Abstract: An absorbent barrier sheet (10) includes an integral fabric web (12) and a vinyl barrier material (14) intimately connected to and across the integral fabric web (12). The web (12) includes an upper portion (16) and a lower portion (18), with the upper portion including a plurality of hydrophobic first yams (20) and the lower portion including a plurality of fluid-retaining second yams (22). In addition, the web (12) has a middle portion (24) which includes a set of ground yarns (26) and parts of the hydrophobic and fluid-retaining yarns (20),(22), with the ground yarns (26) integrating the hydrophobic and fluid-retaining yarns (20), (22) of the upper and lower portions (16), (18), thereby forming the integral fabric web (12). The vinyl barrier material (14) is intimately connected to and across the fluid-retaining lower portion (18) of the integral fabric web (12).

Abstract: Two plies (12, 14) woven from synthetic yarns (18) are joined together to define a single, two-ply surgical wrapper (10) which may be used to wrap a surgical pack (50) with only the single wrapper (10) to provide the effect of a sequential wrap.

Abstract: A stitch bonded fabric sheet (10) has a felt web (12) with hydrophobic layer (14) and a hydrophilic layer (16) stitch bonded with yarns (18) to create yarn faces (24 and 26) over the respective outer surfaces (20 and 22) of the felt web (12). Sheet (10) may be used as a fluid-retention fabric such as to replace the facing fabric and felt layer in an incontinent pad.

Abstract: An improved surgical gown is provided which has, at its central operative field and the operative zones of the sleeves, a liquid repellent, moisture vapor transmitting material, an inner layer of a breathable material, and an intermediate layer of a liquid proof material interposed therebetween.

Abstract: A facing fabric (10) for a reusable incontinent product (40) having a pair of multi-filament ground yarn sets (14, 16) interknitted together with a warp knit third set of yarns (18) which define loops (22) on one face of the fabric (10) in a warp knit three bar construction. The loop-facing yarns (18) are unnapped, multi-filament polyester with a denier of about 150 to 300 denier in a range of about 1 to 5 denier per filament, and advantageously about 48 filaments when the denier is about 150 and about 132 filaments when the denier is about 300. A barrier layer (46) may be added to the fabric (10) to create the reusable incontinent product (40).

Abstract: A reusable fabric surgical drape such as a cardiovascular drape, for example, having a fenestration to be positioned at a surgical site and one or more slits formed in the drape. Each slit has overlapping edges which are releasably attachable together. The surgical drape may have one such slit extending from the fenestration to an edge of the drape, which, when opened, enables removal of the drape from the patient about any surgical equipment attached to the patient through the fenestration. One or more additional such slits may be formed in the drape and so positioned and shaped as to provide, when opened, reclosable surgical site fenestrations.

Abstract: A woven fabric sheeting combines the comfort features of cotton fabrics with the durability advantages of polyester fabrics. The sheeting construction is characterized by the use of cotton warp yarns and continuous filament, texturized, polyester filling yarns.

Abstract: A reusable surgical drape having a fenestration to be positioned at the surgical site and a trough for collecting liquids which flow from the surgical site. The trough comprises a substantially rectangular panel of liquid repellant fabric having rounded corners and having an opening formed therein corresponding to the drape fenestration. The trough-forming panel is sewn to the drape about the peripheries of their corresponding opening and fenestration. In one embodiment all four sides of the trough-forming panel are folded inwardly toward the fenestration to form liquid receiving and retaining trough segments about the drape fenestration. At each of the corners, where adjacent trough segments meet, the outer peripheral edge of the trough-forming panel is gathered, resulting in a continuous rectangular trough about the fenestration, having substantially rectilinear side segments and rounded corner segments free of seams, stitches, folds or multiple layers.

