Drape connection with alignment features for surgical slash machines - Patent Application 20070122997

Abstract

A surgical slash system, a drape for the system, and a method for draping the system are provided. A surgical slush machine can be draped by positioning a portion of a surgical drape over a trough of a surgical slush system. The drape can carry a piston attachment member that defines a receiving cavity on the underside of the surgical drape. The piston attachment member can be connected to a drape-engaging member positioned on the end of a piston of the surgical slush machine. For example, the receiving cavity can be positioned over a drape-engaging plate and one or more alignment members extending outwardly from the drape-engaging plate. The piston attachment member of the surgical drape can be pressed downwardly over the drape-engaging plate and one or more alignment members, and in some configurations, can be rotatably coupled to one another.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] (CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS) This application claims the benefit of U.S. Patent Application No. 18 / 168,208, filed February 13, 2023, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present disclosure relates to a system for producing a surgical slash including a sterile drape and a connector system for connecting the sterile drape to a surgical slash machine. [Background technology]

[0003] Surgical fluids are used during a variety of different medical procedures. For example, saline is often used during surgery to cleanse the surgical site. The saline is injected into the surgical site to flush the area of ​​blood and other bodily substances, providing the clinician with a clear view of the area being operated on and a clean surface on which to perform the surgery. As another example, surgical fluid may be frozen into a slush that is introduced into a specific area of ​​the body. The slush can provide local hypothermia, cooling the area of ​​the body or organ around which the slush is placed. This can be useful to temporarily reduce the amount of oxygenated blood needed by the body, such as in emergencies like cardiac arrest or severe head trauma.

[0004] A surgical slush machine may include a bath into which an operator injects a surgical fluid, such as saline, which then cools within the bath to form a slush. Before introducing the surgical fluid into the bath, the operator may cover the bath with a disposable drape to form a sterile barrier between the bath and the surgical fluid. The bath may be cooled to a level sufficient to freeze the surgical fluid poured into the drape-covered bath. In practice, frozen surgical fluid may tend to adhere to the sides of the drape receptacle as large clumps or small pieces rather than automatically collecting inside the receptacle. To avoid this problem and help form a slush instead of a clump of surgical fluid, the surgical slush machine may be configured to manipulate the drape against the bath wall. For example, the lower part of the drape may be moved up and down to release clumps of frozen saline from the sides of the drape, causing the released material to fall from the sides of the drape as a slush. Summary of the Invention

[0005] Generally, the present disclosure relates to devices, systems, and techniques associated with generating surgical slush, including a sterile drape and a connector system for connecting the sterile drape to a surgical slush machine. In some examples, the surgical slush system includes a vessel configured to receive and hold a surgical fluid and a cooling device thermally coupled to the vessel for cooling the surgical fluid in the vessel to generate the surgical slush. The system can include and / or be configured to receive a sterile surgical drape. In use, the surgical drape can be positioned within the vessel to separate the surgical fluid and the surgical slush from the walls of the vessel itself. To aid in forming the surgical slush within the draped vessel and prevent the accumulation of clumps of condensed frozen surgical fluid on the sidewalls of the draped vessel, the surgical slush system can include a piston. The piston can move relative to the sidewalls of the vessel, for example, to periodically flex a drape placed within the vessel, causing the frozen surgical fluid on the sidewalls of the drape to drop off as slush.

[0006] In practice, it can be difficult to create a proper interface between the piston of a surgical slush machine and the drape placed on the bath of the surgical slush machine. If the piston is not connected to the drape, the drape may not move and flex in a repeatable and controllable pattern. This can lead to the accumulation of frozen fluid on the sidewalls of the drape, causing inconsistent operation of the slush machine. For these and other reasons, it is desirable for the piston to be mechanically connected to the drape placed on the bath. However, if the drape becomes stiff and / or overweight due to the accumulation of excessive frozen material during prolonged operation, the drape may not flex sufficiently in response to piston movement. If the piston is rigidly connected to the drape in these situations, the piston may not be able to move through its full range of intended movement. This can cause damage to the surgical slush system, such as burning out the piston motor.

[0007] However, according to some examples of the present disclosure, a surgical slash system is described that includes a connection between a piston associated with a surgical slash machine and a drape placed over a trough of the surgical slash machine. The piston may include a drape-engaging member configured to engage an underside of the drape. In some examples, the drape-engaging member is positioned at an end of the piston and includes one or more alignment members. The drape may carry a corresponding piston attachment member configured to engage a drape-engaging member carried by the piston. In some examples, the piston attachment member carried by the drape defines a cavity configured to be positioned over the drape-engaging member carried by the piston, the piston attachment member including one or more alignment members.

[0008] For example, in an implementation, the piston attachment member carried by the drape includes one or more notches corresponding to one or more alignment members provided by the drape-engaging member carried by the piston. In use, an operator can insert the piston attachment member carried by the drape over the drape-engaging member carried by the piston and position the one or more alignment members on the drape-engaging member carried by the piston within the one or more notched piston attachment members carried by the drape. Configuring the piston with one or more alignment members can be useful to help rotationally align and / or couple the piston with respect to the drape. For example, positioning one or more alignment members with one or more corresponding notches can set the relative rotational alignment of the piston with respect to the drape. This can help ensure, for example, that the drape is in proper rotational alignment with the piston when the two components are engaged and / or in use, preventing relative rotation or slippage between the two components during use.

[0009] In some configurations, the connection between a piston associated with a surgical slush machine and a drape inserted over the trough of the surgical slush machine is a separation connection that allows the piston to separate from the drape if a force threshold is exceeded. The connection between the piston and the drape may be strong and / or rigid enough to prevent separation between the piston and the drape during normal operation of the surgical slush machine (e.g., resist separation between the piston and the drape within a range of forces expected to occur during normal operation of the surgical slush machine). However, the connection between the piston and the drape may be weak and / or flexible enough to allow the piston to separate from the drape if a force threshold is exceeded (e.g., a force threshold that may tend to damage the surgical slush machine if the piston and drape remain connected above the threshold). For example, the connection between the piston and the drape may be configured to separate if excessive ice accumulation on the drape would otherwise restrict piston movement, potentially causing burnout of the motor driving the piston. The disengagement force between the piston and the drape may be controlled by controlling the configuration of the drape engagement member carried by the piston and the piston attachment member carried by the drape, which in some examples includes a configuration of one or more alignment pins and one or more corresponding notches for receiving the alignment pins.

[0010] In one example, a surgical slush system is described that includes a vessel configured to receive and hold a surgical fluid and a thermal treatment device thermally coupled to the vessel and configured to cool the surgical fluid to produce a surgical slush. The exemplary system also includes a surgical drape and a piston. The surgical drape is configured to be positioned within the vessel to separate the surgical fluid and the surgical slush from the vessel. The surgical drape includes an upper side configured to face away from the vessel and a lower side configured to face the vessel, and the surgical drape also includes a piston attachment member on the lower side. The piston has a terminal end that protrudes into the vessel and is operable to move relative to the vessel. The terminal end of the piston defines a drape-engaging member. According to this example, the drape-engaging member of the piston includes at least one sidewall that defines a perimeter of the drape-engaging plate and at least one alignment member extending outward from the drape-engaging plate. This example also shows that the piston attachment member on the underside of the surgical drape defines a receiving cavity configured to be positioned over the drape-engagement plate and at least one alignment member of the piston.

[0011] In another example, a drape for a surgical slash system is described. The drape includes a tub portion configured to be inserted into a tub of the surgical slash system. The tub portion includes an upper side configured to face away from the tub of the surgical slash system and a lower side configured to face the tub of the surgical slash system. The drape also includes flexible side sheets extending around the tub portion and configured to drape and position the side portions of the surgical slash system. The drape further includes a piston attachment member on the underside of the tub portion. According to this example, the piston attachment member includes at least one downwardly extending sidewall defining a perimeter of a receiving cavity and at least one notch extending through the downwardly extending sidewall, the notch configured to receive an alignment member of the surgical slash system.

