Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
26,167
10~3~1
The history of the search to find methods of
skin antisepsis originated with Lister's use of carbolic
acid in 1867. The techniques and products used to in-
sure antisepsis in the prevention of postoperative wound
infections, preoperative shaving and preparation of the
operative site in the operating room have advanced stead-
ily as the art developed. The factors influencing reduc-
ed postoperative wound infection rates are many and in
general are well known to those skilled in the art. Not
least a~ong these is proper skin antisepsis. Since most
~' 25 bacteria do not descend below the keratinized infundi-
~;~ bulum above the orifices of the sebaceous ducts, the
Majority of organisms lie within easy reach of surface
antiseptic maneuvers and can be rendered sterile if ef-
fective ~crubbing techniques are employed. ~ith regard
to the surgical scrub technique, it is knOwn that bacteria
- 2 - , ,
:.
~ 3"3~1
1 die in logarithmic order, i.e., the majority of organ-
isms are destroyed durina the first few r,linutes of
scrubbing.
An effective and easy way to insure skin
S antisepsis in surgical procedures is by the use of a
germicide impregnated in a sponge-brush type applicator.
While this is an improvement over the multi-component
products which consist of solutions, sponges, towels,
etc., it has an inherent disadvantage, i.e., the germi-
cide already in the sponge in a dispersed state issubject to potency deterioration.
The most pertinent prior art known to Appli-
cant is Avery, United States Patent 3,768,916 (1973)
which discloses a scrubbing unit enveloping a frangible
ampule containing liquid soap. This device is designed
to enable the user to break the ampule and to utilize
the released soap while employing the scrubbing unit.
Applicant has fabricated a surgical scrub
sponqe for scrubbing procedures which comprises:
~0 (a) an absorbant sponge having a bottom scrubb-
ing surface and a cavity in the upper portion of said
sponge;
(b) at least one puncture prong within ~aid
cavity;
(c) a reservoir handle, containing a liquid
germicide;
(d) a frangible lamination sealing said germi-
cide within said reservoir; and
(e) a means for adhesively bonding said sealed
reservoir to the upper portion of said sponge over said
V~3S'21
1 cavity so that when the sponge is vertically compressed,
said puncture prong pierces said lamination allowing
the germicide to permeate said sponge and flow to the
bottom scrubbinq surface.
Figure 1 of the drawings is a perspective
view of an assembled scrubbing device embodying the
novel features of the present invention.
Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view in eleva-
tion, taken along the lines 2-2 of Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a partial perspective view of the
device in Figure 1 showing a variation in the texture
of the sponge.
Figure 4 is the cross-sectional view depicted
in Figure 2 showing the compression of the sponge with
the resulting rupture of the frangible lamination with
the puncture prongs.
Figure 5 is an enlarged view of the parts of
the device aligned for assemblage as a unit.
In contrast to the surgical prepping devices
shown in the prior art, the present invention offers a
more convenient one-piece surgical scrub device. Speci-
fically, in the present invention the germicide is re-
tained in a vacuum formed plastic reservoir which also
functions conveniently as a handle. This will avoid the
potential danger of shards resulting from broken ampules
and the like. The handle reservoir can also accomodate
a larger quantity of liquid than the imbedded ampules
which, as a practical matter, must be somewhat smaller
in size than the sponge or absorbant pad.
As shown in the drawings, the present inven-
39Zl
1 vention is embodied in a surgical scrub device 10 com-
prising a pre-cut absorbant sponge 15 which may be made
from polyurethane, polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride,
regenerated celllllose, foamed rubber, or any polymer,
natural or synthetic, that can be foamed in situ or ex-
ternally by means of Freon~ or CO2, and may be textured
to provide either a particularly abrasive scrubbing
surface 18 or a fine-celled scrubbing surface 17. The
sponge 15 i5 designed primarily to prepare the skin to
conform with any pre-operative technique. To aid in
achieving the ideal aseptic conditions this scrub de-
vice 10 carries its own germicide 14 in a vacuum formed
reservoir handle 11 fashioned from a plastic compatible
with the particular germicide employed (e.g. iodophor,
alcohol, quaternary ammonium compound, etc.). The sur-
face of the reservoir handle 14 may be scored or tex-
tured 20 to enhance the grip. The germicide 14 is re-
tained within the reservoir handle 11 with a frangible
lamination 12 which can be fashioned from either paper
or foil and coated with an appropriate adhesive bond
for securing the reservoir handle to the uppor portion
of the absorbant sponge 15.
In the upper portion of the absorbant sponge
15 is a cavity 16 which is designed to house a puncture
prong 13 which may be little more than a piece of molded
plastic or even a droplet of hot melt, epoxy or the
like that could be dripped into place within the cavity
16 and allowed to harden. The puncture prong 13 could
also be an integral part of the absorbant sponge 15 by
crimpin~ or heating a small section of said sponge with-
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1 in the cavity 16 area. The crimping action could alsocoat the foam point with an epoxy or hot melt solution
which would harden to provide the puncture prong 13.
In any event, the puncture prong 13 should have a point
or an edge of sufficient rigidity to pierce the frang-
ible lamination 12 when a moderate ~mount of force is
applied.
In use, the person preparing the patient's
skin for surgerv applies vertical pressure to the
sponge causing the cavity 16 to move vertically upward
eventually causing the frangible lamination 12 to rup-
ture and release the stored germicide 14 into the ab-
sorbant sponge 15.
