NZ714100A - An X-ray Detectable Gauze Sponge or Swab - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a medical sponge or swab which includes at least one layer of gauze and an X-ray detectable thread. The X-ray detectable thread is attached to the layer of gauze. The X-ray detectable thread is woven in and heat bonded to the layer of gauze.

Description

NZ An X-ray Detectable Gauze Sponge or Swab Technical Field The present invention relates to a gauze sponge or swab. More particularly, the present invention relates to an X-ray detectable gauze sponge or swab.

Background of the Invention Surgical dressings such as gauze swabs are used for handling open wounds and swabbing procedures during surgical operations. It is commonplace to fabricate a gauze swab out of a cut piece of absorbent gauze being folded into a square swab in such a manner that cut edges are invisible or stitched. The number of layers or plies of the gauze in the swab and its dimensions may vary according to surgical requirements.

An X—ray detectable thread is commonly used as a radiopaque component which is attached to ts like gauze swabs, gauze sponges, laparotomy ' sponges etc. X-ray detectable s are usually non—toxic and non-fluorescent and useful for after-operational safety ation.

Conventionally, X-ray detectable threads are ed to surgical ngs by either thermal-heating or weaving methods. The two methods may be differentiated by utilising two different types of X-ray detectable thread for attachment to the gauze. The g method involves weaving the X—ray detectable thread into the cotton gauze during the weaving phase, as shown in Figure 1 (prior art 1). In contrast, the thermal—heating method involves bonding a different type of thread onto the weaved cotton threads by heat and pressure after the gauze swab is made, as shown in Figure 2 (prior art 2).

Both of the two methods ed to above however have a shortcoming in that the thread is prone to dislodgement during use. 25961NZ It is an object of the present invention to provide an X—ray detectable gauze sponge or swab which may overcome or at least ameliorate the above shortcoming, or which will at least provide a useful alternative.

Summary of the Invention ing to the present invention, there is provided a medical sponge or swab including: at least one layer of gauze; an X—ray detectable thread attached to the layer of gauze; wherein the X—ray detectable thread is woven in and heat bonded to the layer of gauze.

In a preferred embodiment, the layer of gauze has a weave structure including weft and warp threads or yarns. Preferably, the weft threads or yarns are crossed before and after each warp thread or yarn y keeping the weft threads or yarns firmly in place.

Preferably, the X—ray detectable thread is woven in the weave structure going over-and—under the weft or warp threads or yarns. ably, the X—ray detectable thread has a plurality of points or areas of contact with the weft or warp threads or yarns, the points or areas of contact being where the X-ray detectable thread goes over or under the weft or warp threads or yarns. More ably, the X-ray detectable thread es a binder adapted to facilitate thermal bonding. The binder is preferred to include a web having a thermoplastic element. The thermoplastic element may be in the form of one of the ing: homofil fibre, powder, film, hot melt or as a part of bicomponent fibre. The thermoplastic element is preferred to be capable of becoming viscous under the application of thermal energy thereby functioning as an adhesive. As such, if and when heat is applied, the X-ray able thread woven in the gauze is bonded to the weft or warp threads or yarns at each of the points or areas of contact. 25961NZ Brief Description of the Drawings The ion may be better understood from the following non-limiting description of a preferred embodiment, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a layer of a prior art gauze swab having an X—ray detectable thread attached thereto by way of weaving; Figure 2 is a perspective view of a prior art gauze swab having an X—ray detectable thread attached thereto by way of head bonding; Figure 3 is a perspective view of a gauze swab in ance with a preferred ment of the present invention; Figure 4 is a perspective view of a layer of the gauze swab of Figure 3 with an X—ray able thread; and Figure 5 is a cross sectional view of the layer of gauze swab of Figure 4 taken along line A—A.

Detailed Description of the Drawings It should be noted that in the present specification, ‘thread’ and ‘yarn’ are meant to be interchangeable in referring to an elongate continuous length of fibres suitable for use in the production of a surgical dressing such as a gauze sponge or swab.

Referring to Figure 3, a multi—ply gauze swab 10 is shown having an X—ray detectable thread 12 attached to one of the multiple layers 14 of gauze. The X— ray detectable thread 12 takes the place of one of the cotton threads which form the gauze swab 10. Each layer of the gauze is a thin fabric with a loose open weave. The X-ray detectable thread 12 has a barium sulphate content of 60 % or higher rendering it visible under medical x-ray es.

