Garment For Preventing Redistribution Hypothermia

• US 20120047622A1
• Filed: 08/24/2011
• Published: 03/01/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Surgical Company International B.V.
• Original Assignee: The Surgical Company International B.V.
• Inventors: van Oudenallen, Robertus Gerardus
• Granted Patent: US 10,893,709 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 2/81
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 13/0025 by means of forced air circulation
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 13/0051 Heated garments heated divers' suits B63C11/28

Abstract

A thermal therapy garment that covers at least the lower extremities of a patient. The garment has an air impermeable outer layer and an air permeable inner layer. An inflatable air chamber is defined between the inner and outer layers. An inlet port connects to the chamber to allow inflation with conditioned air, which is exhausted through the inner layer over a selected region of the patient'"'"'s lower body. A gown has a length sufficient to overlap a waist portion of the garment, The gown has an opening that coincides with the inlet port, thereby allowing a hose to pass through the gown and connect to the inlet port. In one embodiment, the gown has sleeves and/or a posterior portion that are heat reflective whereby the extremities are warmed to minimize the core to peripheral temperature gradient.

Claims

1. An apparatus for warming a patient to prevent redistribution hypothermia, said apparatus comprising:

a garment configured to cover a lower body portion of the patient, said garment defining a leg portion and a waist portion, when said garment is worn by the patient, said leg portion configured to extend from a torso of the patient toward a pair of leg hems proximate the patient'"'"'s feet, said leg portion configured to individually surround a portion of each leg of the patient, said waist portion configured to surround a portion of said waist of the patient;

an inflatable chamber defined by an outer member and an inner member, said outer member being impermeable to air, said inner member proximate the patient when the patient is wearing said garment, said inner member being permeable to air whereby said inner member exhausting air from said inflatable chamber when said inflatable chamber is inflated with air; and

an inlet port in said outer member, said inlet port configured to receive a nozzle from an air supply hose, and said inlet port located in said waist portion of said garment.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said garment includes a pair of releasable openings each extending from a distal end of said leg portion to said waist portion whereby access to the patient is provided along a length of said garment.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said garment includes a releasable opening extending from one of said pair of leg hems of said leg portion, through a crotch region, and to another one of said pair of leg hems of said leg portion.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 further including a gown configured to cover an upper body portion of the patient, said gown having a lower portion that extends toward a distal end of said leg portion of said garment when worn by the patient wearing said garment, said gown having an opening aligning with said inlet port and allowing access to said inlet port when said gown is worn by the patient wearing said garment.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said gown includes a pair of sleeves and a posterior portion that are heat reflective, and said gown further including an anterior portion that is not heat reflective.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said waist portion is dimensioned to extend over a portion of a thorax of the person wearing said garment, and further including at least one shoulder strap extending from said waist portion.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said waist portion of said garment further includes a waistband for securing said garment around the patient'"'"'s waist.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said waist portion of said garment further includes an adjustable waistband and wherein said pair of leg hems are adjustable, wherein said adjustable waistband and said pair of leg hems are adjustable to vary a flow of exhaust air from said garment when worn by the patient and supplied with conditioned air.

9. An apparatus for warming a patient to prevent redistribution hypothermia, said apparatus comprising:

a first member configured to be worn as a pair of trousers, said member having a pair of leg portions and a waist portion, said first member being air impermeable;

a second member being an air permeable material, said second member having a peripheral edge attached to an inside surface of said first member, said first and second members defining a chamber therebetween wherein said chamber is inflatable; and

an inlet port penetrating said first member in said waist portion, said inlet port configured to supply air to said chamber.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said first member includes a pair of releasable openings each extending from a distal end of one of said pair of leg portions to said waist portion whereby access to the patient is provided along a length of said first member.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said first member includes a releasable opening extending from a distal end of one of said pair of leg portions, through a crotch region, and to a distal end of another one of said pair of leg portions.

12. The apparatus of claim 9 further including a gown configured to cover an upper body portion of the patient, said gown having a lower portion that extends toward a distal end of pair of leg portions of said first member when said gown is worn by the patient wearing said pair of trousers, said gown having an opening aligning with said inlet port and allowing access to said inlet port when said gown is worn by a patient wearing said pair of trousers.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said gown includes a pair of sleeves and a posterior portion that are heat reflective, and said gown further including an anterior portion that is not heat reflective.

14. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said first member further includes an elongated portion extending from said waist portion opposite said pair of leg portions, said elongated portion dimensioned to extend over a portion of a thorax of the person wearing said first member, said elongated portion having a support member configured to fit over a shoulder of the patient when the patient is wearing said first member.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said chamber is disposed in said pair of leg portions, and said chamber does not extend proximate said elongated portion.

16. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said second member is permeable to air through a plurality of openings disposed in selected portions of said second member.

17. A system for warming a patient to prevent redistribution hypothermia, said system comprising:

a garment configured to cover a lower body portion of the patient, said garment having a pair of leg portions and a waist portion, said garment including an air chamber, said air chamber having a first surface that is air permeable, said first surface being proximate the patient when the patient is wearing said garment, said air chamber having a second surface that is air impermeable, said second surface being an outside surface of said garment, said garment including an inlet port penetrating said air chamber wherein when an air hose is connected to said inlet port said air chamber receives conditioned air;

a gown configured to cover an upper body portion of the patient, said gown having a length sufficient to overlap said waist portion of said garment when said garment and said gown are worn by the patient, said gown having an opening proximate said inlet port when said garment and said gown are worn by the patient, said opening configured and dimensioned to accommodate the air hose when the air hose is connected to said inlet port.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein said garment includes at least one releasable opening extending along said leg portion whereby access to the patient is provided through said garment.

19. The system of claim 17 wherein said gown includes a pair of sleeves that are heat reflective, and said gown includes an anterior portion that is not heat reflective.

20. The system of claim 17 further including a pair of hand coverings and a pair of foot coverings whereby air exhausting said pair of leg portions and a pair of sleeves of said gown passes into said pair of hand coverings and said pair of foot coverings, whereby the extremities of the patient are warmed by the exhausted air.