US2549039A - Surgical package - Google Patents

Surgical package Download PDF

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Publication number
US2549039A
US2549039A US136807A US13680750A US2549039A US 2549039 A US2549039 A US 2549039A US 136807 A US136807 A US 136807A US 13680750 A US13680750 A US 13680750A US 2549039 A US2549039 A US 2549039A
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United States
Prior art keywords
envelope
package
string
suture
sealed
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US136807A
Inventor
Charles C Adams
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Davis and Geck Inc
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Davis and Geck Inc
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Davis and Geck Inc filed Critical Davis and Geck Inc
Priority to US136807A priority Critical patent/US2549039A/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US2549039A publication Critical patent/US2549039A/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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    • AHUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61BDIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
    • A61B17/00Surgical instruments, devices or methods, e.g. tourniquets
    • A61B17/04Surgical instruments, devices or methods, e.g. tourniquets for suturing wounds; Holders or packages for needles or suture materials
    • A61B17/06Needles ; Sutures; Needle-suture combinations; Holders or packages for needles or suture materials
    • A61B17/06114Packages or dispensers for needles or sutures
    • A61B17/06119Packages or dispensers for needles or sutures of cylindrical shape
    • A61B17/06128Elongate cylinders, i.e. tubes
    • AHUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61BDIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
    • A61B17/00Surgical instruments, devices or methods, e.g. tourniquets
    • A61B17/04Surgical instruments, devices or methods, e.g. tourniquets for suturing wounds; Holders or packages for needles or suture materials
    • A61B17/06Needles ; Sutures; Needle-suture combinations; Holders or packages for needles or suture materials
    • A61B17/06114Packages or dispensers for needles or sutures
    • A61B17/06133Packages or dispensers for needles or sutures of parallelepipedal shape, e.g. made of rectangular or slightly oval panels

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a composite package containing sterile articles.
  • the principal object of the invention is to provide a package which is cheap, readily manufactured, comparatively light in weight and which may be shipped and stored with minimum danger of breakage of its fragile contents.
  • Another object of the invention is the provision of such a package which will not only maintain the usable contents in a sterile condition but which will reduce the danger of infection to a minimum when the package is opened and the contents used.
  • thermoplastic resins such as the polyethylenes, trifluorochloroethylene polymers, polyvinyl chloride either alone or copolymerized with vinyl acetate, rubber, latex or the like, all of which are available as heat scalable, transparent or translucent, exible sheets resistant to the usual sterilizing liquids, it now becomes possible to supply the lack in the prior proposal and provide a transparent or translucent, flexible package for tubed sutures which may be readily heat sealed and contain the necessary quantities of the usual sterilizing liquids without fear of leakage or package deterioration.
  • thermoplastic resins such as the polyethylenes, trifluorochloroethylene polymers, polyvinyl chloride either alone or copolymerized with vinyl acetate, rubber, latex or the like
  • the present 'invention contemplates the provision of an inner, open-ended envelope containing one or more suture tubes, the envelope being of considerable greater extent in a length direction than Athe suture tubes, each tube carrying a suture and sterilizing liquid, with a steilizing liquid in the inner envelope, the latter being enclosed in an outer sealed envelope with additional sterilizing liquid and a tear string heat sealed onto the outer envelope so that a cap or section of the outer envelope may be readily removed when the tear string weakens the wall thereof.
  • the invention contemplates that the material of which the envelopes are made shall be of a thermoplastic, heat sealable resin composition as above and substantially transparent or translucent.
  • Fig. l is a perspective View of a section of endless tubing material.
  • Fig, 2 is a similar view showing one end heat sealed.
  • Fig. 3 is a similar View showing a mandrel inserted and the tear string applied.
  • Fig. 3a is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view showing the string being applied to the envelope.
  • Fig. 3b is a similar view showing the string heat pressed against the envelope and partially embedded therein.
  • Fig. 3c is a similar View showing the strip being applied to the string.
  • Fig. 3d is a similarview showing the strip heat pressed against the string and envelope to partially embed the string in the strip and heat seal the strip to the envelope.
  • Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing the method of insertion of the inner envelope.
  • Fig. 5 is a similar View showing the sterilizing liquid being filled into the outer envelopej
  • Fig. 6 is a similar view showing the sealed composite package.- 1
  • Fig. 7 shows the removal of the cap from the composite package after removal of the tear string.
  • Y Y v Referring now to thedrawings and the embodiments illustrated, in Fig.y 1 a section of endless tubing is shown vat I of any of the wellknown thermoplastic and heat sealable compositionsV such as above mentioned. One endportion ⁇ or" the tube section is collapsed between heating elements to make a heat seal as at 2.- A mandrel 3 having a ilared mouth ll is then inserted into the envelope iV and the tear string applied. This is accomplished as shown in Fig. Baby positioning a tear string 5 as shown. The tear string may be of any suitable material; As shown in Fig. 3b a heating element 6 is then pressure applied to the string 5 to such an extent as to cause the string to be partially embedded in the wall of the en- I.
  • velope I This has the effect of producing an area 'l of decreased thickness as shown in Fig. 3b.
  • a strip 8 of the sameor different thermoplastic, heat sealable resin composition of which the envelope I is made is then applied over the string as Yin Fig. 3c and heating element 6 pressure applied thereto so as to bring the strip in substantial contact with the wall of the envelope I vas shown in Fig. 3d and partially embed the string in the strip.
  • the heating element as shown causes the heat sealing of the strip and envelope wall tgether with the string in between.
  • the inner envelope 9 is preferably made of the same or different thermoplastic, heat sealable resin composition as above indicated with'the one end sealed as at I4.
  • Fig. 5 shows a completed modification with the free ends VYof the tear string available for rupturing the outer envelope.
  • the tear string is simply pulled off which causes it to tear through the strip 8 thus leaving the outer envelope still sealed though with a weakened portion I of its Wall.
  • Pulling the end of the envelope as shown in Fig. 7 causes a cap I1 to pull oi thus making the inner envelope available. Due to the fact that there is sterilizing liquid between the two envelopes, the inner one is completely sterile. As shown, the open end of the inner envelope extends upwardly beyond the tear string and strip while the suture tubes are completelyV within the open-ended inner envelope.
  • an open-ended inner envelope in the present combination serves the function of first protecting thesuturev tubes in a sterile manner from contamination when the cap of the outside envelope is removedfand, second, requiring no independent opening operation thus eliminating any possibility of contamination at that time.

