Preloaded sterile bag

A sterile barrier/drape configured to be preloaded to a sterile component or an unsterile component which are to be mated or engaged to each other, the sterile barrier comprising:

• a barrier component having a central opening;
• and
• a flexible body coupled to the barrier component, the flexible body having a hollow passage extending from a proximal end to a distal end thereof, and having an outer surface, an inner surface, and an open end,
• wherein the barrier component is coupled to the flexible body at the proximal end thereof and the central opening of the barrier component is configured to couple the sterile barrier/drape to the sterile component or the unsterile component;
• and
• wherein the flexible body is configured to enclose within the inner surface thereof the unsterile component removably connected to the sterile component through the central opening of the barrier component.

A method of providing a sterile barrier/drape preloaded to a sterile component or attachable to an unsterile component of medical equipment, the method comprising:

• providing the sterile barrier/drape with a barrier section and a flexible body section coupled to the barrier section;
• the barrier section having a central opening, and the flexible body section having a tubular shape extending from a proximal end to a distal end thereof, and having an outer surface, an inner surface, and an open end;
• preloading the barrier section onto the sterile component by sliding the central opening of the barrier section onto a connecting portion of the sterile component or preloading the barrier section onto the unsterile component by attaching the barrier section onto a distal end of the unsterile component which is aligned the connecting portion of the sterile component;
• and
• deploying the flexible body section over the unsterile component so as to enclose within the inner surface of the flexible body section the unsterile component in parallel with connecting the sterile component to the unsterile component through the central opening of the barrier section.