Support for a respirator hose

• US 5,163,914 A
• Filed: 10/24/1991
• Issued: 11/17/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Elaine R. Abel
• Original Assignee: Elaine R. Abel
• Inventors: Abel, Elaine R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Millin, Vincent
• Assistant Examiner(s): Passaniti, Sebastiano
• Application Number:
  US07/781,876
• Time in Patent Office: 390 Days
• Field of Search: 128/204.18, 128/912, 128/DIG. 15, 128/DIG. 26, 128/200.24, 604/174, 604/177, 604/178, 604/179, 604/180, 206/364, 206/365, 206/366, 206/438, 24/442, 24/306, 2/DIG. 6
• US Class Current: 604/180
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/0206 where the catheter is secured by using devices worn by the patient, e.g. belts or harnesses
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/026 where the straps are releasably secured, e.g. by hook and loop-type fastening devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2210/1032 Trachea
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/005 Parameter used as control input for the apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/02 Holding devices, e.g. on the body
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/15 Hook and loop type fastener
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/26 Cannula supporters

Abstract

A respirator hose support pad for tracheostomy patients, and method of use thereof for providing strain relief, and for reducing respirator machine induced intermittent hose movement, vibration, and fluid passage from the respirator hose into the patient. The support pad has a hook and loop fastener structure on the central bottom surface for releasible attachment to a patient'"'"'s garment in the upper central chest area. The terminal oppositely disposed ends of the pad each have an extending flange which serve as handles. The pad additionally has a detachable flexible belt on the top surface for adjustable loose securement of the respirator hose onto the top of the pad. When the belt is properly affixed over a respirator hose, the hose is loosely retained between the pad and belt, and may slide back and forth across the pad to prevent excessive pulling on the tracheostomy tube as the patient moves. The interior of the pad contains a compressible and somewhat resilient padding material to dampen the irritating and painful effect on the patient'"'"'s tracheostomy of the respirator hose vibrations and jerking movements caused by the intermittent positive pressure introduction of gasses into the patient. The somewhat thickened pad is additionally utilized to help maintain the respirator hose angling downhill in order to direct fluids which naturally condense in the respirator hose away from the patient'"'"'s tracheostomy tube and lungs.

Claims

1. A generally rectangular support pad structured for supporting a respirator hose in a generally straight-line approach to a patient'"'"'s tracheostomy tube, and for dampening vibration in the respirator hose, and further for assisting in preventing fluid within the respirator hose from entering the patient'"'"'s lungs through the tracheostomy tube while still allowing for a substantial degree of freedom of movement by the patient during use of said pad,

said pad comprising;

an outer covering, said outer covering comprised of a single piece of flexible material folded in-two to define plural portions and a fold defining a first length side edge of said pad, a second lengthwise side edge of said pad being defined by a seam attaching two edges of said flexible material brought together by said fold, said second lengthwise side edge being oppositely disposed from said first lengthwise side edge,

said pad further comprising a compressible and resilient inner material positioned centrally between the folded over portions of said flexible material defining said outer covering, said inner material maintained in position centrally in said pad by said fold and said seam defining said lengthwise side edges of said pad, said inner material further maintained in position by a first transverse seam and a second transverse seam, said first and said second transverse seams each spanning between said first and second lengthwise side edges of said pad so as to captively envelope said inner material between said lengthwise side edges of said pad and said first and said second transverse seams,

said first transverse seam being placed adjacent and slightly inwardly from a first terminal end of said flexible material defining said outer covering of said pad, said second transverse seam being placed adjacent and slightly inwardly from a second terminal end of said flexible material defining said outer covering of said pad, said slightly inward positioning of the first and second transverse seams adjacent the respective terminal ends further defining a first flexible flange and an oppositely disposed second flexible flange each formed of said flexible material defining said outer covering of said pad, said flanges being suitably sized for use as handles,

an elongated flexible belt affixable to a top exterior surface of said outer covering, said belt attachable at two oppositely disposed proximal ends of said belt to said outer covering by releasible attachment means, said belt being of a sufficient length so as to be able to be placed over the respirator hose when the respirator hose is resting on said top exterior surface of said outer covering simultaneously with both proximal ends of said belt being affixed to said outer covering, said belt further being of a sufficient length so as to allow the affixment of said belt over the respirator hose and to said outer covering with said belt being sufficiently loose so as to allow for a substantial degree of sliding movement of the respirator hose between said belt and said outer covering of said pad,

a pad attachment means for releasibly affixing said pad to a garment, said pad attachment means including mating hook and loop fastener sections attachable and detachable from one another, one section of the hook and loop fastener being affixed to an exterior bottom surface of said outer covering with the fastener portion thereof facing away from said outer covering, the mating hook and loop fastener section, to that affixed to said outer covering, having a pressure sensitive adhesive backing to provide for releasible attachment thereof to a garment with the hook and loop fastener portion thereof facing away from the garment to allow the mating hook and loop fastener sections to be releasibly attached together whereby said pad may be releasibly attached to a patient'"'"'s garment.

2. A pad according to claim 1 wherein both proximal ends of said belt are releasibly affixed to said outer covering by means including hook and loop fasteners.

3. A pad according of claim 2 wherein said flexible material of said outer covering is a thin sheet material.

4. A pad according of claim 3 wherein said compressible and resilient inner material is a fiber batting material.

5. A method of using a support pad for supporting a respirator hose in a generally straight-line approach to a patient'"'"'s tracheostomy tube when the patient is lying in bed, and for dampening vibration in the respirator hose, and further for assisting in preventing fluid within the respirator hose from entering the patient'"'"'s lungs through the tracheostomy tube while still allowing for a substantial degree of freedom of movement by the patient during use of said pad and respirator hose,

said pad being of a type having a compressible and resilient nature so as to be capable of dampening vibration in the respirator hose, said pad further including means to allow for releasibly attaching the pad to a garment worn by the patient, said pad further having an elongated flexible belt having two oppositely disposed proximal ends affixed to a top surface of the pad, at least one of the proximal ends of the belt affixed to the pad by releasible attachment means so as to allow the raising of the belt and the placing of the respirator hose thereunder,

wherein said method comprises the steps of

(a) attaching the pad to a garment of the patient in the central upper chest area,

(b) lifting one of the proximal ends of the belt away from the pad,

(c) placing a respirator hose, which is connected to a tracheostomy tube in the patient'"'"'s throat, underneath the belt and on the top surface of the pad with the respirator hose extending toward the tracheostomy tube in a generally straight-line approach,

(d) attaching the lifted proximal end of the belt to the top surface of the pad with the belt transversely over the respirator hose so as to leave the respirator hose captively restrained from falling off of the top surface of said pad, and further with the belt being sufficiently loosely placed and attached over said respirator hose so as to allow for a substantial degree of sliding movement of the respirator hose between the belt and the pad should the patient move his neck and tracheostomy tube relative to the support pad.