Universal sterile drape and support system for in-operating-room safe patient handling equipment

Abstract

Described are surgical drapes and system with universal application to heavy equipment useful in operating room environments. Surgical drape systems of the invention are particularly capable of covering patient support machinery such as hoists, lifts, and slings, whether the equipment is mobile or stationary, or configured as a floor-based or as an over head support/lifting system. The drapes of the current invention provide for protecting the equipment from exposure to surgical biohazard waste e.g.; blood or body fluids, as well as providing the ability to use equipment that is otherwise not presently allowed to enter into an operating room because of the impossibility to render such equipment sterile. The drapes further allow for the holding, lifting and positioning of the patient whole body or limbs while maintaining sterility during prepping and surgical procedures. Also included are support slings for use with the drapes.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A universal sterile drape system for covering a patient lifting apparatus, comprising:
 A disposable sterile drape formed to enclose at least a portion of a patient lifting apparatus, wherein the drape comprises an open end disposed opposite a closed end, wherein between the open and closed ends are disposed a proximal region containing the open end and a distal portion containing the closed end, wherein when in use at least a portion of the drape can adopt a lengthened configuration, and wherein the drape optionally is comprised of a sterilizable single- or multi-layer plastic, optionally polyethylene and/or polypropylene, and wherein at least the distal end of the drape optionally comprises a transparent plastic fused with polyethylene reinforcement webbing.   
     
     
         2 . A universal sterile drape system of  claim 1  comprising:
 A sterilizable fabric formed in a tubular configuration selected from the group consisting of a) tubular folded in accordion pleats wherein the pleats provide for the tubular configuration to expand in length, b) plain tubular, and c) hybrid of plain fabric and accordion fabric, and wherein said tubular configuration has an open end and a closed end, wherein the said fabric comprises between 1 and 8 layers of material and said closed end comprises a transparent plastic fused with a reinforcement webbing and shaped to surround a solid object. 
 
     
     
         3 . A patient support sling comprising a sterile polyethylene fabric exterior and reinforced polyethylene loops for attachment to a support crossbar of a patient lifting device. 
     
     
         4 . A patient support sling of  claim 3  further comprising a multiplicity of belt slots. 
     
     
         5 . A patient support sling of  claim 3  further comprising at least one elongate pouch fixedly attached to said sling along a long side as oppose to a short side of said sling. 
     
     
         6 . The drape system of  claim 2  wherein said tube has a diameter dimension of between 10 and 36 inches. 
     
     
         7 . The drape system of  claim 6  wherein said tube has an expandable length of between 1 and 15 feet. 
     
     
         8 . The sling of  claim 3  wherein the sling is capable of supporting between 15 and 660 pounds. 
     
     
         9 . A crossbar for a patient lifting hoist comprising at least three sling hooks affixed to an upper side of said bar. 
     
     
         10 . A crossbar having a length comprising:
 a. an elongate slot formed along an upper side of said bar on either side of a fulcrum in the center of said bar's length; and   b. a shuttle cock movably aligned within said slot said shuttle cock comprising a spring loaded button.   
     
     
         11 . The crossbar of  claim 9  wherein said bar has apertures formed along the length of one side of said slot. 
     
     
         12 . A sterile drape kit comprising at least one drape of  claim 1  enclosed in a sterile wrapping and at least one sterile sling of  claim 3 . 
     
     
         13 . A method of making sterile for use in a sterile operating room environment a patient lift device comprising:
 Covering said device in a sterile drape of  claim 1 .   
     
     
         14 . A patient tie down belt sealed in PE.