Patent Application
20240216202
The present invention relates to devices for isolating patients.
Today, the spread of infections in ambulances, hospitals, and health care facilities poses a significant problem. For example, when transferring a patient infected by a highly contagious infectious agent to a hospital, there is a need to safeguard the health and safety of the health professionals and doctors accompanying the patient.
The most common safety mechanisms are the use of personal protective equipment, such as gloves, masks, coveralls, or goggles, among others. These pieces of equipment protect the user against one or more risks, in this case, the infectious agent, that may put their health and safety at risk. Nevertheless, once the patient is transferred, the area and surfaces where the patient has been on must then be disinfected.
Another alternative is to isolate the patient in an isolation device.
EP959863A1 describes a foldable device having a chamber the wall of which defines, in an unfolded position, a region for receiving and isolating a patient who is lying down, a base on which the patient is placed, and a support structure for holding the wall of the chamber, wherein the base and the support structure are communicated and inflated at the same time, for example, by supplying air through a hole.
CN111513959A describes a biosafety type transfer unit comprising an isolation cabin body which is provided with a seat, a power supply, and an illuminating lamp.
The object of the invention is to provide a device for isolating a patient, as defined in the claims.
One aspect of the invention relates to a foldable device for isolating a patient, comprising a chamber the wall of which defines, in an unfolded position, a region for receiving and isolating a patient, a base on which the patient is placed in the unfolded position, and a support structure for holding the wall of the chamber, wherein the base comprises in a longitudinal direction contiguous modules which allow said base to be folded between contiguous modules.
This arrangement of the base allows the base to be adapted to the surface on which the device is supported when in use, with the isolated patient feeling comfortable while being isolated inside the device, when he or she is transferred sitting up, for example, on the seat of a train, or lying down when he or she is transferred on a stretcher. This arrangement of the base furthermore allows the device to be folded in a simpler manner.
These and other advantages and features of the invention will become apparent in view of the figures and detailed description of the invention.
As shown in
In a preferred embodiment, in the unfolded position the base 1 comprises in the longitudinal direction at least a first segment 11 for supporting the head and back area, a second segment 12 for the buttock and thigh area, and a third segment 13 for the legs, the contiguous segments 11, 12, 13 being delimited between contiguous modules.
With respect to the modules, in a preferred embodiment, the modules of the base 1 are inflatable, preferably by means of the introduction of air or gas through an inflating and deflating nozzle located in the base 1.
In a preferred embodiment, these modules can be inflated completely, or depending on the patient's posture (sitting up or lying down), only those modules that are necessary for patient comfort can be inflated. For this last embodiment, in case of inflating with air or gas, each module would comprise its own inflating and deflating nozzle.
In terms of the shape of the modules, in a preferred embodiment, the modules are cylindrical and arranged transversely, each segment 11, 12, 13 comprising a plurality of modules for greater patient comfort.
With respect to the wall of the chamber 2, it is preferably made of a flexible material, very preferably PVC. To facilitate communication with the patient, the wall of the chamber 2 is preferably transparent. The wall of the chamber 2 may comprise at least one pocket 22, shown in
In a preferred embodiment, the support structure comprises a plurality of profiles 42 which, in the unfolded position, are spaced from one another in different positions in the longitudinal direction, keeping the wall 21 of the chamber 2 expanded, as can be observed in
In a preferred embodiment, as shown in
To better fold the support structure and to better hold the wall of the chamber around patient's head, in one embodiment, the support structure comprises two side profiles 47 delimiting in the chamber 2 an area for the patient's head, the side profiles 47 being attached to the profile 44 which, in the unfolded position, is arranged at the height of the patient's shoulders, the side profiles 47 being configured for being pivoted onto the rest of the profiles 42, 44 of the structure support when the device is to be arranged in a folded position. In another preferred embodiment, the support structure comprises, at one end of the chamber 2, a transverse profile 42 delimiting, together with the profile 44 which in the unfolded position is arranged at the height of the patient's shoulders, an area for the patient's head, both profiles 42, 44 preferably being attached by means of longitudinal ribs.
The profiles 42, 44, 47 of the different embodiments are preferably flexible rods with the advantage that they take up less space and are easy to fold and unfold, in addition to allowing the chamber to have certain flexibility, as shown in
In terms of the transverse profiles, in a preferred embodiment, said transverse profiles have a substantially rectangular shape, therefore making the chamber 6 in which the patient will be housed a rectangular structure.
As mentioned, the device of the invention can be folded and unfolded. In a preferred embodiment, the folding of the device is performed by means of the superposition of the profiles 42, 43 after introducing at least one part of the wall 21 of the chamber 2 and the base 1 into the region 3 of the chamber 2.
In a preferred embodiment, the wall 21 of the chamber comprises at least one opening 5 for an air filter which allows the ventilation of the inside of the chamber or a cover which allows the health personnel to introduce his or her hand and part of his or her arm for handling the patient inside the chamber. In a preferred embodiment, the filter acts as a cover which can be removed from the housing when the health personnel needs to handle the patient and then said filter can be placed back in the housing 5.
In terms of the way in which the patient is introduced inside the chamber 6, in a preferred embodiment, the wall 21 of the chamber 2 comprises a longitudinal opening 22 which can be closed and through which the patient is introduced into the region 3. This closure is preferably hermetic, such that it prevents any leakage of contaminants or infectious agents coming from of the isolated patient.
In terms of device portability, as described above, the device is foldable. In a preferred embodiment as shown in
In a preferred embodiment, this portable bag is furthermore a sanitization capsule for sanitizing the device, the bag comprising a closure which allows enclosing the device inside the bag and a nozzle for introducing a sanitization solution into the bag, thereby sanitizing and cleaning the device in a simple manner for subsequent use with another patient.
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/ES2021/070303 | 5/4/2021 | WO |
