EP3706700A1

EP3706700A1 - Cushion for use after a breast operation

Info

Publication number: EP3706700A1
Application number: EP18799493.4A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Claudia Davis
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2017-11-07
Filing date: 2018-11-05
Publication date: 2020-09-16
Also published as: US20210177681A1; US11426316B2; WO2019091894A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a cushion for use when lying in the prone position, wherein the cushion (10) comprises a main body (12) having a recess (14). The problem addressed by the present invention is that of providing a cushion that can be used after a breast operation for lying or sleeping in a prone position and also provides high lying comfort and protection for the operated-on breast. To this end, the main body (12) is formed in two layers and has a first, harder layer (36) made of foamed plastic and a second, softer layer (38) made of a viscoelastic material.

Description

Pillows for use after breast surgery

description

The invention relates to a pillow for use in lying or sleeping in a prone position after breast surgery. The cushion comprises a base body with a recess.

After breast surgery has taken place, the operated breast usually has to be specially protected against the effects of force, in order to prevent possible sutures for closure of an operation wound from loosening or the wound itself from heal- ing badly. It is therefore usually recommended that patients lie supine and sleep for a period of eight to twelve weeks after surgery to avoid contact of the operated breast with a pad or mattress.

From EP 2 420 216 A2 a device for the therapeutic treatment and care of the female breasts with a pillow is known. The pillow is designed for use in a prone position. The cushion is formed from a triangular body in longitudinal section and has a rounded ridge and on both sides wedge-shaped sloping parts. In the region of the ridge a recess for receiving the breast is formed. The cushion may be formed of several components of different materials.

The publication DE 101 57 305 A1 describes a support cushion, in particular for the thorax or pelvic area in the prone positioning of patients. The cushion has a core with a height of 1 0 to 35 cm of an elastic material and at least one layer of viscoelastic foam with a thickness of 3 to 7 cm. For the guidance of a tube in the neck of the patient is a front, open-edged Recess with a depth in the range of 3 to 7 cm proposed. The document DE 603 1 1 01 2 T2 describes a pad adapted to the female body shape with a pad main body having a central opening surrounding the breast and an oblong pad body located transversely to the opening and extending between the breasts on the breast Sternum positioned. The cushion consists of an annular core, which is surrounded by a padding filling, which is in a cotton cover. The document DE 1 0 2006 010 298 A1 describes a cushion consisting of a filled with foam, air, water or gel non-same-limb part, at its peak height is a sufficiently large opening for the female breast. Further cushions with recesses result from the documents US 2008/0 307 580 A1, DE 202 09 274 IM and DE 1 0 2009 004 604 A1. The object of the present invention is to provide a cushion which can be used after a breast operation for lying or sleeping in a prone position and also offers a high level of comfort and protection for the operated breast. To solve this problem, a cushion is proposed with a base body with a recess, wherein the base body is two-ply and comprises a first harder layer of foamed plastic and a second softer layer of a viscoelastic material. The body of the pad is used to support the body and in particular the trunk of the patient, the breasts of the patient are received within the recess. In particular, the base body has a closed shape and encloses the recess over the entire circumference. This gives the pillow a particularly good stability.

The first harder layer of foamed plastic causes a basic stiffness of the main body. If the cushion is loaded with weight while When lying, the first harder layer of foamed plastic gives only slightly and is slightly compressed. The height of the first harder position is designed so high that the pillow always has a sufficient height even under the weight load through the trunk of the patient, which guarantees that on the operated breast no unduly high pressure is exerted. Preferably, the breast does not come into contact with the pad under the pad. The so-called block height, which has the first position during a compression due to weight load, is at least so high for a patient that the operated breast is received in the recess free from contact with the base. The foamed plastic may in particular be an open-pored plastic.

