Surgical instrument organizer

Abstract

A surgical instrument organizer for holding surgical instruments on a horizontal surface includes an elongate strip having opposed front and rear walls, end walls, an upper portion, and a lower portion, and a support member in engagement with the strip, the support member in use maintaining the front and rear walls generally perpendicular to the horizontal surface. The upper portion is defined by a plurality of notches, the notches being of a size and shape to receive surgical instruments and maintain them in a propped-up, spaced-apart position. In the preferred embodiment, each of the notches is generally V-shaped, with each notch being about 0.875 inch deep and having side walls that terminate in points spaced about 0.375 inch from each other. Preferably the foam is made of crosslinked, closed-cell polyolefin. The support member can be provided in a variety of forms, including spaced stands, an elongate block, and an open-ended surgical tray. It is expected that the strip will be sufficiently inexpensive that it can be discarded after first use.

1 . A surgical instrument organizer for holding surgical instruments on a horizontal surface, comprising: 
 an elongate strip having opposed front and rear walls, end walls, an upper portion, and a lower portion;    a support member in engagement with the strip, the support member in use maintaining the front and rear walls generally perpendicular to the horizontal surface; and    the upper portion being defined by a plurality of notches, the notches being of a size and shape to receive surgical instruments and maintain them in a propped-up, spaced-apart position.    
   
   
       2 . The surgical instrument organizer of  claim 1 , wherein each of the notches is generally V-shaped, with each notch being about 0.875 inch deep and having side walls that terminate in points spaced about 0.375 inch from each other.  
   
   
       3 . The surgical instrument organizer of  claim 1 , wherein the distance between the front and rear walls is approximately 0.5 inch.  
   
   
       4 . The surgical instrument organizer of  claim 1 , wherein the distance between the upper and lower portions is approximately 2.25 inches and the distance between the end walls is approximately 11.625 inch.  
   
   
       5 . The surgical instrument organizer of  claim 1 , wherein the strip is formed of a resilient, sterilizable polymer foam.  
   
   
       6 . The surgical instrument organizer of  claim 5 , wherein the foam is made of crosslinked, closed-cell polyolefin having a density within the range of about 4.0-7.4 lb./ft 3 , a tensile strength of at least about 65 psi, an elongation of at least about 149%, a tear strength of at least about 12.1 lb./in., a 25% compression deflection value of at least about 15.9%, and a compression set at 50% deflection value of no greater than about 16.6%.  
   
   
       7 . The surgical instrument organizer of  claim 1 , wherein the support member is in the form of spaced stands to which the strip is connected.  
   
   
       8 . The surgical instrument organizer of  claim 7 , wherein each stand includes an upper portion having a channel therein of a size and shape to receive the lower portion of the strip, and the lower portion of the strip includes a channel of a size and shape to receive the channel of the stand.  
   
   
       9 . The surgical instrument organizer of  claim 8 , wherein each stand is approximately 1.0 inch high, and each channel included as part of the strip and the stands is about 0.375 inch wide and about 0.5 inch deep.  
   
   
       10 . The surgical instrument organizer of  claim 7 , wherein the stands are made of the same material as the strip.  
   
   
       11 . The surgical instrument organizer of  claim 1 , wherein the support member is in the form of an elongate block having upper and lower walls and end walls, the lower wall adapted to be placed on the horizontal surface and the upper wall having a longitudinally extending groove that opens through the end walls, the groove being of a size and shape to receive the lower portion of the strip.  
   
   
       12 . The surgical instrument organizer of  claim 11 , wherein the strip is formed of a resilient, sterilizable polymer foam and the block is made of a material selected from the group consisting of a sterilizable, rigid, fluid-impervious substance and the same material as the strip.  
   
   
       13 . The surgical instrument organizer of  claim 1 , wherein the support member is in the form of an open-ended surgical tray having a floor, opposed side walls, and an end wall, the strip being disposed between the side walls and against the end wall.  
   
   
       14 . The surgical instrument organizer of  claim 13 , wherein the tray includes a tab extending upwardly from the floor, the tab being spaced from the end wall of the tray a distance sufficient to permit the strip to be disposed between the tab and the end wall of the tray and retained in place there.  
   
   
       15 . The surgical instrument organizer of  claim 13 , further comprising a layer of adhesive disposed along a selected one of the front or rear walls and a removable, non-stick sheet disposed stop the layer of adhesive, whereby, upon removal of the non-stick sheet, the adhesive can engage the end wall of the tray and hold the strip in place there.  
   
   
       16 . The surgical instrument organizer of  claim 13 , wherein the strip is formed of a resilient, sterilizable polymer foam and the tray is formed of a sterilizable, rigid, fluid-impervious substance.  
   
   
       17 . A surgical instrument organizer for holding surgical instruments on a horizontal surface, comprising: 
 an elongate strip formed of a resilient, sterilizable polymer foam having opposed front and rear walls, end walls, an upper portion, and a lower portion, the upper portion being defined by a plurality of notches, the notches being of a size and shape to receive surgical instruments and maintain them in a propped-up, spaced-apart position;    each of the notches being generally V-shaped, with each notch being about 0.875 inch deep and having side walls that terminate in points spaced about 0.375 inch from each other, the distance between the front and rear walls is approximately 0.5 inch, the distance between the upper and lower portions is approximately 2.25 inches, and the distance between the end walls is approximately 11.625 inch, and wherein the foam is made of crosslinked, closed-cell polyolefin having a density within the range of about 4.0-7.4 lb./ft 3 , a tensile strength of at least about 65 psi, an elongation of at least about 149%, a tear strength of at least about 12.1 lb./in., a 25% compression deflection value of at least about 15.9%, and a compression set at 50% deflection value of no greater than about 16.6%; and    a support member in engagement with the strip, the support member in use maintaining the front and rear surfaces generally perpendicular to the horizontal surface.    
   
   
       18 . The surgical instrument organizer of  claim 17 , wherein the support member is in the form of spaced stands to which the strip is connected, each stand being made of the same material as that of the strip, each stand being about 1.0 inch high and including an upper portion having a channel therein of a size and shape to receive the lower portion of the strip, and the lower portion of the strip includes a channel of a size and shape to receive the stand.  
   
   
       19 . The surgical instrument organizer of  claim 17 , wherein the support member is in the form of an elongate block having upper and lower walls and end walls, the lower wall adapted to be placed on the horizontal surface and the upper wall having a longitudinally extending groove that opens through the end walls, the groove being of a size and shape to receive the lower portion of the strip, the block being made of a material selected from the group consisting of a sterilizable, rigid, fluid-impervious substance and the same material as the strip.  
   
   
       20 . The surgical instrument organizer of  claim 17 , wherein the support member is in the form of an open-ended surgical tray formed of a sterilizable, rigid, fluid-impervious substance having a floor, opposed side walls, and an end wall, the strip being disposed between the side walls and against the end wall of the tray and held in place against the end wall of the tray by structure selected from the group consisting of a tab extending upwardly from the floor, the tab being spaced from the end wall of the tray a distance sufficient to permit the strip to be disposed between the tab and the end wall of the tray, and a layer of adhesive disposed along a selected one of the front or rear walls, the adhesive being engageable with the end wall of the tray.