AU745758B2

AU745758B2 - Tourniquet protector

Info

Publication number: AU745758B2
Application number: AU29092/99A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Kanag Baska
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1998-05-18
Filing date: 1999-05-18
Publication date: 2002-03-28
Anticipated expiration: 2019-05-18
Also published as: AU2909299A

Description

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AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 KANAG BASKA

ORIGINAL

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT Tourniquet protector

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The f*ollowing statement is a full description of this invention icl iid iiig the best method of performing it known to us:- Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a means for protecting the limb of a patient fromn the pressure of a tourniquet whilst simultaneously protecting the tolurniquet from contamination and deterioration during operative procedu res.

Background Art In mnost cases of surgery to a limb of a patient it is necessary to restrict the blood flow to that limb to prevent excessive blood loss through surgical wounds. To prevent the flow of blood, pressure may be applied to the limb by way of a tourniquet. It has been found that the pressure required to stem the flow of blood often results in damage to the soft tissue of the limb and it S. is desirable. therefore, to cushion the limb from the pressure of the tourniquet. A commonly used cushioning method involves wrapping a layer of loosely woven or non-woven fabric around the limb before applying the 15 tourniquet. Problems associated with this method of cushioning include dislodgillent of the fabric from beneath the tourniquet.

Themr is also a tendency for the fabric of the tourniquet to soak up S' blood. other body fluids and other-fluids used in the surgical procedure such as iodine which is commonly used as an antiseptic in surgical procedures, thus leading to contamination of the tourniquet. For example, when used on the upper part: of the thigh, the tourniquet can readily become contaminated due to fungal infections in the groin area, from genital discharges and also contamination from incontinent patients. As it is not uncommon for the same tourniquet to be used on a number of patients in one day, such re-use 25 does raise the potential for cross infection between patients.

Furthermore, the threads of the fabric tend to become attached to velcro tabs on the tourniquet and in time prevent it from fastening securely on subsequent occasions of use.

At tenipts to prevent damage to the tourniquet have involved attaching a plastic sheet to the skin of a patient beneath the roll of fabric. Again, it has been found that the plastic sheet has a tendency to dislodge allowing infiltration of fluids into the cotton and ultimately into the tourniquet.

Furt her protectors have been developed including the protector described in US Patent No 4,406,281 to Hubbard. This patent describes a cover having a padded strap with a thin impervious sheet extending out from one side of the padded strap. The protector is wrapped around the limb of a patielnt anid the impervious sheet pulled back over the tourniquet which is placed a round the padded strap. The drawback with such a protector, however, is that the impervious sheet extends from one side of the padded strap only. Accordingly, the tourniquet will not be protected from both sides and the potential for seepage of fluids or contaminants into the tourniquet is still high.

Considering that in one study alone, approximately 20% of all surgical procedu ires in a hospital in one year involved surgery to the limb and considering further that around 98% of such surgery requires that a tourniquet be used, there is a very definite need to alleviate the problems associa ted with conventional methods for protecting both limb and tourniluet.

The present invention relates to a disposable means for cushioning the *tissue o' a limb and protecting a tourniquet from damage or contamination 15 which has far less tendency to dislodge from beneath a tourniquet than convenlionally used means.

Disclosure of the Invention In a first: aspect, the present invention relates to a protective means for placement between the skin of a limb of a patient and an overlying tourniquet. the protective means including a padded body having at least a first and second side and able to be wrapped at least partially around a limb of a patient, and a liquid resistant sheet having a first portion extending outwardly from the first side of the padded body and a second portion ,extendillg outwardly from the second side, the liquid resistant sheet further 25 able to extend, when first applied, at least partially about the limb and to thereafter be folded back over a tourniquet positioned over the padded body.

In a second aspect, the present invention provides a method of protecting a tourniquet including the steps of: positioning the protective means according to any one of the preceding claims around the limb of a patient such that the liquid resist:ant sheet extends from both sides of the padded body; disposing a tourniquet over and around the protective means; and fold ing the first and second portions of the liquid resistant sheet over thle tourniquet.

In a preferred embodiment, the padded body has an upper and a lower surface. a width defined between two sides and a length defined between two ends wherein the two ends are held together when the padded body is wrapped around a limb by attachment means.

In a further preferred embodiment the attachment means is a hook and loop fastener wherein the hook member is located proximate one end and on one surface of the padded body and the loop member is located proximate the opposite end and on the other surface of the padded body.

In another preferred embodiment the attachment means is a belt and buckle or adhesive tape or a button and hole, or a projection of adhesive plastic material which attaches to the material at the other end of the padded S.i body. If lie attachment means is formed from an adhesive plastic material it is preferable that the adhesive surface of the attachment means is covered by a protective strip of plastic or paper. The plastic or paper strip can then be 15 peeled off when the protective means is wrapped around the limb of a patient to expose the adhesive surface.