[0012] In another example, a method of draping a surgical slash system is described. The method includes positioning a tub portion of a surgical drape within a tub of the surgical slash system, the surgical drape including a piston attachment member defining a receiving cavity on an underside of the surgical drape, and the surgical slash system including a piston carrying a drape-engaging plate and at least one alignment member extending outwardly from the drape-engaging plate. The exemplary method further involves pressing the piston attachment member of the surgical drape downwardly onto the drape-engaging plate and the at least one alignment member of the surgical slash system.

[0013] The details of one or more examples are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, objects, and advantages will become apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0014] [Figure 1] 1A-1D are different perspective views of an exemplary system for thermally treating a surgical fluid. [Figure 2] 1A-1D are different perspective views of an exemplary system for thermally treating a surgical fluid.

[0015] [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram illustrating components of an exemplary configuration of the thermal processing system of FIGS. 1 and 2.

[0016] [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one exemplary configuration of a drape that may be used on a thermal treatment system and / or a surgical slash system.

[0017] [Figure 5] 10A-10C are perspective views of exemplary configurations of connection systems that may be used between a drape and a piston of a surgical slash system.

[0018] [Figure 6A]1A and 1B are perspective and top views, respectively, of an exemplary configuration of a drape-engaging member that may be used on the piston of a surgical slash machine. [Figure 6B] 1A and 1B are perspective and top views, respectively, of an exemplary configuration of a drape-engaging member that may be used on the piston of a surgical slash machine.

[0019] [Figure 7A] 10A-10C are different perspective views illustrating the underside of an exemplary piston mounting member. [Figure 7B] 10A-10C are different perspective views illustrating the underside of an exemplary piston mounting member.

[0020] [Figure 8] 10A-10C are enlarged views of exemplary notch configurations that may be used for one or more notches on a piston mounting member.

[0021] [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a perspective view illustrating the underside of an exemplary configuration of a piston mounting member.

[0022] [Figure 10] FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of a portion of an exemplary configuration of a piston mounting member.

[0023] [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a perspective view illustrating the underside of another exemplary configuration of a piston mounting member.

[0024] [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is an enlarged view of the cutaway configuration of the exemplary piston mounting member shown in FIG. 11.

[0025] [Figure 13A] 13 illustrates the assembly of an exemplary piston attachment member to an exemplary drape engagement member according to FIG. 12. [Figure 13B] 13 illustrates the assembly of an exemplary piston attachment member to an exemplary drape engagement member according to FIG. 12. [Figure 13C]13 illustrates the assembly of an exemplary piston attachment member to an exemplary drape engagement member according to FIG. 12. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0026] The present disclosure generally relates to a surgical slush machine, as well as an associated sterile drape and a connector system for connecting the sterile drape to the surgical slush machine. In some examples, the surgical slush device includes a reservoir configured to receive and hold a surgical fluid and a cooling device thermally coupled to the reservoir to cool the surgical fluid in the reservoir to produce the surgical slush. The surgical slush device may include a piston that acts on the reservoir, e.g., moves up and down in a reciprocating motion. The height of the piston can change relative to a wall of the reservoir during movement to provide a variable dimensional relative offset between the piston and the wall during movement.

[0027] A sterile drape can be connected to the piston, covering the bath and providing a sterile barrier between the bath and the surgical fluid placed in the bath and / or the slush created by freezing the surgical fluid. The sterile drape can include a connector on the underside of the drape that directly or indirectly engages with the piston. The sterile drape can also include an area configured to be draped over and cover the bath, which can be a flexible sheeting area and / or a formed (e.g., molded) bath area (e.g., a rigid polymer area, a thermoformed polymer area). In either case, the drape can carry a connector that interfaces with the piston to form a mechanical connection between the drape and the piston. As a result, when the piston acts against the wall of the bath, the drape connected to the piston moves proportionally to the piston's movement. This allows surgical fluid freezing on the drape in the bath to detach from the surface of the drape (in response to the drape movement caused by the moving piston) rather than accumulating excessively and forming an ice block that is less desirable than a velvety, soft slush in the operating room.

[0028] In some examples, the connection system between the piston and the drape includes one or more alignment features that aid in aligning the positioning of the drape when connected to the piston and / or aid in connecting the drape to the piston. For example, the piston may define one or more alignment members extending outward from a plate on the end of the piston. The drape can have an attachment member on its underside, the attachment member including a receiving cavity configured to receive the one or more alignment members and / or the plate on the end of the piston. For example, the drape may include an attachment member formed by a sidewall configured to be positioned below and over the side of the plate on the end of the piston. The sidewall may include one or more notches corresponding to the one or more alignment members on the piston. When the drape is attached to the piston, the one or more alignment members may be positioned within one or more notches on the attachment member carried by the drape.

[0029] In some configurations, the attachment member carried by the drape is configured to be rotatably coupled to the piston. For example, to attach the drape to the piston, the attachment member carried by the drape may be positioned downwardly on a plate carried by the piston (e.g., pressed down onto the plate). The attachment member may include one or more vertical notches into which one or more alignment members extending outward from the plate may be introduced. After pressing the attachment member down onto the plate, the drape may be rotated to a locked position in which the one or more alignment members rotate from the vertical notches in the attachment member to intersecting horizontal notches. This allows the one or more alignment members to be positioned between the upper and lower sidewall portions of the attachment member. The attachment member carried by the drape can have a variety of additional or different configurations as described herein.

[0030] By configuring the piston with one or more alignment members configured to be engaged by the drape, the drape can be connected to the piston at a specific alignment position defined by the one or more alignment members. This can be beneficial, for example, to help prevent the drape from twisting during engagement with the piston and / or movement of the piston, which could otherwise result in freezing of surgical fluid on the surface of the drape and / or affect the structural integrity of the drape.

[0031] 1 and 2 show different perspective views of an exemplary system 10 for thermally treating surgical fluid. In the illustrated example, the system 10 includes a surgical slush system 12 configured to receive a liquid surgical fluid, cool the surgical fluid to generate a surgical slush, and, for example, place an organ or other bodily matter on the slush and / or introduce the slush into a patient's body cavity. In the illustrated example, the system 10 also includes an associated surgical warmer system 14 configured to receive the liquid surgical fluid and heat the surgical fluid to generate a warmed surgical fluid (e.g., for dispensing the warmed surgical fluid to a surgical site on or in a patient to irrigate the site and flush out bodily matter). Although the thermal treatment system 10 is illustrated as implemented with a combination of the surgical slush system 12 and the surgical warmer system 14, the concepts described herein may be implemented for a surgical slush system that does not include an associated or attached surgical warmer system.

[0032] FIG. 1 illustrates that the thermal treatment system 10, excluding the drape positioned on the device, is a freestanding device mounted on wheels that can move around a floor surface. FIG. 2 illustrates a drape 16 positioned on the thermal treatment system 10, with surgical slush residing within the basin portion of the surgical slush system 12 and surgical fluid residing within the basin portion of the surgical warmer system 14. As shown in the examples of FIGS. 1 and 2, the surgical slush system 12 may include a base 18 and a basin 20. The basin 20 may be supported by and vertically elevated above the base 18. The basin 20 may provide an open containment vessel into which surgical fluid may be dispensed or into which other substances being treated may be introduced. Once added to the basin 20, the surgical fluid may be temperature-regulated within the basin. For example, the basin 20 may be thermally coupled to a thermal treatment device capable of cooling the surgical fluid placed within the basin to a temperature below the freezing point of the surgical fluid. A heat treatment device thermally coupled to the reservoir 20 can maintain the surgical fluid and / or a surgical fluid derived from the surgical fluid at a target temperature.

