US 2003/0075183 A1 · Medical solution thermal treatment system and method of controlling system operation in accordance with detection of solution and leaks in surgical drape containers

Abstract

A drape including a sensing device is disposed over a thermal treatment system having a basin recessed therein to form a drape container or receptacle within the basin for collecting a sterile medium. The thermal treatment system may either heat or congeal the sterile medium. The sensing device is typically disposed through the drape to provide a signal indicating the presence of liquid and/or leaks within the drape container to the system to facilitate control of system operation. In addition, the sensing device may be affixed to a plural basin drape utilized for a multiple basin thermal treatment system. The drape forms a drape receptacle within each basin, while a sensing device is typically disposed within each drape receptacle to detect the presence of liquid and/or a leak within that drape receptacle to facilitate control of system operation in substantially the same manner described above.

Claims62

Dependent claims

A system for detecting conditions within containers formed by surgical drapes during surgical procedures and controlling thermal treatment of said containers in response to said detected conditions, said system comprising:

a thermal treatment unit to thermally treat a liquid and including a basin;
a surgical drape, covering and substantially conforming to said basin, to serve as a drape container for said liquid;
a sensing device including a plurality of conductors each disposed on a sterile drape surface within said drape container and extending therefrom to a non-sterile drape surface, wherein potentials of said conductors are responsive to contact between said conductors and said liquid and indicate conditions of said drape container;
a controller to operate said thermal treatment unit to control a temperature of said basin;
and
a detection unit in communication with said sensing device to determine occurrence of said drape container conditions from said potentials of said conductors and to control said controller to operate said thermal treatment unit in accordance with said determined drape container conditions.

3 more elements

In a thermal treatment system including a basin for thermally treating a liquid, a method of detecting conditions during surgical procedures within a container formed within said basin by a surgical drape and controlling thermal treatment of said container in response to said detected conditions, wherein said drape includes a sensing device with a plurality of conductors disposed on a sterile drape surface within said drape container and extending therefrom to a non-sterile drape surface, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) placing said surgical drape over said thermal treatment system to cover and substantially conform to said basin to serve as a drape container for said liquid;
(b) altering potentials of said conductors in response to contact between said conductors and said liquid to indicate conditions of said drape container;
and
(c) determining occurrence of said drape container conditions from said potentials of said conductors and controlling said thermal treatment system to thermally treat said basin in accordance with said determined drape container conditions.

1 more element

thermal treatment means for thermally treating a liquid and including a basin;
a surgical drape, covering and substantially conforming to said basin, to serve as a drape container for said liquid;
sensing means for sensing conditions within said drape container, wherein said sensing means includes a plurality of conducting means for maintaining a potential, wherein said plurality of conducting means are disposed on a sterile drape surface and within said drape container and extend therefrom to a non-sterile drape surface, and wherein said potentials of said plurality of conducting means are responsive to contact between said plurality of conducting means and said liquid and indicate conditions of said drape container;
control means for operating said thermal treatment means to control a temperature of said basin;
and
detection means in communication with said sensing means for determining occurrence of said drape container conditions from said potentials of said plurality of conducting means and for controlling said control means to operate said thermal treatment means in accordance with said determined drape container conditions.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Medical solution thermal treatment system and method of controlling system operation in accordance with detection of solution and leaks in surgical drape containers

Life of this patent

Medical solution thermal treatment system and method of controlling system operation in accordance with detection of solution and leaks in surgical drape containers

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims62