Patent Application
20100206924
This invention relates generally to the field of medical drainage devices, and more specifically to an apparatus and system for facilitating the mobility of a patient required to use such a device.
After surgery or following an infection or injury, fluids requiring drainage may build up at the site of infection or injury. It is common medical practice to use a bulb drain or bulb drainage system to drain excess fluids. Bulb drainage systems that are commercially available and commonly known in the art include the Jackson Pratt drain (or JP drain), but many other medical drainage systems employing similar principals involving a bulb and tubing are contemplated for use with the invention described herein, including bulb drainage systems which are not commercially available but which may specially created or adapted for a specific environment or patient needs in the future.
One common commercially available bulb drainage system is the Jackson-Pratt system, which is comprised of a thin rubber tube and hollow bulb made of a material sufficiently flexible to be squeezed. One end of the rubber tube is placed in the area where body fluids may build up through a small incision. The other end protrudes from the body through the incision or at the injury or surgical site. The tube is connected to the bulb. This bulb drainage system removes fluids by creating suction which pulls the fluids into the tube. To produce the initial suction, the bulb is compressed to reduce the air pressure and is then connected to the tube protruding from the body. Suction is created as the bulb sucks in air from the tube, and this suction operates to pull fluid out from the area where the drain was placed and into the rubber tubing. The fluid then travels through the tubing and into the bulb.
This action causes fluid to be gradually sucked out of the body and into the bulb component. The bulb may be repeatedly be opened (with a plug) to empty the collected fluid and/or squeezed again to restore suction. It is best to empty drains before they are more than half full to avoid the discomfort of the weight of the drain pulling on the internal tubing.
The objective of a bulb drainage system is to facilitate healing of the body by reducing fluid in a body area. Excess fluid may cause swelling, pain and increased healing time and risk of infection. It is thus desirable to design an apparatus and system which encourages patients to use a bulb drainage system by increasing their mobility and comfort. For example, it is desirable to have a system which physically enables a patient to walk to the bathroom without medical assistance. It is further desirable for patient's to maintain physical activity and muscle tone after an injury.
As used herein the term “bulb drain” or “bulb drainage system” means a drainage device used to pull excess fluid from the body by constant suction. Generally, a bulb drain includes a flexible plastic, hollow vessel (bulb) which is generally spherically or oval shaped and which connects to a an internal plastic drainage tube (drainage tube) which includes a removable plug (plug). When the plug is removed from the bulb and the bulb is squeezed to remove the air. This reduces the air pressure within the drainage tube and creates a suction effect. One example of a bulb drain which is commercially available and commonly known in the art is a Jackson-Pratt drain.
As used herein the term “waist support component” means any strap or device which may be used to secure or support any object, including itself, around the waist of a user.
As used herein the term “leg support component” means any strap or device which may be used to secure or support any object, including itself, around the leg of a user.
As used herein, the term “closure device” means a hook, snap velcro, seam, adhesive layer, continuous closed surface or plurality any of the foregoing.
The invention disclosed herein, is a receptacle for supporting a drainage device used for a drainage device located below the chest of the user. In various embodiments, the invention may utilize a plurality of attachable and detachable waist and leg securing components with various types of closures. The device also utilizes a leg securing component which is secured to the leg of a user; and at least one waist securing component. The invention further includes at least one receptacle for supporting a drainage device, and may be comprised of any numbers of attachable or detachable components, and may be disposable, sterile and/or reusable in various embodiments. The apparatus may also be fashionable or ornamental and adapted for any size of any user.
For the purpose of promoting an understanding of the present invention, references are made in the text hereof to embodiments of an apparatus and system to facilitate patient mobility with a drainage device. It should nevertheless be understood that no limitations on the scope of the invention are thereby intended. One of ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate that modifications such as the dimensions, size, and shape of the components are readily apparent and obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Some of these possible modifications are mentioned in the following description. Therefore, specific details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but rather as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one of ordinary skill in the art to employ the present invention in virtually any appropriately detailed apparatus or manner.
It should be understood that the drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating the principles of the invention. In addition, in the embodiments depicted herein, like reference numerals in the various drawings refer to identical or near identical structural elements.
Moreover, the term “substantially” or “approximately” as used herein may be applied to modify any quantitative representation that could permissibly vary without resulting in a change in the basic function to which it is related.
Referring now to the drawings,
Also shown in
In the embodiment shown in
In the embodiment shown, central strap 116 is securely attached to lower strap 120 and to upper strap 112, but other embodiments may include fewer or additional straps and straps may be made detachable. In the embodiment show, central strap 116, lower strap 120 and upper strap 112 are constructed of washable fabric, but in other embodiments may be made of leather, plastic or any natural or synthetic material known in the art from which straps may be constructed.
In the embodiment illustrated in
This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional patent application No. filed Feb. 25, 2008.
