Surgical gowns

Surgical gowns can be configured to be worn by a human and to be sterile for use in a sterile surgical environment. Such a sterile surgical gown can include one or more pockets attached to the gown and configured to store surgical instruments. The sterile surgical gown can also include one or more rings attached to the gown and configured to hold surgical instruments. In some embodiments, a patch that is attachable to the gown. The patch can include one or more additional pockets or additional rings.

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

This document relates to improved designs of surgical gowns.

2. Background Information

During surgery, the Certified Scrub Technician (CST) is generally focused on the needs of the Primary Surgeon (“Surgeon”), and is busy passing instruments to the Surgeon. The needs of the “Assistants” (Assistant Surgeon/Resident/Certified Surgical Assistant) on the other side of the surgical table are legitimate but sometimes can be a distraction from the CST's point of view. From the Assistant's point of view, any delay in getting the necessary instruments can sometimes be frustrating and hinder the smooth running of the procedure.

SUMMARY

This document describes improved designs of surgical gowns.

In one implementation, this disclosure is directed to a surgical gown configured to be worn by a human and to be sterile for use in a sterile surgical environment. Such a sterile surgical gown can include one or more pockets attached to the gown and configured to store surgical instruments. The sterile surgical gown can also include one or more rings attached to the gown and configured to hold surgical instruments. In some embodiments, a patch that is attachable to the gown. The patch can include one or more additional pockets or additional rings.

Particular embodiments of the subject matter described in this document can be implemented to realize one or more of the following advantages. In some embodiments, the surgical gowns described herein include pockets that can conveniently contain basic instruments such as scissors and forceps. These pockets can be located at different locations and varying angles to facilitate optimal access and thereby greatly obviate the need for almost 30-80% of the back and forth moves that occur between an Assistant and the CST.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

This document describes improved designs of surgical gowns.

A surgical gown100with some “pockets” as anchors (such as exemplified inFIG.1), could provide literally a storage area that could provide the Assistants rapid access to their needs (forceps/scissors or such small items) and greatly obviate the need for almost 30-80% of the back and forth moves that occur between an Assistant and the CST. The inventors believe this would greatly improve the efficiency during a surgical procedure.

The inventive concepts and designs of the surgical gowns described herein may also have broader applicability in other areas of clinical and laboratory medicine as well as other industries beyond medicine—where convenience and improved efficiency are worthy and desired goals.

Referring toFIG.1, the example surgical gown100can include one or more holsters, rings, and/or belt loops (collectively referred henceforth as “loops110”) and one or more pockets120. In some embodiments, the loops110and/or the pockets120are both made of flexible material such as fabric.

The loops110and/or the pockets120are designed to hold instruments such as forceps/pickups and scissors or other simple, narrow instruments (the “instruments”). In some embodiments, these surgical gowns100are disposable—unlike the cloth gowns. In some embodiments, the gowns100can be reusable.

The size (width and length), position and angle of the pockets120and/or loops110can be selected as needed for optimal access, ease and sterility.

The loops110are somewhat similar in configuration as those on trousers that hold belts (belt loops). These can be in place of the pockets120, or supplement the pockets120as additional guides and anchors for the instruments. The loops110can be made in various sizes. A single gown100can have loops110of various sizes. In some embodiments, the loops110are made of an elastic. In some embodiments, two or more loops110are arranged in alignment with each other so that a single instrument will be held by the two or more aligned loops110.

In some embodiments, the pockets120can be free-standing by themselves or be supplemented with the loops110, as mentioned above—or in various combinations. The goals of the pockets120and loops110are to hold the instruments and to promote easy and rapid access to the instruments for the surgeon and surgical assistants. This can greatly promote the surgical efficiency at multiple levels during a procedure for the entire surgical team.

The instruments are secured in a stable fashion, e.g., to prevent “floating” of the instruments in situations such as a leaning position. The tips of the instruments are kept protected as much as possible. Sterility is also safe-guarded. In some embodiments, the open tops of the pockets120can have a closure, such as a hook and loop closure, an elastic band, or a purse string.

The pockets120can be located at various locations on the gown100. For example, one or more pockets can be located on the sleeves (above and/or below the elbow), bodice (upper torso area), sides, and/or legs of the gown100.

The pockets120can have various shapes and may extend from a top portion120aof each pocket to a bottom portion120bof each pocket. In one aspect, each pocket may include a top portion120c, which may form the outer portion or front of the pocket when the gown is in an in-use orientation and a bottom portion120dwhich may form the inner portion or back of the pocket. In one aspect the bottom portion120dmay be directly connected to or part of the patch130. Each pocket120may include pocket edges or a series of pocket borders or edges. The pocket borders or edges may include a right pocket border or edge123, a left pocket border or edge122, and a bottom pocket border or edge121. The gown100can have pockets120with various shapes. Alternatively, in some embodiments all of the pockets120have the same shape on a gown100. In some embodiments, one or more of the pockets120can be specifically shaped to contain a particular type of instrument. In some embodiments, the pocket120can comprise a mesh material, transparent material, and/or elastic material.

The pockets120and/or loops110can be attached directly on the gown100when the gown100is manufactured. Alternatively, or additionally, in some embodiments a separate patch130of fabric that includes one or more loops110and/or one or more pockets120can be attached to the gown100after the manufacturing of the gown100. Such a separate, attachable patch130could be made in various shapes such as, but not limited to, square, rectangular, circular, and elliptical. An attachable patch130can be delivered together with the gown100as a system, or purchased/available separately from the gown100.

The base material of the attachable patch130can have an adhesive back that could then be attached onto the gown100“on demand” in the O.R. as needed. As an alternative to adhesive attachment, in some embodiments the attachable patch130can be attached to the gown100using hook and loop fastener(s), zipper(s), ties, and the like, and combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the attachable patch130can come pre-secured and sealed to the gown100during manufacturing for greater weight-bearing security.