[0033] FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram illustrating components of an exemplary configuration of a thermal treatment system 10, including the surgical slush system 12 and surgical warmer system 14 described above. The system 10 in the illustrated example includes a controller 30, a thermal treatment device 32 configured to cool the surgical fluid as part of the surgical slush system 12, a thermal treatment device 34 configured to warm the surgical fluid as part of the surgical warmer system 14, and one or more temperature sensors, shown as a first temperature sensor 36 for measuring a temperature associated with the surgical slush bath and a second temperature sensor 38 for measuring a temperature associated with the surgical warmer bath. The thermal treatment system 10 of FIG. 3 also includes a piston 40 operable to move relative to the bath 20 of the surgical slush system 12. In operation, the piston 40 can be connected to the drape 16 ( FIG. 16 ) and can move relative to the bath 20 to remove accumulated frozen surgical fluid / slush from the walls of the drape.

[0034] The controller 30 is communicatively coupled to the electronic and controllable components of the thermal processing system 10. The controller 30 can send and / or receive communication signals to and / or from various components of the thermal processing system 10 via wired or wireless connections. The controller 30 can include a processor 42 and a memory 44. The memory 44 stores software for operating the controller 30 and can also store data generated or received by the processor 42, for example, from temperature sensors and / or user interfaces associated with devices. The processor 42 operates the software stored in the memory 44 to manage the operation of the system 10.

[0035] 3 also includes a power supply 46 for delivering operating power to the various components of the system. The power supply 46 may be a replaceable or rechargeable battery. Additionally or alternatively, the power supply 46 may be a power inlet that receives power from an external power source. For example, the power supply 46 may be a power inlet connected to a cord that plugs into a wall outlet to deliver power to the system 10. The power received from the external power source may recharge a battery included in the system 10 and / or may directly power the various components of the system.

[0036] In operation, the controller 30 may control the system 10 using information stored in the memory 44 and instructions associated with instructions received from an operator via the user interface 48. The instructions executed by the controller 30 may, for example, actuate the piston 40 to move in a reciprocating (e.g., up and down) motion pattern, control the thermal treatment device 32 to cool the surgical fluid in the bath 20 to a target temperature, and / or control the thermal treatment device 34 to warm the surgical fluid in a bath associated with the surgical warming system 14 to a target temperature. The operator may interact with the user interface 48 to initiate the surgical slush system (e.g., initiate movement of the piston 40) and / or set one or more target temperatures for controlling the thermal treatment devices 32 and / or 34.

[0037] The controller 30 communicates with the thermal treatment devices 32, 34 to control the temperature of the surgical material placed within each respective vessel associated with the thermal treatment device. The thermal treatment device 32 is thermally coupled to the vessel 20 and is operable to regulate the temperature of the vessel and any contents therein. The thermal treatment device 32 may be implemented using any device that produces a controllable temperature output. The thermal treatment device 32 is capable of cooling the vessel 20 and any contents therein (e.g., relative to ambient temperature) to produce a semi-frozen slush from the surgical fluid placed within the vessel. The thermal treatment device 32 may be implemented using a refrigeration unit that typically includes a compressor, a condenser, and an expansion control unit connected by appropriate fluid conduits in a closed refrigeration loop to an evaporator. The evaporator may be in the form of a coil wrapped around the exterior of the vessel 20 in heat transfer relationship therewith. The evaporator may cool the sidewalls and / or bottom wall of the vessel 20, which may be formed of a thermally conductive material such as stainless steel. In some examples, the thermal treatment device 32 cools the contents of the vessel 20 to a temperature below 20°F, such as below 10°F, below 0°F, or below -10°F.

[0038] The thermal treatment device 34 is thermally coupled to the vessel 50 of the surgical warming system 14 and is operable to regulate the temperature of the vessel and any contents therein. The thermal treatment device 34 may be implemented using any device that produces a controllable temperature output. The thermal treatment device 34 can heat the vessel 50 and any contents therein (e.g., relative to ambient temperature) to generate and maintain a warmed surgical fluid. The thermal treatment device 34 may be implemented as a heating device that generates heat by electrical resistance. The heat generated by electrical resistance may be transferred into the vessel 50 and any contents therein by conduction, convection, and / or radiation. For example, wiring that generates heat by electrical resistance may be positioned in thermal and / or physical contact with the vessel 50. The heat generated by the thermal treatment device 34 may be transferred into the vessel 50 and any contents therein by conduction. In some examples, the thermal treatment device 32 is a film heater positioned in thermal communication with the vessel 50, such as a thin-film heater or a thick-film heater wrapped at least partially around the vessel. The vessel 50 may be formed from a thermally conductive material such as stainless steel.

[0039] To monitor the temperature of vessel 20 and / or vessel 50 and / or the contents therein, system 10 may include one or more temperature sensors. In the example of FIG. 3 , system 10 includes a first temperature sensor 36 capable of sensing the temperature of vessel 20 and / or the temperature of the contents therein, and a second temperature sensor 38 capable of sensing the temperature of vessel 50 and / or the temperature of the contents therein. Each temperature sensor may generate a corresponding signal representative of the magnitude of the sensed temperature and communicate the generated signal to controller 30. Controller 30 may receive a signal from the temperature sensor indicative of the temperature measured by the sensor. In various configurations, the temperature sensors may be positioned on the exterior surface of the corresponding vessel, measuring the temperature of the vessel's contents through the wall, and / or the vessel may include a port through which the temperature sensor extends to measure the temperature of the vessel's contents directly, rather than indirectly, through the vessel's wall.

[0040] The surgical slush system 12 includes a vessel 20. The vessel 20 provides a reservoir for receiving and retaining surgical fluid and / or slush. Generally, the vessel 20 can define any polygonal (e.g., rectangular, square, hexagonal) or arcuate (e.g., circular, elliptical) shape, or even a combination of polygonal and arcuate shapes. In the illustrated example, the vessel 20 is shown as generally elliptical in shape and includes a base 52 and one or more sidewalls 54 extending vertically upwardly and away from the base. The base 52 and sidewalls 54 collectively form a bounded cavity having an open top surface for receiving and retaining the surgical fluid and / or slush. In some examples, the sidewalls 54 are sloped instead of straight to help prevent accumulation of surgical fluid and slush at corners where the sidewalls intersect with the base. That said, in other examples, the vessel 20 may be formed with straight sidewalls. Additionally, although the vessel 20 is illustrated as having an open top surface for adding and withdrawing materials from the vessel, the vessel may be closed on its top surface in other configurations.

[0041] The tub 20 may include an opening 56 through which the piston 40 may extend to connect to a drape 16 placed in and / or on the tub. In the configuration shown in Figure 3, the opening 56 extends through the base 52 of the tub 20. For example, the opening 56 and the piston 40 extending therethrough may be substantially centered at the bottom of the tub 20, with the upper surface of the piston configured to attach to the underside of the drape 16.

[0042] Any type of substance may be introduced into and removed from reservoir 20 and reservoir 50 during a medical procedure, including any type of surgical fluid (and / or slush produced therefrom). Exemplary types of medical fluids that may be used during a medical procedure include water, saline, etc. Surgical fluids may or may not contain agents, such as compounds that impart antibacterial properties, anticoagulant / clotting properties, anesthetic properties, etc. Alternative substances that may be introduced into reservoir 20 and / or reservoir 50 include tissue or other medical specimens extracted from a patient, blood, platelets, and / or other substances for thermal control or regulation.

[0043] The thermal treatment system 10 may include a user interface 48 to allow an operator to interact with the system 10 and control different settings. The user interface 48 may include user inputs through which a clinician enters information into the system 10 and user outputs through which the clinician receives information from the system. For example, the user interface 48 may include one or more operable inputs with which the clinician can interact to adjust settings of the system 10. The operable user inputs may be implemented as physically depressible buttons (e.g., switches), portions of a touchscreen with which the clinician can interact, or other features with which the clinician can interact to convey information to the system 10. The user output of the user interface 48 may be a display that provides graphical and / or textual information regarding the operation of the system 10. Additionally or alternatively, the user interface 48 may include a microphone to detect sounds and / or audible commands from the user and / or an optical detector to detect user actions and / or non-contact user commands (e.g., user gestures).

