Surgery: light – thermal – and electrical application – Light – thermal – and electrical application – Thermal applicators
Reexamination Certificate
1994-06-21
2001-06-05
Nasser, Robert L. (Department: 3736)
Surgery: light, thermal, and electrical application
Light, thermal, and electrical application
Thermal applicators
C607S104000, C005S423000, C062S259400
Reexamination Certificate
active
06241756
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND
Hypothermia is a condition of subnormal body temperature which presents serious consequences to the patient suffering therefrom. It has been shown that nearly seventy five percent of all patients who undergo surgical procedures develop hypothermia. This equates to approximately fourteen million patients a year in the United States alone. The hypothermic condition is brought on by many factors including anesthesia, the air conditioning of the operating room, and the infusion of cold blood, I-V solutions, or irrigating fluids.
Several methods and products have been developed to help prevent hypothermia from occurring; such as the use of infrared lamps, cotton blankets, and warm water mattresses. However, none of these methods and products have proven completely successful. In fact, it has been shown that these methods and products can not even prevent the patients from losing their endogenous heat. (See Journal of Post Anesthesia Nursing, Vol. 5, No. 4, August 1990, pp 254-263).
Another method of helping to prevent hypothermia that has proven very effective is the use of forced warm air convection. As early as 1937, a refrigeration blanket using cold air convection was suggested in U.S. Pat. No. 2,093,834 to Gaugler. This blanket included a plurality of layers for channeling air flow from an inlet port. Non-inflatable portions were provided around the periphery of the blanket to secure the blanket around the body.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,512,559 to Williams also relates to a blanket for providing cooled air to a person. The blanket in Williams comprised a plurality of thin sheets of material connected together at a plurality of discrete locations and connected together in a continuous line about the peripheral edge. An air inlet was provided to communicate with space between the sheets to allow cool air to be supplied thereto.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,572,188 to Augustine et al, a forced air convection system which can supply either cool or warm air to a blanket is described. The blanket in Augustine et al comprises a plurality of inflatable hollow tubes having their interiors connected together through transverse openings. An entry port is provided in the upper surface of the blanket for admitting the cool or warm air and small exit ports are provided through the lower surface to allow the cool or warm air to flow out toward a body covered by the blanket.
Other patents relating to the supply of cool or warm air to a person through an inflatable blanket include U.S. Pat. No. 4,660,388 to Greene, Jr.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,777,802 to Feher; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,867,230 to Voss. Each of these patents describe blankets having various attributes and configurations to supply cool or warm air to the person.
While some of the above systems suggest use in the operating room, there are a number of disadvantages associated with such use. For example, it is often necessary to have access to a particular area of the body for surgery. A full body blanket can interfere with this access.
Therefore, there is a need in the art for improvements to blankets for forced warm air convection systems.
OBJECT OF THE INVENTION
It is one object of the present invention to provide a blanket for a forced warm air convection system which covers the upper body of the patient.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a blanket for a forced warm air convection system which includes an integral head cover.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The above objects and others are accomplished according to the present invention by providing a blanket for a warm air convection system having various optimal features as will be discussed in detail below.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5300102 (1994-04-01), Augustine et al.
patent: 5304213 (1994-04-01), Becke et al.
patent: 5324320 (1994-06-01), Augustine et al.
patent: 5350417 (1994-09-01), Augustine
Mallinckrodt Inc.
Nasser Robert L.
Rothwell Figg Ernst & Manbeck
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