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  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Surgery (AREA)
  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Biomedical Technology (AREA)
  • Nuclear Medicine, Radiotherapy & Molecular Imaging (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Dentistry (AREA)
  • Heart & Thoracic Surgery (AREA)
  • Medical Informatics (AREA)
  • Molecular Biology (AREA)
  • Animal Behavior & Ethology (AREA)
  • General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Public Health (AREA)
  • Veterinary Medicine (AREA)
  • Materials For Medical Uses (AREA)

Description

April 17, 1951 C C, ADAMS 2,549,039
SURGICAL PACKAGE Filed Jan. 4, 1950 u mi iNVENTOR CHPZJ C. /VWJ mdmw ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 17, H1951 SURGICAL PACKAGE Charles C. Adams, New York, N. Y., assigner to Davis & Geek, Inc., Brooklyn, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application January 4, 1950, Serial No. 136,807
4 Claims. l
The present invention relates to a composite package containing sterile articles.
The principal object of the invention is to provide a package which is cheap, readily manufactured, comparatively light in weight and which may be shipped and stored with minimum danger of breakage of its fragile contents.
Another object of the invention is the provision of such a package which will not only maintain the usable contents in a sterile condition but which will reduce the danger of infection to a minimum when the package is opened and the contents used.
In the surgical article art and particularly the surgical suture eld, it is common practice to supply the trade with sutures immersed in a sterilizing liquid such as ethyl alcohol, aqueous formaldehyde, "Zepherin or the like in a sealed transparent tube. Thus when the doctor or surgeon desires to use the suture, he has only to rupture the same and remove the suture which is in a sterile condition and ready for use.
It has been customary in the trade to include a plurality of such tubed sutures in cardboard containers but one of the objections thereto is L.
that the outside of the suture tube is not sterile Which requires' a separate and additional sterilizing operation on the part of the customer.
It has also been customary to enclose a plurality of suture tubes in a tin can containing sufcient sterilizing liquid to completely immerse the tubes. the customer receives tubes completely sterile on the outside. However, the cans areopen to the objection that they are extremely heavy 'which increases the transportation costs and such containers are, expensive.
It has also been proposed to seal a suture into an envelope and enclose the iirst envelope into a second and outer envelope, all in a dry, sterile condition. Thus when the outer envelope is opened, the outside of the inner envelope remains sterile and the danger of contaminating the sterile suture in the inner envelope when the latter is opened is lessened. Such a proposal, while theoretically good is open to the objection that it is impractical to satisfactorily dry heat sterilize either the sutures or the envelopes under those conditions and moreover no satisfactory transparent or translucent material was available which would resist the solvent or deteriorating action of the usual liquid sterilizing mediums or satisfactorily hold such volatile mediums in storage or over long periods of time.
With the advent and commercial availability This package has the advantage that y of thermoplastic resins such as the polyethylenes, trifluorochloroethylene polymers, polyvinyl chloride either alone or copolymerized with vinyl acetate, rubber, latex or the like, all of which are available as heat scalable, transparent or translucent, exible sheets resistant to the usual sterilizing liquids, it now becomes possible to supply the lack in the prior proposal and provide a transparent or translucent, flexible package for tubed sutures which may be readily heat sealed and contain the necessary quantities of the usual sterilizing liquids without fear of leakage or package deterioration.
One of the difficulties encountered in developing such a package is the provision of a satisfactory method of opening the same, particularly where the package consists of a plurality of dry envelopes, in order to make the contents accessible. While it has been proposed to use surgical scissors, sterile or otherwise, to simply cut off the end of the outer package, followed by similarly snipping the end of the inner package, yet this is objectionable in view of the fact that the outside of the outer envelope is unsterile and the repeated operations offer the repeated possibility of carrying contaminations to the usable contents.
All of the above objections are overcome and the stated and other objects accomplished by the present 'invention which contemplates the provision of an inner, open-ended envelope containing one or more suture tubes, the envelope being of considerable greater extent in a length direction than Athe suture tubes, each tube carrying a suture and sterilizing liquid, with a steilizing liquid in the inner envelope, the latter being enclosed in an outer sealed envelope with additional sterilizing liquid and a tear string heat sealed onto the outer envelope so that a cap or section of the outer envelope may be readily removed when the tear string weakens the wall thereof. The invention contemplates that the material of which the envelopes are made shall be of a thermoplastic, heat sealable resin composition as above and substantially transparent or translucent.
