Postpartum fluid loss receptacle

A postpartum fluid loss receptacle is disclosed herein comprising a sheet which is positioned beneath the patient. The receptacle includes a pocket formed by folding an edge of a non-absorbent sheet upon itself and sealing it together. The pocket collects the fluid and includes graduations to permit measurement of the amount of the fluid.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
This invention relates to receptacles for collecting and measuring the 
amount of postpartum fluid loss. 
2. Description of the Prior Art 
Surgical drapes are customarily used in operating rooms. The drapes protect 
the surgically prepared areas of the skin from contamination. Unprepared 
portions of the skin and of the room are also isolated by the drapes from 
the prepared areas, thereby reducing the potential for contamination due 
to these sources. 
Surgical drapes are also employed in a delivery room when a woman gives 
birth to a child. During delivery, the woman will lose a significant 
amount of amniotic fluid and blood. It is desirable that these fluids be 
collected to protect the delivery table and surrounding areas from being 
unduly soiled. Additionally, collection of these fluids permits the 
physician to determine the proper treatment of the mother, and to evaluate 
the mother's speed of recovery. Present surgical drapes do not permit the 
postpartum fluids to be easily and totally collected and readily measured. 
A method and device for collecting and measuring postpartum blood loss is 
disclosed in my U.S. Pat. No. 3,646,938, issued on Mar. 7, 1972. The 
device therein disclosed comprises a substantially flat, pliable sheet. 
The sheet is placed beneath the buttocks of the patient, and the blood 
lost is collected thereon. When held pendantly, the sheet causes the blood 
to pool and graduations on the sheet permit measurement of the blood 
collected to be made. The device and method of this previous patent do 
permit collection and measurement of postpartum blood loss. One aspect of 
the present invention, however, is the provision of an improved device of 
the type described in my previous patent, the improvement facilitating 
increased accuracy in the measurement of the amount of blood collected. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
A postpartum fluid loss receptacle is disclosed herein which comprises a 
first elongated sheet of flexible material that is essentially 
nonabsorbent to body fluids, the first sheet having a first end portion 
forming a first pocket and a second end portion, the first end portion of 
the first sheet being folded and defining a first edge and a second edge, 
the edges having a common point, the first edge being sealingly attached 
to the second edge continuously along a line extending from the common 
point. 
It is an object of the present invention to provide a postpartum fluid loss 
receptacle which is easily used and fully collects the lost fluids. 
An additional object of this invention is to provide a postpartum fluid 
loss receptacle which is easily constructed and is inexpensive. 
Another object of the present invention is to provide a postpartum fluid 
loss receptacle which protects against contamination and prevents the 
delivery table and room from becoming soiled. 
A further object of the present invention is to provide a postpartum fluid 
loss receptacle which permits the amniotic fluid and the blood to be 
collected. 
It is yet another object of this invention to provide a postpartum fluid 
loss receptacle which enables the volume of fluids collected to be readily 
determined. 
Further objects and advantages of the present invention will become 
apparent from the description and figures which follow.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the 
invention, reference will now be made to the embodiments illustrated in 
the drawings and specific language will be used to describe the same. It 
will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the 
invention is thereby intended, such alterations and further modifications 
in the illustrated device, and such further applications of the principles 
of the invention as illustrated therein being contemplated as would 
normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention relates. 
The postpartum fluid loss receptacle of the present invention provides a 
simple and efficient means for collecting and measuring the amount of 
fluid lost by a woman in conjunction with giving birth to a child. The 
material from which the receptacle is constructed must therefore be 
suitable for surgical use. Primarily, the material should be aseptic and 
should be easily manipulated by the persons attending the woman during and 
after childbirth. 
A second requirement of the material comprising the present receptacle is 
that it have sufficient flexibility and strength. The material should be 
flexible or pliable to permit the receptacle to be folded for 
transportation and storage. At the same time, the materials should be 
strong enough to support the weight of the fluids which will be collected 
therein. The present receptacle is designed primarily to collect the 
amniotic fluid and the blood which is lost during and subsequent to 
childbirth. 
Referring in particular to FIGS. 1-3, there is shown one embodiment of the 
receptacle according to the present invention. The receptacle 10 comprises 
a flexible sheet 11 which includes a first end portion 13 and a second end 
portion 14. The material is preferably a transparent plastic, and should 
be essentially nonabsorbent to body fluids. The sheet 11 is folded along 
the longitudinal center line 12, the folded first end portion defining a 
first edge 15 and a second edge 16. The first edge 15 is sealingly 
attached to the second edge 16 along a line extending from the common 
point 17. The seam 26 may have any shape but is most conveniently a 
straight line. The second end portion is then opened up to be flat, and 
the first end portion forms a pocket 18. 
Graduations 19 are included at the first end portion along the side of 
pocket 18 to indicate the volume of material contained within the pocket 
18. The graduations may correspond to any measuring system, but preferably 
indicate the volume in cubic centimeters or milliliters. The graduations 
should read at least as high as 500 cubic centimeters, and indications at 
every 50 cc are appropriate. 
The positioning of the receptacle 10 for its intended use has the second 
end portion 14 positioned upon the delivery table, and the first end 
portion 13 is suspended over the side of the table. The patient is 
positioned to have her buttocks upon the second end portion 14, and the 
weight of the patient acts to hold the second end portion 14 upon the 
table. A rigid receptacle is positioned on the floor of the delivery room 
to support the pocket 18. The "kick bucket" which is generally found in a 
delivery room may be used for this purpose. 
While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the 
drawings and foregoing description, the same is to be considered as 
illustrative and not restrictive in character, it being understood that 
only the preferred embodiments have been shown and described and that all 
changes and modifications that come within the spirit of the invention and 
the scope of the claims are desired to be protected.