Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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SURGICAL GOWN WITH FUNCTIONAL WINDOW
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to the field of protective garments such
as surgical gowns
and, in particular, to surgical gowns having one or more functional windows
configured to allow
the wearer to access and control accessory equipment under sterile conditions.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Creating and maintaining a sterile field is an essential component to
reducing the risk of
post-surgical infections in patients by decreasing the likelihood that
infectious agents will invade
the body during clinical procedures. A sterile field is an area created by
placing sterile surgical
drapes around the patient's surgical site and on the stand that will hold
sterile instruments and
other items needed during surgery. When a surgical team member has donned
proper sterile
surgical attire, such as a surgical gown, the surgical team member's sterile
area is the only area
that should come in contact with the sterile field. To maintain the sterile
field, only sterile items
should be placed within the sterile field and once a sterile object comes in
contact with a non-
sterile object, surface, or person, or with dust or other airborne particles,
the object is no longer
sterile and must be removed from the sterile field. Maintaining a sterile
field is not an easy task
as there are many opportunities for a breach in sterility during set-up and
maintenance of the
sterile area.
[0003] Technological advances in medical equipment has significantly changed
the operating
room environment. Medical equipment having a high level of technological
complexity,
introduced into the operating room, requires members of the surgical team to
directly interface
with these devices. This can be challenging in environments in which a sterile
field must be
maintained. Typically, a surgical team member may verbally direct a non-
sterile member of the
operating room team to control the equipment, or may use a sterile tool (such
as a cotton swab)
to directly push buttons on the surgical device. Alternatively, expensive
voice activated
equipment may be used to allow the sterile member to directly control the
surgical equipment,
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for example Google GlassTM. Overall, these methods tend to be costly, as well
as imprecise,
prone to error resulting from miscommunication or errors inherent to voice
activated technology.
[0004] In addition to operating room conditions, persons of skill in the art
will recognize other
circumstances in which a sterile field may need to be maintained. In such
circumstances, the
need to maintain a sterile field can further restrict the ability of sterile
members to operate
equipment such as telecommunication devices (cell phones, tablets, computers)
in order to access
email and EMR charts, for example.
[0005] In addition to medical equipment, filming and recording devices are
more frequently
being found in operating rooms as filming and recording surgical procedures is
now becoming
more routine. Previously, such filming of surgical procedures was principally
done for education
within the hospital. Today, however, the need to film surgical procedures has
expanded
considerably. Cameras are used in operating rooms as a means of networking
with the rest of the
world. The camera has now become the vehicle by which surgeons can consult
with each other
during live procedures. For certain surgical procedures it is not uncommon for
surgeons to
consult with each other from different parts of the world during a case,
commonly referred to as
"telesurgery". In teaching hospitals, clinical educators require interactive
filming capabilities that
can be controlled remotely from the classroom. Such procedures are either
recorded for critique
at a later date or simply observed "real time" for teaching. Surgeons
routinely record procedures
and edit the content for presentation at a conference. More surgical
procedures are being
recorded for future reference should the outcome of the surgery be questioned.
[0006] The ability of a surgeon to access and control such recording equipment
without
compromising the sterile field have been described. United States Patent No.
6,899,442
describes a surgical theater system for mounting cameras, surgical lights, and
monitors in the
operating room. Such methods, however, do not provide a true "surgeon's view"
of the surgical
procedure, since the cameras are not necessarily facing the same direction as
the surgeon.
[0007] Point of view (POV) cameras that can be mounted on head straps to
provide a true
"surgeon's view" during the operation have been developed. For example,
International Patent
Publication No. W02009/063224 describes a headgear apparatus for mounting a
camera on a
surgeon's head. Despite the additional support provided by the described
frame, the weight of
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the equipment, that in many cases must be held on the surgeon's head for long
periods of time,
places great stress on the neck and upper back leading to fatigue, headaches,
stiff necks,
muscular pain, and bruising. Eventually, there is the potential for prolapsed
vertebrae to occur
due to the surgeon supporting the weight of the head gear while looking down
for extended
periods of time into the surgical field. In addition, head movement during the
surgical procedure
can result in excessive camera shake and a poor surgical video.
[0008] The introduction of technologically sophisticated equipment in the
operating room, and
the demand for this equipment to be directly operable by surgical staff in a
seamless and user-
friendly fashion, while maintaining the sterile field, presents an ongoing
need.
