Transferring and holding device for high-risk neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) patients

• US 20080163425A1
• Filed: 01/08/2007
• Published: 07/10/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/08/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert D. White
• Original Assignee: Robert D. White
• Inventors: White, Robert D.
• Granted Patent: US 7,850,595 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 5/603
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 11/00 Baby-incubators; Couveuses
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/0503 Holders, support devices for receptacles, e.g. for drainage or urine bags hanging-up devices for infusion A61M5/1414
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/065 Rests specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2240/00 Specially adapted for neonatal use
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/02 Holding devices, e.g. on the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1418 Clips, separators or the like for supporting tubes or leads
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 3/2235 each pipe being supported by a common element fastened to the base
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/26 Slit closing means including guides on opposite edges of slit and slidable bridging component

Abstract

A transferring and holding device and method for holding infants having lifelines, such as IV tubes, monitor wire leads, and ventilator tubes, connected thereto. In one embodiment, the device includes a support surface adapted to hold an infant; a boundary attached to and bolstering the support surface; and at least one securing mechanism adapted to secure the lifelines and to impede the lifelines from being disconnected from the infant. The support surface preferably has openings to enable skin-to-skin contact between the infant and a person holding the infant, and at least a portion of the support surface can be a nonabsorbent, open-weave webbed material. The boundary may include a foam member, and/or a flexible plastic or metal member to provide structural support. The boundary may be removable for separate washing of or replacement of the support surface, and the support surface may include sleeves for insertion of at least a portion of the boundary to facilitate removable attachment thereof.

Claims

1. A transferring and holding device for holding infants having lifelines, such as IV tubes, monitor wire leads, and ventilator tubes, connected thereto, the transferring and holding device including:

a support surface adapted to hold an infant;

a generally U-shaped boundary attached to and bolstering the support surface; and

at least one securing mechanism adapted to secure the lifelines and to impede the lifelines from being disconnected from the infant.

2. The transferring and holding device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the support surface has openings to enable skin-to-skin contact between the infant and a person holding the infant.

3. The transferring and holding device as set forth in claim 2, wherein at least a portion of the support surface is a nonabsorbent open-weave webbed material.

4. The transferring and holding device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the boundary includes a foam member.

5. The transferring and holding device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the boundary includes a flexible plastic or metal member to provide structural support.

6. The transferring and holding device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the boundary is removable for separate washing of or replacement of the support surface.

7. The transferring and holding device as set forth in claim 6, wherein the support surface includes sleeves for insertion of at least a portion of the boundary to facilitate removable attachment thereof.

8. The transferring and holding device as set forth in claim 1, including at least two securing mechanisms, one of the securing mechanisms being located on the transferring and holding device in an area that is above a region on the support surface configured to hold the head of the infant.

9. The transferring and holding device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the securing mechanism includes a base and spaced-apart pegs extending from the base.

10. The transferring and holding device as set forth in claim 9, wherein some of the pegs are spaced apart to receive ventilator tubes therebetween, and other pegs are configured for wrapping smaller lifelines therearound for securing the lifelines to the securing mechanism.

11. The transferring and holding device as set forth in claim 10, wherein the securing mechanism includes a cap, and the securing mechanism is configured for lifelines to be positioned between the base and the cap.

12. The transferring and holding device as set forth in claim 11, wherein the cap includes openings configured and spaced apart to receive corresponding pegs.

13. The transferring and holding device as set forth in claim 12, further including a securing device to secure the cap to the base.

14. The transferring and holding device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the securing mechanism has a base having slots for receipt of the lifelines and collars that are attachable to the lifelines to limit the movement of the lifelines with respect to the boundary.

15. The transferring and holding device as set forth in claim 14, further including a cap covering the slots in the base of a securing mechanism.

16. The transferring and holding device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the securing mechanism includes hooks and rings.

17. The transferring and holding device as set forth in claim 16, wherein one of the hooks or rings are attachable to respective lifeline and the other are attached to the boundary.

18. The transferring and holding device as set forth in claim 17, wherein the hooks include a releasable clasp.

19. A transferring and holding device for holding infants having lifelines, such as IV tubes, monitor wire leads, and ventilator tubes, connected thereto, the transferring and holding device including:

a support surface adapted to hold an infant; and

at least one securing mechanism adapted to secure the lifelines and to impede the lifelines from being disconnected from the infant, at least a portion of the securing mechanism being attached to the transferring and holding device and located in an area that extends above a region on the support surface configured to hold the head of the infant.

20. The transferring and holding device as set forth in claim 19, wherein the securing mechanism is relocatable on the transferring and holding device.

21. The transferring and holding device as set forth in claim 19, wherein the support surface includes openings to enable skin-to-skin contact between the infant and a person holding the infant.

22. The transferring and holding device as set forth in claim 19, further including a boundary attached to and bolstering the support surface.

23. The transferring and holding device as set forth in claim 22, wherein the boundary has a generally U-shaped configuration with the base of the U extending above the region of the support surface configured to hold the head of the infant.

