Nonwoven surgical sponge with x-ray detectable element
AssigneeChicopee
InventorJohn Elves
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A surgical sponge constructed of a nonwoven fabric is provided with an integral x-ray detectable element in the form of an entangled roving which is positioned on one surface of the non-woven fabric. The fabric is produced by placing the x-ray detectable element atop a fibrous web and subjecting the roving and web to hydraulic entanglement to produce a patterned, nonwoven fabric.
Claims18
A surgical sponge including an integral x-ray detectable element, said sponge comprising a fibrous, nonwoven fabric consisting essentially of entangled fibers arranged in an interconnecting patterned relationship in the plane of the fabric, and at least one x-ray detectable element comprising a roving of radio opaque fibers, said roving being on one surface of said nonwoven fabric and the fibers of said roving being entangled with the fibers of said fabric.
Process for making a surgical sponge including an integral x-ray detectable element comprising:
- (a) forming a laminate comprising a first "belt side", layer of fibers comprising fusible fibers and other fibers, a second fibrous layer, and an x-ray detectable roving of radiopaque fibers spaced from said first "belt-side" layer;
- (b) directing essentially columnar jets of fluid under pressure against said roving and said second layer while supporting said first layer on an apertured belt to intertwine the fibers of the fibrous layers, entangle the fibers of the roving, and intertwine the fibers of the fibrous layers and the fibers of the roving;
- (c) applying heat to at least the first layer of said laminate to thermobond the fusible fibers therein.
Process for making a surgical sponge including an integral x-ray detectable element comprising:
- (a) forming a laminate comprising a first "belt-side", layer of fibers comprising fusible fibers and other fibers, a second fibrous layer, and an x-ray detectable roving of radiopaque fibers spaced from said first "belt-side" layer;
- (b) directing essentially columnar jets of fluid under pressure against said roving and said second layer while supporting said first layer on a roll to intertwine the fibers of the fibrous layers, entangle the fibers of the roving, and intertwine the fibers of the fibrous layers and the fibers of the roving;
- (c) applying heat to at least the first layer of said laminate to thermobond the fusible fibers therein.
Process for making a surgical sponge including an integral x-ray detectable element comprising:
- (a) forming a laminate comprising a web of fibers comprising fusible fibers and other fibers and having a "belt-side" surface and an outside surface, and an x-ray detectable roving of radiopaque fibers overlying said outside surface:
- (b) directing essentially columnar jets of fluid under pressure against said roving and said web while supporting the "belt-side" surface of said web on an apertured belt to intertwine the fibers of the web, entangle the fibers of the roving, and intertwine the fibers of the web and the fibers of the roving:
- (c) applying heat to at least the "belt-side" surface of said web to thermobond the fusible fibers therein.
Process for making a surgical sponge including an integral x-ray detectable element comprising:
- (a) forming a laminate comprising a web of fibers comprising fusible fibers and other fibers and having a "belt-side" surface and an outside surface, and an x-ray detectable roving of radiopaque fibers overlying said outside surface:
- (b) directing essentially columnar jets of fluid under pressure against said roving and said web while supporting "belt-side" surface of said web on a roll to intertwine the fibers of the web, entangle the fibers of the roving, and intertwine the fibers of the web and the fibers of the roving:
- (c) applying heat to at least the "belt-side" surface of said web to thermobond the fusible fibers therein.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.