US3835851A

US3835851A - Fenestrated drape with retaining means

Info

Publication number: US3835851A
Application number: US00419024A
Authority: US
Inventors: F Villari
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Boundary Healthcare Products Corp
Priority date: 1972-02-24
Filing date: 1973-11-26
Publication date: 1974-09-17
Anticipated expiration: 1991-09-17

Abstract

An improved folded drape of the type wherein the drape is provided with adhesive means for securing the drape to the body of a patient, the adhesive means being on outwardly facing surfaces of panels of the drape when in its folded state prior to use, and having a strip-restraining means preventing unfolding of the panels during preparatory maipulation of the drape prior to application over a patient''s body extending from and in releasable, covering contact with the adhesive means on one of the panels to and in releasable, covering contact with the adhesive means on another panel.

Description

United States Patent 1191 3,835,851 Villari 1451 Sept. 17, 1974 [54] FENESTRATED DRAPE WITH RETAINING 3,646,937 3/1972 Gellert 128/287 MEANS 3,741,206 6/1973 Binard 128 132 D Inventor: Frank K. Villari, 1104 S. Maple,

Oak Park, 111. 60304 Filed: Nov. 26, 1973 Appl. No.: 419,024

Related U.S. Application Data Continuation of Ser. No. 228,857, Feb. 24, 1972, abandoned.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 11/1970 Rowland 128/132 D 12/1971 Madden 128/132 D 2/1972 Sabee 128/287 Primary Examiner-Richard A. Gaudet Assistant ExaminerG. F. Dunne Attorney, Agent, or FirmPowell L. Sprunger [5 7 ABSTRACT An improved folded drape of the type wherein the drape is provided with adhesive means for securing the drape to the body of a patient, the adhesive means being on outwardly facing surfaces of panels of the drape when in its folded state prior to use, and having a strip-restraining means preventing unfolding of the panels during preparatory maipulation of the drape prior to application over a patients body extending from and in releasable, covering contact with the ad hesive means on one of the panels to and in releasable, covering contact with the adhesive means on another panel.

7 Claims, 15 Drawing Figures tam-@851 PATENTED SEP I 71974 SHEU 3 OF 3 ms FIG- ll FENESTRATED DRAPE WITH RETAINING MEANS CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This is a continuation, of US. Pat. application Ser. No. 228,857, filed Feb. 24, 1972, now abandoned.

The present invention is related to the co-pending US. Pat. application Fenestrated Drape, filed July 29, 1971, Ser. No. 167,196, now US. Pat. No. 3,741,206 invented by William J. Binard and John F. Dye, and assigned to the Kendall Company the assignee of the present application.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to fenestrated drapes, and more particularly to drapes having adhering means for securing the drape to the body of a patient.

Prior to a percutaneous procedure or surgery, the area of the patients body surrounding the location for penetration or incision is usually sterilized or prepped. Since the area of the body outlying the prepped area is considered to be in a non-sterile condition, a sterile drape is frequently placed over the patients body, and the penetration is performed through an opening in the drape. Such drapes may cover a substantial portion of the non-sterile body area to prevent contamination of the physician or surgeon during the operation, and con fine the flow of fluid which is otherwise inconvenient for the physician and may result in the spreading of contamination. Preferably, the drapes are secured to the patients body to prevent slippage and movement during the procedure, whether the drape is positioned horizontally or vertically on the body.

In the above-identified related application Fenestrated Drape, a folded drape is disclosed which may be unfolded and secured to the patient in a simplified manner and having adhesive for securing the drape which should be exposed prior to unfolding the drape. However, if the drape is inadvertently unfolded prior to removing peel strips from the adhesive, the drape may become contaminated by subsequent removal of the peel strips.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The improved folded drape is of the type which includes, a sterile main sheet of flexible material having a pair of side edges extending longitudinally along the sheet, and a pair of laterally extending end edges connecting the side edges. The main sheet has a first surface for contacting the body of a patient after placement of the drape, and a second surface facing away from the patient after placement of the drape. The main sheet has a pair of side panels defined by a pair of sheet fold lines extending longitudinally along the sheet and spaced from the side edges, with the side panels being folded against a central panel extending between the longitudinal fold lines, and with the second surface of the side panels facing the second surface of the central panel. A plurality of fold sections are defined in the main sheet by at least one laterally extending fold line in the longitudinally folded sheet, with the sheet having at least one fold section extending from an end edge and having side panels facing outwardly from the laterally folded sheet. The drape includes, adhering means on the side panels of the one fold section to secure the sheet to the patient, with the adhering means having adhesive on both of the side panels facing outwardly from the laterally folded sheet. The improvement of the present invention comprises, a peel sheet which releasably covers at least a portion of the adhesive on both of the side panels.

