Surgical garment and operating room table cover

Abstract

A surgical garment and a method is provided. The surgical garment includes a body portion that extends over at least part of the back and at least part of the front of the patient. The body portion is fluid resistant and is made of a material that reduces heat transfer to the environment. The body portion has at least one opening section, and has a pair of arm openings for accommodating the arms of the user. An attachment mechanism is carried by the body portion. The attachment mechanism is configured to releaseably attach and detach the body portion such that the opening section is closed and opened. During detachment of the attachment mechanism, the body portion is configured to at least partially cover an operating table to protect the table from contaminants. The body portion may extend over the sides of the operating table. The method includes the step of covering the patient with a surgical garment that has at least one material therein that reduces heat transfer from the patient to the environment. The method also includes the steps of positioning the patient on the operating table and applying anesthesia to the patient. Further, the method includes the step of opening the surgical garment so that the surgical garment covers at least a portion of the operating table and prevents contamination of the operating table during a surgical procedure.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A surgical garment for a patient comprising: 
 a back section configured to be worn on at least the back of the patient, said back section being fluid resistant;    a first flap extending from an end of said back section and configured to be worn on at least the front side of the patient, said first flap and said back section defining a right arm opening;    a second flap extending from said back section on an end opposite from said first flap, said second flap configured to be worn on at least the front side of the patient, said second flap and said back section defining a left arm opening;    an attachment mechanism located on at least said first flap or said second flap, said attachment mechanism configured to releaseably attach and detach said first and second flaps, detachment of said attachment mechanism allowing for said first and second flaps to be removed from the front side of the patient; and    wherein during detachment said back section, said first flap, and said second flap are configured to at least partially cover an operating table to protect the table from contact with contaminants, said first and second flaps configured for extending over the sides of the operating table.    
     
     
         2 . The surgical garment of  claim 1 , wherein said back section, said first flap, and said second flap being at least partially made of a material that reduces heat transfer from the patient to the environment.  
     
     
         3 . The surgical garment of  claim 1 , wherein said back section, said first flap, and said second flap extend from the neck of the patient to the feet of the patient.  
     
     
         4 . The surgical garment of  claim 1 , wherein said attachment mechanism is selected from the group consisting of buttons, snaps, zippers, hook and loop type fasteners, tape, and adhesive.  
     
     
         5 . The surgical garment of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a first sleeve extending from said back section and said first flap at said right arm opening; and    a second sleeve extending from said back section and said second flap at said left arm opening.    
     
     
         6 . The surgical garment of  claim 1 , wherein said back section, said first flap, and said second flap have at least one layer that does not permit any strike through of contaminants to the operating table.  
     
     
         7 . The surgical garment of  claim 1 , wherein said back section, said first flap, and said second flap have at least one layer that is fluid absorbent.  
     
     
         8 . The surgical garment of  claim 1 , wherein said back section, said first flap, and said second flap have at least one layer that is not fluid absorbent.  
     
     
         9 . The surgical garment of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 said first flap has a first tab portion; and    said second flap has a second tab portion.    
     
     
         10 . A surgical garment for a patient comprising: 
 a body portion extending over at least part of the back and at least part of the front of the patient, said body portion having at least one opening section, said body portion having a pair of arm openings for accommodating the arms of the user, said body portion being fluid resistant and being made of a material that reduces heat transfer from the patient to the environment;    an attachment mechanism carried by said body portion, said attachment mechanism configured to releaseably attach and detach said body portion such that said opening section is closed and opened; and    wherein during detachment of said attachment mechanism, said body portion is configured to at least partially cover an operating table to protect the table from contaminants, said body portion being configured for extending over the sides of the operating table.    
     
     
         11 . The surgical garment of  claim 10 , wherein said body portion has one of said opening sections at the front of said body portion and has another of said opening sections at the back of said body portion.  
     
     
         12 . The surgical garment of  claim 10 , wherein said body portion extends from the neck of the patient to the feet of the patient.  
     
     
         13 . The surgical garment of  claim 10 , wherein said attachment mechanism is selected from the group consisting of buttons, ties, snaps, zippers, hook and loop type fasteners, tape, and adhesive.  
     
     
         14 . The surgical garment of  claim 10 , further comprising: 
 a first sleeve extending from said body portion at one of said arm openings; and    a second sleeve extending from said body portion at the other of said arm openings.    
     
     
         15 . The surgical garment of  claim 10 , wherein said body portion is made of a fluid impervious material that does not permit strike through of any contaminants to the operating table.  
     
     
         16 . The surgical garment of  claim 10 , wherein said body portion having a right tab portion and a left tab portion.  
     
     
         17 . A method of preventing heat loss from a patient and protecting an operating table from contaminants, comprising the steps of: 
 covering the patient with a surgical garment that is worn by the patient that has at least one material therein that reduces heat transfer from the patient to the environment, and has at least one material therein that is fluid resistant;    positioning the patient on the operating table;    applying anesthesia to the patient;    opening said surgical garment such that said surgical garment covers at least a portion of the operating table and prevents contamination of the operating table during a surgical procedure and such that said surgical garment extends over the sides of the operating table.    
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said surgical garment extends from the neck of the patient to the feet of the patient.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said surgical garment has an attachment mechanism that is used to selectively open and close an opening in the surgical garment to allow for said step of opening said surgical garment, said attachment mechanism is selected from the group consisting of buttons, snaps, zippers, ties, hook and loop type fasteners, tape, and adhesive.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said surgical garment has a pair of sleeves extending therefrom.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said surgical garment is made of a fluid impervious material that does not permit strike through of any contaminants to the operating table.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said surgical garment is made of a fluid absorbing material.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said surgical garment is made of a material that is not fluid absorbent.  
     
     
         24 . A surgical garment for use in preventing heat loss from a patient and for protecting an operating table from contamination, comprising: 
 a body portion extending over at least part of the back and at least part of the front of the patient, said body portion having at least one opening section extending from a first end to a second end of said body portion, said body portion having a pair of arm openings for accommodating the arms of the user, said first end being located at the neck of the patient and said second end being located at the feet of the patient when said body portion is placed on the patient, said body portion being at least partially made of a material that reduces heat transfer from the patient to the environment, said body portion being made of a fluid resistant material that does not permit strike through of contaminants;    an attachment mechanism carried by said body portion, said attachment mechanism configured to releaseably attach and detach said body portion such that said opening section is closed and opened; and    wherein during detachment of said attachment mechanism, said body portion is configured to at least partially cover the operating table to protect the table from contaminants.