Method and apparatus for storing guide wires

Abstract

A guide wire holding apparatus includes a tray, one or more raised corrugated areas, a fluid source, a syringe, a valve, a drainage system, and one or more coupling devices. Each of the one or more raised corrugated areas is located on the inner surface of the tray and includes one or more slots. A reservoir is formed by the inner surface of the tray and the tray end caps. A flow of fluid provided by the fluid source or the syringe and controlled by the valve partially fills the reservoir. The height of the fluid in the reservoir is partially controlled by the location of the cap hole. Preferably, the cap hole is located at a height that causes the guide wire, which is shown resting in a slot formed in the one or more raised corrugated areas, to be slightly submerged when fluid is flowing from the fluid source or syringe to the drainage system.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method of preparing a tray for temporarily storing a guide wire, the method comprising: 
 securing the tray having a first end and a second end to a surgical drape such that the tray slopes downward from the first end to the second end;    attaching a fluid source to the first end of the tray;    attaching a reservoir capable of storing liquid to the second end of the tray; and    causing the fluid source to flow in the tray.    
     
     
         2 . A method for temporarily storing and retrieving a guide wire, the method comprising: 
 placing the guide wire in a slot formed in a corrugated bar, the corrugated bar being located in a tray containing a guide wire storing solution; and    removing the guide wire from the tray having an inner surface by grasping a section of the guide wire separated from the inner surface by the guide wire storing solution.    
     
     
         3 . A method of using a tray in performing an angiography on a patient, the method comprising: 
 mounting the tray on a drape in the surgical field of a patient;    inserting a catheter and a guide wire into a patient; and    removing the guide wire and placing the guide wire in the tray without turning away from the patient.