A feature of the present invention is that the peel sheet prevents longitudinal upfolding of the drape about the sheet fold lines prior to removal of the peel sheet from the adhesive.

In one embodiment of the present invention the peel sheet comprises, flap means which extends from the end edge of the fold section remote the one fold section, with the flap means covering the adhesive on the one fold section.

A feature of this embodiment of the invention is that the flap means prevents lateral and longitudinal unfolding of the drape prior to removal of the flap means from the adhesive.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the main sheet includes a second fold section extending from the other of the end edges and having side panels facing outwardly from the laterally folded sheet. The adhering means includes adhesive on both of the side panels of the second fold section facing outwardly from the laterally folded sheet. The peel sheet releasably covers the adhesive on the side panels of both the one and second fold sections, with the peel sheet extending across at least a portion of the end and side edges in the one and second fold sections.

A feature of this embodiment of the invention is that the peel sheet prevents lateral and longitudinal unfolding of the drape prior to removal of the peel sheet from the adhesive.

Further features will become more fully apparent in the following description of the embodiments of this invention and from the appended claims.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings:

FIG. I is a perspective view of a fenestrated drape in which the retaining means of the present invention may be readily adapted;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken substantially as indicated along the line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the adhering means of FIG. 1 taken substantially as indicated along the line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of the drape of FIG. 1, showing the removal of a peel strip for place ment of the drape;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the drape of FIG. 1, with a pair of edge panels being grasped preparatory to placement of the drape;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the drape being lifted by the grasped edge panels to laterally unfold th drape from the configuration of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing the drape as spread from the configuration of FIG. 6 by the grasped edge panels;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing the unfolded drape as positioned on a patients body, with the adhering means being pressed against the body to secure the drape;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the folded drape of FIG. l having one embodiment of the retaining means of the present invention;

FIG. is a sectional view of the drape and retaining means of FIG. 9, being taken substantially as indicated along the line l010 of FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a partially unfolded drape having another embodiment of the retaining means of the present invention;

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the drape of FIG. 1 1 in a folded configuration, with the retaining means secured to the adhesive on the drape;

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a drape in a'partially unfolded configuration having adhesive on a second fold section of the drape;

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of the drape of FIG. 13 in a folded configuration, and another embodiment of the retaining means of the present invention; and

FIG. 15 is a perspective view of the folded drape and retaining means of FIG. 14, being taken from the back side of the drape of P16. 14.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The retaining means of the present invention may readily be utilized with the type of drape disclosed in the aboveidentified related application Fenestrated Drape, and for convenience, a description of such a drape is first set forth as a background for discussion of the present invention.

Referring to the drawings, a fenestrated drape, generally designated 20, is shown in a folded and unfolded configuration in FIGS. 1 and 7, respectively. The drape comprises a sterile flexible main sheet designated generally 22 which may be constructed from any suitable material, such as Dexter material X1433K made by C. H. Dexter, a division of Dexter Corp., and may include a liquid impervious material to prevent passage of fluid through the sheet during percutaneous procedures or surgery. Examples of procedures for which the drape 20 may be conveniently utilized include, myelography, lumbar puncture, spinal anesthesia, needle biopsy, fluid aspiration procedures, and other minor surgical procedures and diagnostic tests.

The sheet 22 includes a pair of longitudinally extending side edges 24a and b, and a pair of laterally extending end edges 26a and b connecting the side edges 24a and b. In a preferred form, the sheet 22 has a generally rectangular shape, with the side and end edges 24a and b and 26a and b being generaly parallel. The sheet 22 also has a first surface 28 which contacts the body of a patient after placement of the drape 2 0, and a second surface 30 which faces away from the patient after placement of the drape.

