SURGICAL SKIN PREPARATION DEVICEThis relates to an easily assembled surgical skin preparation device.
The traditional means of preparing the skin before surgery is to use a folded sterile gauze grasped between the tongs of a sponge holding forcep. This gauze is then dipped in a chosen antiseptic solution placed in a gallipot on the nurse's trolley and transferred to the operation site.
The process described above, involves a lot of wastage of antiseptic solution because the gauze drips on the floor as it is transferred to the operation site.
Secondly, because the gauze is grasped between the two tongs of the sponge holding forceps, there is suboptimal surface contact between the gauze and the skin.
Sometimes the gauze is dipped in the antiseptic solution twice before a good cleansing effect is achieved.
Occasionally, the solution contained in the gallipot has to be tipped onto the operation site. There is no control on the part of the surgeon on the wetness of the gauze since it is wet at the onset and dries up as cleaning continues. This makes the whole procedure cumbersome at times.
According to the present invention, there is provided an easily assembled skin preparation device. This consist of: 1. A firm but compressible plastic container with a threadedneck to allow attachment to the second component (thetubular body).
2. The tubular body consists of an outer supporting tubeand an inner tube with a lumen to allow flow ofantiseptic solution. The proximal end of this componenthas a threaded receptacle (developed from the outersupporting tube) for component 1 to screw on to (Fig.2).
It also has some modifications to allow unidirectionalflow of air to distend the plastic container everytime itacompressed (Fig.2).
The inner tubular lumen of this component prot#des further distally, and is threaded to allow attachmentto the third component (Fig.3). This component ismade of hard plastic to give a supporting effect tothe whole device. It must also be autoclaveable.
3. The block: This is made of a firm, durable and autoclaveable plastic. It is shaped as a rectangular (Fig.4b)or a cylindrical block (Fig.4c). On its upper endis a small threaded nozzle that receives the inner tubeof the second component (Fig.3). This fairly widenozzle has some modifications just at the lowest partof the thread to prevent backflow (Fig.3). The blockhas small circular perforations on all its surfacesexcept the base, through which antiseptic solutionflows to soak the cotton gauze that is wrapped roundthe block (Fig.1).
The interior of the block has flow channels to allow uniform flow of the solution into the perforations (Fig.4).
To use this device, the gauze is wrapped round the block loosely, and is held in place by a device incorporated in the block.
The plastic container pre-filled with antiseptic solution is then screwed into the upper end of the tubular body.
The distal end of the tubular body is also attached to the block, and the device is ready for use. By gently squeezing the plastic container, antiseptic solution is discharged into the inner tube of the tubular body, and flows into the block. The fluid now leaks through the perforations in the block to soak the attached gauze.
The whole device is made of tough plastic that would withstand the temperature of the autoclave. It is meant for repeated use, and be attached to specially made pre-filled compressible containers.