Patent Application
20070208285
“This application claims the benefit of patent application Ser. No. 10/821,115.
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
This invention relates to the casting of orthopedic patients, specifically Cutaneous Complications inside the cast.
Orthopedic doctors perform all castings of patients suffering from fractures within their bodies.
There is no known treatment for the prevention of cutaneous complications, which occur inside patients cast. However, Universaly the majority of Orthopaedic Surgeans, write in their guidelines for Orthopaedic Technology, Cast Care Guides, and various Sports Articles, how traditional cast construction such as plaster of paris or fiberglass, often results in Cutaneous Complications, “including Macerations, Ulcerations, Infections, Burns, Blisters, Rashes, and Allergic contact Dermatitis.” Orthopaedic Surgeons and Clinical Professors write that, patients often reports that such cast itch, smell, and are difficult to keep dry. Further, they write that, “plaster of paris cast break down if patients get them wet. Although fiberglass cast with stockinette and cast padding can withstand moisture, they must be dried, perhaps with a hair dryer to minimize cutaneous complications. Maceration, odor, and itching frequently develope when damp areas remain beneath the fiberglass cast.”
It is universally excepted throughout the world that cool air is the solution to either preventing or minimizing cutaneous complications beneath the cast, but until Tyrone's new method of inserting an attachment inside the cast, the only other method was to use a hair dryer. Tyrone believes that the hair dryer is not only inconvenient to use for that purpose, but is not designed to pump cool air, and has a great potential for danger to the patient especially children. Furthermore, because the cast has to be fitted tightly against the patients fracture to stablelize the broken bone, the hair-dryer would not be capable of pushing enough air through most cast.
Accordingly, several objects and advantages of the present invention are:
(a) to provide a treatment for the prevention of cutaneous complications, which occur inside patients cast.
(b) to provide a treatment that would allow the patients fracture to heal in a more timely fashion while greatly reducing the risk of permanent injury due to cutaneous complications within the cast.
(c) to provide a treatment which will reduce inflated medical cost to the patient due to return visits to redress cutaneous complications within the cast.
(d) to provide a treatment that will keep the cast from breaking apart due to moisture build-up inside the cast.
(e) to provide a treatment that will minimize cutaneous complications including macerations, ulcerations, and Infections.
(f) to provide a treatment that will minimize or prevent, burns, blisters, rashes, and allergic contact dermatitis.
(g) to provide a treatment that will minimize or prevent discomfort, itching, and odor within the cast.
Further objects and advantages are to provide a device which can be easily and conveniently used, which can be made light weight and small in size, which can be applied to the patient without any potential harm to the patient and can be made to be hand held or hooked on the waist of the patient making it convenient for patients to move around. Still further objects and advantages will become apparent from a consideration of the ensuing description and drawings.
The itchblocker air cast system is a method for minimizing or preventing cutaneous complications within a cast without potential harm to the patient comprising pumping cool temperature air through the cast to prevent heat, moisture, and bacteria build-up inside, by use of a compressor/air pump with tubing connections and air inserts that are specifically designed to be placed inside the patients cast.
1. Light Weight compressor/air pump. 31 lbs(1.36 kg)max.
2. Power preferably uses two interchangeable rechargeable battery cells. One would power the unit while the other is being recharged. The unit or battery cell should indicate when power levels are low and charging is required. The charger should have lights to indicate operation and charging is complete.
3. Switches the pump only need a water proof on-off switch. It is desired to have the on mode be timed by electronic circuit.
4. Noise & Vibration quite and low vibration is important A damp and isolated double housing is recommended.
5. Air Flow i estimate the flow at about 2 cubic feet per minute. 1 cu.ft. (0.028 cu.m.) minimum.
6. Nozzle the pump will be attached to an air hose approximately ½ to ⅜ inch in diameter. The pump outlet hole should be between ¼ and ½ inch.
7. Dimensions the smaller, the better.
Attachment
The insert is made up from a sheet of plastic connected to a light flexible spring and plastic spout sandwiched inside a thin durable plastic bag known as seal a meal, which is vented with specially designed air passages. The sheet of plastic and spring inside the bag keeps the bag in place and assures continuous maximum air flow.
The insert is designed to enter within the cast material between the stockinette and cast padding.
Accessories
The product will be designed to attach to a belt and hand held. This feature does not have to be part of the pump.
Accordingly, the reader will see that the itchblocker air cast system is a method for minimizing or preventing cutaneous complications beneath a cast, which includes macerations, ulcerations, infections, burns, blisters, rashes, and allergic contact dermatitis. Comprising pumping cool temperature air through the patients casted area to prevent heat, moisture and bacteria build up, which causes the cutaneous complications by use of a compressor/air pump and inserts that are specifically designed to fit inside the cast.
Furthermore, the method will allow the patients fracture to heal in a more timely fashion while greatly reducing the risk of permanent injury due to cutaneous complications beneath the cast. In addition, the itchblocker air cast system, has the objects and advantages in that:
Thus the scope of the method invention should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents, rather than by the examples given.
