Surgical drape with improved construction for critical zone panel

Claim 2

A reusable, surgical drape adapted to overlie a patient during the performance of a surgical procedure and having a fenestration for registration with the site of a surgical procedure, said drape comprising a main panel of a given lateral extent, a "critical zone" panel of substantially smaller lateral extent and extending outwardly from said fenestration, wherein the "critical zone" panel comprises a liquid proof, barrier panel, and a marginal edge portion of the barrier panel is folded on itself to define a bottom, folded portion, said marginal edge portion being in spaced relation to the main portion of the barrier panel and forms an upwardly open, non-filled trough of substantial depth, extending upwardly from the bottom folded portion, for the reception therein of liquids incident to the performance of a surgical procedure, as well as to trap surgical instruments, or the like which might slip from a position on the "critical zone" panel adjacent the fenestration, and means are provided for spacing, the edge of the said marginal edge portions from the main portion of the barrier panel, to define a spaced opening for said non-filled trough, characterized by means for releasably securing said marginal edge portion of the barrier panel to the main portion of the barrier panel, and further characterized by means for closing the ends of the trough.

Claim 3

A reusable surgical drape as in claim 1 further characterized in that the means that close the ends of the trough are releasable to facilitate washing and sterilization of the surgical drape and particularly the "critical zone" panel thereof.

Claim 4

A surgical drape as in claim 2 further characterized in that the means that close the ends of the trough comprise means for releasably holding portions of the trough forming portions of the "critical zone" panel in further folded relation.

Claim 5

A reusable surgical drape as in claim 1 further characterized in that the main portion and the folded marginal edge portion of the "critical zone" panel, at opposite ends of the trough, are further folded to close the ends of the trough, and releasable means holding said further folded portions in folded relation closing the ends of the trough.

Claim 6

A reusable surgical drape as in claim 4 further characterized in that each fastening means comprises cooperating male and female snap fasteners, a first set of snap fasteners are disposed along the length of the marginal edge portion of the "critical zone" panel and a second set of snap fasteners are disposed in parallel relation to said marginal edge and inwardly therefrom, the two sets of fasteners being generally aligned in a direction at right angles to said marginal edge, whereby the two sets of fasteners may be engaged to releasably maintain the marginal edge portion of the "critical zone" panel in folded, trough-forming relation about a bottom line, and the releasable means, holding said further folded portions in folded relation closing the ends of the trough, comprise snap fasteners.

Claim 7

A reusable surgical drape as in claim 5 further characterized, at each end of the trough, by a first male and a first female snap fastener, facing upwardly in the unfolded condition of the "critical zone" panel, and a second male and a second female snap fastener, facing downwardly, said first male and first female fasteners being engageable to hold the marginal edge portion corner in folded relation on the main portion of the "critical zone" panel, the second male and second female fasteners being positioned to face upwardly, when the first male and first female fasteners are engaged, said second male and second female fasteners being engageable to hold the folded corner portions of the "critical zone" panel in further folded relation in which the end of the trough is closed.

Claim 8

A reusable surgical drape as in claim 6 further characterized in that each corner or the "critical zone" panel, at opposite ends of the trough, is curved on a substantial radius to minimize the bulk of material when the portions thereof are folded to form corners for said trough.

Claim 9

A reusable surgical drape as in claim 1, further characterized in that the main panel is generally rectangular and has side portions adapted to drape beneath the level of an operating table on which a patient is positioned, the "critical zone" panel is also generally rectangular and has side portions generally parallel with the side portions of the main panel, said "critical zone" panel extends outwardly on opposite sides of the fenestration to a point where both are angled from a horizontal plane, when the surgical draped is draped over a patient, and further characterized in that the marginal edge portion of the opposite side of the barrier panel is folded on itself to define a second, bottom, folded portion, said marginal edge portion of the opposite side being in spaced relation to the main portion of the barrier panel and forming a second upwardly open, non-filled trough of substantial depth for the reception therein of liquids incident to the performance of a surgical procedure, means are provided for spacing the edge of the said marginal edge portions from the main portion of the "critical zone" panel, to define a spaced opening for said second, nonfilled trough, and further characterized by means for releasably securing said marginal edge portion of the "critical zone" panel to the main portion of the "critical zone" panel, and means for releasably closing the ends of the second trough to permit the surgical drape and particularly the "critical zone" panel thereof to be effectively washed and then sterilized, whereby the surgical drape may be washed and sterilized with the "critical zone" panel in an unfolded condition.

Claim 10

A reusable, surgical drape adapted to overlie a patient during the performance of a surgical procedure and having a fenestration for registration with the site of a surgical procedure, said drape comprising a main panel of a given lateral extent, a "critical zone" panel of substantially smaller lateral extent and extending outwardly from said fenestration, wherein the "critical zone" panel comprises a liquid proof, barrier panel, and a marginal edge portion of the barrier panel is folded on itself to define a bottom, folded portion, said marginal edge portion being in spaced relation to the main portion of the barrier panel and forms an upwardly open, non-filled trough of substantial depth, extending upwardly from the bottom folded portion, for the reception therein of liquids incident to the performance of a surgical procedure, as well as to trap surgical instruments, or the like which might slip from a position on the "critical zone" panel adjacent the fenestration, characterized by means for releasably securing said marginal edge portion of the barrier panel to the main portion of the barrier panel, and further characterized by means for releasably holding portions of the trough forming portions of the "critical zone" panel in further folded relation which closes the ends of the trough.

