Surgical Drape Flexible Edge Stiffening Strip
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing surgical drapes face challenges in maintaining a tight barrier on curved or irregular body parts, leading to increased risk of leakage and skin irritation due to adhesive failure and fluid accumulation.
Innovation Solution
A surgical drape with three laminated layers, featuring a flexible and breathable plastic film with a pressure-sensitive adhesive coating and a releasably attached stiffening strip, which allows for easy application and adherence on irregular surfaces, reducing the risk of leakage and skin irritation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a pressure-sensitive adhesive edge is used to secure the drape, then the drape can be fastened to the patient, but on curved body parts folds and pockets form in the edge material which cause fluid accumulation and adhesive failure
Solution Approach 1:
The drape is divided into a main body and a separate adhesive edge component. The adhesive edge is applied as a distinct element that can be independently positioned and pressed onto curved surfaces, allowing it to conform to body contours without forming folds or pockets that trap fluid.
Solution Approach 2:
The adhesive edge is constructed as a thin, flexible film that can bend and conform to irregular body surfaces. This flexibility allows the adhesive layer to maintain intimate contact with curved skin surfaces, preventing the formation of folds and pockets that would otherwise cause fluid accumulation and adhesive failure.
2Reliability
If the adhesive edge is made tight to prevent leakage, then barrier function is improved, but skin irritation and adhesive failure increase due to tension on the skin
Solution Approach 1:
The drape system separates the barrier function from the adhesive function. The main drape body provides the primary barrier, while the adhesive edge serves primarily to secure the drape in position. This segmentation allows the adhesive edge to be less restrictive, reducing tension on the skin while still maintaining an effective seal.
Solution Approach 2:
The adhesive formulation is modified to change its mechanical parameters, specifically to be more compliant and less rigid. This allows the adhesive edge to accommodate skin movement and tension without failing, maintaining the barrier function while reducing the harmful tension that causes skin irritation and adhesive breakdown.
3Quantity of substance
If fibrous absorbent material is placed at the edge to ensure absorption, then fluid management is improved, but fibrous particles can contaminate the operating site
Solution Approach 1:
The fibrous absorbent material is removed from the adhesive edge area entirely. Instead, a non-fibrous absorbent layer or fluid management mechanism is used at the edge, eliminating the source of fibrous particle contamination while maintaining the necessary fluid absorption capacity to manage surgical fluids.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the drape are assigned different material properties appropriate to their function. The central operating area can have full absorbent material, while the adhesive edge uses a non-fibrous, particle-free material that provides sufficient fluid management without the risk of contaminating the sterile field with fibrous particles.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution ensures a secure and flexible barrier on curved body parts, reducing the risk of fluid leakage and skin irritation, while maintaining adhesive integrity and preventing fibrous particle contamination.
Implementation Method 1
The plastic film can also be made of a breathable material, e.g. polyurethane, which reduces the occurrence of accumulated moisture under the film
Implementation Method 2
at least one edge area of the surgical drape is formed by a single layer of plastic film which, on one side, has an pressure sensitive adhesive coating
Data Source
Figure 1~3
AI summary
The present invention relates to a surgical drape (1) comprising one or more material layers (2-4). According to the invention, at least one edge area of the surgical drape (1) is formed by a single layer (5) of plastic film which, on one side, has an adhesive coating (6) and, on the side facing away from the adhesive coating (6), has a strip (7) of stiffening material releasably attached thereto.