[0044] When the surgical slush system 12 is operating (thermal treatment device 32 is cooling), the sterile liquid on the drape 16 placed in the bath 20 freezes into small pieces on the sidewalls of the drape. To remove these frozen pieces and form a sterile slush within the draped bath, the piston 40 can actuate relative to the bath 20. Movement of the piston 40 can bend and / or deform at least a portion of the drape placed over the bath 20, removing the frozen surgical fluid from the walls of the drape and creating the slush.

[0045] The piston 40 can be implemented as a part (e.g., a rod, a shaft) that moves back and forth relative to the tub 20. At least a portion of the piston 40 can extend through an opening 56 in the tub 20 (e.g., through the base 52 of the tub 50) to connect to and interact with a drape placed on the interior surface of the tub 20. For example, the piston 40 can have a length that extends from an end located below the tub 20 (e.g., within the interior of the surgical slush machine 12) to a terminal end 58 that protrudes at least partially into the tub (e.g., protruding above the interior surface of the base 52 of the tub 20). As discussed, the terminal end 58 of the piston 40 can define a drape-engaging member that can engage a corresponding connecting feature on the drape 16 to mechanically connect the drape to the piston.

[0046] To drive the piston 40 during operation of the surgical slush system 12, the piston may be connected to a drive source 60. For example, the piston 40 may extend vertically downward through an opening 56 in the base 52 of the tub 20 and into a drive housing located internal to the system. A bearing assembly may be provided around the piston between the tub 20 and the drive housing. The drive source 60 may be implemented as a drive motor having a reciprocating shaft that moves the piston 40 up and down (e.g., perpendicular to gravity). In other configurations, the drive source 60, such as a drive motor, may rotate the piston 40 back and forth (in addition to or instead of moving it up and down) to twist the drape 16 and cause accumulated frozen surgical fluid to fall from the drape. Further details regarding exemplary configurations for driving the piston 40 are described in U.S. Patent No. 5,331,820, entitled "Method and Apparatus for Forming and Collecting Surgical Slush," issued July 26, 1994, the relevant contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0047] In use, a drape can be positioned over the thermal treatment system 10, including the surgical slush system 12, to provide a sterile barrier between the interior surfaces of the vessels 20 and / or 50 and the surgical fluid and / or slush within the vessels. The drape can separate the sterile field from the non-sterile field. The drape can be engaged with the piston 40 to couple the drape to the piston such that when the piston moves in response to control by the controller 30, at least a portion of the drape coupled to the piston moves correspondingly relative to the vessel 20.

[0048] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of one exemplary configuration of a drape 16 that may be used on the thermal treatment system 10 and / or surgical slush system 12. The drape 16 may be made of a material that is impermeable to surgical fluids (and / or slush) and sufficiently flexible to conform to the walls of the vessel 20 and / or vessel 50. The drape may be fitted or non-fitted. Fitted drapes may be constructed such that the drape forms to the contours of the vessel 20 and / or vessel 50 (e.g., matches the size and / or shape of the vessel). Non-fitted drapes may be flat or pleated and may have a length sufficient to be placed over the vessel 20 and / or vessel 50. In either case, the drape may be placed within the vessel 20 and / or vessel 50 to conform to the walls of the vessel. In some instances, the drape also extends over the sides of the vessel 20 and / or vessel 50, for example, hanging parallel to the system base 18 ( FIG. 1 ). Additionally, in some examples, the drape may have an internal partition or divider that separates one or more reservoir cavities from fluid communication with one or more other reservoir cavities. When so configured, the drape can transform a single fluid cavity of the tub into multiple fluid cavities.

[0049] The disposable drape 16 used with the tank 20 and / or tank 50 may have a thickness sufficient to resist tearing and punctures during normal use, yet thin enough to allow efficient heat transfer through the drape. The disposable drape may be made from any suitable material, although in some examples, the drape is made from a polymeric material (e.g., polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, polyurethane). The drape (or a portion thereof) may be transparent or translucent to allow an operator to see features covered by the drape.

[0050] The drape 16 can be configured to connect to the piston 40 (FIG. 3) of the surgical slash system 12. The drape 16 can define an upper side 70 configured to face away from the tub 20 (when the drape is positioned in and / or on the tub) and a lower side 72 opposite the upper side. When the drape 16 is placed within the tub 20, the lower side 72 of the drape can be configured to face and / or contact the outer walls of the tub (e.g., the base 52 and one or more side walls 54).

[0051] The drape 16 can include a piston attachment member 74 positioned on an underside 72 of the drape. The piston attachment member 74 can be configured (e.g., sized and / or shaped) to engage with the piston 40 of the surgical slash system 12 and connect the drape to the piston. The piston attachment member 74 can be connected to the underside 72 of the drape 16 in a variety of different manners. In some examples, the piston attachment member 74 is adhesively bonded to the drape using an adhesive 75. In other examples, the piston attachment member 74 is thermally bonded to the drape (e.g., heat welded to the drape). Other chemical and / or mechanical fastening elements and techniques can be used to securely attach the piston attachment member 74 to the drape.

[0052] The piston attachment member 74 can be positioned at a variety of different locations along the drape 16. In some examples, the piston attachment member 74 is substantially centered on the underside 72 of the drape. In some examples, the drape 16 is configured to be placed simultaneously over the tub 20 of the surgical slush system 12 and over the tub 50 of the surgical warmer system 14. In these examples, the drape 16 may define a first drape region configured to be positioned over and / or in contact with the wall of the tub 20 and a second drape region configured to be positioned over and / or in contact with the wall of the tub 50. In these examples, the piston attachment member 74 may be substantially centered in the first drape region of the drape configured to be positioned over and / or in contact with the wall of the tub 20, or it may be offset from the geometric center of the entire drape.

[0053] The drape 16 can be connected to the piston 40 of the surgical slash system 12 by an interconnection defined between a piston attachment member 74 carried by the drape and a corresponding drape-engaging member on the end of the piston 40. FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an exemplary configuration of a connection system that can be used between the drape 16 and the piston 40 of the surgical slash system 12. In this example, the piston 40 is shown defining an end 58 configured to be positioned within and protrude into the tub 20 (during at least a portion of the piston's range of travel). The end 58 of the piston 40 defines a drape-engaging member 76. The drape-engaging member 76 is shown having one or more alignment members 78; in the illustrated example, four alignment members are provided. The drape-engaging member 76 is configured to engage a piston attachment member 74 connected to the drape 16 (the drape to which the piston attachment member 74 is connected is not shown in FIG. 5).

[0054] The drape-engaging member 76 can have a variety of different configurations. Figures 6A and 6B are perspective and top views, respectively, of an exemplary configuration of a drape-engaging member 76 that can be used on the piston 40. As shown in this example, the drape-engaging member 76 can be formed by a plate 80 (referred to as a drape-engaging plate) having one or more side walls 82. The one or more side walls 82 of the drape-engaging member 76 can define the boundary of the drape-engaging plate 80. One or more alignment members 78 can extend outward from the one or more side walls 82 that define the boundary or perimeter of the drape-engaging plate 80.

[0055] In general, the drape-engaging plate 80 can define any polygonal (e.g., rectangular, square, hexagonal) or arcuate (e.g., circular, elliptical) shape, or a combination of polygonal and arcuate shapes. In the illustrated example, the drape-engaging plate 80 defines a circular cross-sectional shape formed by a single sidewall 82 extending around the perimeter of the drape-engaging plate. While the drape-engaging plate 80 of the drape-engaging member 76 can define a variety of dimensions, in some implementations, the drape-engaging plate defines a major length (e.g., diameter) ranging from 25 mm to 100 mm, such as from 50 mm to 75 mm. In some examples, the drape-engaging plate defines a major length (e.g., diameter) greater than 50 mm, between 53 mm and 55 mm. The thickness 84 of the drape-engaging plate 80 can also be variable. In typical implementations, the drape-engaging plate 80 may be a relatively thin structure having a thickness 84 that is less than the major length (e.g., diameter) of the structure. For example, the drape-engaging plate 80 may have a thickness 84 in the range of 2 mm to 50 mm, such as 3 mm to 25 mm, or 5 mm to 10 mm. In some configurations, the drape-engaging plate 80 is a solid plate with no openings extending through the thickness of the drape-engaging plate. In other examples, the drape-engaging plate 80 may include one or more through openings.

