Abstract
An imaging system drape includes leaves for easier deployment. A gantry first outer side wall covering portion includes a top leaf and one or more adjacent leaves on opposite sides of the top leaf. There is a stay for each leaf, a gantry inner wall covering portion extending from the gantry first outer side wall covering portion, and one or more drape portions attached to the gantry inner wall covering portion and securable to a gantry second outer side wall.
Claims
1. An imaging system drape comprising: a gantry first outer side wall covering portion including a top leaf and one or more adjacent leaves on opposite sides of the top leaf; a stay for each leaf; a gantry inner wall covering portion extending from the gantry first outer side wall covering portion; and one or more drape portions attached to the gantry inner wall covering portion and securable to a gantry second outer side wall.
2. The drape of claim 1 in which the stays are interconnected.
3. The drape of claim 2 in which the stays are hinged to each other.
4. The drape of claim 2 in which the stays telescope relative to each other.
5. The drape of claim 1 further including a member securing the top leaf to an adjacent leaf.
6. The drape of claim 5 in which said member includes a strap.
7. The drape of claim 1 in which each stay is bonded to its respective leaf.
8. The drape of claim 1 in which the first outer side wall covering portion, the gantry inner wall covering portion, and the one or more drape portions are made of plastic.
9. The drape of claim 1 in which the one or more drape portions form a gantry second outer side wall covering portion.
10. The drape of claim 9 further including a stay member associated with the gantry second outer side wall covering portion.
11. The drape of claim 9 further including a first fastener associated with the gantry second outer side wall covering portion mateable with a second fastener on the gantry second outer side wall covering portion.
12. The drape of claim 9 further including one or more hand sleeves associated with the gantry second outer side wall covering portion.
13. The drape of claim 1 further including one or more hand sleeves associated with one or more said leaves of the gantry first outer side wall covering portion.
14. The drape of claim 1 further including a first fastener associated with one or more leaves mateable with a second fastener on the gantry first outer side wall.
15. The drape of claim 1 in which the one or more drape portions each include retainers securing the drape to the gantry second outer side wall.
16. The drape of claim 1 further including a patient envelope portion.
17. The drape of claim 16 in which the patient envelope portion extends from the gantry inner wall covering portion outwardly through the gantry.
18. The drape of claim 16 in which the patient envelope portion includes a patient fenestration.
19. The drape of claim 18 in which the fenestration is located at a terminal portion of the patient envelope portion.
20. The drape of claim 17 in which the patient envelope portion includes a stiffener forming a patient viewing window.
21. A method of securing a drape to an imaging system gantry, the method comprising: securing a gantry first outer side wall covering portion top leaf to a top portion of the gantry first outer side wall; deploying an adjacent leaf to cover a gantry first outer side wall lower portion on one side of the top portion; and deploying another adjacent leaf to cover a gantry first outer side wall lower portion on an opposite side of the top portion.
22. The method of claim 21 further including deploying additional leaves to cover additional lower portions of the gantry first outer side wall.
23. The method of claim 21 further including: deploying a gantry inner wall covering portion which extends from the gantry first outer side wall covering portion; and attaching one or more drape portions attached to the gantry inner wall covering portion and to a gantry second outer side wall.
24. The method of claim 23 in which there is a stay for two or more leaves.
25. The method of claim 24 in which the stays are interconnected.
26. The method of claim 25 in which the stays are hinged to each other.
27. The method of claim 25 in which the stays telescope relative to each other.
28. The method of claim 23 further including deploying a patient envelope portion.
29. The method of claim 28 in which the patient envelope portion extends from the gantry inner wall covering portion outwardly through the gantry.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
[0034] Other objects, features and advantages will occur to those skilled in the art from the following description of a preferred embodiment and the accompanying drawings, in which:
[0035] FIGS. 1-2 depict an example of an imaging drape;
[0036] FIGS. 3A-3B show how adjacent stays may be hingedly interconnected;
[0037] FIGS. 4A-4B show how the stays may telescope relative to each other;
[0038] FIGS. 5A-5B show releasably interconnected locked stays;
[0039] FIGS. 6A-6B show a strap interconnected between and locking adjacent leaves;
[0040] FIGS. 7A-7E show the deployment sequence for a drape with hinged stays;
[0041] FIGS. 8A-8E show the deployment sequence for a drape with telescoping stay;
[0042] FIGS. 9A-9J again show the deployment sequence for a complete drape;
[0043] FIGS. 10-11 show an example of a drape with a patient envelope portion:
[0044] FIGS. 12A-12B show another example of a drape configured for a gantry arm with one section which rotates relative to another section;
[0045] FIGS. 13-14 show a drape with a gantry side wall covering portion formed from adjacent leaves; and
[0046] FIGS. 15-16 show an example of a drape with a patient envelope portion.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0047] Aside from the preferred embodiment or embodiments disclosed below, this invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or being carried out in various ways. Thus, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangements of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. If only one embodiment is described herein, the claims hereof are not to be limited to that embodiment. Moreover, the claims hereof are not to be read restrictively unless there is clear and convincing evidence manifesting a certain exclusion, restriction, or disclaimer.
