Surgical kit for the preparation of tamponade gas

Abstract

A surgical kit to prepare a unit dose injection of a surgical gas. The surgical kit includes a gas pouch filled with a surgical gas, a syringe with a needle and a plunger. Optionally additional product components are included in the surgical kit depending on the surgical procedure for which the kit is prepared, such as for example a sterilizing filter, a stopcock and a suspended spike. Preferably the surgical kit may be used in ophthalmic surgical procedures to prepare a unit dose of tamponade gas to repair retinal tears.

We claim:  
     
         1 . A surgical kit for the preparation of a unit dose injection of a surgical gas comprising: 
 a syringe with a needle or cannula and a plunger;    a gas pouch equipped with a gas barrier plug and filled to approximately atmospheric pressure with a surgical gas;    and a non-permanently sealable packaging structure sized for containment of said syringe and said gas pouch therein.    
     
     
         2 . The surgical kit of  claim 1  including within said packaging structure a stopcock.  
     
     
         3 . The surgical kit of  claim 1  including within said packaging structure a sterilizing filter.  
     
     
         4 . The surgical kit of  claim 1  including within said packaging structure a suspended spike.  
     
     
         5 . The surgical kit of  claim 1  including within said packaging structure a stopcock, a sterilizing filter and a suspended spike.  
     
     
         6 . The surgical kit of  claim 1  wherein said gas pouch is filled to approximately atmospheric pressure with a surgical gas.  
     
     
         7 . The surgical kit of  claim 1  wherein said surgical gas is selected from the group consisting of sulfur hexafluoride, perfluoropropane, perfluoroethane, nitric oxide, and nitric oxide producing compounds.  
     
     
         8 . The surgical kit of  claim 1  wherein said surgical gas is sulfur hexafluoride, perfluoropropane or perfluoroethane for use as a tamponade in an ophthalmic surgical procedure.  
     
     
         9 . The surgical kit of  claim 1  wherein said surgical gas is sulfur hexafluoride, perfluoropropane or perfluoroethane for use as a tamponade in an ophthalmic surgical procedure to repair retinal tears.  
     
     
         10 . The surgical kit of  claim 1  wherein said gas pouch is manufactured from a laminar sheet formed from three materials of differing characteristics.  
     
     
         11 . The surgical kit of  claim 1  wherein said gas pouch is manufactured from a laminar sheet comprising a polyester layer, an aluminum layer and a polyethylene layer.  
     
     
         12 . A method of using the surgical kit of  claim 1  to prepare a unit dose of a surgical gas for a surgical procedure consisting of: 
 removing a cover from said packaging structure;  
 removing said syringe and gas pouch from within said packaging structure; and  
 filling said syringe with said surgical gas from said gas pouch by puncturing a valve on said gas pouch with said syringe needle or cannula and withdrawing said plunger from said syringe as necessary to fill said syringe with a unit dose of said surgical gas.  
 
     
     
         13 . A method of using a surgical kit to prepare a unit dose of a surgical gas for a surgical procedure consisting of: 
 removing a cover from a packaging structure;    removing a syringe with a plunger, a sterilizing filter, a stopcock and a suspended spike from within said packaging structure;    non-permanently attaching said sterilizing filter, stopcock and suspended spike respectively with said syringe;    removing a gas pouch from said packaging structure;    puncturing a valve on said gas pouch with said suspended spike;    withdrawing said plunger from said syringe as necessary to fill said syringe with a unit dose of said surgical gas;    disconnecting said syringe from said sterilizing filter; and    capping said syringe with a capped injection needle or cannula.    
     
     
         14 . A method of using a surgical kit to prepare a unit dose of a surgical gas for a surgical procedure consisting of: 
 removing a cover from a packaging structure;    removing a syringe with a plunger, a sterilizing filter, a stopcock and a suspended spike from within said packaging structure;    non-permanently attaching said sterilizing filter, stopcock and suspended spike respectively with said syringe;    removing a gas pouch from said packaging structure;    puncturing a valve on said gas pouch with said suspended spike;    withdrawing said plunger from said syringe as necessary to fill said syringe with a unit dose of said surgical gas;    disconnecting said syringe and said sterilizing filter from said stopcock;    withdrawing said plunger from said syringe as necessary to add sterile air to said surgical gas;    disconnecting said sterilizing filter from said syringe; and    capping said syringe with a capped injection needle or cannula.    
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 ,  13  or  14  wherein said gas pouch is filled to approximately atmospheric pressure with a surgical gas.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 ,  13  or  14  wherein said surgical gas is selected from the group consisting of sulfur hexafluoride, perfluoropropane, perfluoroethane, nitric oxide, and nitric oxide producing compounds.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12 ,  13  or  14  wherein said gas pouch is manufactured from a laminar sheet formed from three materials of differing characteristics.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 12 ,  13  or  14  wherein said gas pouch is manufactured from a laminar sheet of polyester, aluminum and polyethylene.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 12 ,  13  or  14  wherein said surgical gas is sulfur hexafluoride, perfluoropropane or perfluoroethane for use as a tamponade in an ophthalmic surgical procedure.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 12 ,  13  or  14  wherein said surgical gas is sulfur hexafluoride, perfluoropropane or perfluoroethane for use as a tamponade in an ophthalmic surgical procedure to repair retinal tears.