Surgical drape

Claim 2

An improved surgical drape as set forth in claim 1 wherein said plastic foam material is selected from the group consisting of polyester polyurethane foam and polyether polyurethane foam.

Claim 3

An improved surgical drape as set forth in claim 1 wherein said sheet of plastic foam is from about 25 to about 100 mils thick.

Claim 4

An improved surgical drape as set forth in claim 1 wherein said plastic film is fused to said plastic foam material.

Claim 5

An improved surgical drape as set forth in claim 1 wherein said plastic film is adhesively bonded to said plastic foam material and to said fibrous base sheet.

Claim 6

An improved surgical drape as set forth in claim 1 wherein said plastic foam material is colored to minimize glare in said primary operative area.

Claim 7

An improved surgical drape as set forth in claim 1 wherein said drape sheet is a laparotomy sheet having an operative opening in the fenestration area thereof, and said film is laminated to said base sheet around said opening.

Claim 8

An improved surgical drape as set forth in claim 1 wherein said drape sheet has a Stoll abrasion of at least about 200 cycles dry and at least about 200 cycles wet.

Claim 9

An improved surgical drape as set forth in claim 1 wherein said sheet of foam material has an absorbency of at least about 150 percent and at least about 3 gm. per 4 X 4 inches sample.

Claim 10

In a disposible surgical drape, the combination comprising a strong flexible fibrous nonwoven base sheet having a primary operative area and an area outside said primary operative area, and a flexible film-foam laminate bonded to the top surface of the base sheet and covering said primary operative area with a film adjacent said base sheet and the surface of the foam exposed, said film-foam laminate including a layer of flexible fluid impervious plastic film united to a sheet of flexible fluid absorbent open-cell plastic foam material having a surface frictional coefficient of at least about 20*, said plastic film and said plastic foam material both being stable at temperatures up to about 160* F. to permit sterilization of the surgical drape, the combination of said nonwoven base sheet and laminate bonded thereto providing a fluid absorbent surface in said primary operative area with frictional resistance to sliding movement of instruments and the like resting thereon when the drape is positioned on a patient, and a fluid barrier to prevent fluids absorbed by said foam material from striking through the drape in said primary operative area.

Claim 11

In a disposable surgical drape, the combination as set forth in claim 11 wherein said film-foam laminate is over only said primary operative area of said base sheet, and the area outside said primary operative area comprises solely said base sheet.

Claim 12

In a disposable surgical drape, the combination as set forth in claim 12 wherein said film-foam laminate is over only said primary operative area of said base sheet providing a fluid absorbent and frictional surface, and said base sheet is water rellant such that on the surface of said base sheet outside said primary operative area water runs off rather than being absorbed.

Claim 13

A disposable surgical drape having a primary operative area with a fenestration and a drape areA outside said primary operative area, said drape area comprising a strong flexible fibrous nonwoven material, and said primary operative area comprising a flexible film-foam laminate, said laminate being bonded to the top surface of the nonwoven material with the film adjacent said material and the surface of the foam exposed, said film-foam laminate including a layer of flexible fluid impervious plastic film united to a layer of flexible fluid absorbent open-cell plastic foam material and having an abrasion resistant surface with a frictional coefficient of greater than about 20*, said plastic film said plastic foam material and said nonwoven material all being stable at temperatures up to about 160* F. to permit sterilization of the surgical drape, and both layers of said laminate extending around said fenestration and to the edge of said fenestration to provide a fluid absorbent surface with frictional resistance to sliding movement of instruments and the like resting thereon when the drape is positioned on a patient, and a fluid barrier to prevent fluids absorbed by said foam material from striking through the drape around said fenestration.

Claim 14

A disposable surgical drape having a primary operative area with a fenestration and a drape area outside said primary operative area, said drape area comprising a strong flexible fibrous nonwoven material, and said primary operative area comprising a flexible film-foam laminate, said laminate being bonded to the top surface of the nonwoven material with the film adjacent said material and extending to the edge of the fenestration and the surface of the foam exposed, said film-foam laminate including a layer of flexible fluid impervious plastic film united to a layer of flexible fluid absorbent open-cell plastic foam material and having an abrasion resistant surface with a frictional coefficient of greater than about 20*, said plastic film said plastic foam material and said nonwoven material all being stable at temperatures up to about 160* F. to permit sterilization of the surgical drape, the united film and foam layers providing a laminate which is strong, has an abrasion resistant surface even when exposed to the liquids and physical contact and manipulation encountered in the primary operative area during an operation, has a fluid absorbent surface with frictional resistance to sliding movement of instruments and the like resting thereon when the drape is positioned on a patient, and provides a fluid barrier extending to the edge of the fenestration to prevent fluids absorbed by said foam material from striking through the drape around the fenestration.