The present invention relates to securing the ventilator tubing circuitry to a patient so as to prevent the circuitry from becoming disconnected from the patient (or ventilator) or becoming entangled, crushed or otherwise made non-functional thereby causing possible harm to the patient.
Patients who are unable to breath on their own typically have a tracheostomy or endotracheal tube placed in their trachea. A ventilator tubing circuit is attached to the tube on one end and a ventilator on the opposite end. The tracheostomy tube or endotracheal tube are typically attached to the patient with a securement device that keeps the tube from being displaced from the patients trachea.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,672,159 (Warrick), issued Sep. 30, 1997, the complete disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference, discloses a device to support and secure a ventilator tubing to a patient that is rather cumbersome and restrictive for the patient to both attach and wear. Because the patients' health is already extremely compromised anything that limits or restricts movement will cause exponential negative outcomes. The product is restrictive as well as more difficult to put on the patient. It is also complicated for a caregiver to properly secure a device. The device is worn around the shoulder thereby keeping the circuitry off to the side where, with mobile patients (wheelchair, motorized scooter, etc.), it increases the probability of allowing the circuitry to fall away from the mobility device and become trapped, stuck or crushed under the wheels of the mobility device.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,244,464 (Madden), issued Sep. 14, 1993, discloses a device that traps the circuitry between a main strap and a completely releaseable secondary holding strap which can be completely disconnected from the main strap allowing for the circuitry to become unsecured and increasing the concern for patient safety.
There is a need for a device to assist in ensuring that the ventilator tubing itself does not fall away from the patient thereby allowing it to be damaged to the extent that the oxygen from the ventilator can no longer pass freely through the tubing to the patient, thereby causing significant or permanent injury to the patient.
It is an object of this invention to provide a product that was comfortable for a patient while providing the security necessary to keep the ventilator tubing from being compromised and that is easy for a caregiver to apply and remove.
Objects of the invention can be obtained by a ventilator circuit stabilizer comprising:
Objects of the invention can also be obtained by a method of fastening a ventilator circuit stabilizer to a patient comprising:
The invention will be explained with reference to the attached non-limiting FIGS.
The stabilizer comprises a torso strap (part A), comprising a foam material covered with Velcro loop material on a loop side and a soft material suitable for application to skin on the opposing soft side. An example of the soft material is cotton. The length of the torso strap (A) varies depending on patient type: infant, pediatric, adult, bariatric, etc. The torso strap (A) must be of sufficient length to encircle the patient's torso. A piece of Velcro hook is mounted, for example welded, to a first end of the soft side of the torso strap, shown at (B). A second end of the torso strap (A) is shown at (C)
The stabilizer further comprises a ventilator strap (part D) that is sized and constructed to mount the ventilator circuit to the torso strap (A). In a preferred embodiment, the ventilator strap (A) comprises foam material covered with Velcro loop material on a loop side and a soft material suitable for application to skin on the opposing soft side. An example of the soft material is cotton. The ventilator strap (D) has a Velcro hook mounted, such as welded, to a first end of the soft side of the ventilator strap (D). The second end of the ventilator strap (D) is mounted loop side down to the loop side of torso strap (A) near the first end (B) of the torso strap (A). Preferably, the second end of the ventilator strap (D) is mounted to the first end (B) of the torso strap (A) where the Velcro hook is mounted.
The torso strap (A) can then be looped around the patient's torso like a belt with the soft side facing the patient. The first end (B) with Velcro hook can be removably attached in the front of the patient to the opposite side of the torso strap (A) (Velcro loop) by pressing the Velcro hook to the Velcro loop. This will keep the ventilator circuit tubing securely attached to the patient and since the Velcro hook at the first end (B) can be mounted in different locations the torso strap (A) can be secured around the torso.
The ventilator circuit is then placed on top of the front of the torso strap (A) and the first end of the ventilator strap (D) is moved over the ventilator circuit so that the ventilator strap is laid over the ventilator circuit. The first end of the ventilator strap (D) is then secured to the torso strap (A) by pressing the Velcro hook of the ventilator strap (D) onto the Velcro loop of the torso strap (A). This will secure the ventilator circuit to the patient and prevent the ventilator circuit from falling away from the patient's body.
The stabilizer secures the ventilator circuit to the patient's torso in such a manner that stabilizer will not allow the circuitry to fall away from the patient when the patient moves and prevents the circuitry from interfering when a clinician is assisting a patient with other clinical needs. The stabilizer also allows a clinician/caregiver to move the ventilator circuitry to either side of a patient if the clinician/caregiver needs to do clinical assessment of the area where the ventilator circuitry rests on the patient.
A specific non-limiting example of the torso strap (A) is a 34 inch to 60 inch×1.5 inch length of white foam with loop material laminated to one side of the foam and cotton fabric laminated to the opposite soft side of the foam. Attached to the first end (B) of the torso strap on the loop side is a 2 inch×0.5 inch piece of HTH hook material. The hook material can be welded at both ends (B) (C) to the torso strap (A). The hook acts as the fastening element that secures the torso strap around the patient's torso.
A specific non-limiting example of the ventilator strap (D) is a 5 inch×0.5 inch length of blue foam with loop material laminated to one side of the foam and cotton fabric laminated to the opposite side of the foam. A piece of HTH hook, 1.75 inch×0.5 inch is welded to the first end of the loop material side of Part B. The second end of the ventilator strap is welded, loop material side down, to the cotton side of the torso strap (D), 2 inches from the first end of the torso strap where the HTH hook is welded to the loop material side of the torso strap. The ventilator strap (D) secures the ventilator circuitry to the torso strap.
While the claimed invention has been described in detail and with reference to specific embodiments thereof, it will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that various changes and modifications can be made to the claimed invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof.
Number | Date | Country | |
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62087580 | Dec 2014 | US | |
62103597 | Jan 2015 | US |