Patent Application
20220346463
The present invention pertains generally to post-surgical garments for infants/toddlers. More particularly, the present invention pertains to garments to be worn by infants/toddlers that prevent the wearer from disconnecting or otherwise interfering with medical devices that have been connected to the wearer for medical purposes. The present invention is particularly, but not exclusively, useful as an interactive garment for infants/toddlers which provides a caregiver temporary access, through the garment, to key components of a medical device system for operational and maintenance purposes.
It happens all too often that children are sometimes born with serious anatomical difficulties that, for example, include tumors, deformities, and other functional disorders. Thanks to progress in the medical arts and sciences, however, many issues for the child (infant/toddler) can be surgically treated early on to give the child an excellent chance for an abundantly normal life. Of clinical importance, however, are cases where post-surgical care is necessary.
Typically, the person(s) primarily responsible for providing post-surgical rehabilitation for an infant/toddler is/are a parent(s), or other family member who may have little, if any, medical training. Nevertheless, even the most elementary post-surgical medical devices require a complete understanding of the steps needed to clean and maintain the particular device for its intended operational efficiency. Moreover, interference from the infant/toddler in these matters is to be avoided.
In addition to the knowledge that must be acquired to maintain a medical device, several other factors also contribute to the difficulties faced by a caregiver for a post-surgical infant/toddler. Of particular concern, insofar as the present invention is concerned, is a medical device (system) which contains an implanted component(s). Typically, such devices (systems) will also include extracorporeal components which must be routinely cleaned or replaced. The situation is further exacerbated by the fact the infant/toddler may be cold, tired, agitated, hungry, or think that he/she can somehow help the caregiver rearrange or disengage the extracorporeal components of the medical device.
For the reasons set forth above, it is an object of the present invention to provide a post-surgical garment for wear by an infant/toddler that prevents the wearer from disconnecting or otherwise interfering with a medical device that has been connected to him/her for medical purposes. Another purpose of the present invention is to provide a post-surgical garment for wear by an infant/toddler that gives a caregiver convenient and temporary access, through the garment, to key components of a medical device system for operational and maintenance purposes. Still another purpose of the present invention is to provide a post-surgical garment for wear by an infant/toddler that is easy to use, is simple to implement, and is comparatively cost effective.
A pantsuit for wear by an infant/toddler following surgery that implants a medical device in the infant/toddler is designed to provide a caregiver direct access to components of the medical device that require periodic, post-surgical maintenance and/or replacement. With this in mind, the purpose of the pantsuit for the present invention is two-fold. For one, the comfort of the child during periodic maintenance of the medical device is a paramount concern. The other purpose is to facilitate the actions needed for a caregiver to perform the required maintenance procedures. In overview, the required procedures will typically include: periodic inspections of the medical device; required care and cleaning of the device; as well as using the medical device to infuse prescribed medications and/or withdraw blood samples from the infant/toddler for clinical evaluation.
Before describing the structural and functional aspects of the present invention, it is helpful to first appreciate and understand the medical device which necessitates the present invention. Of particular concern is the fact that a portion of the medical device is surgically implanted in the infant/toddler, and another portion of the medical device remains extracorporeal. Typically, the medical device will be a fluid tube that includes a dual lumen fluid line. Further, the fluid tube will have a distal end portion that is surgically implanted to establish fluid communication with the heart muscle of an infant/toddler. On the other hand, the proximal end of the fluid tube needs to remain extracorporeal for operational purposes.
The present invention appreciates that the time required, and the difficulties associated with the care and cleaning of a surgically implanted medical device, such as is envisioned for the present invention, will not be easily tolerated by an infant/toddler. Thus, an access garment in accordance with the present invention is provided that, for the most part, is comfortable for the infant/toddler. Importantly, however, the access garment also gives a caregiver access to the extracorporeal components of the medical device when required.
