Surgical Drape Movable Pockets Reduce Footprint
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing surgical drape designs either consume excessive space due to excess material or incur additional costs and risks of breaking the sterile barrier due to disposable bases, while also being cumbersome for surgeons and technicians.
Innovation Solution
A surgical drape with two movable pockets, one for device access and another for control, allowing for a smaller footprint and reducing direct contact risks, featuring a smaller pocket for lumen exit and a larger pocket for manipulation without direct contact.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a wide drape with sealed edges is used to keep the base stationary, then the device can be moved inside the drape, but excessive material is required which consumes valuable operating suite space
Solution Approach 1:
The drape is segmented into functional zones: a stationary base portion and movable pocket portions. The pockets can be moved independently along with the device, allowing the drape to adapt its configuration rather than requiring excess material to accommodate all possible device positions.
Solution Approach 2:
The pockets are designed to be movable rather than fixed, allowing them to dynamically adjust their position as the device moves. This dynamic configuration eliminates the need for a wide stationary drape while maintaining ease of device manipulation.
2Reliability
If a disposable base unit is used to cover devices, then the drape can be discarded after surgery, but additional expense and disposal costs are incurred
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of discarding the entire drape after use, the invention allows recovery and reuse of the base unit. The removable pockets can be cleaned and reused, significantly reducing material waste and disposal costs while maintaining sterile barrier integrity through proper cleaning protocols.
Solution Approach 2:
The base unit is designed to be multi-functional and reusable across multiple surgical procedures. The standardized design allows the same base unit to accommodate different devices and procedures, maximizing utilization and minimizing waste.
3Reliability
If the drape is positioned between the base and the device, then the device can be covered, but the drape may be punched or torn during operation which could break the sterile barrier
Solution Approach 1:
The pockets serve as intermediaries between the surgeon's hands and the device. The hands can reach through the pockets to manipulate the device without directly contacting the device through the drape material, reducing the risk of punctures and tears that could compromise the sterile barrier.
Solution Approach 2:
The drape is segmented into a robust base unit and flexible pocket portions. The base unit maintains the primary sterile barrier function, while the pockets provide a protected pathway for hand-device interaction, distributing mechanical stress away from critical barrier areas.
Data Source
AI summary
A surgical drape includes two movable pockets allowing a smaller diameter and therefore saving space on an operating room table. A first smaller pocket extending from the drape is formed near the nose of the drape and includes an exit port for a lumen connected to a device inside the drape. A second larger pocket extending into the drape is formed behind the first pocket and allows a surgeon or technician to control or position the device without entering the interior of the drape or contacting the device.