Protective Ear Covering

Abstract

A protective ear covering to be applied after ear surgery in the form of a bag having an opening to permit the bag opening to receive the external ear to position the ear within the bag or protective covering, with said bag having an adhesive surface adjacent said opening whereby the adhesive surface adheres to the head area adjacent the ear to retain the bag as a protective covering for the ear, with the bag having another opening to permit the insertion of an instrument into the bag for examination and/or treatment of the ear without removing the bag and while the bag is retained around the ear.

Description

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a protective covering to protect the ear of a patient who has had ear surgery, whereby the ear is protected from contact with water and the like. This permits the patient to bathe, shower and wash the hair without any water coming into contact with the ear.

Another object of this invention is to provide a protective covering and/or bag to be applied to the ear, with one end of the bag being open to be tied to form the enclosure and which permits the doctor to untie the tied end for the purpose of inserting the necessary instrument through the bag to either examine or treat the interior of the ear without removing the protective covering and/or bag.

It is well recognized that a patient having ear surgery must guard against the introduction of any water or the like to the ear as any introduction of water before the healing process is completed will destroy the beneficial effects of the surgery and will in many cases completely destroy the hearing of the operated ear. The healing period after surgery is usually a 4 to 6 weeks period.

Various attempts have been made to protect the ear after ear surgery but such protective coverings make it necessary upon each examination or treatment of the ear to remove such protective coverings and it is then necessary to replace them with others. Also, the prior protective coverings do not provide the psoitive assurance against the introduction of water to the ear, as is accomplished by this invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the protective ear covering forming this invention, showing same in expanded position.

FIG. 2 is a view taken on line 2--2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a view of the protective covering being initially applied to the ear.

FIG. 4 is a view of same with the lower or outer end of the bag knotted to close the bag, and

FIG. 5 is a view showing the surface area of the head adjacent the ear to which the adhesive surface of the bag is applied.

The protective covering forming this invention is generally designated by the numeral 10 and comprises a bag generally designated by the numeral 12, having side walls 14 and 16 integral with folded end walls or gussets 18, with the upper or inner end of the bag sealed and/or closed as at 20 and with the opposite or outer end being open as at 22.

The side wall 14 of the bag is provided with a D or half-moon shaped opening 24 adjacent the inner sealed end 20, with the circular portion 26 of the opening 24 facing the inner sealed end 20 of the bag. The opening 24 is approximately 21/2 by 11/2 inches to accommodate various size ears of children and adults.

The outside surface of the side 14 of the bag adjacent said opening is provided with an adhesive, designated by the numeral 28, which adhesive is covered by a protective removable strip 30, which strip is substantially D-shaped. The protective strip 30 remains on the side 14 of the bag over the adhesive area 28 and is removed at the time the bag is applied over the outer ear 32 so that the adhesive surface 28 of the bag can be pressed against the area 34 of the head 36 adjacent the outer ear. When pressed against the head surface area 34, the adhesive surface 28 of the bag will adhere to the skin of the head surface 34 adjacent the outer ear and will seal the opening 24 of the bag against the head to enclose the outer ear 32.

As seen in FIGS. 1 and 3, the outer end 22 of the bag is open and this serves several purposes. It permits the doctor or the attendant to put his hand into the interior of the bag, as shown in FIG. 3, to position the fingers of the hand around the ear 32 to compress it so that it can be squeezed through the bag opening 24 and when the ear passes inside the bag opening and is positioned inside the bag the ear will be released and will naturally assume its normal position and be wholly positioned within the interior of the bag. Before following this procedure the protective strip 30 is removed from the adhesive surface 28.

After the ear has been inserted in the bag, as aforedescribed, the inside of the bag is manually pressed so that the adhesive surface 28 of the bag adheres to the area 34 of the head adjacent the ear. This seals the ear opening 24 of the bag against the head whereby the bag is completely sealed to the head at said area of contact therewith. The hand is then removed from the interior of the bag and the outer open end 22 of the bag is tied as at 38 to close that end of the bag. However, for periodic examinations and for treatment of the ear by the surgeon it becomes necessary for the surgeon to reach into the interior of the bag and for inserting an appropriate instrument and this may be accomplished by untying and/or opening the tied end 38 of the bag and making the insertion, after which the open end of the bag may again be tied. Instead of tying a knot, as show, the outer or open end 22 of the bag may be closed by a clamp or any other means so that it may be opened when desired.

The bag is made of a flexible and pliable material, such as cellophane or the like, which would be impervious to water. The flexible and pliable character of the bag body permits it to be manipulated, as shown in FIG. 3, so that it can extend laterally of the ear and substantially at right angles to the ear so that the open outer end 22 of the bag is in direct alinement with the ear opening.

With this invention the ear bag or closure may remain on the patient's ear during the healing period which may be a period of six weeks or longer, but the ear is accessible to the surgeon or attendant for examination and/or treatment without the removal of the bag.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A protective ear covering to be applied over the ear after ear surgery, said protective ear covering comprising an elongated bag-like member of a flexible soft material impervious to water, said elongated bag-like member including side and end walls and closed at the inner end of the bag and open at the opposite outer end, a generally D-shaped opening in one of said side walls adjacent the closed inner end of the bag to receive the outer ear and position the ear within the bag, the inner edge of said D-shaped opening being flush, with its side wall and with no portion of said inner edge extending into the interior of the bag, the outside surface of the side wall adjacent the D-shaped opening having an adhesive surface configured to the D-shaped opening, a D-shaped protective strip removably covering said adhesive surface which when removed permits the adhesive surface of the bag to be secured against the area of the head surrounding the ear so that the bag remains attached to the ear during the healing period, said bag being so flexible and pliable as to permit it to be manipulated so that the bag may be positioned at substantially right angles to the ear and in direct alinement with the interior of the ear to permit the attendant to examine the interior of the ear with the bag attached to the ear, said outer open end of the bag adapted to be closed during the healing period and capable of being opened for examination of the ear.