In another embodiment, the attachment means further comprises an adhesive memiber positioned on at least a portion of either one of the surfaces of the padded body. Preferably, the adhesive member extends along the entire length of the surface of the padded body. The adhesive member may be covered by a plastic or paper covering until required for use when the covering may be peeled off to expose the adhesive surface. One advantage of this embodimnent is that when the padded body is wrapped around a limb of a patient, the adhesive member on the surface of the padded body adheres to a 25 tourniquet wrapped over the protective means in addition to facilitating adherence of the two ends of the padded body to each other. In this way, the protective means is more securely fastened to the tourniquet and thus the likelihood of dislodgment of the tourniquet from the protective means during application of the tourniquet is reduced. Once securely in position, the tourniqcuet may then be inflated at which time the pressure of the tourniquet agaiins the skin of a patient is sufficient to secure the tourniquet in place.

In a still further preferred embodiment the padded body includes at least one cushioning means to provide padding between the tourniquet and the limb. and a covering means to encase the padded body. The cushioning means is preferably made from either a loosely woven or non-woven material and the covering means is preferably made from a partially liquid resistant material and wherein further, one side of the covering means engages with an external laver made from material adapted to act as the loop member of a hook and loop fastener.

In a preferred embodiment, the padded body comprises one cushioning means located on the lower surface only. In this embodiment it may be envisaged that the lower surface of the padded body is cushioned and the upper surface simply made from the covering means or some other partially liquid resistant material. The upper surface of the padded body may further include a continuation of the liquid resistant sheet.

In another preferred embodiment the liquid resistant sheet extends from lie olher side of the padded body and internal the padded body. In this embodiment. the liquid resistant sheet forms a layer of the padded body which further assists the prevention of contaminants into the tourniquet via the padded body.

15 In a further embodiment, the covering means is adapted to cover the entire padded body.

In vyt a further embodiment the fluid resistant sheet extends outwardly from both the one side and other side of the padded body.

I:'in one embodiment, the width of the padded body is adapted to correspond with the width of a standard tourniquet. Commonly used tourni.quets for the leg are approximately 100mm in width and for the arm approximately 70mm in width.

In a still further embodiment, the fluid resistant sheet extends from the one side of the padded body an equal distance to the extension of the fluid 25 resistant sheet from the other side of the padded body.

In a particularly preferred embodiment, the fluid resistant sheet extends friom both sides of the padded body a distance greater than the width of the padded body. In this embodiment, the fluid resistant sheet extends from both sides of the padded body a distance approximately 10 to greater than the width of the padded body. More preferably, the fluid resista nt sheet extends a distance 50mm greater than the width of the padded body.

In another embodiment, the liquid resistant sheet and the cushioning means are held in place within the covering means by way of heat welding along the length of the padded body on both its upper and lower surface such that continuous seams are formed, the seams securing the components of the padded body relative to one another whilst substantially preventing any infiltration of fluid through said seams and wherein the heat welded seams longitudinally segment the cushioning means into individual cushioning members. In this embodiment, the contents of the padded body are entirely sealed within the covering means and are not visible from either end of the padded body. Alternatively, the contents of the padded body may be secured in position by way of stitching, ultrasonic bonding or other such securing means.

In a further preferred embodiment, the contents of the padded body are held il place by heat welding of the padded body to form a patchwork quilt type pal II er on the padded body. In this embodiment, the contents of the padded body may be visible at the ends of the padded body but due to the series of crossed seams formed by the heat welding, the contents are still retained within the padded body. Alternatively the material contents of the 15 padded body are made from a tightly woven material such that when the padded body is cut or torn along one of its ends, the contents remain within the padded body.

Ii another preferred embodiment the present invention is made in different sizes wherein one size is suitable when the limb is an arm and another size is suitable when the limb is a leg or wherein one size is suitable for use oil a limb of a child and another size is suitable for use on a limb of an adult.

In a further embodiment, the protector of the present invention may be made as individual protective means which are separately packaged.

25 Alternatively and in a further embodiment of the invention, the protective means may be formed from a continuous roll wherein each individual protective means may be obtained by way of either tearing along a perforated line or cutting the continuous roll.

In1 one embodiment where the protective means may be cut from a continuous roll, the size of the protective means may be cut according to the size of the limb to which it is going to be applied.

Brief Description of the Drawings By way of example only, a preferred embodiment of the invention is described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a tourniquet protector according to the present invention; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the tourniquet of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the tourniquet protector of Figs. 'I and 2 shown wrapped around a limb of a patient; Fig. 4 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the tourniquet protector according to the present invention; Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a still further embodiment of the tourniqulet protector according to the present invention; and Fig. 6 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the tourniquet protector of Fig. 4 shown wrapped around a limb of a patient.

