Abstract: A medical instrument thermal treatment system according to the present invention is in the form of a stand including a thermally treated tray to thermally treat medical instruments. The stand includes a frame to support the tray, while a drape including a sensing device is disposed over the tray to form a drape container or receptacle within the tray for collecting a sterile medium. The tray is thermally treated to heat the sterile medium in order to warm medical instruments or other medical items placed in the tray. The sensing device provides a signal to the system indicating the presence of liquid and/or leaks within the drape container to facilitate control of system operation.

Abstract: A system according to the present invention includes a cabinet, a basin positioned within the cabinet to contain and thermally treat a liquid bath, and a rack or tray disposed on the cabinet that supports exposed scope optics above the liquid bath within the basin. The scope optics resides outside of the bath in a dry state, thereby permitting the remaining scope portions within the bath to be thermally treated. This enables accurate temperature warming of the scope to reduce trauma of tissue and retrieval of enhanced images by the scope during a medical procedure. The present invention permits medical personnel or operating room staff to warm scopes in a controlled environment while maintaining scope optics in a dry state.

Abstract: A system according to the present invention includes a cabinet, a basin positioned within the cabinet to contain and thermally treat a liquid bath, and a support assembly that stabilizes a surgical scope. The support assembly may include a first support that elevates scope optics above the liquid bath within the basin, and a second support that positions the shaft of the scope within the liquid bath, but above the floor and away from the walls of the basin. The scope optics resides outside of the bath in a dry state, while the remaining scope portions are positioned within the bath so the portions can be thermally treated. The support assembly enables a user to warm selected portions of the scope, while protecting the scope, the basin, and/or a drape lining the basin from damage caused when the scope contacts the basin.

Abstract: A system according to the present invention includes a cabinet, a basin positioned within the cabinet to contain and thermally treat a liquid bath, and a support assembly that stabilizes a surgical scope. The support assembly may include a first support that elevates scope optics above the liquid bath within the basin, and a second support that positions the shaft of the scope within the liquid bath, but above the floor and away from the walls of the basin. The scope optics resides outside of the bath in a dry state, while the remaining scope portions are positioned within the bath so the portions can be thermally treated. The support assembly enables a user to warm selected portions of the scope, while protecting the scope, the basin, and/or a drape lining the basin from damage caused when the scope contacts the basin.

Abstract: A drape according to the present invention is constructed of or includes conductive and insulating drape segments and is disposed over a top surface of a thermal treatment system having a basin recessed therein. A portion of the drape is pushed down into, and conforms to, the basin to form a drape container or receptacle within the basin for collecting a sterile medium. The conductive segments provide a signal indicating the presence of liquid and/or leaks within the drape container to the system to facilitate control of system operation. In addition, a drape utilized for a plural basin thermal treatment system may form a drape receptacle within each basin. Each drape receptacle includes conductive and insulating drape segments to detect the presence of liquid and/or a leak within that drape receptacle. The conductive segments of the drape receptacles provide signals to the system to facilitate control of system operation.

Abstract: A surgical drape according to the present invention includes a disk member for removable attachment to a thermal treatment system dislodgment mechanism. The mechanism manipulates the drape to dislodge congealed sterile liquid adhered to the sides of a container formed by the drape within a thermal treatment system basin. The disk member includes a base and a cover, where the cover is disposed on the top portion or sterile surface of the drape. The drape sterile surface may further include other disk member components (e.g., base, etc.). In addition, the drape may further include one or more sensors to detect conditions within the drape container.

Abstract: A drape according to the present invention includes a sensing device and is disposed over a thermal treatment system having a basin recessed therein. A drape portion is pushed down into, and conforms to, the basin to form a drape receptacle within the basin for collecting a sterile medium. The sensing device includes electrodes that are typically disposed through the drape and sealed via patches on the non-sterile drape surface. The electrodes provide signals indicating the presence of liquid and/or leaks within the drape container to the system to facilitate control of system operation. In addition, a drape utilized for a plural basin thermal treatment system may form a drape receptacle within each basin. Each drape receptacle includes a sensing device to detect the presence of liquid and/or a leak within that drape receptacle and provide signals to the system to facilitate control of system operation.