As shown in Figure 4, the X—ray detectable thread 12 is woven in and heat 25961NZ bonded to a middle gauze layer 16. The middle layer 16 has a weave structure 18 which includes weft and warp threads 20 & 22, respectively. The weft threads 20 are crossed before and after each warp thread 22 thereby keeping the weft threads 20 firmly in place. The X-ray detectable thread 12 is woven in the weave ure 18 going over-and-under the weft threads 20.

Turning to Figures 4 and 5, the X—ray detectable thread 12 has multiple areas 24 of contact with the weft threads 20. The areas 24 of contact are crossover or overlapping s where the X-ray detectable thread 12 goes over or under the weft threads 20. 1O The X—ray detectable thread 12 includes a binder (not shown) which is capable of facilitating thermal g. In this embodiment, the binder has a web having a thermoplastic element. The thermoplastic element may be in the form of one of the following: l fibre, powder, film, hot melt or as a part of bicomponent fibre. The thermoplastic element becomes viscous under the ation of thermal energy thereby functioning as an adhesive bonding the X—ray detectable thread 12, which is already woven in the gauze layer 16, to the weft threads 20 at the areas 24 of t. The thermal energy may be generated by ironing for example. The areas 24 of t, being the bonding regions, are fixed by subsequent cooling.

It should be noted that the X-ray detectable thread has good elasticity with breaking elongation and good colour fastness. Also, it is capable of adhering at around 130°C with a short pressing time and is not susceptible to de- pigmentation.

Now that a preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described in some detail,-it will be apparent to a skilled person in the art that the X—ray detectable gauze swab of the present invention may offer at least the ing advantages: 1. it enhances the stability of the X-ray detectable thread thereby reducing 25961NZ the likelihood of dislodgement caused by for e the thread getting caught on a stainless steel instrument during a procedure; 2. it es the integrity and reliability of the gauze swab as a product in ensuring that it gets picked up by an X-ray machine if inadvertently left inside a body after a procedure or an operation; and 3. it is economical to manufacture.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the invention described herein is susceptible to variations and cations other than those ically described. For example, the X-ray detectable thread may be woven into the gauze layer 16 in on to the existing cotton threads instead of in place of one of the cotton threads. Also, the X-ray detectable thread may replace a weft thread instead of a warp thread or take the orientation of a weft thread. As such, it would go over-and-under the warp threads. All such variations and modifications are to be considered within the scope and spirit of the present invention the nature of which is to be determined from the foregoing description. 25961NZ

Claims (9)

Claims 1.

1. A medical sponge or swab including: at least one layer of gauze; an X—ray detectable thread attached to the layer of gauze; 5 wherein the X—ray able thread is woven in and heat bonded to the layer of gauze.

2. The medical sponge or swab of claim 1, wherein the layer of gauze has a weave structure including weft and warp threads or yarns.

3. The medical sponge or swab of claim 2, wherein the weft threads or yarns 10 are crossed before and after each warp thread or yarn y keeping the weft threads or yarns firmly in place.

4. The medical sponge or swab of either claim 2 or 3, wherein the X-ray detectable thread is woven in the weave structure going over-and-under the weft or warp threads or yarns. 15 5. The medical sponge or swab of any one of the claims 2 to 4, wherein the

X—ray detectable thread has a plurality of points or areas of contact with the weft or warp threads or yarns, the points or areas of contact being where the X—ray able thread goes over or under the weft or warp threads or yarns. 20

6. The medical sponge or swab of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the X—ray detectable thread includes a binder d to facilitate thermal bonding.

7. The medical sponge or swab of claim 6, wherein the binder includes a web having a thermoplastic element. 25

8. The medical sponge or swab of claim 7, wherein the thermoplastic element is in the form of one of the following: homofil fibre, powder, film, hot melt or as a part of bicomponent fibre.

9. The medical sponge or swab of either claim 7 or 8, wherein the thermoplastic element is e of becoming viscous under the application of thermal energy thereby functioning as an adhesive. 5 10.The medical sponge or swab of claim 9, wherein if and when heat is applied, the X-ray detectable thread woven in the gauze is bonded to the weft or warp threads or yarns at each of the points or areas of contact.