Thermal treatment system instrument rack and method of selectively thermally treating medical instrument portions

• Main Authors: FARIES DURWARD I, HENDRIX DAVID, HEYMANN BRUCE R
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 10.04.2012
• Subjects: BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; BLASTING; DETAILS OR ACCESSORIES OF FURNACES, KILNS, OVENS, OR RETORTS,IN SO FAR AS THEY ARE OF KINDS OCCURRING IN MORE THAN ONE KINDOF FURNACE; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF,TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, E.G. STENTS; DIAGNOSIS; FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; FIRST-AID KITS; FOMENTATION; FURNACES; HEATING; HUMAN NECESSITIES; HYGIENE; IDENTIFICATION; KILNS; LIGHTING; MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; OVENS; PROSTHESES; RETORTS; SURGERY; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; WEAPONS

A system according to the present invention includes a cabinet, a basin positioned within the cabinet to contain and thermally treat a liquid bath, and a rack or tray disposed on the cabinet that supports exposed scope optics above the liquid bath within the basin. The scope optics resides outside of the bath in a dry state, thereby permitting the remaining scope portions within the bath to be thermally treated. This enables accurate temperature warming of the scope to reduce trauma of tissue and retrieval of enhanced images by the scope during a medical procedure. The present invention permits medical personnel or operating room staff to warm scopes in a controlled environment while maintaining scope optics in a dry state.