[0056] As mentioned above, the drape-engaging member 76 may include one or more alignment members extending outwardly from the drape-engaging plate 80. The one or more alignment members 78 may each define a protruding structure that can be engaged by a piston attachment member 74 located on the underside of the drape 16. In the illustrated configuration, the one or more alignment members are shown as each defining a rod having a cylindrical cross-sectional shape extending outwardly from the sidewall 82 of the drape-engaging plate 80. The one or more alignment members 78 may define any polygonal (e.g., rectangular, square, hexagonal) or arcuate (e.g., circular, elliptical) shape, or a combination of polygonal and arcuate shapes. Furthermore, when multiple alignment members 78 are configured, as shown in the example of FIGS. 6A and 6B, each alignment member may define the same shape, or at least one alignment member may define a different shape from at least one other alignment member.

[0057] The one or more alignment members 78 can extend outward from the sidewall 82 at a variety of different angles and directions relative to the surface of the side. For example, the one or more alignment members 78 can extend outward in the same plane defined by the drape-engagement plate 80, or they may extend outward and at an angle (upward and / or downward) relative to the plane defined by the drape-engagement plate. Additionally or alternatively, the one or more alignment members 78 can extend outward at an intersection angle of about 90° with the sidewall 82, or at a greater or lesser intersection angle.

[0058] In the illustrated example, each of the one or more alignment members 78 is shown extending radially outward from a sidewall 82 of the drape-engaging plate 80. In particular, each alignment member 78 is shown extending outward from the sidewall 82 at an intersecting angle of approximately 90° with the sidewall in a plane defined by the drape-engaging plate 80.

[0059] The drape engagement member 76 can have any suitable number of alignment members 78. For example, in different implementations, the drape engagement member 76 can have one, two, three, four, five, six, or more alignment members 78. When configured with multiple alignment members 78, the alignment members may be distributed symmetrically around the circumference of the drape engagement plate 80 (e.g., so that there is a substantially equal amount of distance between each pair of adjacent alignment members). Alternatively, the alignment members may be distributed asymmetrically around the circumference of the drape engagement plate 80 (e.g., so that there is a different amount of distance between different pairs of adjacent alignment members).

[0060] In the illustrated configuration, the drape-engaging member 76 has four alignment members 78 extending radially outward, with the different alignment members positioned symmetrically around the circumference of the drape-engaging plate 80 defined by the sidewalls 82. As a result, in the illustrated configuration, each alignment member is positioned approximately 90° apart from adjacent alignment members around the circumference of the drape-engaging plate 80.

[0061] Each alignment member 78 can be implemented in a variety of different dimensions. In some configurations, one or more alignment members 78 may extend outward from the sidewall 82 of the drape-engaging plate 80 a distance 86 of at least 2 mm, such as at least 5 mm, at least 10 mm, at least 15 mm, or at least 20 mm. The distance 86 that one or more alignment members extend outward from the sidewall may be less than 75 mm, such as less than 50 mm, less than 25 mm, less than 20 mm, less than 15 mm, or less than 10 mm. For example, the distance 86 may be in the range of 5 mm to 25 mm, such as 10 mm to 20 mm. The thickness (e.g., diameter) of each of the one or more alignment members 78 may be in the range of 2 mm to 15 mm, such as 3 mm to 10 mm, or 4 mm to 6 mm. For example, one or more alignment members 78 may have a thickness (e.g., diameter) in the range of 4.5 mm to 5 mm, such as approximately 4.75 mm (±5%). When configured with multiple alignment members 78, each of the one or more alignment members may have the same dimensions, or at least one alignment member may have one or more dimensions that are different from one or more other alignment members.

[0062] The drape-engaging member 76 may be permanently fixed to the piston 40 (e.g., so that the drape-engaging member cannot be separated from the piston without damaging one or both components). Alternatively, the drape-engaging member 76 may be removably attached to the piston 40. As one example, the piston 40 may define a threaded end that can be threaded onto the underside of the drape-engaging member 76. As another example, the end of the piston 40 may be inserted into an attachment opening on the underside of the drape-engaging member 76, and a lock or set screw may be inserted perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the piston 40 to removably attach the piston to the drape-engaging member. In these and other configurations, a user may select a particular drape-engaging member from a set of two or more different drape-engaging members that differ from each other in one or more of size and shape (e.g., to replace a current drape-engaging member with a different drape-engaging member). The user can then engage a drape carrying the piston attachment member 74 that corresponds to the selected drape-engaging member.

[0063] The drape 16 may carry a piston attachment member 74 on its underside that is configured (e.g., sized and shaped) to connect to a drape engagement member 76 located at the end of the piston 40 of the surgical slash machine 12. The particular configuration of the piston attachment member 74 may vary depending on the configuration of the corresponding drape engagement member 76. Generally, the piston attachment member 74 may define a body having an opening configured for the drape engagement member 76 to be inserted therethrough.

[0064] 7A and 7B (collectively referred to as "FIG. 7") are different perspective views showing the underside of an exemplary piston attachment member 74. FIG. 7A shows the piston attachment member 74 separated from a drape-engaging member 76 associated with the piston 40. FIG. 7B shifts from the exemplary configuration of the piston attachment member 74 shown in FIG. 7A to show an insertable drape-engaging member 76. In both FIGS. 7A and 7B, the upper side of the exemplary piston attachment member 74 is connected to a drape as described herein, although such an exemplary drape is not shown for purposes of discussion.

[0065] As shown in the example of FIG. 7 , the piston attachment member 74 can define a receiving cavity 90 configured to receive at least a portion of the drape-engaging member 76. For example, the receiving cavity 90 can be an opening or void space defined by one or more walls of the piston attachment member 74 that is configured to receive the drape-engaging plate 80 and one or more alignment members 78 extending outwardly from the drape-engaging plate. The receiving cavity 90 of the piston attachment member 74 can be positioned over the drape-engaging plate and one or more alignment members. To attach the piston attachment member 74 to the drape-engaging member 76, for example, the receiving cavity 90 of the piston attachment member can be positioned over the drape-engaging member 76 (including the drape-engaging plate 80 and one or more alignment members 78) and pressed against the drape-engaging member. The piston attachment member 74 can be pressed vertically downward onto the drape-engaging member 76 (and / or laterally onto the drape-engaging member depending on the configuration), and in some instances can be rotated relative to the drape-engaging member.

[0066] The receiving cavity 90 may be defined by a number of structural features that form an opening configured to receive at least a portion of the drape-engaging member 76. In some examples, including the illustrated example of FIG. 7 , the piston attachment member 74 includes one or more downwardly extending sidewalls 92 that define the perimeter of the receiving cavity 90. For example, the piston attachment member 74 may include a base wall 94 that bounds the deepest extent of the receiving cavity 90 and one or more wall surfaces 92 that extend outward from the base wall 94 and define the thickness or depth of the receiving cavity.

[0067] As shown, the piston attachment member 74 defines a plate 95 that includes a receiving cavity 90 (including a side wall 92 and a base wall 94 extending therefrom) substantially in the center of the plate. The plate 95 can define an area of ​​increased surface area compared to the cross-sectional area of ​​the receiving cavity 90 and / or the drape engagement member 76, allowing forces transmitted by the piston 40 to be distributed over a larger area of ​​the drape 16 via the plate 95. When utilizing a larger surface area structure, such as a plate 95 attached to the drape 16, the overall cross-sectional area of ​​the plate may be at least 50% greater than the cross-sectional area of ​​the receiving cavity 90, such as at least 100% greater, at least 150% greater, or at least 200% greater.

[0068] The receiving cavity 90 of the piston mounting member 74 can define any shape and typically has a cross-sectional shape that is complementary to (e.g., identical to) the shape of the drape engagement plate 80. In the illustrated example, the piston mounting member 74 defines a circular cross-sectional shape formed by a sidewall 92 that extends around the periphery that defines the receiving cavity. The receiving cavity 90 can also define other polygonal (e.g., rectangular, square, hexagonal) or arcuate (e.g., circular, elliptical) shapes, or a combination of polygonal and arcuate shapes.