In order to obtain the folded drape of FIG. 1, the sheet 22 is first folded along longitudinally extending fold lines 32, as bestillustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7, which are spaced from and generally aligned with the side edges 24a and b, with the sheet fold lines 32 defining a pair of side panels 34 and a central panel 36 extending between the fold lines 32. The side panels 34 are folded against the central panel 36 with the second surface 30 of the side panels 34 facing the second surface 30 of the central panel 36. In addition, the side panels 34 are folded along longitudinally extending panel fold lines 38, which are adjacent to and spaced from the side edges 24a and b. The fold lines 38 define a pair of edge panels 40 which are folded. with the first surface 28 of the edge panels 40 facing the first surface of the sheet 22 in the side panels 34. The sheet 22 may be folded longitudinally such that the panel fold lines 38 are slightly spaced from each other, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 6. 7

Next, the longitudinally folded sheet, as shown in FIG. 6, is folded along laterally extending fold lines 42, and as illustrated in FIGS. 5-7, define a plurality of fold sections 44. In a preferred form, the fold lines 42 are generally aligned with the end edges 26a and b, and each of the fold sections 44 have approximately the same shape. As shown in FIG. 1, the laterally folded sheet includes at least one fold section 46 extending from the end edge 26a such that its side panels 34 face outwardly from the laterally folded sheet. In a preferred embodiment of the drape, the folded sheet may have four fold sections 44, with the drape being alternately or accordion folded, such that a second remote fold section 47 extends from the other end edge 26b with its side panels 34 facing outwardly from the laterally folded sheet, as best illustrated in FIG. 6. As shown in FIG. 7, the sheet also may include an opening 41 through which the procedure is performed in the placed drape, such as in the central panel 36 of the fold section adjacentthe one fold section 46.

The drape 20 also includes adhering means, generally designated 50, on each of the side panels 34 in the one fold section 46 to secure the sheet 22 to the patients body. The adhering means 50 includes adhesive 52, such as pressure sensitive adhesive, facing outwardly from the laterally folded sheet, and peel strips 54 may releasably cover the adhesive 52. As shown in FIGS. 1-3, each of the side panels 34 has an opening 56 in the one fold section 46, and a tape strip 58 having adhesive on one side is adhered to the second surface 30 of the side panels 34 such that the one-sided strips 58 cover the openings 56 with adhesive 52 facing through the openings. Since the strips 58 are adhered to the edges of the side panels 34 around the openings 56, the strips 58 are securely anchored to the side panels, and the position of the adhesive 52 facing through the openings 56 may readily be determined from the second surface 30 of the sheet 22, since the strips 58 are visible on that side of the sheet. Other embodiments of the adhering means 50 which may be utilized in conjunction with the retaining means of the present invention are disclosed in the above-identified related application Fenestrated Drape.

The manner in which the folded drape of FIG. 1 is placed on the body of the patient is described as follows, which is preferably performed with sterile gloved hands, as shown. First, the peel strips 54 are removed to expose the adhesive 52in the adhering means 50, as illustrated in FIG. 4. Next, the edge panels 40 in the one fold section 46 are grasped by the hands, as shown in FIG. 5, and the drape 20 is lifted by the grasped edge panels, as illustrated in FIG. 6, such that the sheet 22 laterally unfolds from its own weight. The drape 20 is then spread by the grasped edge panels 40 to the configuration as shown in FIG. 7 to unfold the sheet 22 about the

longitudinal fold lines

32 and 38 such that the adhesive 52 faces away from the body of the person unfolding the drape. Next, the unfolded drape 20 is positioned on the patients body with the oepning 41 located over the region of the body in which the procedure is to be performed. If the body surface on which the drape is placed is horizontally disposed, the edge panels 40 may be released, and the adhering means 50, which, as noted previously, is visible from the second surface 30 of the sheet 22, may then be pressed against the patients body to secure the drape.

However, the drapes 20 are frequently placed on a vertically disposed body surface, and if the edge panels are released prior to adhering the drape to the body, the drape may slide from its desired location. Accordingly, the adhering means 50 is positioned sufficiently close to the edge panels in order that the adhering means may be pressed by the users thumbs while the edge panels are grasped by the users fingers, after which the edge panels are released.

Thus, during placement, the only portions of the drape which are contacted by the user are the peel strips 54, the edge panels 40 in the one fold section 46, and the adhering means 50 on the second surface of the sheet 22. Accordingly, it is apparent that this minimal contact, and the simplified manner of placing the drape, significantly reduces the possibility of contamination to the drape and the physician who may have placed the drape.