The invention is further illustrated in the drawings in which Fig. l is a perspective View of a section of endless tubing material.
Fig, 2 is a similar view showing one end heat sealed.
Fig. 3 is a similar View showing a mandrel inserted and the tear string applied.
Fig. 3a is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view showing the string being applied to the envelope.
Fig. 3b is a similar view showing the string heat pressed against the envelope and partially embedded therein.
Fig. 3c is a similar View showing the strip being applied to the string.
Fig. 3d is a similarview showing the strip heat pressed against the string and envelope to partially embed the string in the strip and heat seal the strip to the envelope.
Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing the method of insertion of the inner envelope.
Fig. 5 is a similar View showing the sterilizing liquid being filled into the outer envelopej Fig. 6 is a similar view showing the sealed composite package.- 1
Fig. 7 shows the removal of the cap from the composite package after removal of the tear string. Y Y v Referring now to thedrawings and the embodiments illustrated, in Fig.y 1 a section of endless tubing is shown vat I of any of the wellknown thermoplastic and heat sealable compositionsV such as above mentioned. One endportion `or" the tube section is collapsed between heating elements to make a heat seal as at 2.- A mandrel 3 having a ilared mouth ll is then inserted into the envelope iV and the tear string applied. This is accomplished as shown in Fig. Baby positioning a tear string 5 as shown. The tear string may be of any suitable material; As shown in Fig. 3b a heating element 6 is then pressure applied to the string 5 to such an extent as to cause the string to be partially embedded in the wall of the en- I.
velope I. This has the effect of producing an area 'l of decreased thickness as shown in Fig. 3b. A strip 8 of the sameor different thermoplastic, heat sealable resin composition of which the envelope I is made is then applied over the string as Yin Fig. 3c and heating element 6 pressure applied thereto so as to bring the strip in substantial contact with the wall of the envelope I vas shown in Fig. 3d and partially embed the string in the strip. The heating element as shown causes the heat sealing of the strip and envelope wall tgether with the string in between. i
In Fig. 4 aninner envelope 9 containing one or vmore suture tubes I0, each of which contains a suture II immersed in a sterilizing liquid I2, is then inserted through the flared mouth 4 `of the mandrel 3 as shown in Fig. 4. The inner envelope 9 is preferably made of the same or different thermoplastic, heat sealable resin composition as above indicated with'the one end sealed as at I4.
The inner, open-ended envelope having been inserted into the outer envelope, 'a' quantity of sterilizing liquid I is then added as shown in Fig. 5, care being taken to see that the liquid is either illled directly into both envelopes or lls theinner envelope and spills over into the'outer one. The mandrel's is then removed and the upper end I6 of the outer envelope sealed between heatingelements in the usual manner. Thus Fig. '6 shows a completed modification with the free ends VYof the tear string available for rupturing the outer envelope.
In use, the tear string is simply pulled off which causes it to tear through the strip 8 thus leaving the outer envelope still sealed though with a weakened portion I of its Wall. Pulling the end of the envelope as shown in Fig. 7 causes a cap I1 to pull oi thus making the inner envelope available. Due to the fact that there is sterilizing liquid between the two envelopes, the inner one is completely sterile. As shown, the open end of the inner envelope extends upwardly beyond the tear string and strip while the suture tubes are completelyV within the open-ended inner envelope. Asa result, if there should be any contamination of the torn edge of the cap Il, bearing in mind that the outside of this cap is unsterile, it could Vnot touch the outside of the suture tubes because arev then ruptured and the sutures removed in the usual sterile manner. Y
Thus the use of an open-ended inner envelope in the present combination serves the function of first protecting thesuturev tubes in a sterile manner from contamination when the cap of the outside envelope is removedfand, second, requiring no independent opening operation thus eliminating any possibility of contamination at that time.
lWhile the invention has been Adescribed with particularV reference to specific embodiments, it is to be understood that it is not to be limited thereto but is to be construed broadly and restricted solely by the scope of the appended v claims.
What is claimed: l. In combination, a sealed suture tube within an inner, open-ended, flexible envelope of a thermoplastic, heat sealable resin composition, an
outer sealed envelope of similar material andY sterilizing liquid in each envelope. v
2. The combination of claim 1 in which4 the in` ner envelope is of a length greater than the suture tube.
i S; The combination of claimV 1 with a strip of thermoplastic, heat sealable resin composition sealed to the outer envelope around its periphery,
v and a tear string betweenthe outer envelope and the strip and partially embedded in each, the ends of the tear string being free. v
4. The combination of claim l with a strip of 1 No references cited.