[0069] The dimensions of the receiving cavity 90 can vary depending on, for example, the size of the drape-engaging plate 80 of the drape-engaging member 76. The receiving cavity 90 may have substantially the same size (e.g., ±5%) as the size of the drape-engaging plate 80. For example, in some instances, the receiving cavity 90 has a cross-sectional size that is the same as or slightly larger than the size of the drape-engaging plate 80. This can allow the receiving cavity 90 to be positioned over the drape-engaging plate 80 without bending the sidewalls or enlarging the size of the receiving cavity to fit over the engagement plate. In other instances, the receiving cavity 90 has a cross-sectional size that is slightly larger than the size of the drape-engaging plate 80. For example, the receiving cavity 90 may have a cross-sectional size (e.g., diameter) that is 0.1% to 10% smaller, e.g., 0.2% to 5% smaller, or 1% to 5% smaller than the cross-sectional size of the drape-engaging plate 80. Receiving cavity 90 may have the same cross-sectional size throughout the thickness of the receiving cavity, or one or more portions may define an area of ​​a different cross-sectional size than one or other regions. For example, receiving cavity 90 may include another region adjacent the end of sidewall 92 that has substantially the same or slightly larger cross-sectional size as drape-engagement plate 80 extending downwardly along sidewall 92 from base 94, and thus defines an area slightly smaller than drape-engagement plate 80.

[0070] In various examples, the piston attachment member 74 (the entire member or at least a portion thereof) may be formed from a flexible polymeric material that can bend and deform (e.g., stretch) to allow the receiving cavity to be placed over the drape-engagement plate. In different implementations, the piston attachment member 74 may be formed from polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, polyurethane, and / or other polymeric materials. In various implementations, the drape-engagement member 76 may be formed from a polymeric material (including any of the aforementioned polymeric materials), a metal (e.g., stainless steel), and / or other materials.

[0071] In some examples, the receiving cavity 90 of the piston attachment member 74 defines a sidewall surface that extends around the entire periphery of the receiving cavity without any openings or notches extending through the sidewall surface. In these implementations, the sidewall 92 may be formed from a sufficiently deformable and / or flexible material to allow the sidewall to be deformed and pulled over one or more alignment members 78 of the drape engagement member 76 (e.g., the sidewall then biases back toward its natural position to hold the piston attachment member in drape engagement). In other examples, the receiving cavity 90 defines one or more notches configured to accommodate one or more alignment members 78 of the drape engagement member 76.

[0072] 7, the piston attachment member 74 may include one or more notches 96. The one or more notches 96 may define openings that extend through the thickness of the sidewall 92. The one or more notches may be configured (e.g., sized, shaped, and / or positioned) to receive one or more alignment members 78 defined by the drape engagement member 76. The number and positioning of the one or more notches 96 defined by the piston attachment member 74 may correspond to the number and positioning of the one or more alignment members 78, as discussed above.

[0073] For example, in different implementations, the piston mounting member 74 can have one, two, three, four, five, six, or more notches 96. When configured with multiple notches 96, the notches may be symmetrically distributed around the circumference of the receiving cavity 90 (e.g., such that there is a substantially equal amount of distance between each pair of adjacent notches). Alternatively, the notches may be asymmetrically distributed around the circumference of the receiving cavity 90 (e.g., such that there is a different amount of distance between different pairs of adjacent notches).

[0074] In the illustrated configuration, the piston mounting member 74 has four notches 96 extending through the thickness of the sidewalls 92, with the different notches positioned symmetrically around the circumference of the receiving cavity 90 defined by the sidewalls. As a result, in the illustrated configuration, each notch is positioned approximately 90° apart from adjacent notches around the circumference of one or more sidewalls defining the receiving cavity 90.

[0075] FIG. 8 is a close-up view of an exemplary cutout configuration that may be used for one or more cutouts 96. As shown in this example, the cutout 96 may be or include a vertically extending portion 98 that extends parallel to the length of the sidewall 92. The vertically extending portion 98 may extend upward from a terminal end 100 of one or more downwardly extending sidewalls 92. The cutout 96 may define a width 102 that extends across the cutout (e.g., perpendicular to the length of the cutout). In some examples, the width 102 of the cutout 96 is sized to be larger than the cross-sectional size (e.g., diameter, width) of the alignment member 78 that is inserted and received in the cutout. When so configured, the alignment member 78 may be positioned within the cutout 96 without coupling the alignment member to the cutout. For example, the alignment member 78 may be positioned within the cutout 96, with the section of the sidewall 92 divided by the cutout positioned on either side of the alignment member. This may function to align the sidewall section relative to the alignment member 78 (and / or prevent and / or inhibit rotation therebetween) without forming a mechanical connection between the alignment member and a portion of the piston mounting member 96.

[0076] In some examples, the width 102 of the notch 96 is substantially the same as or smaller than the cross-sectional size (e.g., diameter, width) of the alignment member 78 that is inserted into and received in the notch. For example, the notch 96 can have a width 102 that is 0.1% to 10% smaller, such as 0.2% to 5% smaller, or 1% to 5% smaller than the cross-sectional size of the alignment member 78. The width 102 can be the same along the entire length 97 of the notch, or one or more portions can define a region of a different width than one or more other regions.

[0077] When configured with one or more notches 96, the one or more notches can have a variety of sizes and configurations. Figure 9 is a perspective view showing the underside of an exemplary configuration of piston mounting member 74, where like elements refer to like features discussed above. In particular, Figure 9 shows an exemplary configuration of piston mounting member 74 in which width 102 of notch 96 is smaller than the cross-sectional size (e.g., diameter, width) of alignment member 78 that is inserted and received therein.

[0078] For example, the notch 96 can include a first region 110 having a width 102 smaller than the cross-sectional size of the alignment member 78 and a second region 112 having a width 102 the same as or larger than the cross-sectional size of the alignment member. In the illustrated configuration, the first region 110 extends upward along the length of the notch 96 from the terminal end 100 of the sidewall 92. The second region 112 is positioned closer than the first region to the underside of the receiving cavity 90, offset from the terminal end 100 of the sidewall 92. In some examples, the slits 114 can extend parallel to the length of the notch 96 on one or both sides of the notch. In use, an operator can press the piston attachment member 74 over the drape-engagement member 76 to place one or more alignment members 78 into the corresponding one or more notches 96. As the one or more alignment members enter the first region 110 of the notch 96, the relatively large size of the alignment members relative to the width 102 of the notch can laterally push the sidewalls bounding the notch apart. The one or more slits 114 can help facilitate this lateral deformation of the bounding sidewalls. In either case, the alignment members 78 can continue to advance along the vertical length of the notch 96 until they enter the second region 112. The relatively large size of the second region 112 can cause the sidewalls bounding the notch 96 to return to their natural position, positioning at least a portion of the sidewalls defining the first region 110 under the alignment members and helping to retain the alignment members within the notch. In this manner, the alignment members 78 can be press-fit into the notch 96, with the sidewalls bounding the notch helping to capture the alignment members and the notch.

[0079] Regardless of the number, size, and configuration of the one or more cutouts 96, the piston attachment member 74 may be configured to wrap at least partially around the underside of the drape-engagement member 76 to help form a mechanical connection between the two components. FIG. 10 is an enlarged view of a portion of the piston attachment member 74 in an exemplary configuration. As shown in this example, the piston attachment member includes a side wall 104 extending inwardly from a terminal end 100 of the downwardly extending side wall 92. The side wall 104 may extend at least partially below the underside of the drape-engagement plate 80 to help retain the piston attachment member to the drape-engagement member.