Claim 11

A reusable, surgical drape adapted to overlie a patient during the performance of a surgical procedure and having a fenestration for registration with the site of a surgical procedure, said drape comprising a main panel of a given lateral extent, a "critical zone" panel of substantially smaller lateral extent and extending outwardly from said fenestration, wherein the "critical zone" panel comprises a liquid proof, barrier panel, and a marginal edge portion of the barrier panel is folded on itself to define a bottom, folded portion, said marginal edge portion being in spaced relation to the main portion of the barrier panel and forms an upwardly open, non-filled trough of substantial depth, extending upwardly from the bottom folded portion, for the reception therein of liquids incident to the performance of a surgical procedure, as well as to trap surgical instruments, or the like which might slip from a position on the "critical zone" panel adjacent the fenestration, characterized by means for releasably securing said marginal edge portion of the barrier panel to the main portion of the barrier panel, and further characterized by means for releasably holding portions of the trough forming portions of the "critical zone" panel in further folded relation which closes the ends of the trough.

Claim 12

A reusable surgical drape as in claim 9 further characterized in that the "critical zone" panel overlies the main panel, the fenestration opening is defined by both the main panel and the "critical zone" panel, the fenestration is further defined by a tape edge binding that secures the "critical zone" panel to the main panel, and the "critical zone" panel is further secured to the main panel by stitchings that extend marginally of the ends of the "critical zone" panel, and terminate adjacent the edges of the folded, trough forming portions of the "critical zone" panel.

Claim 13

A reusable, surgical drape adapted to overlie a patient during the performance of a surgical procedure and having a fenestration for registration with the site of a surgical procedure, said drape comprising a main panel of a given lateral extent, and having side portions adapted to drape beneath the level of an operating table on which a patient is positioned, a "critical zone" panel of substantially smaller lateral extent, overlying the main panel and extending outwardly from said fenestration, wherein the "critical zone" panel is generally rectangular and has side portions generally parallel with the side portions of the main panel and said "critical zone" panel extends outwardly on opposite sides of the fenestration to a point where the "critical zone" panel and the main panel are both angled downwardly from a horizontal plane, when the surgical drape is draped over a patient, and further wherein the "critical zone" panel comprises a barrier panel, and characterized in that the marginal edge portions of the barrier panel, on opposite sides thereof, outwardly of the fenestration, are folded on themselves to define troughs having bottom, folded portions, the marginal side edges being in spaced relation to the main portion of the barrier panel and forming upwardly open, non-filled troughs of substantial depth, extending upwardly from the bottom folded portions, for the reception therein of liquids incident to the performance of a surgical procedure, as well as to trap surgical instruments, or the like which might slip from a position on the "critical zone" panel adjacent the fenestration, and further characterized by means, capable of being repeatedly attached and detached, for releasably securing said marginal edge portions of the barrier panel to the main portion of the barrier panel, whereby the surgical drape may be washed and sterilized with the barrier panel in an unfolded condition.

Claim 14

A reusable, surgical drape adapted to overlie a patient during the performance of a surgical procedure and having a fenestration for registration with the site of a surgical procedure, said drape comprising a main panel of a given lateral extent, and having side portions adapted to drape beneath the level of an operating table on which a patient is positioned, a "critical zone" panel of substantially smaller lateral extent, overlying the main panel and extending outwardly from said fenestration, wherein the "critical zone" panel is generally rectangular and has side portions generally parallel with the side portions of the main panel and said "critical zone" panel extends outwardly on opposite sides of the fenestration to a point where the "critical zone" panel and the main panel are both angled downwardly from a horizontal plane, when the surgical drape is draped over a patient, and further wherein the "critical zone" panel comprises a barrier panel, and characterized in that the marginal edge portions of the barrier panel, on opposite sides thereof, outwardly of the fenestration, are folded on themselves to define troughs having bottom, folded portions, the marginal side edges being in spaced relation to the main portion of the barrier panel and forming upwardly open, non-filled troughs of substantial depth, extending upwardly from the bottom folded portions, for the reception therein of liquids incident to the performance of a surgical procedure, as well as to trap surgical instruments, or the like which might slip from a position on the "critical zone" panel adjacent the fenestration, and further characterized by means, capable of being repeatedly attached and detached, for releasably securing said marginal edge portions of the barrier panel to the main portion of the barrier panel, whereby the surgical drape may be washed and sterilized with the barrier panel in an unfolded condition.

Claim 15

A reusable surgical drape as in claim 11 further characterized in that the "critical zone" panel overlies the main panel, the fenestration opening is defined by both the main panel and the "critical zone" panel, the fenestration is further defined by a tape edge binding that secures the "critical zone" panel to the main panel, and the "critical zone" panel is further secured to the main panel by stitchings that extend marginally of the ends of the "critical zone" panel, and terminate adjacent the edges of the folded, trough forming portions of the "critical zone" panel.