Prewarming Gown

• US 20120047623A1
• Filed: 08/29/2011
• Published: 03/01/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Surgical Company International B.V.
• Original Assignee: The Surgical Company International B.V.
• Inventors: van Oudenallen, Robertus Gerardus, Teunissen, Berend Jan
• Granted Patent: US 9,956,112 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 2/114
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2007/006 of gas
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2007/0234 for the upper part of the trunk, e.g. bodice
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2007/0236 for the lower part of the trunk, e.g. panty
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2007/0257 with a fluid impermeable layer
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2007/0258 with a fluid permeable layer
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 7/0085 Devices for generating hot or cold treatment fluids
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 7/0097 Blankets with active heating or cooling sources warming mats A61F7/08
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 7/02 Compresses or poultices for effecting heating or cooling

Abstract

A device for warming a human body. The device is a gown that has a body with a thorax portion and a leg portion. One embodiment prevents redistribution hypothermia with a distributor attached to the inside of the leg portion. The sleeves, leg portion, and posterior of the gown are heat reflective. The anterior of the thorax portion of the gown is non-reflective. The distributor inflates when heated air is supplied. The distributor exhausts air into the gown. Temperature is maintained at a desired level for the extremities, while preventing the thorax area from being elevated to an uncomfortable level. Another embodiment is a perioperative warming device. The device is a gown that has a thorax portion and a leg portion. Each portion has an independent air chamber and inlet. The two portions are releasably connected. The sleeves, leg portion, and anterior of the gown are heat reflective.

Claims

1. An apparatus for providing temperature control of a patient, said apparatus comprising:

a first garment portion having a thorax portion and a pair of sleeves configured to fit on an upper body of the patient, said first garment portion having a neck opening configured to accommodate a neck of the patient;

a first sheet having a peripheral edge attached to an inside surface of said first garment portion thereby defining a first chamber between said first sheet and an adjacent portion of said first garment portion, said first sheet being air permeable, said adjacent portion of said first garment portion being air impermeable, said first garment portion and said first sheet defining an upper body portion, said upper body portion having a bottom that is proximate a pelvis of the patient when the patient is wearing said upper body portion;

a first inlet port in fluid communication with said first chamber wherein when air is introduced into said first chamber, said first chamber inflates and air exhausts through said first sheet;

a second sheet configured to fit around a lower body of the patient;

a third sheet having a peripheral edge attached to said second sheet thereby defining a second chamber between said third sheet and an adjacent portion of said second sheet, said third sheet being air permeable, said adjacent portion of said second sheet being air impermeable, said second sheet and said third sheet defining a lower body portion;

a second inlet port in fluid communication with said second chamber wherein when air is introduced into said second chamber, said second chamber inflates and air exhausts through said third sheet; and

a connector joining said bottom portion of said upper body portion to a top of said lower body portion, said connector being releasable wherein said lower body portion is removable from said upper body portion.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said first chamber is dimensioned to be proximate an anterior portion of said first garment portion, said anterior portion corresponding to a position proximate an anterior thorax of the patient when the patient is wearing said upper body portion.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said second chamber is dimensioned to be proximate an anterior portion of the lower body of the patient when said upper body portion is connected to said lower body portion and the patient is wearing said upper body portion and said lower body portion.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said lower body portion has a length wherein a bottom of said lower body portion is proximate a foot of the patient when the patient is wearing said lower body portion with said lower body portion joined with said upper body portion.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 further including a plurality of connections between said second sheet and said third sheet, said plurality of connections distributed inside a boundary defined by said peripheral edge of said third sheet whereby said second sheet is constrained to expand a limited distance from said third sheet when said second chamber is inflated with air.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said pair of sleeves and an anterior portion of said first garment portion are heat reflective.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein an anterior portion of said second sheet is heat reflective and a posterior portion of said second sheet is not heat reflective.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein a posterior portion of said first garment portion and a posterior portion of said second sheet are air permeable.

9. An apparatus for providing temperature control of a patient, said apparatus comprising:

a first sheet defining a thorax portion and a pair of sleeves, said first sheet having an inside surface that is proximate the patient when the patient is wearing said first sheet;

a second sheet having a periphery attached to said first sheet with an air tight seal, said first sheet and said second sheet defining a first chamber between said second sheet and a portion of said first sheet proximate said second sheet, said second sheet being air permeable, said portion of said first sheet being air impermeable, said first and second sheets defining an upper body portion;

a first inlet defined by a passage in said first sheet into said first chamber, said first inlet configured to connect with an air hose;

a third sheet having an inside surface that is proximate the patient when the patient is wearing said third sheet;

a fourth sheet having a periphery attached to said third sheet with an air tight seal, said third sheet and said fourth sheet defining a second chamber between said fourth sheet and a portion of said third sheet proximate said fourth sheet, said fourth sheet being air permeable, said portion of said third sheet being air impermeable, said third and fourth sheets defining a lower body portion;

a second inlet defined by a passage in said third sheet into said second chamber, said second inlet configured to connect with said air hose; and

a connector releasably joining a bottom of said upper body portion and a top of said lower body portion.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said bottom of said upper body portion is proximate a pelvis of the patient when the patient is wearing said upper body portion.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said lower body portion has a length wherein a bottom of said lower body portion is proximate a foot of the patient when the patient is wearing said lower body portion with said lower body portion joined with said upper body portion.

12. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said first chamber is dimensioned to be proximate an anterior portion of said upper body portion, and said anterior portion corresponding to a position proximate an anterior thorax of the patient when the patient is wearing said upper body portion.

13. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said first chamber is dimensioned to extend into a portion of said pair of sleeves proximate said thorax portion.

14. The apparatus of claim 9 further including a seam between a medial portion and a distal portion of each sleeve wherein said distal portion of each one of said pair of sleeves is separable from said medial portion of said each one of said pair of sleeves.

15. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said second chamber is dimensioned to be proximate an anterior portion of the lower body of the patient when said upper body portion is connected to said lower body portion and the patient is wearing said upper body portion and said lower body portion.

16. The apparatus of claim 9 further including a plurality of connections between said third sheet and said fourth sheet, said plurality of connections distributed inside a boundary defined by said peripheral edge of said fourth sheet whereby said third sheet is constrained to expand a limited distance from said fourth sheet when said second chamber is inflated with air.

17. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said pair of sleeves and an anterior portion of said first garment portion are heat reflective.

18. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein an anterior portion of said third sheet is heat reflective and a posterior portion of said third sheet is not heat reflective.

19. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein a posterior portion of said upper body portion and a posterior portion of said lower body portion are air permeable.

20. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said third sheet has a top edge with a length substantially equal to a length of a bottom edge of said first sheet.