Surgical fluid evacuation system

A liquid evacuation system comprising:

• a liquid impervious bottom layer and a liquid absorbent and permeable top layer, said top and bottom layers being joined to each other by a liquid impervious seal to define a liquid receiving chamber between said top and bottom layers;
• separation means located within said liquid receiving chamber for maintaining said top and bottom layers generally separated from one another, said separation means further being liquid permeable;
• liquid control rails located about at least a portion of the periphery of said top layer and extending above the general plane of said top layer for channeling and retaining liquids on said top layer;
• means for evacuating said chamber of liquid entering said chamber through said liquid pervious top layer;
• and
• attachment means for securing said system to a surgical drape or patient.

A surgical drape for collecting liquids comprising:

• a mainsheet having a top edge and a bottom edge separated by opposite side edges, said mainsheet further defining a fenestration therein, and a liquid evacuation system attached to said mainsheet in the expected path of fluid run-off, said system including:
• a liquid impervious bottom layer and a liquid pervious top layer, said top and bottom layers being joined to each other by a liquid impervious seal to define a liquid receiving chamber between said top and bottom layers;
• separation means located within said chamber for maintaining said top and bottom layers generally separated from one another;
• means for evacuating said chamber of liquid entering said chamber through said liquid pervious top layer;
• liquid control rails located about at least a portion of the periphery of said top layer and extending above the general plane of said top layer for channeling and retaining liquids on and said top layer;
• and
• attachment means for securing said evacuation system to said mainsheet.