PROTECTING MEDICAL INSTRUMENTS AGAINST CONTAMINATION AND CROSS-INFECTION

摘要

The invention provides an assembly comprising an adhesive, flexible, sterile or sterilisable, sheet barrier for a medical (e.g. ophthalmic) instrument, and first and second protective release layers associated with respective first and second faces of the barrier. At least the first face of the barrier is adhesive and the first release layer is provided with slit means adapted to assist release of the first release layer. The arrangement is such that, on flexing of the assembly, at least a portion of the first release layer comes away from the barrier to expose at least a portion of the first face of the barrier for adhering to the instrument. The barrier is preferably disposable and serves to protect a patient-contacting part of the instrument against contamination and/or to prevent cross-infection of patients by such instruments.