[0009] This background information is provided for the purpose of making known
information
believed by the applicant to be of possible relevance to the present
invention. No admission is
necessarily intended, nor should be construed, that any of the preceding
information constitutes
prior art against the present invention.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0010] An object of the present disclosure is to provide a surgical gown with
one or more
functional windows configured to allow the wearer to access and control
accessory equipment
under sterile conditions. In accordance with one aspect, there is described a
surgical gown for
protecting a wearer and maintaining a sterile field, comprising one or more
flexible and
transparent windows disposed in the gown to allow the wearer to directly
interface in a sterile
manner through the one or more windows with a device attached to the wearer
underneath the
gown.
[0011] In accordance with another aspect, there is described a surgical gown
for protecting a
wearer and maintaining a sterile field, the surgical gown comprising a pair of
sleeves and one or
more flexible and transparent windows disposed in one or both sleeves of the
gown, whereby the
wearer can view the device and directly interface with the device in a sterile
manner through the
one or more windows, the device being attached to the arm of the wearer
underneath the gown.
[0012] In accordance with a further aspect, there is described a surgical gown
for protecting a
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wearer and maintaining a sterile field, the surgical gown comprising a front
body portion and a
flexible and transparent window centrally disposed on the front body portion
of the gown, the
window sized to accommodate a camera, or video, or optical recording device
attached to the
wearer's chest, wherein the wearer can directly interface with the camera in a
sterile manner to
film or record a procedure through the window centrally disposed on the front
body portion of
the gown.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0013] These and other features of the invention will become more apparent in
the following
detailed description in which reference is made to the appended drawings.
[0014] Figure 1 is a front elevational view of a surgical gown with functional
windows
disposed in each sleeve of the gown, according to embodiments of the present
disclosure;
[0015] Figure 2 is a front elevational view of a surgical gown with a
functional window
centrally disposed on the front body portion of the gown and adapted to
accommodate a camera
attached to the wearer's chest, according to embodiments of the present
disclosure;
[0016] Figure 3 is a side elevational view of the surgical gown shown in
Figure 2 illustrating
the window in an extended position, according to embodiments of the present
disclosure; and
[0017] Figure 4 is a perspective view of the window and the extendable sleeve
shown in
Figure 3, according to embodiments of the present disclosure.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0018] Protective garments, such as surgical gowns, designed to provide
barrier protection are
well known in the art. In the medical industry in particular, surgical gowns
play a dual role of
providing a protective barrier to the wearer as well as maintaining a sterile
field to protect the
patient from infection. Surgical gowns are made to cover the front and back
torso and the arms
of the wearer to protect the wearer from coming into contact with bodily
fluids during surgical
procedures such as blood, plasma, serum, and other liquids. Additionally, the
surgical gowns are
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made sterile and are intended to prevent the possibility of infection being
transmitted from the
wearer to the patient. In this way, the surgical gown plays an integral part
in maintaining the
sterile field.
[0019] The surgical gown according to embodiments of the present disclosure
provides the
dual function of protecting the wearer while maintaining the sterile field,
and further offers the
wearer the ability to directly access and interface with technological
equipment being operated
during a surgical procedure. According to embodiments of the present
disclosure, the surgical
gown comprises one or more functional windows positioned on the gown to allow
the wearer to
interface in a sterile manner with a device attached to the wearer underneath
the gown. The
surgical gown according to embodiments of the present disclosure provides the
dual function of
protecting the wearer while maintaining the sterile field, and further offers
the wearer the ability
to directly access and interface with technological equipment being operated
during a surgical
procedure. According to embodiments of the present disclosure, the surgical
gown comprises
one or more functional windows positioned on the gown to allow the wearer to
interface in a
sterile manner with a device attached to the wearer underneath the gown. The
functional
window(s) is located on the gown to allow the wearer to easily view and
actuate operation of the
device, for example, by directly depressing control buttons or a touchscreen
display, through the
functional window(s). In this regard, the functional window(s) is positioned
on the gown in
locations that allow convenient and comfortable access by the wearer. For
example, according to
certain embodiments, the functional window(s) is located on the sleeve of the
gown to allow the
wearer direct access and/or control of a device that is attached to the
wearer's arm directly
underneath the functional window(s). According to such embodiments, the
windows are
positioned above the elbow area of the gown in order to maintain sterility
therebelow after a
surgeon has scrubbed their arms below the elbow, prior to donning the surgical
gown. In this
way, maintenance of the sterile field is ensured.
[0020] In other embodiments, the functional window(s) is located on the front
body of the
gown to allow the wearer direct access and/or control of a device that is
attached to the wearer's
chest directly underneath the functional window(s). In further embodiments,
the surgical gown
comprises multiple functional windows that can include one or more functional
window(s)
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located on one or each sleeve and/or a functional window located on the front
body of the gown.
In this way, the wearer has access to multiple devices and/or control systems.