Best: Mode of Carrying out the Invention The tourniquet protector 10 includes a padded body 11 made of a woven or inot-woven cotton and a liquid resistant sheet 12. While depicted as formed f'roIn a woven or non-woven cotton, it can be readily envisaged thai other suitable materials could be utilised including synthetic materials 15 and sponge-like materials. The liquid resistant sheet 12 is designed to extend S. through padded body 11 and to project outwardly from each edge 13 of padded body 11 thereby providing a liquid resistant layer within padded body 1I. VWhile the depicted sheet 12 is a single sheet of liquid resistant material, it could be envisaged in another embodiment that sheet 12 could be comprised o: t:wo sheets, one extending outwardly from one edge 13 and the other extending outwardly from the other edge 13. Additional layers of liquid resistant: sheeting could also be utilised in the protector.

Covering the entire padded body 11 is a thin layer of partially liquid resista1nt material 14. On one surface of the padded body 11, the partially 25 liquid resistant material 14 is further covered by a layer of material designed to act as the loop member 15 of a hook and loop fastener. The liquid resistant sheet 12 is, at one of its ends, sandwiched within the padded body 11 between two layers of cushioning 16.

Ench cushioning layer 16 includes at least two individual strips 17 formed when the individual components of the padded body 11 are heat welded together. The heat welding creates seams 18 along the length of padded body 11 and ensures that the components of padded body 11 cannot displace. As an alternative to heat welding, the components of the protector can also be readily sewn together as required. Proximate one end 19 of padded body 11 and on the opposite surface of padded body 11 to loop member 15. there is located a hook member 21 adapted such that upon wrapping the tourniquet protector 10 around a limb of a patient as depicted in Fig. 3. lhe hook member 21 engages with the loop member 15 thereby securing the tourniquet protector around the limb. The advantage of having one surface of padded body 11 adapted to act as the loop member 15 of a hook and loop fastener is that the tourniquet protector 10 is not limited to one size of limb and may be used, for example, for an arm and a leg alike.

In use. once the tourniquet protector 10 is in place and secured around a limb. a tourniquet 22 is wrapped around the tourniquet protector 10 and the fluid resistant sheet 12 pulled back over the tourniquet 22 as shown in Fig. 3. The tourniquet protector 10 thereby protects the limb of a patient from damage resulting from pressure exerted by tourniquet 22 by way of the layers of cushioning 16 while simultaneously protecting tourniquet 22 from -damage due to infiltration of liquids by covering it with fluid resistant sheet 12. 'Tourniquet 22 is still further protected from infiltration of liquid as a 15 result: of Ithe liquid resistant properties of the padded body including liquid resistant sheet 12 which extends throughout padded body 11 and partially liquid resistant covering layer 14.

In a further embodiment 30 as depicted in Figs. 4 and 5, the liquid resistant sheet 12 can extend both through the padded body 11 and outwardlv from each side of the padded body 11. In the embodiment depicted in Fig. 6, the liquid resistant sheet 12 can overly one face of the padded body 11 rather than extend through the padded body 11 as depicted in Fig. 4. In either embodiment, the extension of the liquid resistant sheet 12 S. in this way provides a further protective member 20 which in the case of 25 surgery to the leg can extend into the groin area thus further preventing contamination of an overlying tourniquet 22 (see Fig. 6).

1 Iln e embodiments of the invention depicted in Figs. 4-6, the tourniquel protector is secured around a limb by means of an adhesive plastic tab 23 which projects from one end of the padded body 11. While depicted with an adhesive tab 23, it can be readily envisaged that a portion of the liquid resistant sheet proximate the position of the depicted tab 23 could be utilised instead as part of the attachment means for the protector.

Once the tourniquet protector 30 or 40 is in place and secured around a limb a tourniquet 22 is wrapped around the tourniquet protector 30 or and the fluid resistant sheet 12 pulled back over the tourniquet 22 as shown in Fig. 6. ''he further protective member 20 is then pulled down over the 9 tourniqluel 22 and the sheet 12. The addition of the further protective member 20 provides a further layer of protection for the tourniquet 22 especially when used on the upper thigh where there is a high possibility of contaninaion from genital and anal discharges. If desired, both the sheet 12 and proleclive member 20 can be secured to the protector with sealing tape or by alnolher means after being folded back to further help prevent seepage of fluid through the protector.

Whilst the embodiments of the invention depicted in the Figures show an individual tourniquet protector, it is to be understood that the protectors depicted may have been cut from or torn from a continuous roll of tourniquet protectors. Ii the case of a roll, each protector may be joined to an adjacent protector by a perforable connection.

