Medical Compress

Abstract

A medical compress for staunching flow of blood from a wound or a vein after withdrawal of a needle employed to draw blood or for introducing medicine or plasma into the circulation, comprising a band adapted to encircle a human limb, said band having nonelastic end members and an elastic portion between the ends, and a cushion attached to the elastic portion. The attaching means between the cushion and elastic portion of the band is limited to the central area of one face of the cushion, leaving the major portion of the cushion free for self-adjustment to the limb of the wearer. The elastic portion of the band is limited in length approximately to the area overlying the cushion whereby pressure is concentrated on the cushion, and constriction of blood vessels is avoided.

Description

This invention relates to a medical compress designed to staunch the flow of blood from a wound or from a vein after withdrawal of a needle employed to draw blood for laboratory tests or for introducing medicine or plasma into the circulation.

At present it is customary for the nurse or laboratory technician to place a small piece of cotton over the site of the vein puncture or wound and to direct the patient to press on the cotton for a few minutes to staunch the flow of blood. This procedure is unreliable and unsatisfactory, frequently fails to staunch the blood flow, and results in contamination of persons and clothing.

The main object of this invention is to provide a compress which can be applied to the site of the vein puncture or wound, without constricting circulation through blood vessels, which effectively prevents flow of blood from the puncture or wound, and is easy to apply to and remove from the limb of a patient.

Another object of the invention is to provide a compress construction in which the cushion element is fastened to an elastic band in such manner as to be self-adjusting to the limb of the wearer and so as not to detract from the elasticity of the band, and in which the band is so constructed that it does not function as a tourniquet to constrict circulation through blood vessels while, nevertheless, providing for adjustability of the device to limbs of varying sizes.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for connecting the ends of the band to which the cushion element is connected in adjustable, overlapped relationship, the connecting means being such that fine adjustment can be made to fit the band on a limb with desired compressing effect and without unwanted constriction of blood vessels in the limb.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 shows a limb to which the compress of my invention has been applied to staunch blood flow from a needle puncture at the site usually selected for withdrawing blood for laboratory tests.

FIG. 2 is an elevational view of the outer side of the compress.

FIG. 3 is an elevational view of the inner side of the compress.

FIG. 4 is an elevational side view of the same.

FIG. 5 is a transverse sectional view, on an enlarged scale, in the plane of the line 5-5 of FIG. 4.

In that embodiment of the invention shown in the drawings, 11 indicates a flat relatively thin band of elastic material which extends from the edge 12 to the line 13 as viewed from the outer side of the compress. A piece of leather 14 or other suitable nonelastic material overlies part of the band 11 from the edge 15 of the piece 14 to the covered edge 13 of the band 11. The leather or other nonelastic material 14 extends to the edge 16. A piece of "Velcro" is stitched to the piece 14 and extends inwardly from the edge 16 as shown in FIG. 2. A cooperating "Velcro" piece 18 is stitched to the inner surface of the band 11 at the end opposite the piece 17. Stitching of the piece 18 to the band 11 renders the band 11 nonelastic in the portion covered by the piece 18.

The cushioning element of the compress is designated 20. It comprises a cushion of foam rubber or the like, having a convex surface which faces the inner side of the elastic band 11, as shown in FIG. 4. The cushion element is attached by a line of stitches 21 to the band 11. The stitches 21 extend through the band 11 and the median inner face of the cushion 20, in such manner that the elasticity of the band 11 is not affected by the attaching means and the cushion is unattached throughout the major part of its convex face, and free to adjust itself to the band 11 when the compress is applied to a limb. The cushion 20 may be covered by a plastic film to aid in keeping it sanitary.

Opposite the nonelastic piece 14 of leather or other suitable material, a similar piece 22 overlies the inner surface of the band 11 and the piece 14 opposite the "Velcro" 17. The parts 14, 22, and 17 are stitched together as shown. The attachment of the nonelastic piece 18, at the left-hand end, and the nonelastic pieces 14, 17 and 22, at the right-hand end of the elastic band 11, as shown in FIGS. 2--4, leaves only a limited portion of the band 11 functionally elastic. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, this functionally elastic portion of the band 11 is only slightly longer than the length of the cushion 20. For example, in a compress embodying my invention, measuring 14 inches in overall length, the nonelastic end 18 may measure approximately three inches, the functionally elastic portion 11 may measure approximately 5 inches, and the nonelastic right-hand portion made up of the overlying pieces 14, 22, and "Velcro" 17, may measure approximately 6 inches. The cushion 20, in this example, is approximately 4 inches in length. These measurements are stated only by way of example, and may be varied, but preferably the proportions are approximately as stated whether the overall length is more or less than given in this example.

The limiting of the length of the elastic band 11 in proportion to the cushion element 20, as shown and described, produces efficient compressing effect concentrated on the cushion, while the distribution of nonelastic material in the opposite end portions adjacent the elastic portion prevents constriction of blood vessels such as occurs when a tourniquet or a substantially elastic constrictor is applied to the limb.

The "Velcro" areas 17 and 18 provide for adjustable overlapping of the band. One of the "Velcro" areas is provided with projecting hook devices and the other with projecting loop devices adapted to releasably engage each other when overlapped in face to face relationship, thus providing for fine adjustment of the compress band without the use of snap fastener or similar connecting means incapable of providing the wanted fine adjustability.

The limiting of the connecting means (in this embodiment the stitches 21) between the cushion 20 and elastic band 11 to the central area of the convex surface of the cushion 20, leaving the major portion of the cushion surface unattached, permits the cushion to adjust itself to the contour of the limb of the wearer in position most effective for its intended purpose .

Claims

I claim:

1. A medical compress for staunching flow of blood from a wound or a vein, comprising

a. a band adapted to encircle a human limb, having nonelastic end members and an elastic portion between the end members, parts of the end members being in overlapping relationship when applied to a wearer,

b. means on opposite sides of the nonelastic members extending inwardly from their ends for releasable engagement of overlapped parts of the band,

c. a cushion having a convex surface facing the elastic portion of the band, and

d. connecting means between the elastic portion of the band and the facing surface of the cushion fastening the cushion to the band and leaving the major part of the cushion free for self-adjustment to the limb of the wearer, said connecting means being a single line of stitches extending across the width of the cushion in the center of the convex surface, the elastic portion of the band being limited in length to approximately the area overlying the cushion whereby pressure is concentrated on the cushion and constriction of blood vessels is avoided.