GB2103931A

GB2103931A - Surgical swabs

Info

Publication number: GB2103931A
Application number: GB08124067A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Kevin Hardinge
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1981-08-06
Filing date: 1981-08-06
Publication date: 1983-03-02

Abstract

A swab 10 comprising several layers of gauze stitched together at the edges has a central portion removed to leave a hole 16. The central portion may be removed by stamping or by folding and cutting and may then be edge stitched to form a separate smaller swab. The orientation of the central portion is chosen to maximize the amount of material available for absorbing at the corners of the swab 10. Such an arrangement promotes efficient use of the swab material. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Surgical swabs This invention concerns surgical swabs.

One conventional surgical swab measures 45 cm. square. However, only the corner regions of such a swab are used during operative procedures. This one corner of the swab is used at the site where fluid needs to be absorbed and when its ability to absorb is no longer adequate that corner is withdrawn and another corner employed and so on. It will be evident that the centre part of the swab is not used.

According to one aspect of the present invention a method of making a surgical swab of an overall size adequate for successive use of different edge regions involves omitting material at the unusable centre region. The invention also includes such a swab.

A preferred embodiment of the method of the invention includes one or more of the following advantageous steps: (a) The omitted material is stamped out, (b) The omitted material is removed by folding and cutting, (c) The swab is made from a plurality of superposed layers, (d) The periphery of the swab is stitched and the periphery of the omitted material is stitched to form a smaller swab, According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a surgical swab made of an absorbent material and comprising a central aperture defined by a peripheral region.

A preferred embodiment of the invention may comprise any one or more of the following advantageous features:~ (a) The external periphery of the swab is polygonal, (b) The external periphery of the aperture is polygonal, (c) The polygon is a rectangle, (d) The polygon is a square, (e) The swab comprises several layers stitched together, (f) The material of the swab is gauze, (g) The swab comprises an X-ray opaque insert.

The invention will be described further, by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:~ Figure 1 is a plan view of a swab made in accordance with the invention, Figure 2 is a plan view of another swab made in accordance with the invention, and Figure 3 is a plan view of a smaller swab made from surplus material from the swab shown in either Figure 1 or Figure 2.

Referring to Figures 1 and 3, the swab 10 is made from several layers of gauze stitched together at the edges, and provided with an X-ray opaque insert 12 and a holding tape 14. It is made by placing and/or folding gauze up to the desired number of layers and then cutting out a layered piece from the middle to leave a hold 16. The cutting may be done by a stamping process, using a suitably contoured cutting tool, on the swab 10 laid out flat, or by cutting implements after suitably folding the swab 10. The cut-out material may then be edge stitched to form a separate smaller swab 18 also with an X-ray opaque insert 20.

The swab 10 may measure 45 cm. x 45 cm.

with the cut-out material being converted into a smaller swab measuring about 12 cm. square.

These dimensions are given merely by way of example, the essential features being that the main swab 10 is large enough, and the hole 16 small enough to enable the swab corners to be used effectively; and that the material cut-out from the swab 10 is large enough to be made into at least one useful smaller swab 18. The edges of the hole 16 may of course be stitched if desired.

The orientation of the cut-out from the main swab 10 is chosen to maximize the amount of material available at the corners of the swab and therefore the degree of absorbency. Other cut-out orientations may, however, be chosen. One such is shown in Figure 2 where the sides of the cut-out are parallel to the sides of the main swab 1 0. The cut-out itself, which forms the smaller swab 18, is of course the same as previously.

It will be appreciated that the above embodiments have been described by way of example only and that many variations are possible without departing from the scope of the invention. Although the overall external shape of the swabs have been shown square they could be any other suitable external shape such as a rectangle.

It will be clear that the invention enables the hitherto unused central portions of large swabs to be utilised in the form of small swabs.

Claims

1. A method of making a surgical swab of an overall size adaquate for successive use of different edge regions involves omitting material at the unusable centre region.

2. A method as claim in Claim 1, in which the omitted material is stamped out.

3. A method as claimed in Claim 1, in which the omitted material is removed by folding and cutting.

4. A method as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the swab is made from a plurality of superposed layers.

5. A method as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the periphery of the swab is stitched and the periphery of the omitted material is stitched to form a smaller swab.

6. A method of making a surgical swab substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1, 2, or 3 of the accompanying drawings.

7. A surgical swab made of an absorbent material comprising a central aperture defined by a peripheral region.

8. A surgical swab as claimed in Claim 7, in which the external periphery of the swab is polygonal.

9. A surgical swab as claimed in Claim 7 or 8, i which the external periphery of the aperture is polygonal.

10. A surgical swab as claimed in Claim 8 or 9, in which the polygon is a rectangle.

11. A surgical swab as claimed in claim 8 or 9, in which the polygon is a square.

12. A surgical swab as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the swab comprises several layers stitched together.

13. A surgical swab as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the material of the swab is gauze.

14. A surgical swab as claimed in any preceding claim in which the swab comprises an X-ray opaque insert.

15. A surgical swab substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1. 2 or 3 of the accompanying drawings.