Importance

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Abstract

Reinforced surgical drapes are utilized in combination with a thermal treatment system including a basin recessed in a top surface of a system housing to ensure sterility of a sterile medium and to reduce drape costs. A reinforced surgical drape typically includes a primary drape layer of relatively thin construction that may puncture or tear under stress and at least one reinforcing layer selectively attached to drape portions receiving stress during use to prevent the drape from puncturing or tearing. Each reinforcing layer includes at least one segment that may either reinforce substantially the entire drape or the stressed drape portions. Alternatively, a surgical drape may be reinforced by disposing at least one drape over another drape placed on a thermal treatment system. The multiple drape embodiment enables immediate generation of a sterile field above a previously used or damaged drape, and further enables reuse of an underlying drape since an overlying drape provides the sterile field. The reinforced and multiple drapes may further be utilized in substantially the same manner described above in thermal treatment systems having single or multiple basins for warming, cooling and/or congealing the sterile medium.

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First Claim