For a comfortable feeling, a pillow made of foamed plastic has proven to be comparatively hard and uncomfortable. To increase the comfort of lying pillow of the invention therefore has the second softer layer of viscoelastic material. The viscoelastic material is easier to compress under load than the first harder layer of foamed plastic and, in comparison to the first harder position, is compressed further or more strongly in relation to its original height under load. The layer of viscoelastic material has the property that it returns to its original position and height after being loaded with weight. The pillow therefore stretches back to its original shape after being loaded. Viscoelastic material is known for the production of mattresses. It is also called "memory foam" and is a polyurethane-based shape memory polymer known in particular under the registered trademark Tempur. The height of the first harder position and / or the height of the second softer layer may be adjusted individually, depending on the weight of the patient, to ensure that the height is sufficient around the body support, without the breast touches the pad and on the other to provide a comfortable sleeping comfort.

In practice, the pad is used in such a way that the first harder layer is positioned in the direction of the pad, that is to say below, and the second, softer layer is in contact with the patient. The pillow according to the invention allows the patient to lie comfortably in the prone position after a breast operation and to sleep. The first harder layer and the second softer layer are glued together in particular. Alternatively or in addition to the first layer and the second layer are sewn together.

In practice, the height of the main body continuously decreases towards an abdominal end in the longitudinal direction. The height of the main body can, for example, decrease linearly, that is, the main body is wedge-shaped in the direction of the abdominal end. In practice, the height of the base body, starting from the pointing in the direction of the abdominal end edge of the recess to decrease to the abdominal end. Under the abdominal end of the pad is understood to be the part of the pad, which is arranged in the intended use of the pad in the direction of the stomach of the patient. The length of the wedge-shaped course can be chosen differently depending on the patient and in particular on the time that has already elapsed since the breast operation.

In order to further increase lying comfort for the patient, the outer contour of the basic body may, in a practical embodiment of the cushion at the abdominal end for formation of an abdominal receptacle, have a concave, concave profile in plan view. The arcuate course extends in such a way that the length of the pad at the belly starting from the lateral edges of the pad towards the middle. Therefore, there is a recess at the abdominal end. Due to the arcuate course, a lateral wing section is formed toward the lateral edges, with the patient's abdomen being received in the recess between the two lateral wing sections. The patient is supported mainly laterally by the two wing sections and the stomach is relieved. Due to the arcuate design, the cushion is designed to be particularly ergonomic and an unpleasant pressure on the abdominal region of the patient is avoided.

In a further practical embodiment, the outer contour of the main body can have a concave, concave profile in plan view at its head end to form a receptacle for a pillow or for forming a neck receptacle. As the head-side end of the main body or the pad while the end is referred to, which is oriented in a use of the pad in the direction of the patient's head.

Due to the different transverse width of the neck compared to the stomach, it makes sense to make the indentation for forming the neck receptacle smaller than the indentation for forming the abdomen.

As an additional measure, in order to avoid excessive pressure forces on the neck and / or on the abdomen, the height of the base body, or at least the height of the first harder position and at least in the region of a belly-side end, may be lower in a central region as at the lateral edges. In other words, the harder position of the base body, which surrounds the recess, at least at the abdominal end on the sides higher than in the longitudinal center of the body. This causes the solar plexus is significantly relieved and the weight of the patient rests mainly with the lateral rib arches on the pillow. Also in the area of the neck at the head end of the main body, the height of the first harder position can be reduced, so that the weight of the patient is not over the neck but over the shoulders resting on the pillow. The sensitive parts of the body are thus not or only slightly loaded. The pillow is especially ergonomic. Reducing only the height of the harder middle layer means that the cushion can be made with a uniform height and can easily be provided with a cover of uniform height. The weight relief is effected by the fact that only soft, compressible material of the body is present in the central region. In practice, as described below, the first harder layer in the middle of the body at the abdominal end can be completely interrupted, so that the base there consists only of the second softer layer. Alternatively, the entire base body in the middle may have a lower height than on the sides, in the region of the abdominal end of the main body and / or in the region of the head end of the main body.