It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that numerous variations and/or modifications may be made to the invention as shown in 15 the specific embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as broadly described. The present embodiments are, therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive.

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Claims

1. A protective means for placement between the skin of a limb of a patient and an overlying tourniquet, the protective means including a padded body having at least a first and second side and able to be wrapped at least partially around a limb of a patient, and a liquid resistant sheet having a first portion extending outwardly from the first side of the padded body and a second portion extending outwardly from the second side, the liquid resistant sheet I frth er able to extend, when first applied, at least partially about the limb and to Ilhereafter be folded back over a tourniquet positioned over the padded body.

2. 'The protective means of claim 1 wherein the padded body has an upper and a lower surface, a width defined between the two sides and a length ldefined between two ends wherein the two ends are held together when the padded body is wrapped around a limb by an attachment means.

3. The protective means of claim 2 wherein the attachment means is a hook and loop fastener.

4. The protective means of claim 3 wherein the hook member is located proxilmate one end and on one surface of the padded body and the loop member is located proximate the opposite end and on the other surface of the padded body.

5. The protective means of claim 2 wherein the attachment means comprises a projection of adhesive plastic material positioned at one end of the padded body, the adhesive plastic material adapted to attach to a portion of material positioned proximate the other end of the padded body. 25 6. The protective means of claim 2 wherein the attachment means comprises an adhesive member located on at least a portion of the lower surface ol the padded body.

7. ''he protective means of claim 6 wherein the adhesive member extends along the entire length of either one of the surfaces of the padded body between the two ends.

8. Thle protective means of any one of the preceding claims wherein the padded body includes at least one cushioning means to provide padding between Ilie tourniquet and the limb.

9. The protective means of claim 8 wherein the at least one cushioning means is located adjacent the lower surface of the padded body. The protective means of claim 8 or claim 9 wherein the at least one cushioning means is made from a loosely woven or non-woven material.

11. Tl'e prolective means of any one of the preceding claims wherein the padded body is substantially encased by a covering means.

12. h'le protective means of claim 11 wherein the covering means is made from a partially liquid resistant material.

13. The protective means of claim 11 or claim 12 wherein the covering means is mlade from a material that acts as the loop member of a hook and loop fastener.

14. The protective means of any one of the preceding claims wherein the liquid resistant sheet extends through the padded body and in a direction away froim the one side of the padded body. The protective means of any one of claims 1 to 13 wherein one of the surfaces of lie padded body is mounted to the liquid resistant sheet.

16. The protective means of any one of claims 2 to 15 wherein the width of the protective means is adapted to correspond with the width of a standard tourniquet.

17. The protective means of any one of claims 2 to 16 wherein the fluid resistant sheet extends from the first side of the padded body an equal distance to the extension of the fluid resistant sheet from the second side of the padded body.

18. The protective means of any one of claims 2 to 17 wherein the fluid resistant sheet extends from both the first and second sides of the padded body a distance greater than the width of the padded body.

19. 'The protective means of claim 18 wherein the fluid resistant sheet extends from both the first and second sides of the padded body a distance to 60 nmm greater than the width of the padded body. 'Tlie protective means of claim 19 wherein the fluid resistant sheet extends a distance 50mm greater than the width of the padded body.

21. The protective means of any one of claims 2 to 20 wherein the liquid resistant sheet and the cushioning means are held in place within the covering means by way of heat welding along the length of the padded body on bolth its upper and lower surface such that continuous seams are formed.

22. The protective means of claim 21 wherein the seams are heat welded longitudinally along the length of the padded body between the two ends.

23. ''he proective means of claim 21 wherein the seams are heat welded to form a series of crossing seams which form diagonal-shaped areas of material of Ihe padded body between the seams.

24. The protective means of any one of the preceding claims adapted for use on a11 arm of a patient. 'The protective means of any one of claims 1 to 23 adapted for use on a leg of a patient.

26. The protective means of any one of claims 1 to 23 adapted for use on a limb of a child.

27. 'I'he protective means of any one of the preceding claims wherein the proteclive means is made individually and separately packaged.

28. T'le protective means of any one of claims 1 to 26 wherein the "protective means is formed from a continuous roll wherein each individual protector imay be obtained by way of either tearing along a perforated line or cutting the continuous roll.

29. A method of protecting a tourniquet including the steps of: positioning the protective means according to any one of the preceding claims around the limb of a patient such that the liquid resistant sheet extends from both sides of the padded body; disposing a tourniquet over and around the protective means; and folding the first and second portions of the liquid resistant sheet over the tourniquet. A protective means substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

31. A method for protecting a tourniquet substantially as hereinbefore described wilh reference to the accompanying drawings. Dated this 18th day of May 1999 KANAG BASKA Patent Attorneys for the Applicant: F B RICE CO