Claims (1)

1. IN COMBINATION, A SEALED SUTURE TUBE WITHIN AN INNER, OPEN-ENDED, FLEXIBLE ENVELOPE OF A THERMOPLASTIC, HEAT SEALABLE RESIN COMPOSITION, AN OUTER SEALED ENVELOPE OF SIMILAR MATERIAL AND STERILIZING LIQUID IN EACH ENVELOPE.
US136807A 1950-01-04 1950-01-04 Surgical package Expired - Lifetime US2549039A (en)

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Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
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Cited By (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2898027A (en) * 1956-12-04 1959-08-04 Scholle Chemical Corp Container for fluent materials
US3119549A (en) * 1959-08-24 1964-01-28 Milprint Inc Reclosable commodity bag
US3426959A (en) * 1967-01-16 1969-02-11 Jerome H Lemelson Packaging assembly
US4967903A (en) * 1986-12-09 1990-11-06 Lynted Corporation Used paint brush preservation device
US5679423A (en) * 1993-08-11 1997-10-21 Polygenex International, Inc. Polyurethane elastomer organ bag of welded polyurethane film
US6391353B1 (en) * 1999-05-06 2002-05-21 Alusuisse Technology And Management Ltd. Packaging with tear-off closure
US20140286595A1 (en) * 2013-03-25 2014-09-25 Richard Charl Moreschini Safe and easy bagging tool a tool for safe and easy bagging of instruments to be sterilized
US20170190492A1 (en) * 2015-12-31 2017-07-06 Bemis Company, Inc. Packages and methods for manufacturing packages
US11267627B2 (en) * 2017-09-14 2022-03-08 Roesler IP GmbH Medical packaging with a packaging sleeve and outer vacuum packaging

Non-Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
None *

Cited By (11)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2898027A (en) * 1956-12-04 1959-08-04 Scholle Chemical Corp Container for fluent materials
US3119549A (en) * 1959-08-24 1964-01-28 Milprint Inc Reclosable commodity bag
US3426959A (en) * 1967-01-16 1969-02-11 Jerome H Lemelson Packaging assembly
US4967903A (en) * 1986-12-09 1990-11-06 Lynted Corporation Used paint brush preservation device
US5032188A (en) * 1986-12-09 1991-07-16 Lynted Corporation Method for paint brush preservation and storage
US5679423A (en) * 1993-08-11 1997-10-21 Polygenex International, Inc. Polyurethane elastomer organ bag of welded polyurethane film
US6391353B1 (en) * 1999-05-06 2002-05-21 Alusuisse Technology And Management Ltd. Packaging with tear-off closure
US20140286595A1 (en) * 2013-03-25 2014-09-25 Richard Charl Moreschini Safe and easy bagging tool a tool for safe and easy bagging of instruments to be sterilized
US20170190492A1 (en) * 2015-12-31 2017-07-06 Bemis Company, Inc. Packages and methods for manufacturing packages
US10000323B2 (en) * 2015-12-31 2018-06-19 Bemis Company, Inc. Packages and methods for manufacturing packages
US11267627B2 (en) * 2017-09-14 2022-03-08 Roesler IP GmbH Medical packaging with a packaging sleeve and outer vacuum packaging

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