The main body may have rounded corners in plan view. In this case, the width of the pad in the transverse direction may correspond at least to the width of the shoulders of the patient, and the length of the pad may be about from the lower costal arch to the neck of the patient, so as to support the patient with a possibly large contact surface of the upper body on the cushion is. The rounding of the pad avoids unpleasant sharp edges that can create pressure points on the arms when the patient grasps the pillow.

The recess can in practice in plan view längl I be formed with rounded lateral areas or oval. A longitudinal recess with approximately semicircular ends or an oval recess, each with a long axis in the transverse direction, is particularly well adapted to the anatomy of a patient and surrounds the patient's breasts as accurately as possible. As a result, the largest possible support surface of the cushion is realized with optimal pressure relief of the breasts, which distributes the pressure evenly. For flexible adaptation of the pad to the size of the patient, a pulling means can be provided, by means of which the length of the basic body can be varied and fixed from the head-side end to the belly-side end. Such a traction means may, for example, be a band connected to the base body, which extends between the head-side end and the belly-side end, and whose length can be varied. The strap forms an adjustable loop and may include a hook and loop fastener or other suitable device for adjusting and determining the length of the strap. Alternatively, a band can be attached to each side of the recess, which is connected to the respective opposite band. To connect a Velcro can be used again, the two complementary parts are arranged at the free ends of the bands.

In practice, the cushion may have a cover, wherein the traction means is attached to the cover. Thus, the traction means is accessible from the outside and the extension of the pad in the longitudinal direction can be adapted and adjusted as quickly as possible, without removing the cover at short notice to the needs of the patient and adjusted. The external traction means can be washed together with the cover.

The ratio of the heights of the first layer and the second layer influences the compression of the pad caused by the weight load and the resulting height. Sufficient height is especially important to prevent the operated breast from coming into contact with the pad. The second softer layer results in improved comfort. Experiments have shown that an optimal feeling of lying results and at the same time the loaded cushion maintains a sufficient height when the height of the first harder position is at least twice the height of the second softer layer. The invention also relates to the use of a pad as described above as a support for the ribcage and the shoulders of a patient resting in a prone position. With regard to the advantages, reference is made to the above description.

In practice, a pillow may be placed at the head end, on which the patient's head rests. The pillow according to the invention can therefore be used as a supplement to a conventional pillow.

Further practical embodiments and advantages of the invention are described below in conjunction with the drawings. Show: 1 a pillow according to the invention in a plan view,

Fig. 2 the cushion of FIG. 1 in a perspective view of

diagonally upwards, Fig. 3 the cushion of FIG. 1 and 2 in a side view,

Fig. 4 the pillow from Figs. 1 to 3 in a sectional view according to the Schnittl inie IV-IV of FIG. 1, Fig. 5 shows a second embodiment of a cushion in a sectional view analogous to FIG. 4,

Fig. 6 one of the FIG. 4 corresponding sectional view of a variant of the pad in which the harder position of the body is interrupted in the region of the solar plexus, and Fig. 7 one of the FIG. 6 corresponding sectional view of the variant with an additional cushion, which increases the overall height of the cushion. Fig. 1 shows a cushion 10 in a plan view. The pad 1 0 has a base body 12 with a recess 14 which is enclosed by the base body 1 2. The recess 14 is formed substantially oval. But it can also be designed as a slot with rounded side edges. The main body 1 2 has rounded corners in plan view, so that sharp edges are avoided, which can produce pressure points.

