Sterile surgical coupler and drape

An apparatus for coupling a sterile endoscope to an unsterile optional connector and camera wherein an unsterile connector and camera are shielded from a sterile surgical environment, said apparatus comprising:

• a means for coupling an unsterile optical connector and camera to a sterile endoscope, said coupling means including a first end for connection to an unsterile optical connector and a second end for connection to a sterile endoscope;
• an optical passageway extending from said first end of said coupling means through said second end of said coupling means enabling an image to be transmitted from the endoscope to the camera;
• a window means positionable between said first and second ends of said coupling means, said window means providing a sterile barrier therebetween;
• a sterile drape having an open distal end positionable over said first end of said coupler and having a proximal end extendable over an unsterile optical connector and camera;
• and
• means sealing said open distal end of said sterile drape to said coupling means between said ends thereof to form a fluid and airtight seal.

A method of coupling an unsterile camera setup including an optical connector and camera to a sterile endoscope wherein differing endoscopes may be freely interchanged without compromising the sterility of a surgical environment, said method comprising the steps of:

• providing a sterile coupler having a first end attachable to an unsterile optical connector and a second end attachable to a sterile endoscope and further having an optical path therethrough from the first end to the second end with an optically clear window mounted transversely in the optical path;
• providing a sterile drape having an open distal end positionable over the first end of the coupler and having a proximal end extendable over a camera setup;
• sealing the distal end of the drape around the first end of the coupler thereby providing a sterile seal wherein the first end of the coupler is sealed within the drape and the second end of the coupler is exposed to the sterile surgical environment;
• inserting an unsterile optical connector attachable to an unsterile camera within the proximal end of the drape;
• attaching the unsterile optical connector to the first end of the coupler;
• and
• attaching a sterile endoscope to the second end of the coupler.

A method of coupling an unsterile camera setup to a sterile endoscope wherein sterility is maintained and wherein differing endoscopes may be freely interchanged without compromising the sterility of a surgical environment, said method comprising the steps of:

• providing a sterile coupler having a first end releasably attachable to an unsterile camera setup and a second end releasably attachable to a sterile endoscope;
• providing a sterile drape having an open end positionable between the ends of the sterile coupler wherein the drape provides a first sterile barrier between exterior portions of the ends of the sterile coupler;
• sealing the open end of the sterile drape between the ends of the sterile coupler;
• providing a clear optical pathway within the sterile coupler wherein an image may be transmitted from the endoscope to the camera setup;
• providing a window positionable within the sterile coupler along said optical pathway wherein a second sterile barrier is created between the interiors of the first and second ends of the sterile coupler;
• attaching the first end of the sterile coupler to the camera setup;
• and
• attaching the second end of the sterile coupler to the sterile endoscope.