Importance

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Abstract

A surgical drape for use in a thermal treatment system having an automatic dislodgement mechanism for dislodging congealed liquid is accomplished by a drape having either a coefficient of friction approximately in the range of 0.4-1.0 as measured against steel per ASTM 1983 a metalocine-based olefin film having a flexibility approximately in the range of 10K-12K psi secant modulus measured by ASTM D882, a securing mechanism, or a preformed container portion having ribs or ridges to prevent the drape from being drawn beneath the automatic dislodgement mechanism. The securing mechanisms may be attached to the drape either at the ends of a drape portion hanging down from a top surface of the system, or at a location coincident the top surface of the machine. Further, the securing mechanisms may be separate units disposed on the drape subsequent to disposal of the drape in the basin. The securing mechanisms ensure that there is only a sufficient amount of the drape portion disposed in the thermal treatment system basin to form a drape receptacle without leaving any margin for excess portions of the drape to be drawn beneath the dislodgement mechanism. Alternatively, the drape may include a preformed container portion having ribs disposed in the container portion walls to allow air beneath the container portion to prevent the container portion from being drawn by suction against the basin and beneath the dislodgement mechanism.

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First Claim