The pad 1 0 has a belly-side end 1 6, which shows in a use of the pad 1 0 in the direction of the abdomen of a patient. The outer contour of the abdominal end 1 6 extends arcuately concave in such a way that in the middle of the abdominal end an indentation 1 8 is formed, which forms a belly receptacle 20. Starting from the lateral edges 22a, 22b, this results in two wing sections 24a, 24b on which the rib arches of the patient are supported. On the side of the pillow 1 0 opposite the abdominal end 1 6, the pad 10 has a head-side end 26. The outer contour of the head-side end 26 also has a concave arc-shaped course, so that starting from the lateral edges 22a, 22b towards the middle in plan view, a recess 28 is formed. The indentation 28 forms a receptacle 30 for a conventional pillow on which the head rests.

As well in Fig. 2, a small height is also centrally provided on the border of the recess 14 than on the lateral edges 22a, 22b, so that in the middle of the cushion 10, a trough-like recess 32 for the neck and a trough-like depression 34 are formed for the solar plexus. The neck and the solar plexus are thus released from uncomfortably high pressure. It is also possible to use only the Larplexus by a trough-like depression 34 on the abdominal end of the pad 1 0 to relieve. The patient's weight is supported by the lateral rib arches and / or shoulders on the pillow during this release. As an alternative to a depression of the entire base body 1 2, a depression of the harder position in the middle can also be provided, as described below.

The transition from the head-side end 26 to the lateral edges 22a, 22b is rounded and thus offers the possibility for a patient to place her arms around the pillow 10 without having to fear pressure points due to sharp corners or edges.

In Fig. 2 to FIG. 4, the two-part design of the main body 1 2 can be seen. The base 1 2 comprises a first harder layer 36 of a foamed plastic and a second softer layer 38 of a viscoelastic material. The height h 1 of the first layer 36 in this embodiment is approximately three times the height h 2 of the second layer 38 (see FIG. 3). Thus, the pad 1 0 is particularly stable in this embodiment.

As also shown in the side view in FIG. 3 and in longitudinal section in FIG. 4 can be seen well, the height of the base body 1 2 starting from the recess 14 in the direction of the abdominal end 16 decreases linearly or wedge-shaped. This results in a continuous and smooth transition from the edge of the recess 14 to the abdominal end 1 6 of the pad 1 0. The pad 1 0 has at the head end 26 a height that must be compensated by a pillow on which the patient's head aufl ying.

FIG. 5 shows a second embodiment of a cushion 10, wherein the cushion 10 is substantially identical to the first embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 is shown. The second embodiment in FIG. 5 differs from the first embodiment in that a traction means 40a, 40b is provided on the main body 1 2. The traction means 40a, 40b is formed by a band having a width of about 1 0 mm and is in two parts ig. The first part 40a is attached to the underside of the head-side end 26 in the region of the cushion receptacle 30, for example glued or sewn tight. It extends in the direction of the abdominal end 1 6 in the recess 14 into it. The second part 40b of the traction means is attached to the underside of the bulb-side end 1 6 and extends to the head end 26 in the recess 14 into it. The parts 40a, 40b of the traction means run below the pad 10 and overlap in the area of the recess 14. The parts of the traction means 40a, 40b have the loop part and the hook part of a hook-and-loop fastener on the surfaces facing each other, so that the traction means 40a, 40b is formed adjustable in length in order to change the extension of the pad 1 0 in the longitudinal direction can. However, the traction means can also be provided with other means for length adjustment, for example with a buckle through which the tape is passed. Alternatively, the two parts of the traction means may be formed by soft fabric tapes which are knotted together or looped together. The Fig. FIG. 7 shows a variant of the cushion 10 in which the first hard layer 36 of the base body 1 2 is interrupted toward the abdominal end 1 6 of the cushion 1 0. In other words, the pad 1 0 in the middle between the two lateral edges 22a, 22b over a distance of about 30 to 60 mm no first harder layer 36 of the base body 1 2 and consists only of the second softer layer 38th This facilitates firstly the production of the first harder layer 36 of the main body 1 2. By interrupting the first harder layer 36 of the body 1 2 at the abdominal end of the pad 1 0, it is easier with a knife or a sawing device within the recess 14th the first harder layer 36 of the body 1 2 bevels to make. In addition, the pressure relief of the solar plexus thereby erhhebl I increased. Some patients feel the pressure of the harder material of the body 1 2 in the area of the solar plexus as unpleasant. The absence of the harder layer 36 in the center of the pad avoids unpleasant pressure.