24. The transferring and holding device as set forth in claim 22, wherein the boundary includes a foam member.

25. The transferring and holding device as set forth in claim 22, wherein the boundary includes a plastic or metallic member that adds structural support to the device.

26. The transferring and holding device as set forth in claim 19, wherein the securing mechanism includes a base and pegs extending from and spaced apart on the base, and wherein some of the pegs are spaced to receive ventilator tubes therebetween, and others are configured for wrapping smaller lifelines therearound to limit movement of the lifelines relative to the securing mechanism.

27. The transferring and holding device as set forth in claim 19, wherein the securing mechanism has a base having slots configured to receive lifelines and collars attachable to the lifelines to limit movement of the lifelines with respect to an infant on the transferring and holding device.

28. The transferring and holding device as set forth in claim 19, wherein the securing mechanism includes hooks and rings, and one of either the hooks or rings are attachable to respective lifelines and the other are attached to the transferring and holding device.

29. A method for transferring and holding an infant having lifelines, such as IV tubes, monitor wire leads, and ventilator tubes, connected between the infant and medical equipment so as to impede the lifelines from being disconnected from the infant when transferring the infant from a bed into the arms of a person holding the infant, the method including the steps of:

providing a transferring and holding device including a support surface configured to hold an infant and at least one securing mechanism to secure lifelines connected to the infant;

placing the infant on the support surface;

securing the lifelines to the securing mechanism before moving the infant; and

transferring the infant from a bed into the arms of a person to hold the infant using the transferring and holding device.

30. The method for transferring and holding an infant having lifelines as set forth in claim 29, further including the step of providing openings in the support surface to enable skin-to-skin contact between the infant and the person holding the infant.

31. The method for transferring and holding an infant having lifelines as set forth in claim 29, including the step of providing a boundary on the transferring and holding device that bolsters the support surface.

32. The method for transferring and holding an infant having lifelines as set forth in claim 31, wherein the boundary has a generally U-shaped configuration with the bottom of the U extending over the infant'"'"'s head.

33. The method for transferring and holding an infant having lifelines as set forth in claim 31, wherein the boundary includes a flexible plastic or metallic member to provide structural support to the transferring and holding device and securing mechanism.

34. The method for transferring and holding an infant having lifelines as set forth in claim 29, wherein at least a portion of the securing mechanism is located over the top of the head of the infant.

35. The method for transferring and holding an infant having lifelines as set forth in claim 29, wherein the securing mechanism includes a base and pegs that are spaced apart on and extending from the base.

36. The method for transferring and holding an infant having lifelines as set forth in claim 35, further including the step of wrapping at least one of the lifelines around the pegs to secure the lifeline thereto.

37. The method for transferring and holding an infant having lifelines as set forth in claim 29, wherein the securing mechanism has a base having slots configured to receive lifelines and collars that are attachable to the lifelines.

38. The method for transferring and holding an infant having lifelines as set forth in claim 37, further including the step of attaching collars to respective lifelines to limit the movement of the lifelines relative to the securing mechanism.

39. The method for transferring and holding an infant having lifelines as set forth in claim 29, wherein the securing mechanism includes hooks and rings.

40. The method for transferring and holding an infant having lifelines as set forth in claim 39, further including the steps of attaching one of either the hooks or rings to the transferring and holding device and the other to respective lifelines and securing the hooks to respective rings to limit movement of the lifelines with respect to the transferring and holding device.

41. A securing mechanism for securing lifelines, such as IV tubes, monitor lead wires, and ventilator tubes, connected to an infant, the securing mechanism including:

a base; and

pegs spaced apart on and extending from the base.

42. The securing mechanism as set forth in claim 41, wherein at least some of the pegs are spaced apart to permit a ventilator tube to extend therebetween, and other pegs are adapted to have a lifeline wrapped therearound.

43. The securing mechanism as set forth in claim 41, further including a cap, and the mechanism is configured for lifelines to be positioned between the cap and the base.

44. The securing mechanism as set forth in claim 43, wherein the cap includes openings configured and spaced apart to receive corresponding pegs on the base.

45. The securing mechanism as set forth in claim 44, further including at least one securing device to secure the cap to the base.

46. The securing mechanism as set forth in claim 41, further including a material wrapped about the pegs to increase friction between the pegs and lifelines to prevent slippage thereof.

47. A securing mechanism for securing lifelines, such as IV tubes, monitor lead wires, and ventilator tubes, connected to an infant, the securing mechanism including:

a base having slots configured to receive the lifelines; and

collars attachable to the lifelines to limit movement of the lifelines with respect to the base.

48. The securing mechanism for securing lifelines as set forth in claim 47, further including a cap covering the slots in the base.

49. A securing mechanism for securing lifelines, such as IV tubes, monitor lead wires, and ventilator tubes, connected to an infant, the securing mechanism including:

hooks; and

rings with one of either the hooks or loops attached to the securing mechanism and the other attached to respective lifelines.

50. The securing mechanism for securing lifelines as set forth in claim 49, wherein the hooks include a releasable clasp.