In order to facilitate the user in aseptically placing the drape on the patient, indicia on the drape or written instructions may be utilized to guide the user in the proper manner of placement. In the normal course .of events, these instructions would be followed by the user, and the drape would. be properly secured to the patient withut danger of contamination to the drape. However, the possibility remains that the drape may be unfolded without prior reading of the instructions, or that the drape is placed in such a careless manner that a particular step of the procedure may be forgotten.

In particular, the drape may be laterally and longitudinally unfolded prior to removal of the peel strips 54 from the adhesive 52,.thus necessitating their removal after the drape is unfolded. Once the drape is in an unfolded configuration, the peel strips are only removed with some difficulty, since the pair of edge panels 40 are being grasped by both hands, and removal of the peel strips may necessitate the release of one of the edge panels by one of the hands. It is also apparent that removal of the peel strips in such a manner poses the possibility that the drape may become contaminated, since the peel strips are adjacent the first contacting surface 28 of the main sheet 22.

Thus, in accordance with the present invention retaining means is provided to prevent unfolding of the drape prior to exposing the adhesive for use and serves as a reminder to uncover the adhesive. In FIGS. 9 and 10 a drape is shown which is similar in most respects to the drape described in connection with FIGS. 1-8, with the exception that the peel strips 54 have been omitted. In lieu thereof, a single peel sheet 100 extends across the panel fold lines 38 and edge panels 40, and is sufficiently large to cover the adhesive on both of the side panels 34 of the one fold section 46. The peel sheet 100 may be constructed of any suitable material, such as plastic or treated paper, which may readily be released from the adhesive 52. The peel sheet 100, which releasably covers the adhesive on both of the side panels 34, retains the side panels together and prevents longitudinal unfolding of the drape prior to removal of the peel sheet from the adhesive. Accordingly, the peel sheet must be removed from the adhesive before the drape is unfolded into position for placement on the patient.

Another embodiment of the retaining means of the present invention is illustrated in FIGS. 11 and 12. In

this embodiment, the peel sheet comprises flap means, generally designated 102, which extends from the end edge 26b of the remote fold section 47. Preferably, the flap means 102 comprises asingle flap 104 extending from a central portion of the end edge 26b along the central panel 36 of the remote fold section 47. As shown in FIG. 12, the flap 104 has a sufficient width and length to extend around the end edge 26a of the one fold section 46 and cover the adhesive 52 on the one fold section 46 with the drape in its folded configuration. The flap 104 extends across a portion of both the end edge 26a and side edges 24a and b of the one fold section 46, such that the flap retains the side panels 34 of the one fold section together and retains the one fold section 46 to the second fold section 47. Thus, the flap means 102 prevents both lateral and longitudinal unfolding of the drape prior to removal of the flap means from the adhesive, and the flap means must be removed from the adhesive before the drape is unfolded for placement on the patient.

The flap means 102 may include a release sheet 106 secured to the first surface 28 of the flap 104, such that the release sheet is positioned intermediate the flap 104 and the adhesive 52 when the flap means 102 is secured to the adhesive. The release sheet 106 permits easy removal of the flap means from the adhesive, and may be constructed of any suitable material, such as plastic, which has good release characteristics from the adhesive 52. However, it is contemplated that by suitable selection or treatment of the materials for the main sheet 22, the flap 104 may directly contact the adhesive 52 without the necessity for such a release sheet.

For certain applications of the drape, it is desirable to anchor both ends of the main sheet to the patient. Such a drape is illustrated in FIG. 13, which is similar in most respects to the drape described in connection with FIGS. l-8, with the exception that adhering means 50 includes tape strips 58' secured to the side panels 34 of the remote second fold section 47. Adhesive 52' on the strips 58' faces through openings 56' in the side panels 34 of the second fold section 47, and faces outwardly from the sheet 22 when it is in its folded configuration. Accordingly, when this drape is secured to the patient by the adhesive 52 and 52 at both ends of the main sheet, the drape is held securely to the patient with the opening 41 being positioned intermediate the adhesive 52 and 52'.

Retaining means for the fenestrated drape of FIG. 13 is illustrated in FIGS. 14 and 15. The retaining means comprises a peel sheet 110 having a first panel 112 for releasably covering the adhesive 52 on the one fold section 46, a second panel 1 14 for releasably covering the adhesive 52' on the second fold section 47, and an intermediate section 116 extending between the first and

second panels

112 and 114. The peel sheet extends across at least a portion of the end edge 26a and side.