[0048] FIGS. 1-2 show an example of an imaging system C-shaped drape 10. Gantry first outer side wall covering portion 11 includes top leaf 12a, adjacent side leaves 12b and 12c on opposite sides of the top leaf 12a, and additional side leaves 12d and 12e adjacent to side leaves 12b and 12c, respectively. There may be a stay 14a-14e for each leaf. The stays may be bonded to the respective leaves. Gantry inner wall covering portion 16 extends from gantry first outer side wall covering portion 11 and one or more drape portions 18 attached to inner wall covering portion 16 are securable to the gantry second outer side wall forming, in this particular example, a gantry second outer side wall covering portion. Straps 20a and 20b secure leaf 12a to leaves 12c and 12b, respectively, typically via Velcro. Leaves 12a, 12b, and 12c each include hand sleeves 22a, 22b, and 22c, respectively. Leaves 12a, 12b, and 12c may further include Velcro patches 24c, 24b, and 24c, respectively, which releasably mate with Velcro portions on the gantry first outer side wall. Similarly, portion 18 may include Velcro patches 26a, 26b, and 26c which releasably mate with Velcro patches on the gantry second outer side wall portion. Portion 18 may also include sleeves, such as sleeves 23a-23c.
[0049] The stays 14 may be interconnected. As shown in FIGS. 3A-38, the distal end of stay 14c may be hingedly attached to the proximal end of stay 14d via hinge member 30. Or, the stays may telescope relative to each other as shown in FIGS. 4A-4B where stay 14d slides within stay 14b which itself slides within stay 14a. In one design, when fully extended, a spring male lock post 32 in the proximal end of stay 14b will releasably lock with respect to female lock hole 34 in the distal end of stay 14b. The stays could also be disconnected and the drape material between two stays acts as a “hinge”.
[0050] FIGS. 6A-6B depict how the strap 20b attached to leaf 12a locks leaf 12a to leaf 12c when the leaves are deployed. Strap 20b includes Velcro patch 40a releasably mateable with Velcro patch 40b on segment 12c.
[0051] FIGS. 7A-7E depict how a drape with hinged stays is deployed onto an imaging system gantry 50. The top leaf 12a is secured to gantry outer side wall 52. FIG. 7A, leaves 14b and 14c are then deployed. FIGS. 7B-7C, and then leaves 14d and 14e are deployed, FIGS. 7D-7E. Preferably, the folded drape is secured via Velcro to Velcro patches on the imaging device, the individual leaves are temporarily fixed to each other with Velcro so they will not unfold on their own. In one design, after the 12: o'clock leaf is secured to the gantry the 2 o'clock leaf is rotated and aligns and becomes coplanar with the central/top leaf 12 o'clock leaf and these two leaves are releasably affixed to each other. Next the 10 o'clock leaf is rotated and aligns with and becomes coplanar with the central/top leaf (12 o'clock) and the 10 o'clock leaf and the 12 o'clock leaf are fixed to each other when the 10 o'clock leaf is affixed to the gantry. Next, the lower two leaves are rotated downward. These leaves can be allowed to fall gently via gravity to avoid causing turbulence.
[0052] FIG. 7E also shows an optional drape 13 for the lower portion of the CT bore. Its primary purpose is to protect the CT equipment and to reduce clean up time. This bore skirt could be preformed in the shape of the lower CT bore, could include leaves, stays, and the like. Multiple such bore skirts could be used. One example of its use is to prevent blood or other bodily patient fluids from contaminating the CT equipment.
[0053] FIGS. 8A-8E depict how a drape with telescoping stays is deployed onto an imaging system gantry. Top leaf 12a is secured to the gantry outer side wall 52. FIG. 8A, leaf 12b is deployed, FIG. 8B, leaf 12d is deployed, FIG. 8C, leaf 12c is deployed, FIG. 8D, and then leaf 12e is deployed. In one design, the unfolded drape is first secured to respective mounting points on the imaging device. The individual leaves are temporarily affixed to each other with Velcro so they will not unfold on their own. Then, the lower most segment on the right-hand side is rotated and telescoped away from the center segment until it reaches it limit of travel. Once this limit is reached, an inner lock will automatically engage that will affix the position of this segment relative to the closest adjoining segment to prevent the first segment from independently rotating back toward the center segment. Then the second upper right segment is rotated on the right is rotated away from the center segment until it reaches its limit of travel. Once this limit is reached, an inner lock will automatically engage that will affix this segment's position relative to the closest adjoining segment (the center segment) and prevent the second segment from independently rotating back towards the center segment. This segment is then secured to the machine by aligning and affixing a Velcro mounting point on the drape to the corresponding mounting point of the scanner. Then, the first (lowest most) segment on the left side is rotated and telescoped away from the center segment until it reaches it limit of travel. Once its limit is reached, an inner lock would automatically engage that will affix this segment's position relative to the closest adjoining segment and prevent this first segment from independently rotating back towards the center segment. Finally, this second (upper right) segment on the left is rotated/telescoped away from the center segment until it reaches its limit of travel. Again, once this limit is reached, the inner lock will automatically engage and affix this segment relative to the center segment.
