Surgical Instrument Holder

Abstract

Disclosed are various embodiments for holding and organizing surgical instruments in a surgical environment. In one embodiment, a surgical instrument holder has an elongated body portion with a top surface and a base surface. The base surface is configured to contact a table surface. When a portion of a surgical instrument is laid upon the top surface, the top surface is configured to deform under an applied weight so as to limit movement of the surgical instrument.

Therefore, at least the following is claimed: 
     
         1 . A surgical instrument holder, comprising:
 an elongated body portion having a top surface and a base surface, the base surface being configured to contact a table surface; and   wherein when a portion of a surgical instrument is laid upon the top surface, the top surface is configured to deform under an applied weight so as to limit movement of the surgical instrument.   
     
     
         2 . The surgical instrument holder of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the elongated body portion is formed of a non-rigid foam material. 
     
     
         3 . The surgical instrument holder of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the elongated body portion is formed of a resilient material, thereby resulting in a temporary deformation of the resilient material when the portion of the surgical instrument is laid upon the top surface. 
     
     
         4 . The surgical instrument holder of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the elongated body portion is formed of a non-resilient material, thereby resulting in a permanent deformation of the non-resilient material when the portion of the surgical instrument is laid upon the top surface. 
     
     
         5 . The surgical instrument holder of  claim 1 , wherein the base surface adjoins the top surface at a first edge and a second edge. 
     
     
         6 . The surgical instrument holder of  claim 1 , wherein the elongated body portion is a semi-ellipse in cross-section. 
     
     
         7 . The surgical instrument holder of  claim 1 , further comprising a magnetic strip within the elongated body portion configured to provide magnetic retention of the surgical instrument. 
     
     
         8 . The surgical instrument holder of  claim 1 , wherein the base surface is configured to resist movement along the table surface when contacting the table surface. 
     
     
         9 . A surgical instrument holder, comprising:
 an elongated body portion having a top surface and a base surface, the base surface being configured to contact a table surface, the top surface having a slot formed along a longitudinal axis, the slot being configured to receive a plurality of surgical instruments and to retain each of the surgical instruments in a fixed position.   
     
     
         10 . The surgical instrument holder of  claim 9 , further comprising a magnetic strip within the elongated body portion configured to provide magnetic retention of the surgical instrument. 
     
     
         11 . The surgical instrument holder of  claim 9 , wherein the elongated body portion has two lines of symmetry. 
     
     
         12 . The surgical instrument holder of  claim 9 , wherein the base surface is configured to resist movement along the table surface when contacting the table surface. 
     
     
         13 . The surgical instrument holder of  claim 9 , wherein the elongated body portion is solid. 
     
     
         14 . The surgical instrument holder of  claim 9 , wherein at least a portion of the elongated body portion is hollow. 
     
     
         15 . The surgical instrument holder of  claim 9 , wherein the elongated body portion is formed of a foam material. 
     
     
         16 . The surgical instrument holder of  claim 9 , wherein the elongated body portion is formed of a material selected from the group consisting of: plastic, rubber, and paper. 
     
     
         17 . The surgical instrument holder of  claim 9 , wherein the elongated body portion is severable into a plurality of separate surgical instrument holders. 
     
     
         18 . The surgical instrument holder of  claim 17 , wherein the elongated body portion includes at least one partial cut to facilitate severing. 
     
     
         19 . The surgical instrument holder of  claim 9 , wherein the elongated body portion is a semi-ellipse in cross-section. 
     
     
         20 . The surgical instrument holder of  claim 9 , wherein the base surface adjoins the top surface at a first edge and a second edge.