[0021] According to embodiments of the present disclosure, the functional
window is
transparent to allow clear visibility of the device and/or controls positioned
underneath. The
functional window is further flexible to allow tactile interfacing by the
wearer thereby offering
the wearer direct control over the connected device. According to certain
embodiments, the
functional window is made of a pliable or flexible material to allow the
operation of physical
buttons by the wearer. In other embodiments, the functional window is heat
conductive to allow
operation of a touchscreen display. In further embodiments, the window's
transparency allows
devices having biometric systems to be used. For example, retinal or iris
identity verification
and eye tracking technology for accessing and controlling the technological
device that may be
operational in combination with a holographic computer display on the users
glasses, surgical
scope, or loupes.
[0022] According to a further embodiment, the functional window is adapted to
house a
filming or recording device, such as a camera. In such embodiments, the
functional window may
be centrally located on the body of the gown approximately in the chest area
of the wearer to
allow the wearer to directly operate a camera attached to the wearer's chest
underneath the
functional window. By allowing the wearer to access and directly control a
camera from the
chest position a "surgeon's view" of a procedure is provided while avoiding
the health hazards
associated with known head mounted cameras. In addition to being more
comfortable for the
wearer, chest-mounting of a camera provides greater stability resulting in
less movement of the
camera and a better quality surgical recording. According to such embodiments,
the functional
window can be further adapted to be outwardly extendable in order to
accommodate a variety of
camera and lens positions. For example, the lens may be extendable to zoom in
and out from the
wearer's chest. In other embodiments, the camera may be mounted on an
extendable mount
attached to the wearer's chest.
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Definitions
[0023] Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used
herein have the same
meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which
this invention
belongs.
[0024] As used herein, the term "disposable" describes articles that are not
intended to be
restored or reused and which are intended to be discarded after a single use.
[0025] As used herein, the term "camera" and "video recording device" are used
interchangeably to refer to any electronic device that captures, films,
records, and/or transmits
pictures, videos, movies, films, photographs, or other visual images
digitally, on film, or in any
other form or medium.
[0026] As used herein, the term "about" refers to an approximately +/-10%
variation from a
given value. It is to be understood that such a variation is always included
in any given value
provided herein, whether or not it is specifically referred to.
[0027] Embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described by
reference to Figs. 1 to
4, which show representations of the surgical gown according to the present
disclosure.
[0028] Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, a surgical gown 10 of the present
disclosure is liquid
impervious and includes a body 40 and sleeves 30. The surgical gown 10
comprises one or more
flexible and transparent windows 20, 60 disposed in the gown 10 to allow the
wearer to directly
interface in a sterile manner through the windows 20, 60 with a device
attached to the wearer
underneath the gown 10. The surgical gown 10 of the present disclosure may
comprise windows
disposed anywhere in the gown 10 to allow the wearer to comfortably view and
interface with
the device without compromising the sterile field. For example, the windows
may be disposed in
the sleeves 30 of the gown 10 as shown in Fig. 1 and/or anywhere in the front
portion 40 of the
gown 10 such as the left or right side of the chest area or centrally located
as shown in Fig. 2.
[0029] It should be appreciated that the type of fabric or material used for
the surgical gown 10
is not a limiting factor of the invention. The surgical gown 10 may be made
from a multitude of
materials commonly used for surgical gowns. Moreover, although it is
contemplated that the
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embodiments of the surgical gown 10 shown and described herein may be
disposable, in
particular embodiments, the surgical gown 10 is sterilizable, to facilitate re-
use.
[0030] For example, materials that may be suitable for various embodiments of
the surgical
gown 10 include woven or non-woven laminates, barrier composites, and barrier
fabrics
including multilayer nonwoven laminates suitable for disposable use.
[0031] Windows 20, 60 may be fabricated from any one or more materials, which
are
substantially transparent and flexible, and capable of meeting the barrier
performance standards
required to maintain a sterile field. Examples of potentially suitable
materials include polymeric
(plastic) materials, e.g., thermoplastic or thermosetting polymers of high
molecular weight and
that can be made into sheets. In further embodiments, the windows 20, 60
comprise polymers
such as polyethylene (PE), polyvinylchloride (PVC), polypropylene (PP), and
combinations or
mixtures thereof. According to certain embodiments, the windows 20, 60 are
fabricated such
that interfacing with a touchscreen display is not impaired by the windows 20,
60. According to
certain embodiments, the materials are heat conductive for example to
facilitate interaction with
a touchscreen display through the windows 20, 60. In further embodiments, the
materials are
sufficiently transparent to allow devices having biometric systems to be used.
