as a drape container for said liquid, said surgical drape including an identification code indicating sterility of said drape; reader means for detecting sterility of said drape by sensing said identification code of said surgical drape when said surgical drape is properly positioned on said thermal treatment means; actuable means for operating said thermal treatment means to control a temperature of each said basin; and power control means for disabling power to said thermal treatment means when said reader means does not sense an identification code of said surgical drape.
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26. Apparatus for preventing use of unsuitable surgical drapes with a thermal treatment machine of the type having a basin into which a portion of a surgical drape is placed to conform to the basin and receive sterile liquid that is to be used during a surgical procedure and temperature controlled by controlling the temperature of the basin, said apparatus comprising:
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drape, indicator means for designating suitable drapes for use with said machine; detector means fixedly positioned on said machine for detecting the presence of said indicator means for a drape placed on said machine; and control means for enabling temperature control of said basin only in response to detection of indicator means for said drape placed on said machine. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28)
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Specification