Patent Application
20100036324
The present invention relates to a tube holder, for holding a tube such as a catheter or a drip to the body of a patient.
Tubes, such as catheters or those which pass to a patient from a drip, need to be attached to the body of a patient in such a way as to allow the patient to move whilst the tube remains attached. It is common to attach the tubes using adhesive bandages or plasters. To adjust the position of the tube the adhesive bandage would have to be removed and replaced. This often leads to poor positioning of the tube because any adjustment causes unnecessary inconvenience and discomfort to the patient and wastes bandages.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,165,748 discloses a device which is adhesively fixed to patient but also has a Velcro™ “bridge” which removeably fastens around a tube, such as a catheter. Use of the removable fastener allows the tube's position to be adjusted without removing the device from the patient's skin. However, it does not offer the security of an adhesive fastening. It has been found that when the patient is unable to monitor the tube holder, for example when asleep, a patient can easily disturb the removable fastener and so the tube becomes detached from the patient's body.
The present invention sets out to provide a tube holder which alleviates the problems described above by providing a pad which can be either permanently or removeably fixed to a patient's body.
A tube holder for removeably securing a tube to the skin of a patient comprising a plastics film bonded to an adhesive material on a bodyside surface of the pad; and a separate first and second means for applying pressure to a tube located in the holder during use, wherein the first and second means are bonded to a tube-side surface of the plastics film and pressure can be applied, in use, to at least two opposing sides of the tube.
By “sides” it s meant areas on the circumference of the tube.
Applying pressure to at least two sides of the tube ensures the stability of the tube when it is held against a patient's skin, for example when the patient is moving around or when the patient is asleep and unable to monitor the tube.
Preferably, at least one of the means for applying pressure to the tube comprises at least one tab extending from the tube-side surface of the plastics film to form, in use, an arch over the tube.
By forming an arch it is meant that the at least one tab forms a bridge over the tube.
Preferably, at least one of the means for applying pressure to the tube comprises a layer of adhesive.
The layer of adhesive may comprise any one of an acrylic adhesive, a hot melt adhesive or a silicon adhesive.
More preferably, the layer of adhesive is pressure-sensitive.
Preferably, the layer of adhesive is covered by a removeable release liner.
More preferably, the release liner is a silicone coated paper.
Preferably, at least one of the means for applying pressure to the tube comprises a male/female connecting means.
Preferably, at least one of the means for applying pressure to the tube comprises a hook and loop fastener.
More preferably, the hook and loop fastener is Velcro™.
A male/female connecting means for applying pressure to the tube, or a hook and loop fastener, for example Velcro™, allows the tube holder to be adjusted during use.
The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings, in which:-
As shown in
Two tabs 7, 9 are fixed by an adhesive to the opposing tube side surface of the thin adhesive pad 3. The first tab 7 is shorter than the second tab 9. The first tab 7 is adhesively fixed along the full length of one of its surfaces to tube side surface of the pad 3. The opposing surface of the first tab 7 comprises a fastening surface. The fastening surface is a hook and loop fastener such as Velcro™. The second tab 9 is a non-woven fabric such as polyurethane or an elastomeric material or a Lycra™-based polymer. Alternatively, the tab 9 may be made of a knitted fabric. The second tab 9 is fixed only along a minor portion of its length to the surface of the pad 3. The remaining length of the second tab comprises a section of hook and loop fastener 13 such as Velcro™.
Between the first and second tabs 7,9 there is central section of the tube side surface of the pad 3 which comprises an adhesive layer temporarily covered and protected by a release liner 15 made of a plastics film.
In use, as shown in
If the tube 19 is to be permanently held by the tube holder 1 the release liner 5 on the body side surface of the adhesive pad 3 is removed and the pad 3 is adhesively fixed to a user's skin 17. The release liner 15 is removed from the central section of the tube side surface of the pad 3. The tube 19 is placed over and so adhesively fixed to the pad 3. The second longer tab 9 is then looped over to “bridge” the tube such that the Velcro™ section of the second tab 13 meets and is removeably fixed to the Velcro™ section of the first shorter tab 7 to further secure the tube 17 in place. If a user wishes to reposition the tube 19 the tube holder 1 would have to be removed from the user's skin and replaced.
The above described embodiment has been given by way of example only, and the skilled reader will naturally appreciate that many variations could be made thereto without departing from the scope of the present invention.