[0080] FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing the underside of another exemplary configuration of piston attachment member 74, where like elements refer to like features discussed above. In particular, FIG. 11 shows an exemplary configuration of piston attachment member 74 having one or more notches 96 configured to rotatably couple with one or more alignment members 78. In use, piston attachment member 74 carried by drape 16 may be pressed vertically downward onto the top of piston attachment member 74 and then rotated within a particular vertical plane to couple the piston attachment member to the drape engagement. FIG. 11 shows piston attachment member 74 inserted into and rotatably coupled with drape engagement member 76.

[0081] FIG. 12 is an enlarged view of the exemplary notch configuration of the piston attachment member 74 shown in FIG. 11 . As shown in this example, the notch 96 can include a vertical portion 120 extending upward from a terminal end 100 of the downwardly extending sidewall 92. The notch 96 can also include a lateral portion 122 extending laterally at an angle from the vertical portion 120. Notably, while the lateral portion 122 is illustrated as extending laterally at a 90-degree angle, it may extend at a different angle (e.g., an angle less than 90 degrees) in other configurations. During assembly, a user can press the piston attachment member 74 on the drape-engagement member 76 in the process of inserting one or more alignment members 78 into the vertical portions 120 of one or more notches 96. The user can press the notch 96 down until the alignment member 78 contacts an upper wall surface 124 that defines the vertical extent of the vertical portion 120.

[0082] With the alignment member 78 positioned within the vertical portion 120 of the notch 96, a user can rotate the piston attachment member 74 relative to the drape-engagement member 76 to move the alignment member 78, which is positioned within the vertical portion of the notch, into the lateral portion 122 of the notch. The range of rotation can be determined, for example, by the size and configuration of the notch 96 relative to the size and configuration of the alignment member 78 (e.g., the length of the lateral portion 122 of the notch). In various examples, a user may rotate the piston attachment member 74 relative to the drape-engagement member 76 by an amount that is within a range of 1° to 45°, e.g., 5° to 25°, or 10° to 20°.

[0083] The notch 96 configured with the laterally extending portion 122 can have a variety of configurations. In some examples, the lateral portion 122 is bounded at the upper side by the base wall 94, which bounds the deepest extent of the receiving cavity 90. The lower portion of the notch defining the lateral portion 122 can be formed by a laterally extending section of the side wall. In the illustrated example, the lateral portion 122 of the notch 96 divides the downwardly extending side wall 92 into an upper side wall portion 126 and a lower side wall portion 128, which bound the lateral portion of the notch between the two side wall portions. In particular, the lower side wall portion 128 extends from a terminal end 130 bounded by the vertical portion 120 of the notch to an undivided portion 132 of the downwardly extending side wall 92. 12, the terminal end 130 of the lower sidewall portion 128 defines an upwardly extending retaining lip 133. The retaining lip 133 may be a hump or enlargement that the alignment member 78 fits behind after being rotatably coupled to help prevent inadvertent movement of both the alignment members on the lateral portion 122 of the notch and then the vertical portion 120 of the notch.

[0084] The size and configuration of the features defining the notch 96 in the example of FIG. 12 may vary. In some examples, the lower sidewall portion 128 defines a length parallel to the lateral portions 122 of the notch and a width 134 parallel to the vertical portion 120 of the notch. The width 134 of the lower sidewall portion 128 may be controlled to control the breakout force required to separate the piston attachment member 74 (and the drape attached thereto) from the drape-engagement member 76 (and the piston attached thereto). For example, the width 134 of the lower sidewall portion 128 may be large enough for the lower sidewall portion to retain an alignment member 78 inserted into the lateral portions 122 during normal operation of the surgical slash machine. That is, the lower sidewall portion 128 can withstand the reciprocating up and down forces generated by the piston 40 without deforming or breaking and without disengaging the alignment member 78 from the notch that retains the alignment member.

[0085] However, in some implementations, the width 134 of the lower sidewall portion 128 may be small enough to allow the alignment member 78 to be pulled through the lower sidewall portion if the force generated between the piston attachment member 74 and the drape engagement member 76 exceeds a threshold value (e.g., a threshold value corresponding to damage to a surgical slush machine). For example, if ice or other material accumulates on the drape 16 and restricts the piston 40 from retracting to its lowest position associated with normal operation, the lower sidewall portion 128 may be configured to allow the alignment member 78 to be pulled through the sidewall portion, thereby disengaging the piston from the drape. In various implementations, the lower sidewall portion 128 may be configured to break (e.g., by providing a break line or other weakened area configured to break when a force threshold is exceeded) and / or may be configured to elastically or non-elastically deform in response to exceeding a force threshold value that allows the alignment member 78 to be pulled through the lower sidewall portion 128 to disengage.

[0086] In some examples, the width 134 of the lower sidewall portion 128 is less than 10 mm, such as less than 5 mm, or less than 3 mm. For example, the width 134 of the lower sidewall portion 128 may be in the range of 1 mm to 5 mm, such as 2 mm to 4 mm.

[0087] 13A-13C illustrate the assembly of the exemplary piston attachment member 74 to the exemplary drape-engaging member 76 according to FIG. 12 . As shown in these figures, a user can press the piston attachment member 74 onto the drape-engaging member 76 in the process of inserting one or more alignment members 78 into the vertical portions 120 of one or more notches 96. The process of pressing the piston attachment member 74 against the drape-engaging member 76 can insert the drape-engaging plate 80 into the receiving cavity 90. With the alignment members 78 positioned within the vertical portions 120 of the notches 96, a user can rotate the piston attachment member 74 relative to the drape-engaging member 76 to move the alignment members 78 positioned within the vertical portions of the notches into the lateral portions 122 of the notches. This can assist in coupling the piston attachment member 74 to the drape-engaging member 76.

[0088] It should be understood that the descriptive terms "top" and "bottom" with respect to the configuration and orientation of components described herein are used for illustrative purposes based on the orientation in the figures. The placement of components in real-world applications may vary depending on their orientation relative to gravity. Thus, unless otherwise specified, the general terms "first" and "second" may be used interchangeably with the terms "top" and "bottom" without departing from the scope of the disclosure.

[0089] Thermal treatment systems, including the surgical slash systems described in this disclosure, may be implemented at least in part in hardware, software, firmware, or any combination thereof. For example, various aspects of the described techniques may be implemented within one or more processors, including one or more microprocessors, digital signal processors (DSPs), application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), or any other equivalent integrated or discrete logic circuitry, as well as any combination of such components. The term "processor" may generally refer to any of the above logic circuits, alone or in combination with other logic circuits, or any other equivalent circuitry. A control unit comprising hardware may also implement one or more techniques of the present disclosure.

[0090] Such hardware, software, and firmware may be implemented within the same device or within separate devices to support the various operations and functions described in this disclosure. Additionally, any of the described units, modules, or components may be implemented together or separately as distinct but interoperable logical devices. Depicting different features as modules or units is intended to emphasize different functional aspects and does not necessarily imply that such modules or units must be realized by distinct hardware or software components. Rather, functionality associated with one or more modules or units may be performed by distinct hardware or software components or may be integrated within common or distinct hardware or software components.

[0091] The techniques described in this disclosure may also be embodied or encoded in a non-transitory computer-readable medium, such as a computer-readable storage medium containing instructions. The instructions embedded in or encoded in the computer-readable storage medium may cause a programmable processor or other processor, for example, to perform a method when the instructions are executed. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium may include forms of volatile and / or non-volatile memory, including, for example, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), programmable read-only memory (PROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), electronically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), flash memory, hard disks, CD-ROMs, floppy disks, cassettes, magnetic media, optical media, or other computer-readable media.

[0092] Various embodiments have been described. These and other embodiments are within the scope of the following claims.

Claims

1. 1. A surgical slash system comprising: a reservoir configured to receive and hold a surgical fluid; a thermal treatment device thermally coupled to the vessel and configured to cool the surgical fluid to produce a surgical slush; a surgical drape configured to be positioned within the reservoir and to separate the surgical fluid and the surgical slush from the reservoir, the surgical drape having an upper side configured to face away from the reservoir and a lower side configured to face the reservoir, the surgical drape having a piston attachment member on the lower side; a piston having a terminal end that projects into the tub, the piston operable to move relative to the tub, the terminal end of the piston defining a drape-engaging member; the drape-engaging member of the piston comprises at least one sidewall defining a perimeter of a drape-engaging plate and at least one alignment member extending outwardly from the drape-engaging plate; The piston attachment member on the underside of the surgical drape defines a receiving cavity configured to be positioned over the drape engagement plate and the at least one alignment member of the piston.

