Surgery: light – thermal – and electrical application – Light – thermal – and electrical application – Thermal applicators
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-30
2001-06-12
Dvorak, Linda C. M. (Department: 3739)
Surgery: light, thermal, and electrical application
Light, thermal, and electrical application
Thermal applicators
C607S104000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06245096
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to a thermal cover member for delivering a fluid such as air to a patient's body and more particularly for providing a plurality of cells that form fluidic spaces across the patient's body while optionally providing the ability to visually monitor the temperature and the patient skin response under the fluidic spaces.
2. Description of Related Art
The prior art has long recognized the desirability of providing convective fluid flow to a person's body to either warm or cool the person's body. Various delivery systems have been utilized, including porous mattresses and inflatable blankets that are connected to a pressurized source of fluid. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,093,834 discloses providing fabric material formed by a plurality of layers sewed together so that air-conditioned air could be diffused through the layers to come into contact with the body of the person. This reference also teaches the use of body suits and the application of both cooled and heated air that is supplied under pressure to a flexible enclosure. U.S. Pat. No. 2,601,189 teaches an air comforter bed covering that can be formed of thermally bonded plastic material.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,757,366 teaches providing heated air through a cushion device that can be positioned beneath the body of the user. U.S. Pat. No. 3,778,851 is an example of a mattress that could be used for treating a patient who has undergone surgery, or is recovering from severe burns. A series of welded seams can divide the mattress into rib conduits that communicate with a peripheral manifold. Apertures in the ribs permit the egress of air, while supplemental resilient foam plastic material can be positioned within the ribs and a manifold.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,881,477 discloses a rectangular hollow tubular structure that is positioned above a patient to deliver a stream or curtain of air in upper and downward directions to create a super-atmospheric pressure zone about the patient's body for a surgical field so that it is isolated from outside air and airborne foreign particles.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,908,655 discloses a post-operative cooling device that can encompass the head and neck of a patient.
The following patents have attempted to provide various structures of thermal blankets, such as U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,324,320, 5,300,102, 4,572,188, 4,777,802, 5,350,417, 5,125,238 and 5,405,271.
The medical profession has been well aware of post-operative hypothermia that can be experienced by a significant number of patients that have undergone surgery. The art is still seeking to optimize a relatively inexpensive and disposable device to address these issues, plus providing an option of easily monitoring the temperature of fluid applied to the patent.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a thermal cover member for delivering a fluid, such as heated or cooled air, to a patient's body. The cover member includes a hollow housing member having an inlet port for connection with a source of pressurized fluid, such as an air heater. The hollow housing member can include a first flexible member and a second flexible member connected together to provide a manifold conduit with a plurality of cells positioned about the housing member to create fluidic spaces or zones. The manifold conduit is expandable when pressurized by the fluid. Each cell includes a non-inflatable canopy that has a continuous perimeter sealingly connected to the housing member or manifold conduit. The housing member can have a plurality of exit ports communicating with each cell to provide an egress of fluid to create a fluidic space in each cell beneath each canopy to bathe a portion of the patient's body with fluid for temperature control purposes. The cells can be dimensioned to accommodate anatomical characteristics of a particular patient by size and sex. The exit ports on the perimeter side walls of the cell, that are part of the manifold conduit, can direct egressing fluid into the interior of the fluidic spaces to provide a controlled temperature zone to the body of the patient. The first flexible member and the second flexible member preferably includes plastic and can be heat-welded together to form continuous, seam-sealed connections about each canopy. The canopy can also support a thermo-chromatic indicator to visually indicate the temperature of the fluidic space in each cell and/or can include a transparent window to enable a visual monitoring of the patient's skin.
Preferably, a cover member for delivering fluid to the patient, is a disposable flexible body member that can expand to provide a manifold conduit for delivery of fluid to the patient. A thermo-chromatic detector can be operatively connected to this cover member for providing a visible indicator of the temperature of the fluid.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4325254 (1982-04-01), Svacina et al.
patent: 4846176 (1989-07-01), Golden
patent: 5300102 (1994-04-01), Augustine et al.
patent: 5366491 (1994-11-01), Ingram et al.
patent: 5640728 (1997-06-01), Graebe
patent: 5954680 (1999-09-01), Augustine
patent: 5968084 (1999-10-01), Augustine et al.
patent: 5989285 (1999-11-01), DeVilbiss et al.
Beran Anthony V.
Shigezawa Gordon Y.
Tomic-Edgar Kerry
Dvorak Linda C. M.
Price and Gess
Ram Jocelyn Debra
Respiratory Support Products Inc.
LandOfFree
Thermal cover member for delivering fluid to a patient does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Thermal cover member for delivering fluid to a patient, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Thermal cover member for delivering fluid to a patient will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2538441