U.S. patent application number 12/012903 was filed with the patent office on 2008-08-07 for gown for cardiac patients and other specialty uses.
Invention is credited to Patricia W. Blume.
Application Number | 20080184455 12/012903 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 39674865 |
Filed Date | 2008-08-07 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080184455 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Blume; Patricia W. |
August 7, 2008 |
Gown for cardiac patients and other specialty uses
Abstract
A gown for medical patients having a closable fly front
extending from the sternal notch to the pubis. Openings are formed
in the front of the gown to receive leads for monitoring devices
and for tubes for treatment or drainage. A pocket for small
instruments is on the front of a selected side of the gown. A
second pocket is formed on the opposite side of the front of the
gown. The back of the gown is fully openable and may be closed by
overlapping portions of the back of the gown. A plurality of tabs
is formed on the inside of the front of the gown to secure a
catheter drainage bag.
Inventors: |
Blume; Patricia W.;
(Baltimore, MD) |
Correspondence
Address: |
HODES, PESSIN & KATZ, P.A.;Intellectual Property Law Offices
Suite 400, 901 Dulaney Valley Road
Towson
MD
21204
US
|
Family ID: |
39674865 |
Appl. No.: |
12/012903 |
Filed: |
February 6, 2008 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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60899812 |
Feb 6, 2007 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
2/114 ; 2/247;
2/250 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A41D 13/1281 20130101;
A41D 13/1245 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
2/114 ; 2/250;
2/247 |
International
Class: |
A41B 9/00 20060101
A41B009/00; A41D 27/20 20060101 A41D027/20 |
Claims
1. A gown adapted for medical patients having a front portion and a
back portion, a right side, a left side and a pair of short
sleeves, the gown comprising: the top of the front of the gown
having a fly-like opening extending downwardly providing access to
the anterior of the chest from the sternal notch to the pubis;
means to close the fly-like opening; a slit provided in a selected
side of the front of the gown opposite the sleeve wherein leads may
be received for monitoring the activity of the patient's heart; a
first pocket formed under the slit; a second pocket formed in the
opposite side of the front of the gown; an opening formed above the
second pocket for accessibility of tubes; the back of the gown
being open and having means to close the back by overlapping the
portions of the back; a plurality of tabs being formed in the
inside of the right side of the front wherein a Foley catheter
drainage bag may be secured to a selected tab according to the
height of the patient.
2. The gown of claim 1, wherein the means to secure the closure of
the front and back of the gown are a plurality of hook and loop
fasteners.
3. A gown adapted for medical patients having a front portion and a
back portion, means being provided interiorly on the first portion
to receive a Foley catheter drainage bag.
4. The gown of claim 3, wherein the means are a plurality of
vertically aligned tabs secured to the gown such that the drainage
bag may be secured to a selected tab according to the height of the
patient.
5. The gown of claim 4, wherein the tabs are horizontal bands, each
having opposite ends, the respective ends being secured to the
gown.
6. A gown adapted for medical patients having a front portion, the
front portion having a right side and a left side, a slit provided
in a selected side of the front portion wherein electrical leads
may be received to monitor activity of the patient's heart, means
being provided on the gown to carry monitoring instrumentation to
which the electrical leads are connected.
7. The gown of claim 6, wherein the means to carry monitoring
instrumentation is a pocket formed below the slit.
8. A gown adapted for medical patients having a front portion, the
front portion having a right side and a left side, an opening being
formed on a selected side of the gown, a pocket formed exteriorly
on the gown below the opening, wherein drainage tubing may be
received in the opening and connected to a drainage reservoir
disposed within the pocket.
Description
REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application is related to provisional patent
application No. 60/899,812, filed Feb. 6, 2007.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] This invention relates to a gown for a medical patient and
more particularly to a gown which is more comfortable to the
patient and provides for improved access to the patient by
healthcare providers.
[0004] 2. Description of Prior Art
[0005] Most existing gowns for medical patients are merely a wrap
around fabric which has short sleeves and which the patient wears
with a full length opening in the front or the back. Healthcare
providers open the gown to gain access to the patient for
examination and/or treatment.
[0006] The patient is connected to instrumentation and drainage
tubing by electrical leads and tubing which extend from the patient
to an external support such as a table or an intravenous pole.
[0007] There is a need for a gown which provides greater
accessibility to the patient with minimal disrobing or opening of
the gown. The need exists for instrumentation and wound drainage to
be connected to the patient while the patient is wearing a gown,
independent of tables or intravenous poles.
SUMMARY
[0008] In accordance with the teachings of the present invention,
there is disclosed a gown adapted for medical patients having a
front portion and a back portion, a right side, a left side and a
pair of short sleeves. The top of the front of the gown has a
fly-like opening extending downwardly providing access to the
interior of the chest from the sternal notch to the pubis. Means
are provided to close the fly-like opening. A slit is provided in a
selected side of the front of the gown opposite the sleeve wherein
leads may be received for monitoring the activity of the patient's
heart. A first pocket is formed under the slit. A second pocket is
formed in the opposite side of the front of the gown. An opening is
formed above the pocket for accessibility of tubes. The back of the
gown is open and has means to close the back by overlapping the
portions of the back. A plurality of tabs is formed in the inside
of the right side of the front wherein a Foley catheter drainage
bag may be secured to a selected tab according to the height of the
patient.
