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Surgical headpieceSurgical headpiece description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20080196144, Surgical headpiece. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an apparatus, more specifically a headpiece, to reduce the likelihood of wrong-site surgery on a patient. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONA great amount of attention has recently been given to the unacceptable rate of avoidable patient injuries, or so-called medical mistakes in the United States. Estimates of the number of medical mistakes per year in the United States is difficult to ascertain, but a recent publication, To Err is Human by Dr. Lucian Leape, suggests that the avoidable death rate from medical mistakes is between 48,000 and 96,000 patients per year. One avoidable medical mistake is wrong-site surgery (WSS) which is defined as: (a) the wrong operation performed on the patient, (b) an operation performed on the wrong patient, or (c) an operation performed on the wrong body part. Because it is characterized as a preventable medical error, great efforts have been made to reduce the incidents of WSS. Current methodologies to prevent WSS include the use of indelible markers and adhesive labels to identify appropriate surgical sites. These methodologies have inherent deficiencies and WSS continues to occur. A zero-tolerance policy for WSS has been mandated by major agencies and professional organizations that accredit healthcare providers. Therefore, a need exists for still better ways to further reduce the likelihood of WSS. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONIn one embodiment, the apparatus of the present invention comprises a headpiece or hat to be worn by a patient that is to undergo or is undergoing a surgical procedure characterized as being site specific, e.g., a right-side procedure, a left-side procedure, or a bilateral procedure. The headpiece of the present invention comprises a body portion forming an interior volume for receipt of at least a portion of the patient's head. The headpiece further includes a sign on the headpiece, e.g., the body portion, providing information identifying the correct site(s) upon which the surgical procedure(s) is/are to be performed. The foregoing objects, features and advantages of the present invention, as well as others, will be more fully understood and better appreciated by reference to the following drawings, specification and claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGSFIG. 1 is perspective view of one embodiment of the headpiece of the present invention in bouffant form wherein the sign on the headpiece indicates a right side surgical procedure is to be performed. Continue reading about Surgical headpiece... Full patent description for Surgical headpiece Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Surgical headpiece patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Surgical headpiece or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Skin-enhancing glove and method of manufacture Next Patent Application: Hood with adaptive face opening Industry Class: Wooden receptacles ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Surgical headpiece patent info. IP-related news and info Results in 0.13474 seconds Other interesting Feshpatents.com categories: Electronics: Semiconductor , Audio , Illumination , Connectors , Crypto , 174 |
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