Device to isolate fluid draining form surgical patients or contaminated persons

Abstract

A device is provided for controlling run-off fluids from a person or animal, the device comprising a surface adapted to receive the person or animal while facilitating the evacuation and isolation of fluid running off the person or animal. The device facilitates full length exposure of the personal or animal so as to assure complete and immediate removal, isolation and measurement of hazardous fluid from same.

1 . A device for cleansing a person who has been contaminated with hazardous materials, the device comprising:
 a) a surface adapted to receive the person;   b) a means for facilitating full length contact of the person with cleaning fluid;   c) a means for immediately isolating cleaning fluid which has contacted the person; and   d) a means for collecting the isolated cleaning fluid.   
   
   
       2 . The device as recited in  claim 1  wherein the means for immediately isolating cleaning fluid further comprises:
 a) a gutter extending along a periphery of the surface; and   b) a plurality of regions of said gutter forming apertures.   
   
   
       3 . The device as recited in  claim 2  wherein the gutter depends downwardly from the surface. 
   
   
       4 . The device as recited in  claim 2  wherein the apertures of said gutter are positioned at a lowermost region of a floor of the gutter. 
   
   
       5 . The device as recited in  claim 1  wherein the gutter further comprises a generally horizontally extending floor which pitches downwardly toward said apertures. 
   
   
       6 . The device as recited in  claim 2  wherein the aperture is in fluid communication with a reservoir. 
   
   
       7 . The device as recited in  claim 1  wherein the isolating means is gravity induced. 
   
   
       8 . The device as recited in  claim 1  wherein the isolating means is vacuum induced. 
   
   
       9 . A device for controlling runoff fluid of a person, the device comprising:
 a) a first surface adapted to receive the person;   b) a means for immediately isolating fluid which has run off the person;   c) a means for collecting the isolated fluid; and   d) a means to horizontally support said surface.   
   
   
       10 . The device as recited in  claim 9  wherein the means for immediately isolating fluid further comprises:
 a) a gutter extending along a periphery of the first surface;   b) the second surface sloping downwardly from the center of the first surface to the gutter; and   c) a plurality of apertures along the longitudinal axis of the gutter adjacent to said first surface.   
   
   
       11 . The device as recited in  claim 10  wherein the gutter defines a floor and the floor slopes to the apertures. 
   
   
       12 . The device as recited in  claim 11  wherein the floor defines a plane inferior to a plane defined by the first surface. 
   
   
       13 . A method for decontaminating a person, the method comprising:
 a) providing full length access to the person;   b) contacting the person with cleaning fluid so as to transfer contaminants from the person to the fluid; and   c) simultaneously removing, isolating and measuring the fluid.   
   
   
       14 . The method as recited in  claim 13  wherein the step of removing, isolating and measuring the fluid further comprises gravity feeding the fluid to a graduated reservoir. 
   
   
       15 . The method as recited in  claim 13  wherein the step of removing, isolating and measuring the fluid further comprises directing the fluid to a graduated reservoir under negative pressure. 
   
   
       16 . The method as recited in  claim 13  wherein the person is standing up. 
   
   
       17 . The method as recited in  claim 13  wherein the person is laying down. 
   
   
       18 . The method as recited in  claim 17  where the person is either prone or supine.