[0009] These and other objects of the present invention will become
apparent from a reading of the following specification taken in
conjunction with the enclosed drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] FIG. 1 is a view of the front of the gown showing special
features.
[0011] FIG. 2 is a view of the front of the gown showing the gown
partially opened to provide access to the chest of the patient.
[0012] FIG. 3 is a view of the front of the gown showing the
sleeves opened for greater access to the chest of the patient.
[0013] FIG. 4 is a view of the front of the gown with a drainage
tube extending from the slit on the left side into a reservoir in
the second pocket below the slit. Also shown are electrical leads
extending out of the first pocket on the right side of the gown to
an instrument in the first pocket below the opening.
[0014] FIG. 5 is a view of the back of the gown showing the off
center seam.
[0015] FIG. 6 is a view of the back of the gown with the sides open
showing the tabs to which the catheter may be secured.
[0016] FIG. 7 is a view of the catheter drainage bag secured to the
tabs inside the gown.
[0017] FIG. 8 is a view of an ambulatory patient wearing the gown
independent of an intravenous pole.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0018] As shown in FIGS. 1-4, the gown 10 is formed from fabric
material having a front portion 12, a back portion 14, a right side
16, a left side 18 and a pair of short sleeves 20. The top of the
front portion of the gown has a fly-like opening which extends
downwardly from the top of the gown at the neck opening and
preferably to approximately three-fourths (3/4) of the length of
the gown. Means 34 to close the fly-like opening may be hook and
loop fasteners, snaps, buttons, tie strings or other means known to
persons skilled in the art. Access is provided to the interior of
the chest of the patient from the sternal notch to the pubis. The
sleeves 20 are openable along the top and are closed with the above
closing means. In order to provide greater access to the chest of
the patient, as for example to administer CPR, the sleeves are
opened simultaneously with opening of the fly-like front. Due to
the design of the gown and the means provided, the gown may be
opened without encumbrances in an emergency.
[0019] Referring to FIG. 4, in the upper portion 16 of the front of
the gown 10, there is provided a slit 24 through the gown through
which electrical leads 25 may be passed. One end of the leads is
connected to the patient and the other end of the leads is
connected to an instrument (such as a heart monitor) which is
disposed in a first pocket 26 formed on the gown directly below the
slit 24. Alternately, a loop may be formed below the slit so a clip
on the instrument may be attached to the loop.
[0020] In the opposite upper portion 18 of the front of the gown,
there is provided an opening 28 through the gown. A second pocket
29 is formed on the front of the gown directly below the opening. A
reservoir 38 may be placed in the second pocket. One end of the
drainage tube 31 is connected to the reservoir, the tube passing
through the opening and an opposite end of the drainage tube is
connected to the patient. Thus, for a patient having open heart
surgery or other chest surgery where drainage is required, the
drainage tube is directed into the reservoir in the second pocket.
Since the opening and pocket are lower than the area of surgery,
the drainage is due to gravity.
[0021] The back portion 14 of the gown is open from top to bottom
and has means 34 to close the overlapped edges of the gown (FIGS.
5-6). The means may be hook and loop fasteners, buttons, and tie
strings and other means known to persons skilled in the art. The
edges of the gown may overlap for at least six inches. This
provides complete access to the patient's back by healthcare
personnel while being sensitive to modesty of the patient. The back
seam 30 of the back is off center to eliminate any possible
pressure areas.
[0022] The length of the gown is designed to provide modesty for
the patient either sitting or standing. The sleeves 20 are short,
extending no further than the patient's elbows and are full cut.
The design of the sleeves allows for anticubital accessibility
space as well as blood pressure monitoring and introduction of
tubing and electrical leads.
[0023] On the inside of the right side of the gown there is a
plurality of tabs 32 arranged vertically. Preferably, there are
three tabs (FIGS. 6-7). Preferably, the tabs each are horizontal
bands with opposite ends which are secured to the inside of the
gown. The tabs may be formed of fabric and may be sewn to the gown.
However, any type of tab known to persons skilled in the art may be
used. A Foley catheter drainage 36 bag having a hook or other
securing means is suspended from a selected tab. The selected tab
depends on the height of the wearer of the gown and is selected to
elevate the catheter above the floor. The catheter drainage bag
receives fluids from the catheter in the patient.
[0024] The gown, with the pockets and the inside tabs provide means
for the patient to be ambulatory without the need and encumbrance
of an intravenous (IV) pole. Patients are encouraged to be
ambulatory very shortly after surgery. However, it is very
difficult for a weakened patient to walk, especially with equipment
and tubing suspended from an intravenous (IV) pole. The present
invention increases the independence and dignity of patients who
require connections to monitoring instruments, drainage tubing and
catheters.
[0025] The gown of the present invention is user friendly to health
providers and considers the comfort and dignity of the patient. The
gown may be of any selected color and may be of a selected size
(small, medium, large). The length of the gown provides for the
modesty of the patient either seated or standing. The gown may be
used by surgical or non-surgical patients. The gown may be worn by
ambulatory and non-ambulatory patients.
[0026] Obviously; many modifications may be made without departing
from the basic spirit of the present invention. Accordingly, it
will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that within the
scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced other
than has been specifically described herein.
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