A key feature of the present invention is the inclusion of flaps that are appropriately located on the access garment. As intended for the present invention, when the access garment is being worn by an infant/toddler, these flaps are located to provide easy access to specific components of the medical device. Specifically, at a minimum, the access garment needs to include a dressing change flap and a device access flap. In detail, the dressing change flap is located on the access garment so it will be positioned over the incision site where the fluid tube exits from the body of the infant/toddler. On the other hand, the device access flap is located on the access garment so it will be positioned over components at the proximal end of the medical device which are needed for extracorporeal fluid communication with the heart muscle of the infant/toddler.
For an operation of the present invention, and infant/toddler is dressed in the access garment. When the infant/toddler is dressed, the flaps of the access garment are closed and secured by fasteners. It is only when care and cleaning of the incision site is required that the dressing change flap is unfastened and lifted to provide the caregiver access to the incision site. Similarly, it is only when medication is required for the infant/toddler, or it is necessary to withdraw blood from the infant/toddler, that the device access flap is unfastened and lifted to provide the caregiver syringe access to the medical device.
The novel features of this invention, as well as the invention itself, both as to its structure and its operation, will be best understood from the accompanying drawings, taken in conjunction with the accompanying description, in which similar reference characters refer to similar parts, and in which:
Referring initially to
Still referring to
Separate from the access garment 10,
Returning to
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A method for maintaining a medical device 26 which has been surgically implanted in an infant/toddler, includes covering the upper body of the infant/toddler with the access garment 10. In detail, this requires engaging the under-panel 16 with the overlapping over-panel 18 using fasteners 20 to establish a secure engagement wherein the vest portion 12 wraps completely around the upper body of the infant/toddler. As envisioned for the present invention, the access garment 10 can be worn continuously, if desired.
Maintaining the medical device 26 involves lifting the dressing change flap 22 to establish access to the incision site 44 on the chest of the child. Once the dressing change flap 22 has been lifted the user can proceed to clean and dress the incision site 44. This will typically include the need to replace the protective disk 46 at the incision site 44. In a separate operation, the device access flap 24 can be lifted to establish access to the first connector 34 and the second connector 38 at the proximal end of the medical device 26.
As indicated above, the medical device 26 will typically include a dual lumen fluid tube 28 with each lumen 36, 40 having a proximal end and a distal end. The distal subcutaneous section 30 of the fluid tube 28 is surgically connected in fluid communication with the heart muscle 42 of the child, and the fluid tube 28 extends subcutaneously from the heart muscle 42 to the surgical incision site 44. In accordance with the present invention, it is envisioned that a protective surgical dressing (e.g., a protective disk 46) is secured to the child over the surgical incision site 44 by an adhesive. Lifting the dressing change flap 22 at the incision site 44 allows the user to change the protective surgical dressing (i.e., protective disk 46) and the adhesive that secure the fluid tube 28 at the surgical incision site 44. Once the area is cleaned and the emplacement of a new protective surgical dressing (protective disk) 46 has been completed, the user simply secures the appropriate fasteners 20.
As envisioned for the present invention, the fluid tube 28 is a dual lumen line, with both lumens 36, 40 respectively extending between the distal end and the proximal end of the fluid tube 28. Similar to the operation of the dressing change flap 22 disclosed above, lifting the device access flap 24 provides the user access to a component(s) of the medical device 26 for maintenance and/or operational purposes. In the case of the device access flap 24, the components of interest are the fluid connectors 34 and 38. Importantly, by design each lumen 36, 40 of the fluid tube 28 has a specific purpose. One lumen is used to infuse a fluid medicament to the infant/toddler, and the other is used to withdraw blood from the heart muscle 42 of the infant/toddler.
As shown in
In a preferred embodiment of the access garment 10, a pants portion 14 is included. As shown in
While the particular Clinical Garment for Infants as herein shown and disclosed in detail is fully capable of obtaining the objects and providing the 5 advantages herein before stated, it is to be understood that it is merely illustrative of the presently preferred embodiments of the invention and that no limitations are intended to the details of construction or design herein shown other than as described in the appended claims.