I claim:

1. An improved folded drape of the type including, a sterile main sheet of flexible material having a pair of side edges extending longitudinally along the sheet, a pair of laterally extending end edges connecting said side edges, a first surface for contacting the body of a patient after placement of the drape, a second surface facing away from the patient after placement of the drape, a pair of side panels defined by a pair of sheet fold lines extending longitudinally along the sheet and spaced from said side edges, said side panels being folded against a central panel extending between the longitudinal fold lines with the second surface of said side panels facing the second surface of said central panel, and a plurality of fold sections defined by at least one laterally extending fold line in the longitudinally folded sheet, said sheet having at least one fold section extending from an end edge and having side panels facing outwardly from the laterally folded sheet, and including, sterile adhering means on the side panels of said one fold section to secure the sheet to the patient, said adhering means having adhesive on both of said side panels facing outwardly from the laterally folded sheet, wherein the improvement comprises, retaining means including, a peel sheet releasably covering the adhesive on both of said side panels, whereby said peel sheet prevents unfolding of the drape about said sheet fold lines prior to removal of the peel sheet from the adhesive, said main sheet including a second fold section extending from the other of said end edges and having side panels facing outwardly from the laterally folded sheet, said adhering means including adhesive on both of the side panels of said second fold section facing outwardly from the laterally folded sheet, with said peel sheet releasably covering the adhesive on both of the side panels of said one and second fold sections, and with said peel sheet extending across at least a portion of said end and side edges in said one and second fold sections to prevent lateral and longitudinal unfolding of the drape prior to removal of the peel sheet from the adhesive.

2. The folded drape of claim 1 wherein each of said side panels include longitudinally extending panel fold lines adjacent to and spaced from said side edges, said panel fold lines defining a pair of edge panels for grasping and unfolding said sheet, with said edge panels being folded with the first surface of the edge panels facing the first surface of said main sheet, and said peel sheet extends across said panel fold lines and edge panels to prevent longitudinal unfolding of the drape prior to removal of the peel sheet from the adhesive.

3. An improved folded drape of the type including, a sterile main sheet of a flexible material having a pair of side edges extending longitudinally along the sheet, a pair of laterally extending end edges connecting said side edges, a first surface for contacting the body of a patient after placement of the drape, a second surface facing away from the patient after placement of the drape, a pair of side panels defined by a pair of sheet fold lines extending longitudinally along the sheet and spaced from said side edges, said side panels being folded against a central panel extending between the longitudinal fold lines with the second surface of said side panels facing the second surface of said central panel, and a plurality of fold sections defined by at least one laterally extending fold line in the longitudinally folded sheet, said sheet having at least one fold section extending from an end edge and having side panels facing outwardly from the laterally folded sheet, and including, sterile adhering means on the side panels of said one fold section to secure the sheet to the patient, said adhering means having adhesive on both of said side panels facing outwardly from the laterally folded sheet, wherein the improvement comprises, retaining means including, a peel sheet releasably covering the adhesive on both of said side panels, whereby said peel sheet prevents unfolding of the drape about said sheet fold lines prior to removal of the peel sheet from the adhesive, and said peel sheet comprising, flap means extending from the end edge of the fold section remote said one fold section, said flap means releasably covering the adhesive on said one fold section to prevent lateral and longitudinal unfolding of the drape prior to removal of the flap means from the adhesive.

4. The folded drape of claim 3 wherein said flap means comprises, a flap extending from the end edge of the remote fold section, and a release sheet secured to said flap intermediate the flap and the adhesive.

5. The folded drape of claim 3 wherein said flap means extends from the central panel of the remote fold section.

6. The folded drape of claim 3 wherein the remote fold section has side panels facing outwardly from the laterally folded sheet.

7. The folded drape of claim 6 wherein said flap means includes a flap extending from the end edge of the remote fold section, with said flap extending across at least a portion of the end and side edges of said one fold section.

f UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. I Dated September 17, 1974 lnv Frank K. Villari It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

In the heading; after "Inventor: Frank K. V illari, 1104 S. Maple, Oak Park, Ill. 60304 insert Assignee:

The Kendall Company, Boston Mass Signed and sealed this 10th day of December 1.974.

( E Attest:

GIBSON JR. Tc. MARSHALL DANN McCOY M. v

Commissioner of Patents Attesting Officer USCOMM-DC 60376-P69 u.s. caveman-r ram-nae OFFICE: lass o-ssa-asl F ORM PO-IOSO (10-69)