Abstract: Three reuasable surgical/medical fabrics provide improved barrier properties, as reflected by their Suter ratings, and also posses a "hand" similar to a "cotton hand". The Suter ratings are degraded in the order of 10%-20% after 100 sterile reprocessing cycles. The fabrics are reliable free of "voids", permitting their use as a single layer barrier panel. The fabrics are woven, respectively, with false twist 100/100 warp yarns and air texturized core and effect 2/60/100 fill yarns; flat trilobal 100/50 warp yarns and air texturized core and effect 2/60/100 fill yarns; and false twist 2/50/34 warp yarns and false twist 150/200 fill yarns. The fabrics are characterized by a minimum porosity of at least 10.times.10.sup.6 pores/square centimeter and maximum average. and mean pore sizes. The fabrics have a thickness of at least 0.005 inch, a weight of at least 3.5 ounces per square yard and a filament density of at least 2.0.times.10.sup.6 filaments per square inch.

Abstract: A surgical drape has a series of retractor tunnels on opposite lateral sides of a fenestration for accommodating a vertically extending rail clamp of a table mounted retractor system. The retractor tunnels are defined by first and second portions of the sides. The first and second sides are secured to each other at longitudinally spaced intervals. The drape has flaps that are selectively movable to a position covering the retractor tunnels whenever they are not in use.

Abstract: A knit terry fabric having hydrophobic/hydrophilic characteristics provides hygienic panels for washable, reusable, incontinent pads and diapers. In one embodiment, a non-woven fabric, stiffener sheet is employed in an incontinent pad to resist its being folded in use. The diaper embodiment employs a Y-shaped configuration and is provided with preventing Velcro fasteners from being fouled during washing.

Abstract: Reusable, launderable, sterilizable medical barrier fabric tightly woven from 100% polyester fiber constructed of polyester yarn of from 50 to 150 denier, the sum of the ends and picks of at least 100 per linear inch, is treated with a flame-resistant, water repellent, antimicrobial finish. Medical garments, wraps and like sterilizable articles constructed of this fabric retain their desirable properties after repeated institutional launderings and/or steam sterilizations.

Abstract: Reusable, launderable, sterilizable medical barrier fabric or instrument wrap tightly woven from 100% polyester fiber constructed of polyester yarn of from 50 to 150 denier, the sum of the ends and picks of at least 100 per linear inch, is treated with a flame-resistant, water repellent, antimicrobial finish. Medical wraps, garments and like sterilizable articles constructed of this fabric retain their desirable properties after repeated institutional launderings and/or steam sterilizations.

Abstract: Reusable, launderable, sterilizable medical barrier fabric tightly woven from 100% polyester fiber constructed of polyester yarn of from 50 to 150 denier, the sum of the ends and picks of at least 100 per linear inch, is treated with a flame-resistant, water repellent, antimicrobial finish. Medical garments, wraps and like sterilizable articles constructed of this fabric retain their desirable properties after repeated institutional launderings and/or steam sterilizations.

Abstract: A bed for a hospital or the like, method of making same, and components therefor are provided wherein such bed comprises a mattress assembly, a bottom sheet covering the mattress assembly, a waterproof layer covering the central portion of the bottom sheet, and a cover over such layer wherein the layer has tails extending from its opposite ends and cover comprises a water-absorbent pad which also has tails extending from its opposite ends; and the tails are adapted to be disposed under the mattress assembly to hold the layer and pad securely on the bottom sheet with the layer and pad being readily removable from the bed for laundering thereof by pulling the tails from under the mattress assembly.

Abstract: A launderable cloth product having an antitheft device attached thereto, antitheft device for such product, and method of making each are provided in which the device is capable of interrupting magnetic a sensing field upon passing the product with its attached device through the field wherein the device comprises an inner member made of a magnetically detectable material and a dual-purpose cover member serving to encapsulate the inner member while serving to attach the device to a particular part of the product by fusion and the fusion requires substantial damage to the part in order to remove the device from the product.

Abstract: A launderable cloth-like product for surgical use and method of making same are provided wherein such product has a plurality of layers comprising at least a portion thereof with the plurality of layers comprising a bottom layer and a top layer each made of woven material and the layers are suitably fastened together. The top layer is made with warps and wefts in a plain weave with each of the warps and wefts being made of a blend of natural material and synthetic material and a coating on the top layer defines the outside surface thereof. The coating has hydrophobic properties such that the top layer when new and with the coating thereon is substantially impermeable to water flow therethrough prior to laundering thereof and when subjecting the outside surface to a hydrostatic water pressure generally of the order of 50 pounds per square inch gauge.