Outer garment

Abstract

Surgical garments and methods are disclosed for maintaining a sterile field between a garment wearer seated on a surgical chair and a patient positioned between the wearer's legs.

1 . A surgical garment for covering a wearer's torso, arms and legs to maintain a sterile field between the wearer and a patient, the surgical garment comprising:
 a torso portion comprising left and right side portions and a lower end portion, the torso portion being configured for wrapping around the torso of the wearer and the left and right side portions being securable to one another at the back of the wearer's torso;   a left leg panel and a right leg panel, each extending downwardly from the lower end portion of the torso portion and extending horizontally between respective inner and outer side portions, each leg panel being configured for wrapping around a respective leg of the wearer from a groin region of the wearer to an ankle region of the wearer and the inner and outer side portions of each leg panel being securable to one another at the back of the respective leg; and   a groin-covering panel configured to cover a groin region of the wearer, the groin-covering panel comprising opposing side edges extending from an upper front edge portion to an upper rear edge portion of the groin-covering panel, at least the side edges and the upper rear edge portion being separate from the torso portion and the leg panels, the upper rear edge being securable to the torso portion at the back of the wearer.   
     
     
         2 . The surgical garment of  claim 1 , wherein the leg panels are sized to wrap around the legs of the wearer such that the inner and outer side portions overlap one another. 
     
     
         3 . The surgical garment of  claim 1 , wherein the upper front edge portion of the groin-covering panel is also separate from the torso portion and the leg panels, the upper front edge portion being securable to the torso portion at the front of the wearer. 
     
     
         4 . The surgical garment of  claim 1 , wherein the upper front edge portion of the groin-covering panel is secured to and extends downwardly from the lower end portion of the torso portion. 
     
     
         5 . The surgical garment of  claim 1 , wherein the groin-covering panel is configured to overlap portions of the torso portion and portions of the leg panels. 
     
     
         6 . A method of maintaining a sterile field between one's body and a patient in an operating environment while in a seated position above and straddling the patient, the method comprising:
 positioning a surgical chair adjacent the patient, the surgical chair comprising a seat positioned above the patient and a front torso support extending upwardly from the seat;   placing a sterile surgical garment on one's body from the front of one's body, the surgical garment comprising:
 a torso portion comprising left and right side portions and a lower end portion, the torso portion being wrapped around one's torso and the left and right side portions being secured to one another; 
 a left leg panel and a right leg panel, each extending downwardly from the lower end portion of the torso portion and extending horizontally between respective inner and outer side portions, each leg panel being wrapped around a respective leg from one's groin region to one's ankle region and the inner and outer side portions of each leg panel being secured to one another along the respective leg; and 
 a groin-covering panel covering one's groin region, the groin-covering panel comprising opposing side edges extending from an upper front edge portion to an upper rear edge portion of the groin-covering panel, at least the side edges and the upper rear edge portion being separate from the torso portion and the leg panels, the upper rear edge being secured to the torso portion; and 
   sitting on the surgical chair such that the surgical garment forms a sterile field between the patient and one's body.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the leg panels are sized to wrap around one's legs such that the inner and outer side portions overlap one another. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the upper front edge portion of the groin-covering panel is also separate from the torso portion and the leg panels, and the upper front edge portion is secured to the torso portion. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the upper front edge portion of the groin-covering panel is secured to and extends downwardly from the lower end portion of the torso portion. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the groin-covering panel overlaps portions of the torso portion and portions of the leg panels. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the sterile field extends from one ankle, across the groin region, and to the other ankle. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the sterile field extends below the patient to locations adjacent one's ankles. 
     
     
         13 . A surgical garment for use in maintaining a sterile field between a wearer of the garment and a patient, comprising:
 a torso portion extending laterally between opposing side edges and extending vertically between an upper edge and a lower edge;   sleeves joined to the torso portion; and   a lower body portion extending laterally between opposing side edges and extending vertically between a bottom edge and an top edge, the top edge of the lower body portion being joined to the lower edge of the torso portion, the bottom edge having a greater length than the top edge such that the lower body portion flares in a direction extending from the top edge to the bottom edge, the lower body portion comprising a plurality of first panels and a plurality of triangular second panels interposed between the first panels, the first and second panels being oriented with their heights extending from the bottom edge toward the top edge of the lower body portion, and each triangular panel having a base that forms part of the bottom edge of the lower body portion;   wherein the surgical garment is donned from the front of a wearer and the torso portion is adapted to wrap completely around the torso of the wearer and the lower body portion is adapted to wrap completely around the lower body of the wearer from the torso to about the ankles of the wearer.   
     
     
         14 . The surgical garment of  claim 13 , wherein each triangular second panel comprises two opposing side edges, each of which is sewn to a side edge of an adjacent first panel. 
     
     
         15 . The surgical garment of  claim 13 , wherein the plurality of triangular second panels comprises a plurality of pleats adjacent the bottom edge. 
     
     
         16 . The surgical garment of  claim 13 , wherein the first and second panels form a row of alternating first and second panels, the row extending from one side of the lower body portion to the other side of the lower body portion. 
     
     
         17 . The surgical garment of  claim 13 , further comprising first and second opposing side portions that extend from the upper edge of the torso portion to the bottom edge of the lower body portion, the side portions being securable to one another with the first side portion overlapping the second side portion. 
     
     
         18 . The surgical garment of  claim 17 , further comprising a plurality of straps extending from the torso portion and the lower body portion for securing the opposing side portions together.