Patent Application
20070093738
The present invention is directed, in general, to medical dressings and, more specifically, to an improved medical dressing and method of applying within a gluteal cleft of a human buttocks.
Anorectal, perineal and sacral surgeries often lead to undesirable post-operative exudates, blood or pus from the surgical site. During the healing process, known techniques for applying a medical dressing utilize conventional gauzes, held in place by tapes, to absorb the liquid materials. In non-surgical cases, fecal incontinence can also lead to the discharge of stool or mucus. Due to the unique anatomical contours of the buttocks and gluteal cleft, however, it is difficult to comfortably position and secure a dressing in that region. Moreover, the skin is also subject to the repeated trauma of tape removal and the shearing of the epidermal layer and resultant injury.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for improved medical dressings and methods of applying within a gluteal cleft of a human buttocks. Preferably, such improved medical dressings can maintain hygiene and protect skin and clothing from stool, mucus or rectal drainage.
To address the above-described deficiencies of the prior art, novel anatomical medical dressings, and method of applying within a gluteal cleft of a human buttocks, are disclosed herein. According to the principles of the invention, a medical dressing is formed by a foam member having a substantially angular cross-sectional profile along a central axis thereof; the dimensions of the angular cross-sectional profile are suitable for the foam member to be placed in a gluteal cleft of a human buttocks. In a preferred embodiment, the foam member is flexible about the central axis, whereby it can be flexed to conform to the curvature of an individual's gluteal cleft. The dressing can be applied by manually spreading first and second cheeks of a person's buttocks; positioning the foam member intermediate to the first and second cheeks; and, releasing the first and second cheeks, whereby the foam member is fixedly-held within the gluteal cleft.
The foam member can include one or more channels disposed in one or more surfaces thereof; the channels increase the surface area of the foam member and provide a conduit for the dispersion of fluids over the one or more surfaces. Alternatively, or in addition to channels, the foam member can include one or more holes disposed in one or more surfaces thereof; the holes provide conduits for the propagation of fluids to the interior of the foam member.
In particular embodiments described hereinafter, the foam member comprises adjacent first and second longitudinal faces. The angle between the faces is selected such that the dimensions of the substantially angular cross-sectional profile are suitable for the first and second longitudinal faces to be disposed intermediate to first and second cheeks of an individual's buttocks. In some embodiments, the first and second longitudinal faces are parallel to the central axis. The first and second longitudinal faces can be, for example, substantially planar or concave.
The medical dressing can further include a backing sheeting substantially surrounding the surface of the foam member. In such embodiments, the backing sheet is preferably moisture vapor permeable and can be, for example, a hydrophilic polyurethane film. If desired, the backing sheet can be laminated to the foam member.
If properly fitted to an individual's gluteal cleft, a medical dressing according to the principles of the invention can be fixedly retained in the gluteal cleft by contact forces. If desired, however, the dressing can further include one or more adhesive members for securing the dressing to the human buttocks.
The foregoing has outlined, rather broadly, the principles of the present invention so that those skilled in the art may better understand the detailed description that follows. Those skilled in the art should appreciate that they can readily use the disclosed conception and exemplary embodiments as a basis for designing or modifying other structures and methods for carrying out the same purposes of the present invention, and that such equivalent constructions do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention in its broadest form, except as specifically limited by the claims recited hereinafter.
For a more complete understanding of the present invention, reference is now made to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
a,
2
b and 2c illustrate exemplary alternative cross-sectional profiles for anatomical gluteal cleft medical dressings according to the principles of the invention;
a and 3b illustrate optional features for anatomical gluteal cleft medical dressings according to the principles of the invention;
Referring to
The foam member 101 should be formed from a medical grade material. One such material found to be suitable is Epitech® hydrophilic polyurethane foam manufactured by Rynel® (55 Industrial Park Road; Boothbay, Me. 04537). Epitech® foam is extremely clean and biocompatible and absorbs fluids up to 20 times its weight. Moreover, it is an excellent delivery material giving controlled release of a limitless variety of active ingredients including soaps, cleaners, moisturizers and antimicrobials. In one embodiment, the foam member 101 can also include various combinations of other ingredients, including, for example, medicaments, soaps, disinfecting and sterilizing agents, odor management agents, hemostatic agents, proteins, enzymes and nucleic acids. Some agents can be incorporated directly and dispersed throughout the foam member 101 at the time of manufacture. Alternatively, such other ingredients can be incorporated into the dressing by absorbing them into the foam member 101 at the time of use. Suitable medicaments, soaps, disinfecting and sterilizing agents, proteins, and enzymes are provided in the commercial market place and include those which aid recovery of wounds. Preferably, the medicaments include antifungal agents (e.g., ketaconazole), antibacterial agents (e.g., metronidazole), angiogenesis promoting agents and the like. Any suitable soap, disinfecting and sterilizing agent may be used, such as hydrogen peroxide.
The medical dressing 100 can further include a biocompatible backing sheeting, 105 substantially surrounding the surface of the foam member 101. In such embodiments, the backing sheet 105 is preferably moisture vapor permeable and can be, for example, a hydrophilic polyurethane film. If desired, the backing sheet can be laminated to the foam member.
If properly fitted to an individual's gluteal cleft, a medical dressing according to the principles of the invention can be fixedly retained in the gluteal cleft by contact forces. If desired, however, the dressing can further include one or more adhesive members for securing the dressing to the human buttocks. In one embodiment, an adhesive can be applied to the first and second longitudinal faces 102, 103. In an alternative embodiment, the backing sheet can extend beyond the foam member 101 for contact with the skin of the patient, and the extensions can be used to secure the medical dressing in place. Suitable noncytotoxic and substantially nonallergenic adhesives and/or tapes may be used to secure the medical dressing to the skin of a patient. Preferably, the adhesives and/or tapes include those formed from polymers containing hydrophilic groups, such as hydroxyl, carboxyl, amine, amide, ether and alkoxy. More preferably, the adhesive is a pressure-sensitive acrylic adhesive. Such adhesives and tapes are well known to those skilled in the art. Alternatively, or in addition to the optional use of adhesives or tapes, retention of the medical dressing within the gluteal cleft can be aided by the wearing of a fitted undergarment.
Referring now to
Turning now to
For the foam member 101 illustrated In
Finally,
An anatomical medical dressing in accordance with the principles disclosed herein provides significant advantages over conventional medical dressings and incontinence pads. Such anatomical medical dressings can be secured in a gluteal cleft as a device to maintain hygiene and protect skin and clothing from stool, mucus or rectal drainage. Such medical dressings conform to a user's body contours to make it an optimal post-operative dressing for anorectal, perineal or sacral surgery, controlling and absorbing exudate, blood, or pus from wounds or surgical sites. The anatomical profile of the dressing is conducive to its remaining in place secured by the pressure of the buttocks, which eliminates the trauma of repeatedly removing tape and the skin adherent to it, and also preventing shearing of the epidermal layer and subsequent injury. Additionally, such anatomical medical dressings are useful to control stool or mucus discharged as a result of fecal incontinence.
Although the present invention has been described in detail, those skilled in the art will conceive of various changes, substitutions and alterations to the exemplary embodiments described herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention in its broadest form. The exemplary embodiments presented herein illustrate the principles of the invention and are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the specific form disclosed; it is intended that the scope of the invention only be limited to the scope of the claims appended hereto.
This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 29/239,811, filed on Oct. 5, 2005, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 29239811 | Oct 2005 | US |
| Child | 11391910 | Mar 2006 | US |