For example,
biometric systems such as retinal or iris identity verification and eye
tracking technology for
accessing and controlling the technological device that may be operational in
combination with a
holographic computer display on the users glasses, surgical scope, or loupes.
[0032] As mentioned above, in certain embodiments, the windows 20, 60 are
fabricated from a
material that is capable of being sterilized by sterilization techniques
commonly used in hospitals
and other medical facilities. Examples of sterilization techniques usable with
the various
embodiments discussed herein, include high temperature steam, gas
sterilization including those
using Ethylene Oxide (Et0) gas, formaldehyde gas, or ozone gas, dry heat,
microwaves,
hydrogen peroxide plasma, ionizing radiation, and various chemical solutions
known in the art.
[0033] Windows 20, 60 are disposed in the surgical gown 10 in a secure manner
with a seal
that meets or exceeds the barrier performance standards required to maintain
the sterile field.
For example, a suitable seal may be provided by heat fusion, ultrasonic
welding, chemical
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adhesives, and/or combinations thereof, depending on the particular materials
used for the
surgical gown 10 and windows 20, 60.
Sterile Interface - Arm-Attached Device and/or Controls
[0034] According to a particular embodiment of the present disclosure, as
shown in Fig. 1, one
or more windows 20 is disposed in one or both sleeves 30 of the gown 10,
whereby the wearer
can view the device and directly interface with the device through the one or
more windows 20.
In such embodiments, the device is attached to the wearer's arm underneath the
gown 10 and
positioned such that the device is accessible through the window 20.
[0035] The dimensions of the windows will depend on where in the surgical gown
10 the
windows are located. According to the embodiment shown in Fig. 1, for example,
where one or
more windows 20 are disposed in the sleeve 30 of the surgical gown 10, the
windows 20 are
sized to allow an unobstructed view by the wearer of a device that can be
attached to the arm of
the wearer underneath the surgical gown 10. According to embodiments of the
present
disclosure, one or both sleeves 30 may comprise one or more windows 20 of
varying sizes to
accommodate a range of devices. In certain embodiments, the device is the
technological
equipment itself sized such that it can be attached to the arm of the wearer.
In other
embodiments, the device is a control display for technological equipment that
is remotely
located, the control display being sized for attachment to the arm of the
wearer. In this way, the
wearer can directly control the remotely located equipment, for example, in a
sterile manner and
thereby avoid compromising the sterile field. In such embodiments, the
controls are positioned
directly underneath the one or more windows disposed in the sleeve. The
controls can comprise
buttons that can be physically actuated by the wearer through the windows
which are transparent
and flexible to allow tactile control therethrough. Alternatively, the
controls can comprise a
touchscreen display that is responsive to the wearer through the window. In
other embodiments,
the window's transparency will allow devices worn by the wearer to use retinal
or iris identity
verification and eye tracking technology for access and control of
technological devices.
[0036] According to the embodiment shown in Fig. 1, the size of the window 20
can vary up to
the size allowed by the sleeve 30. It is contemplated that in certain
embodiments, the entire
sleeve 30 or a substantial part of the sleeve 30 can form the window 20. The
dimensions of the
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window 20, according to embodiments, can range in size to provide a viewing
area ranging from
about 5 cm to about 30 cm in length, and about 5 cm to about 15 cm in width.
In other
embodiments, the window 20 is sized to provide a viewing area ranging from
about 10 cm to
about 20 cm in length, and about 7 cm to about 10 cm in width. In further
embodiments, the
window 20 is sized to provide a viewing area ranging from about 15 cm to about
30 cm in
length, and about 10 cm to about 15 cm in width.
[0037] Moreover, while in the embodiments shown, window 20 is generally
rectangular, the
skilled artisan should recognize that the window 20 may be of substantially
any convenient size
and shape, including circular, oval, trapezoidal, and/or other polygonal or
ovoid shapes, etc.,
suitable for enabling a wearer to view and directly interface with a device
attached to the
wearer's arm underneath the surgical gown 10 and beneath the window 20. Still
further, the
window 20 may be a single window 20, as shown disposed in each sleeve 30, or
by a series of
smaller windows 20 disposed in spaced relation to one another, without
departing from the scope
of the present invention.