2. the piston mounting member on the underside of the surgical drape includes at least one downwardly extending sidewall defining a perimeter of the receiving cavity; The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one downwardly extending sidewall defines at least one notch configured for the at least one alignment member of the drape engagement member to be inserted therein.

3. 3. The system of claim 2, wherein the at least one notch comprises a vertical portion extending upward from a terminal end of the at least one downwardly extending sidewall and a lateral portion extending laterally at an angle from the vertical portion, and the at least one notch is configured to receive the at least one alignment member by positioning the at least one alignment member within the vertical portion of the at least one notch and rotating the at least one alignment member relative to the at least one notch to move the at least one alignment member into the lateral portion of the at least one notch.

4. 4. The system of claim 3, wherein the lateral portions of the at least one cutout divide the at least one downwardly extending sidewall into upper and lower sidewall portions that bound the lateral portions of the at least one cutout.

5. 5. The system of claim 4, wherein the lower sidewall portion extends from a terminal end bounded by the vertical portion of the at least one notch to an undivided portion of the at least one downwardly extending sidewall, the terminal end of the lower sidewall portion defining a retaining lip.

6. 5. The system of claim 4, wherein the lower sidewall portion defines a length parallel to the lateral portion of the at least one notch and a width parallel to the vertical portion of the at least one notch, the width of the lower sidewall portion being less than 5 mm.

7. The system of claim 3 , wherein the range of angles that the lateral portions extend from the vertical portion is less than or equal to 90 degrees.

8. 3. The system of claim 2, wherein the at least one notch has a width greater than a width of the at least one alignment member such that when the piston attachment member on the underside of the surgical drape is positioned over the drape engagement member of the piston, the at least one alignment member is positioned within the at least one notch without binding to the piston attachment member.

9. 9. The system of claim 8, wherein the piston attachment member on the underside of the surgical drape further comprises a side wall extending inwardly from a terminal end of the at least one downwardly extending side wall, the side wall configured to extend at least partially beneath an underside of the drape engagement plate.

10. 3. The system of claim 2, wherein the at least one notch has a length and a width such that the at least one alignment member is configured to be press-fit into the at least one notch when the piston attachment member on the underside of the surgical drape is positioned over the drape engagement member of the piston, and the width of the at least one notch is smaller than the width of the at least one alignment member along at least a portion of the length.

11. 3. The system of claim 2, wherein the receiving cavity of the lower piston attachment member has a size corresponding to a size of the drape-engagement plate of the piston such that when the lower piston attachment member of the surgical drape is positioned over the drape-engagement member of the piston, the at least one alignment member extends from the at least one downwardly extending sidewall.

12. The system of claim 2 , wherein the piston mounting member on the underside of the surgical drape comprises a plate, and the at least one downwardly extending sidewall extends from a periphery of the plate.

13. The system of claim 1 , wherein the drape-engaging plate of the piston has a circular shape.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the at least one alignment member is four alignment members positioned approximately 90 degrees apart from one another around the perimeter of the drape engagement plate.

15. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one alignment member comprises an alignment rod extending radially outward from the drape engagement plate a distance in the range of 5 mm to 25 mm.

16. The system of claim 1 , wherein the drape-engaging member is positioned at the bottom of the tub and the piston is configured to move axially upward and downward in a reciprocating motion.

17. 1. A drape for a surgical slash system, said drape comprising: a trough portion configured to be inserted into a trough of a surgical slush system, the trough portion including an upper side configured to face away from the trough of the surgical slush system and a lower side configured to face the trough of the surgical slush system; a flexible side sheet configured to extend around the trough portion and be positioned over a side portion of the surgical slash system; a piston mounting member on the lower side of the basin portion, the piston mounting member comprising at least one downwardly extending sidewall defining a perimeter of a receiving cavity and at least one notch extending through the downwardly extending sidewall, the at least one notch configured to receive an alignment member of the surgical slash system.

18. 18. The drape of claim 17, wherein the at least one cutout comprises a vertical portion extending upwardly from a terminal end of the at least one downwardly extending sidewall and a lateral portion extending laterally at an angle from the vertical portion.

19. 20. The drape of claim 18, wherein the lateral portions of the at least one cutout divide the at least one downwardly extending sidewall into upper and lower sidewall portions that bound the lateral portions of the at least one cutout.

20. 20. The drape of claim 19, wherein the lower sidewall portion extends from a terminal end bounded by the vertical portion of the at least one cutout to an undivided portion of the at least one downwardly extending sidewall, the terminal end of the lower sidewall portion defining a retention lip.

21. 20. The drape of claim 19, wherein the lower sidewall portion defines a length parallel to the lateral portion of the at least one cutout and a width parallel to the vertical portion of the at least one cutout, the width of the lower sidewall portion being less than 5 mm.

22. 18. The drape of claim 17, wherein the piston mounting member further comprises a side wall extending inwardly from a terminal end of the at least one downwardly extending side wall.

23. 18. The drape of claim 17, wherein the at least one notch has a length and a width, and the width of the at least one notch is smaller than the width of the at least one alignment member along at least a portion of the length, thereby configuring the at least one notch to be press-fit onto the at least one alignment member.

24. the receiving cavity defines a circular shape; 18. The drape of claim 17, wherein the at least one notch is four notches positioned approximately 90 degrees apart from one another around the circumference of the receiving cavity.

25. 1. A method of draping a surgical slash system, the method comprising: positioning a tub portion of a surgical drape within a tub of a surgical slash system, the surgical drape including a piston attachment member defining a receiving cavity under the surgical drape, the surgical slash system including a piston carrying a drape engagement plate and at least one alignment member extending outwardly from the drape engagement plate; and pressing the piston attachment member of the surgical drape downwardly onto the drape engagement plate and the at least one alignment member of the surgical slash system.

26. 26. The method of claim 25, further comprising rotating the piston attachment member of the surgical drape relative to the drape engagement plate and the at least one alignment member of the surgical slash system after pressing the piston attachment member of the surgical drape downwardly against the drape engagement plate and the at least one alignment member of the surgical slash system.

27. the piston mounting member includes at least one downwardly extending sidewall defining a perimeter of the receiving cavity, the at least one downwardly extending sidewall defining at least one notch; 26. The method of claim 25, wherein pressing the piston attachment member of the surgical drape downwardly onto the drape engagement plate and the at least one alignment member of the surgical slash system comprises positioning the at least one notch on the at least one alignment member and pressing the at least one notch downwardly onto the at least one alignment member.

28. 28. The method of claim 27, wherein positioning the at least one notch on the at least one alignment member and pressing the at least one notch downwardly onto the at least one alignment member comprises pressing the at least one notch downwardly onto the at least one alignment member without coupling the at least one alignment member to the piston attachment member of the surgical drape.

29. 28. The method of claim 27, wherein positioning the at least one notch on the at least one alignment member and pressing the at least one notch downwardly onto the at least one alignment member comprises press-fitting the at least one alignment member into the at least one notch.

30. 28. The method of claim 27, wherein pressing the piston attachment member of the surgical drape downwardly onto the drape engagement plate comprises positioning a side wall extending inwardly from a terminal end of the at least one downwardly extending side wall at least partially beneath an underside of the drape engagement plate.

31. the drape-engaging plate of the piston has a circular shape; the drape-engaged plate of the piston has a thickness in the range of 5 mm to 10 mm; the receiving cavity of the piston mounting member on the underside of the surgical drape has a depth in the range of 5 mm to 10 mm; 26. The method of claim 25, wherein the at least one alignment member is four alignment members positioned approximately 90 degrees apart from one another around the periphery of the drape engagement plate, each of the four alignment members extending radially outward from the periphery of the drape engagement plate.

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