Abstract: A disposable medical item for use with medical equipment includes circuitry forming an electrical path between the item and medical equipment. The circuitry is coupled to a medical equipment controller or independent microprocessor and includes a fuse. The controller transmits a status signal over the path in response to the equipment receiving the item. A disabled fuse prevents traversal of the path by the status signal, thereby indicating prior item use. If the controller does not detect the status signal, medical equipment operation is disabled. Otherwise, the controller transmits over the path a signal sufficient to disable the fuse to indicate item use and verifies the disabled fuse status. If the disabled fuse status is verified, the controller enables equipment operation. The controller periodically checks the fuse status during equipment operation and disables operation in response to a prior used item inserted into the medical equipment.

Abstract: A thermal treatment system for thermally treating a sterile medium is controlled via a foot actuated switch to thermally treat the sterile medium to a desired temperature and/or form (e.g., slush). The thermal treatment system includes a basin recessed in a system top surface, while a surgical sterile drape is placed over the system and within the basin to form a drape container for containing the sterile medium. The basin may be configured to cool the sterile medium and form sterile surgical slush, or heat the sterile medium to provide warm sterile liquid. A dislodgment mechanism may be employed within a cooling basin to manipulate the drape and dislodge frozen pieces of sterile medium adhered to the drape. Information pertaining to the sterile medium and system operation may be displayed on a system display that has dimensions sufficient to provide visibility of the information to users located within extended ranges from the system.

Abstract: A drape including a sensing device is disposed over a thermal treatment system having a basin recessed therein to form a drape container or receptacle within the basin for collecting a sterile medium. The thermal treatment system may either heat or congeal the sterile medium. The sensing device is typically disposed through the drape to provide a signal indicating the presence of liquid and/or leaks within the drape container to the system to facilitate control of system operation. In addition, the sensing device may be affixed to a plural basin drape utilized for a multiple basin thermal treatment system. The drape forms a drape receptacle within each basin, while a sensing device is typically disposed within each drape receptacle to detect the presence of liquid and/or a leak within that drape receptacle to facilitate control of system operation in substantially the same manner described above.

Abstract: A thermal treatment system for thermally treating a sterile medium is controlled via a controller selectively manipulable by a user during system operation. The system facilitates entry of a desired temperature range for thermally treating the sterile medium and includes an alarm to notify the user of a status of the measured temperature relative to the desired temperature range.

Abstract: A drape including a sensing device is disposed over a thermal treatment system having a basin recessed therein to form a drape container or receptacle within the basin for collecting a sterile medium. The thermal treatment system may either heat or congeal the sterile medium. The sensing device is typically disposed through the drape to provide a signal indicating the presence of liquid and/or leaks within the drape container to the system to facilitate control of system operation. In addition, the sensing device may be affixed to a plural basin drape utilized for a multiple basin thermal treatment system. The drape forms a drape receptacle within each basin, while a sensing device is typically disposed within each drape receptacle to detect the presence of liquid and/or a leak within that drape receptacle to facilitate control of system operation in substantially the same manner described above.

Abstract: A thermal treatment system for thermally treating a sterile medium is controlled via a foot actuated switch to thermally treat the sterile medium to a desired temperature and/or form (e.g., slush). The thermal treatment system includes a basin recessed in a system top surface, while a surgical sterile drape is placed over the system and within the basin to form a drape container for containing the sterile medium. The basin may be configured to cool the sterile medium and form sterile surgical slush, or heat the sterile medium to provide warm sterile liquid. A dislodgment mechanism may be employed within a cooling basin to manipulate the drape and dislodge frozen pieces of sterile medium adhered to the drape. Information pertaining to the sterile medium and system operation may be displayed on a system display that has dimensions sufficient to provide visibility of the information to users located within extended ranges from time system.

Abstract: A thermal treatment system warming basin for warming a sterile liquid or medium includes a heating pad disposed on the exterior surface of the basin floor in various configurations (e.g., spiral, ‘I’, ‘X’ or serpentine configurations, multiple heating pad segments disposed about the basin floor, etc.) to prevent damage to a sterile surgical drape placed over the system when objects are placed within the basin. The configurations cover a portion of the basin floor to permit the basin to absorb thermal energy that may otherwise be absorbed by and cause damage to the drape. In addition, a thermal treatment system and corresponding sterile surgical drape may include a variety of mechanisms to ensure sterility of a sterile liquid within a basin. In particular, the drape may include a reflective material segment to reflect infrared light emitted from an infrared light source toward a detector to indicate the proper positioning and/or presence of the drape on the thermal treatment system.

