Foundation garments – Breast or chest – e.g. – brassieres – With cup-supplementing means to add volume to breast – e.g.,...
Patent
1996-04-18
1998-09-01
Chapman, Jeanette E.
Foundation garments
Breast or chest, e.g., brassieres
With cup-supplementing means to add volume to breast, e.g.,...
450 1, 2267, 2 73, A41C 300, A41C 312
Patent
active
058002456
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The invention relates to a brassiere, the cup assembly of which is constructed, around the two cups, at least with shoulder straps and with side panels which merge into a back panel. Brassieres of this type are known in practice.
In the past, surgery and radiotherapy were generally employed for the treatment of breast cancer. When a mastectomy had taken place, a brassiere of the abovementioned type could then, if appropriate, be provided with one or two external silicone breast prostheses. Over the past 15 years, however, mastectomy has to an ever increasing extent been supplanted by so-called breast-saving (conserving) treatments (BST). In the case of this BST, the surgeon restricts him- or herself to removing the tumour from the breast and (a large proportion of) the lymph nodes from the ipsilateral armpit. The role played by radiotherapy is greater in the case of this treatment than following a mastectomy. The results of BST with respect to survival and to disease-free survival are at least as good as those achieved by mastectomy. However, both after the said treatment and after a mastectomy, problems can arise which, depending on the severity, impede the woman to a greater or lesser extent in going about her normal activities, both in respect of homework and in respect of her employment. The problems involved here are complications such as asymmetry of the breasts, (lymphatic) oedema of the breast and/or of the chest wall, impairments in scar formation, fibrosis, painful areas on the skin of the breast and armpit, and plexopathies.
The abovementioned complications are of subchronic to chronic nature. The measures to be taken against them, such as physiotherapy and keep-fit exercises, therefore have only a temporary effect.
In the interim, extensive experience has clearly shown that manual lymphatic drainage causes the complaints to disappear in a large number of the abovementioned cases. Manual lymphatic drainage (MLD) is a special form of non-forcing and gentle massage. This MLD promotes the re-absorption of tissue fluid in blood and lymphatic capillaries, stimulates the motor response of the lymphatic vessels, as a result of which the transport capacity increases, and makes the hardened or induced tissue supple again and causes the pain to disappear.
As a consequence of the chronic character of the abovementioned complaints, these recur relatively rapidly (for example within a few days) after the end of treatment in the majority of cases. In medical practice, the question therefore arose as to how the result achieved could be consolidated. It was known to use an elastic arm `sock`, which prevents the accumulation of tissue fluid by increasing the tissue pressure from the outside. However, this `sock` can be used only for extremities, such as arms or legs.
The aim of the invention is to overcome the abovementioned problems and to provide a solution with which the beneficial effects of MLD at the chest, side and/or back wall and/or shoulder girdle can be consolidated. According to the invention, this is achieved with a brassiere of the type mentioned in the preamble, in that the shoulder straps and/or the side panels are of broadened design, in that the brassiere is provided, at least in one location an the side next to the body, with a lining pocket for accommodating a compression pad and in that such a compression pad is made of resilient material in order to increase tissue pressure to consolidate the result achieved by manual lymphatic drainage. A compression pad of this type can comprise a thin strip of resilient material, such as foam rubber, or resilient fibres enclosed in a cushion pocket.
The shape of said compression pad depends on the site of the complaint and accordingly is determined anatomically by the path of the lymph (i.e., tissue fluid) drainage areas which are still available. That is to say, those areas from which tissue fluid still has to be removed and underneath which there are sometimes irreversible fibrotic tissue changes.
The effect of the MLD treatment in the therapeutic stag
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Barbe-Vicuna Lucrecia
Hamers Han Peter
Chapman Jeanette E.
Lucrecia Barbe-Vicuna
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