[0038] It is contemplated that windows 20 similar to the embodiments shown in
Fig. 1, can be
disposed in the front body portion 40 of the surgical gown 10 to allow the
wearer to access and
interface with a device attached to the wearer's chest for example. Such
embodiments would be
appropriate to access devices which may require a larger viewing area than
what is available
through a window 20 disposed in the sleeve 30 of the gown 10. According to
such
embodiments, the windows can be sized to provide a viewing area that can vary
up to the size
allowed by the frontal body portion 40 of the gown 10. For example, the
dimensions of the
window, according to such embodiments, can range in size to provide a viewing
area ranging
from about 5 cm to about 40 cm in length, and about 5 cm to about 35 cm in
width. In other
embodiments, the window is sized to provide a viewing area ranging from about
10 cm to about
30 cm in length, and about 15 cm to about 25 cm in width. In further
embodiments, the window
is sized to provide a viewing area ranging from about 15 cm to about 25 cm in
length, and about
15 cm to about 25 cm in width.
[0039] It is further contemplated that surgical gowns 10 of the present
disclosure can comprise
any combination of windows disposed in the sleeves 30 and/or the frontal body
portion 40.
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POV Recording ¨ Chest-Mounted Sterile Interface
[0040] Referring to Figs. 2 to 4, particular embodiments of the present
disclosure can be
adapted to accommodate devices of varying size and function. As shown, the
window 60 can be
adapted to accommodate such specialized technological equipment as a camera 70
to allow the
wearer to photograph, film and/or record procedures from the wearer's point of
view (POV). In
such embodiments, the camera 70 is centrally disposed in the front body
portion 40 of the
surgical gown 10 to allow the wearer to directly interface in a sterile manner
through the window
60 with the camera 70 attached to the wearer's chest underneath the gown. By
allowing the
wearer to access and directly control a camera 70 from the chest position, a
"surgeon's view" of
a procedure is provided while avoiding the health hazards associated with head
mounted
cameras, for example, known in the art. In addition to being more comfortable
for the wearer,
chest-mounting of the camera 70 provides greater stability resulting in less
movement of the
camera 70 and a better quality surgical recording.
[0041] The window 60, in such embodiments, is of an ultra-clear optical
quality to avoid
compromising the quality of the photos, filming and/or recording taken through
the window 60.
A variety of known optically clear materials are known in the art and can
include polymeric
(plastic) materials, e.g., thermoplastic or thermosetting polymers. In further
embodiments, the
windows 20, 60 comprise polymers such as polyethylene (PE), polyvinylchloride
(PVC),
polypropylene (PP), and combinations or mixtures thereof. One such
commercially known
material includes LenzflexTM.
[0042] According to further embodiments, the window 60 can be further adapted
to be
outwardly extendable to varying distances away from the wearer's chest in
order to
accommodate a variety of camera and lens positions. For example, the lens may
be extendable
to zoom in and out from the wearer's chest. In other embodiments, the camera
70 may be
mounted on an extendable mount attached to the wearer's chest underneath the
surgical gown 10.
As more clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the window 60 in such embodiments
includes an
extendable sleeve 50 which enables the window 60 to be outwardly extended. The
extendable
sleeve 50, for example, may have side edges that have expandable bellows or
folds to allow the
window 60 to collapse substantially flush against the wearer's chest or to
outwardly extend away
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from the wearer's chest as desired. The extendable sleeve 50 can be fabricated
from a flexible
and transparent material to further allow the camera to be viewed and directly
accessed without
compromising the sterile field. In this way, the camera 70 and/or camera
controls can be viewed
and directly actuated by the wearer through the extendable sleeve 50 or the
window 60.
Examples of potentially suitable materials that can be used for fabricating
the extendable sleeve
50 include polymeric (plastic) materials, e.g., thermoplastic or thermosetting
polymers of high
molecular weight and that can be made into sheets. In further embodiments, the
windows 20. 60
comprise polymers such as polyethylene (PE), polyvinylchloride (PVC),
polypropylene (PP),
and combinations or mixtures thereof
[00431 The window 60 can further be adapted with securing means for holding
the camera in
place. Substantially any type of releasable fasteners may be used, including
mechanical and
chemical fasteners such as mechanical snaps, ties. and/or adhesives. In
particular embodiments,
the releasable fasteners 80 include conventional hook and loop fasteners,
e.g., VELCROTM
fasteners (Velcro industries B.V.).
[00441 It should be appreciated that. although the present invention has
particular usefulness as
a surgical gown, the invention is not limited in scope to surgical gowns or
the medical industry.
The protective garment according to the present invention has wide application
and can be used
in any instance wherein a protective coverall, gown, robe, etc., is used. All
such uses and
garments are contemplated within the scope of the invention.
[00451 it is contemplated that any embodiment discussed herein can be
implemented with
respect to any method or composition of the invention, and vice versa.
Furthermore,
compositions and kits of the invention can be used to achieve methods of the
invention.
[0046] The scope of the claims should not be limited by the preferred
embodiments set forth in
the examples, but should be given the broadest interpretation consistent with
the description as a
whole.
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