Abstract: A thermal treatment system warming basin for warming a sterile liquid or medium includes a heating pad disposed on the exterior surface of the basin floor in various configurations (e.g., spiral, `I`, `X` or serpentine configurations, multiple heating pad segments disposed about the basin floor, etc.) to prevent damage to a sterile surgical drape placed over the system when objects are placed within the basin. The configurations cover a portion of the basin floor to permit the basin to absorb thermal energy that may otherwise be absorbed by and cause damage to the drape. In addition, a thermal treatment system and corresponding sterile surgical drape may include a variety of mechanisms to ensure sterility of a sterile liquid within a basin. In particular, the drape may include a reflective material segment to reflect infrared light emitted from an infrared light source toward a detector to indicate the proper positioning and/or presence of the drape on the thermal treatment system.

Abstract: A stand is disposed in a heated thermal treatment system basin to support objects placed in the basin above the heated basin floor. The stand may be circular, rectangular or other shape to accommodate various shaped basins and prevent a surgical drape disposed in the basin and containing a heated sterile medium from puncturing. A substantially circular stand includes a substantially circular frame elevating a platform having a plurality of spokes reinforced by a plurality of concentric rings, while a substantially rectangular stand includes a substantially rectangular frame elevating a platform having a plurality of intersecting perpendicular rods to form a grid.

Abstract: A surgical drape for use in a thermal treatment system having an automatic dislodgement mechanism for dislodging congealed liquid is accomplished by a drape having either a coefficient of friction approximately in the range of 0.4-1.0 as measured against steel per ASTM 1983 a metalocine-based olefin film having a flexibility approximately in the range of 10K-12K psi secant modulus measured by ASTM D882, a securing mechanism, or a preformed container portion having ribs or ridges to prevent the drape from being drawn beneath the automatic dislodgement mechanism. The securing mechanisms may be attached to the drape either at the ends of a drape portion hanging down from a top surface of the system, or at a location coincident the top surface of the machine. Further, the securing mechanisms may be separate units disposed on the drape subsequent to disposal of the drape in the basin.

Abstract: A surgical drape for use in a thermal treatment system congealing a sterile medium within a basin and automatically dislodging the congealed sterile medium adhered to the drape adjacent basin walls is accomplished by a drape having a drape portion covering the system housing with part of the drape portion disposed in the basin. The drape may further include a pre-formed container portion fitted to match the contour of, and being disposed within, the basin. The container portion may accommodate various shaped basins and include individual fluted sections, drape deformities, or an inflatable bladder surrounded by the fluted sections for facilitating dislodgement of the congealed medium. Further, the drape or pre-formed container portion may include a substantially annular bladder, or a bladder having a plurality of individually inflatable sections for manipulation of the drape relative to the basin to dislodge the congealed sterile medium.

Abstract: A surgical drape for use in a thermal treatment system congealing a sterile medium within a basin and automatically dislodging the congealed sterile medium adhered to the drape adjacent basin walls is accomplished by a drape having a drape portion covering the system housing with part of the drape portion disposed in the basin. The drape may further include a pre-formed container portion fitted to match the contour of, and being disposed within, the basin. The container portion may accommodate various shaped basins and include individual fluted sections, drape deformities, or an inflatable bladder surrounded by the fluted sections for facilitating dislodgement of the congealed medium. Further, the drape or preformed container portion may include a substantially annular bladder, or a bladder having a plurality of individually inflatable sections for manipulation of the drape relative to the basin to dislodge the congealed sterile medium.

Abstract: The presence of a drape on a thermal treatment system for ensuring sterility of a sterile medium contained within a thermal treatment system basin is determined by the use of a drape identifier and corresponding detector. When a drape containing the identifier is placed on the corresponding thermal treatment system, a detector senses and verifies the drape identifier to determine the presence of the drape on the thermal treatment system. A controller receives a signal from the detector indicating whether or not a drape is present on the thermal treatment system. If a drape is not present on the thermal treatment system, the controller prevents thermal treatment system operation.