[0054] FIGS. 9A-9J show how the complete drape is deployed with the assistance of a stay 60 associated with gantry second outer side wall 62 covering portion 18. Leaf 12a is secured to gantry outer side wall 52. FIG. 9A and the remainder of the drape is unfolded, FIGS. 9B-9C. FIG. 9A shows attaching the folded drape to Velcro mounting points on the imaging system; FIG. 9B show unfolding the drape by rotating material downward towards the center of the imaging bore; FIG. 9C shows unfolding the drape; FIG. 9D shows rotating the 2 o'clock segment outward away from folded bundle so that it lies flat and becomes locked to its neighbor the 12 o'clock segment; FIG. 9E shows using the integrated sterile hand hold, securing the 2 o'clock segments upper mounting point to the imaging system; FIG. 9F shows unfolding and rotating the 4 o'clock segment downward and away from it neighbor the 2 o'clock segment; FIG. 9G shows that it is important to not reach below the sterile field (your waist) on this step, so it is okay to let the 4 o'clock segment fall with gravity. In FIG. 9H steps 3 and 4 are repeated on the left side of the drape. First rotate the 10 o'clock segment away from the center so it is aligned (coplanar) and becomes locked to the 12 o'clock segment. Then allow the 4 o'clock segment to drop. FIG. 9H shows using the spreader to keep errant material from accidentally making contact, reach through the imaging system's bore and attach the upper most and central segment (the back side 12 o'clock position) to the corresponding mounting point on the machine. FIG. 9J shows reaching through the bore attach the back side's 10 o'clock segment to its corresponding mounting point on the machine. FIG. 9K shows reaching through the bore attach the back side's 2 o'clock segment to its corresponding mounting point on the machine. FIG. 9L shows how a non-sterile staff member can now pull the drape taunt and secure the remaining four lower mounting points by using the non-sterile helper card. One the card has been used it can be torn away and discarded.
[0055] FIGS. 10-11 depict an example of a drape with patient envelope portion 70 extending from gantry inner wall covering portion 16 outwardly through the gantry. Envelope portion 70 may include patient fenestration 72 at a terminal portion of the envelope. Stiffener 74 may be used to define patient window 76. Here, portions 18a′, 18b′, and 18c′ are attached to inner gantry wall covering portion 16 and are secured to gantry second outer side wall 62 via Velcro patches 21a-21c on sleeves 23a′, 23b′, and 23c′, respectively.
[0056] FIGS. 12A-12B depict another drape configured for a gantry arm with section 80a which rotates relative to section 80b. Leaf portions 12a′ and 12c′ of gantry side wall 52 covering portion 11 are affixed to gantry section 80b, and leaf portion 12b′ is affixed to and moves with gantry section 80a, and stay 14b′ telescopes relative to stay 14a. See also FIGS. 13-14 which shows how gantry side wall 62 covering portion 18 also includes leaves 90a and 90b affixed to gantry section 80b and leaf 90c affixed to and rotating with gantry section 80a. And, gantry side wall 62 covering portion 18 includes stays 92a-92c for each leaf 90a-90c with stay 92c telescoping relative to stay 92a. FIGS. 15-16 show the addition of patient envelope portion 70.
[0057] By draping the gantry equipment rather than the patient, the equipment need only be draped once per case whereas the technique of draping the patient has to be redone for each scan and potentially result in accidental contamination. The drape disclosed herein is quick and easy to deploy and thus saves time and money. The subject drape may encourage more interoperative scans. It also allows for an unbroken line of sight to navigation arrays. The subject drape also allows for real time robotic access during fluoroscopy.
[0058] Although specific features of the invention are shown in some drawings and not in others, however, this is for convenience only as each feature may be combined with any or all of the other features in accordance with the invention. The words “including”, “comprising”, “having”, and “with” as used herein are to be interpreted broadly and comprehensively and are not limited to any physical interconnection. Moreover, any embodiments disclosed in the subject application are not to be taken as the only possible embodiments.
[0059] In addition, any amendment presented during the prosecution of the patent application for this patent is not a disclaimer of any claim element presented in the application as filed: those skilled in the art cannot reasonably be expected to draft a claim that would literally encompass all possible equivalents, many equivalents will be unforeseeable at the time of the amendment and are beyond a fair interpretation of what is to be surrendered (if anything), the rationale underlying the amendment may bear no more than a tangential relation to many equivalents, and/or there are many other reasons the applicant cannot be expected to describe certain insubstantial substitutes for any claim element amended.
[0060] Other embodiments will occur to those skilled in the art and are within the following claims.