The height of the pad of Figures 4 to 6 is preferably of the order of 1 30 to 150 mm. This height has proven to be the best way of relieving the chest during healing, on the one hand for pressure relief and on the other hand for a comfortable sleeping position. In the first 10 days after breast surgery, the patient wears a compression bra and is particularly sensitive to pressure. In these days, the pressure relief through the 1 30 to 1 50 mm high pillow is usually not enough and the pillow should be designed about 80 mm higher. The Fig. FIG. 7 shows such a pad which is formed from the pad 10 of FIG. 6 with an 80 mm high elevation 41 was obtained. The elevation 41 is composed of the base body elevation 42, which consists of the harder material 46 of the harder layer 36, and the bulge-side elevation, which consists of the softer material 48 of the softer layer 38. This high cushion provides significant relief during the first days after surgery, but offers a less comfortable sleeping position.

The features of the invention disclosed in the accompanying description, in the drawings and in the claims may be essential both individually and in any desired combinations for the realization of the invention in its various embodiments. The invention is not limited to the described embodiments. It can be varied within the scope of the claims and taking into account the knowledge of the person skilled in the art. Reference number list

10 pillows

12 basic body

14 recess

16 on the belly side

18 indentation

20 belly recording

22a, 22b lateral edge

24a, 24b wing section

26 head end

28 indentation

30 Recording for pillows

32 deepening (neck area)

34 deepening (belly area)

36 first harder position

38 second softer layer

40a first part of the traction device

40b second part of the traction device

41 increase

42 basic body increase

46 harder material

48 softer material

_{* * * * * * ** * * * * * *}

Claims

claims

1 . Cushion for use in a prone position after breast surgery, wherein the cushion (10) has a base body (1 2) with a recess (14), characterized in that the base body (1 2) is double-layered and one a first harder layer (36) of foamed plastic and a second softer layer (38) of a viscoelastic material.

2. Cushion according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the height of the base body (1 2) to a belly-side end (1 6) decreases continuously in the longitudinal direction.

3. Cushion according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the outer contour of the base body (1 2) at its belly-side end (1 6) to form a belly receptacle (20) has a concave in plan view, arcuate course.

4. Cushion according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the outer contour of the base body (1 2) at its head-side end (26) has a concave in plan view, arcuate course.

5. Cushion according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the height of at least the first harder layer (36) of the

Base body (1 2) at least in the region of the abdominal end (1 6) is lower in a central region than at the lateral edges (22a, 22b).

6. A cushion according to claim 5, characterized in that the first harder layer (36) of the base body (1 2) at its abdominal end (1 6) in the middle between the two lateral edges (22 a, 22 b) of the pad is interrupted.

7. Cushion according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the height of the entire base body (1 2) is lower in a central region than at the lateral edges (22a, 22b).

8. Cushion according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the base body (1 2) has rounded corners in the plan view.

9. Cushion according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the recess (14) in plan view oblong with rounded lateral areas or oval is formed.

1 0. Cushion according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a traction means (40a, 40b) is provided, by means of which the length of the base body (1 2) from the head-side end (26) to the abdominal end (1 6) varies and can be fixed.

1 1. Cushion according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the height of the first harder layer (36) is at least twice the height of the second softer layer (38).

1 2. Cushion according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises an elevation (41), which increases its overall height for a particularly strong pressure relief

1 3. Use of a pad (1 0) according to any one of the preceding claims as a support for the ribcage and the shoulders of a patient resting in a prone position.

14. Use according to claim 1 3, characterized in that at the head end (26) a pillow is arranged, on which rests the head of a patient.