Surgical sponge and method of forming the same

Claim 1

A surgical sponge or dressing comprising an absorbent planar core layer interposed between a pair of porous and substantially non-linting outer layers, said outer layers having reverted peripheral edge portions extending about the entire perimeter of said sponge, said reverted edge portions of the respective outer layers being in continguous relation with each other and being disposed only on one side of said core layer, said core layer having a reverted peripheral portion received within the fold of the reverted peripheral edge portion of one of said outer layers, and means directly securing the reverted edge portion of said outer layers and the reverted peripheral portion of said core layer together, said core layer having substantial surface portions thereof unsecured to said outer layers.

Claim 12

A method of making surgical sponge or dressing having an absorbent core disposed between first and second porous outer layers, comprising the steps of arranging said core and said outer layers, all of substantially the same planar dimensions, in juxtaposition to form an arrangement wherein said first outer layer is disposed between said core and said second outer layer and all of said layers are unsecured to each other; then securing the edge portions of all three layers together along a major part of the total perimeter thereof while leaving said outer layers unsecured along a minor part of said total perimeter; then reverse folding said layers through the gap defined by the unsecured outer layers to position said outer layers on opposite sides of said core, thereby reverting the edge portions of said outer layers and folding the edge portion of said fibrous core within the fold defined by the reverted edge portion of said first outer layer; and subsequently joining said layers together to close said gap.

Claim 13

A method of making surgical sponge or dressing having an absorbent core disposed between first and second porous outer layers, comprising the steps of arranging said core and said outer layers, all of substantially the same planar dimensions, in juxtaposition to form an arrangement wherein said first outer layer is disposed between said core and said second outer layer and all of said layers are unsecured to each other; then securing the edge portions of all three layers together along a major part of the total perimeter thereof while leaving said outer layers unsecured along a minor part of said total perimeter; then reverse folding said layers through the gap defined by the unsecured outer layers to position said outer layers on opposite sides of said core, thereby reverting the edge portions of said outer layers and folding the edge portion of said fibrous core within the fold defined by the reverted edge portion of said first outer layer; and subsequently joining said layers together to close said gap.