4,899,762 DATED FEBRUARY 13, 1990

MULTI-PURPOSE INTEGRATED SURGICAL DRAPE, DRESSING AND CLOSURE STRUCTURE AND METHOD
ROLL-ON™

 

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The present invention includes a variety of improvements for a surgical drape, dressing and closure. The following features are emphasized.
   1) Indexing the drape or dressing with a ruler or indexed markings to facilitate closure and alignment.
   2) Radio-opaque markings on the drape for localization of foreign bodies or position of structures during and after surgery - in those many instances that x-rays taken during and after surgery could be more helpful to the surgeon when these markings are needed.
   3) A procedure specific drape. "Cut here" incisions on the drape such as plastic surgeons mark on skin - (targeting for laminectomy, hernia, gall bladder, hysterectomy, arthrotomy, etc.)
   4) Medicine release - a semipermeable drape for antibiotic and antiseptic or other medicine delivery thru the drape and into the skin during surgery at the place that the medicines are needed and at times of risk during surgery (i.e. improved antisepsis or bacteriostasis etc. throughout surgery at the wound site.)
   5) Incorporating body to the drape material at specific places to attach retractors and clamps to minimize skin trauma in surgery.
   6) 6) A "roll-on™ closure" approximation system for the skin closure (i.e. a rapid closure method to eliminate skin sutures or clips (a zipper effect) to reduce time of skin closure and make it very easy for the surgeon.
   7) A better steri-strip or bandaid for wound closure and approximation (the method of roll on, cut, roll-on, cut etc.) without the bother of peeling the covers off of the bandaid (very clumsy) or the steri-strip peeled off before applying (very awkward and unnecessarily time consuming).
   8) Roll on™ bandages or tape with the sticky material on the reverse side (i.e. the scrub nurse no longer should have to cut strips of tape for application). The "sticky must be on the proper opposite side" like the outside of an ace bandage to be rolled on - Roll-on™.

The structure of the invention includes a combination surgical drape, dressing and straddling closure. The straddling closure may be integral with or separate from the surgical drape and dressing. Means are provided for securing a dressing portion of the combination drape, dressing and straddling closure to the skin of a patient over the field of a surgical procedure, for securing a drape portion of the combination drape, dressing and straddling closure to towels surrounding the field of the surgical procedure and for securing the straddling closure over the incision after the surgical procedure is completed.

In accordance with the structure of the invention, the straddling closure may take a number of different forms. Thus the straddling closure may be a substantially flat or a developable member as the subjacent skin surface may be. Alternatively the closure structure may be provided in the form of a roll to be unrolled for adhesion over the incised skin arm. The straddling closure may also be a quick air drying polymer.

The dressing portion of the combination surgical drape, dressing and straddling closure may include skin cleansing material and/or medication. Further, the straddling closure portion may include medication therein and may be color coded to designate various specific medications, dressing sizes, specialized shapes or standards. Finally a closure may be so constructed as to allow stretching it in one or more directions when applied over spheroidal skin surfaces.

In accordance with the method of the invention a surgical procedure is accomplished by placing the combination surgical drape, dressing and straddling closure over a marked area in which an incision is to be made in a patient, adhering the dressing portion to the patient over a surgical field, securing towels around the surgical field with the drape portion of the combination drape, dressing and straddling closure, effecting an incision through the dressing portion, retracting the incision with retractors, forceps or clamps secured only to the dressing portion of the combination drape, dressing and straddling closure adjacent the edges of the incision and subsequently closing the incision with the straddling closure portion of the combination drape, dressing and straddling closure extending over and beyond the entire length of the incision and also extending transversely a substantial distance on either side thereof and secured to the dressing portion.

It is understood that the surface of the skin on which the incision is premarked may be planar (flat) or developable (a surface which may be generated by a straight line into a ruled, cylindrical or conical surface) and that one of the objects of the invention is to provide a straddling closure, that when in place matches exactly said surface of the subjacent skin, i.e. is so constructed, according to the invention as to become planar (flat) or developable (ruled, cylindrical or conical) or spheroidal when stretchable to match the subjacent surface when in place.

Depending on the particular straddling closure utilized, the straddling closure may be integral with the drape and dressing portions of the combination drape, dressing and straddling closure or separate therefrom. When the straddling closure is planar and separate, it may be held in place parallel to the plane of the dressing portion and moved into surface to surface contact with the dressing portion over the entire incision, by movement generally perpendicular to the dressing portion. In the case of a rolled straddling closure portion, the straddling closure portion may be rolled onto the dressing portion of the combined drape, and dressing portion and at the same time a protective cover may be rolled off of the top of the base or body part of the dressing portion to allow the uncovered adhesive to adhere to the rolled on straddling closure. Alternatively, a quick air drying polymer material may be applied on the dressing portion after the subcutaneous tissue of the incision has been stitched, stapled or otherwise approximated. Thus the principle combination drape, dressing and straddling closure is obtained in the course of a surgical procedure conducted according to the invention.