Surgical Drape Segmentation for Anesthesia Access

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Solution Overview

Problem

Modern surgical drapes are often cumbersome and do not provide adequate access for anesthesiologists to patients during surgical procedures, while simultaneously failing to effectively separate the anesthesia administration area from the surgical area.

Innovation Solution

A surgical drape with a sterile front and back surface, featuring a surgical coupling mechanism to secure the drape over a patient and upper coupling mechanisms to secure it to retention devices, along with optional window portions and pocket portions, to enhance access and separation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If modern surgical drapes are used to separate the surgical area, then the sterile barrier function is improved, but the access for anesthesiologists to the patient deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesterile barrier functionVSAvoidanesthesiologist access to patient

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The surgical drape is divided into multiple functional segments: a first drape portion forming a sterile barrier between surgical and anesthesia areas, a second drape portion providing access to the patient's airway, and a third drape portion covering the patient's body. This segmentation allows each portion to fulfill its specific function independently, resolving the contradiction between maintaining sterility and providing access.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different portions of the surgical drape are designed with different properties: the first portion is configured as a sterile barrier with specific permeability characteristics, while the second portion is designed to be accessible to the anesthesiologist. This local differentiation of properties allows the drape to simultaneously provide sterile separation and anesthesiologist access without compromising either function.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Reliability

If a surgical drape is applied to separate the anesthesia administration area, then the separation effectiveness is improved, but the drape becomes cumbersome and difficult to manage

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveseparation effectivenessVSAvoiddrape manageability

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The drape is segmented into three distinct portions that can be independently positioned and secured. This segmentation reduces the complexity of managing a single large drape by allowing each portion to be handled separately, while still achieving effective separation when assembled together.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The surgical drape is designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously: providing sterile separation, allowing anesthesiologist access to the airway, and covering the patient's body. This multi-functionality is achieved through the integrated design of the three portions, which work together to fulfill multiple requirements without requiring separate devices.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS12268462B2Surgical drape for anesthesia administration area

Publication Date: 2025.04.08 GOLDBERG GRIGORY

AI summary

Surgical drapes for separating an anesthesia administration area from a surgical area are provided. The surgical drape includes a sterile front surface, a back surface, a surgical coupling mechanism configured to secure a lower portion of the surgical drape over a portion of a patient, and one or more upper coupling mechanisms configured to secure an upper portion of the surgical drape to one or more retention devices.