WO2002032243A1

WO2002032243A1 - Hospital gown

Info

Publication number: WO2002032243A1
Application number: PCT/IB2001/001340
Authority: WO
Inventors: Beatrix Wilhelmina Bosman
Original assignee: Beatrix Wilhelmina Bosman
Priority date: 2000-10-16
Filing date: 2001-07-26
Publication date: 2002-04-25
Also published as: AU2001276579A1

Abstract

The invention discloses a hospital gown (20, 60, 188) for a patient. It includes a front panel (22, 24; 62; 196, 198); a rear panel (26; 64; 200) joined to the front panel (22, 24; 62; 196, 198); a neck opening (32; 106; 194) a body opening defined opposite to the neck opening (32; 106; 194); two opposite arm openings (40, 42; 136, 140; 184, 186) sideways of the front panel (22, 24; 62; 196, 198) and rear panel (26; 64; 200). The front panel (22, 24; 62; 196, 198) and the rear panel (26; 64; 200) are separable along separating edges (28.2, 30.2; 80, 122, 94, 124; 174, 176), each edge (28.2, 30.2; 80, 122, 94, 124; 174, 176) extending from the neck opening (32; 106; 194) up to its arm opening (40, 42; 82, 136; 196, 140; 184, 186), so that a shoulder flap (56, 58; 150.1, 150.2; 190, 192) is formed by the rear panel (26; 64, 200), on each side of the neck opening (32; 106, 194) up to its arm opening (40, 42; 82, 136, 196, 140; 184, 186). The shoulder flaps (56, 58; 150.1, 150.2; 190, 192) are foldable to form a ridge (50, 52; 148; 202, 204) which, in use would lie substantially on a wearer's shoulder. Attachment means (130, 132) are provided for removably attaching each shoulder flap (56, 58; 150.1, 150.2; 190, 192) to the front panel (22, 24; 62; 196, 198).

Description

Hospital gown.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates to hospital gowns or upper gowns such as worn by patients in hospitals and in other medical care centres.

BACKGROUND TO INVENTION

A standard gown used by patients in hospitals and other medical care centres includes a front panel and a rear panel, which can be joined together, and having a neck opening and two sleeves extending into opposite directions for respectively receiving the left arm and the right arm of a person.

It is important that such a gown can be manipulated so as to provide easy access for examination of various body parts of a patient, whilst not unnecessarily and embarrassingly exposing certain body sections of a patient. Also it should be possible to allow easy intravenous feeding.

If a patient receives treatment, such as being supplied with an intravenous drip, the gown has to be removed or at least part of the gown, for instance the sleeve of a gown, has to be opened to fit a needle into a vein in an arm of a patient. On the other hand, if a patient is provided with an intravenous drip and is wearing pyjamas or even no upper body garment, if such a patient wishes to move away, e.g. to a toilet, then it is difficult to put on a conventional gown.

In other instances, where a patient is seriously ill or even terminally ill, it is difficult to move the patient to replace a contaminated gown. Often such a contaminated gown is not removed from a patient. This clearly is unattractive and in some cases even repulsive, and many patients, being of clean habits, are extremely unhappy to continue wearing such a contaminated gown and this causes unnecessary mental distress.

Some examples of prior disclosures of patient's gowns or garments are set out below.

US design patent 266,625 (Herman) discloses a hospital patient gown with a vertical slit extending along the breast part and vertical slits provided on either side of the body.

In US design patent 336,968 (Russano) an examination gown is disclosed, which provides a vertical slit in front and a transverse slit across the breast of a gown.

A patient garment is disclosed in US design patent 374,970 (Jagger) which has two opposite vertical side slits extending right up to the shoulder. A further case of Jagger (US design patent 378,157) discloses a similar type of garment but with a special collar formation.

In US design patent 381,488 (Small) a hospital gown is shown in which slits are provided vertically on either side and along the shoulders of a garment at the upper sides thereof. Furthermore, a transverse slit is provided across the breast of the garment.

US Patent 4,900,578 (Janzen et al) suggests a patient's gown open in front by way of a vertical slit with overlap. The open neck part is open to both sides. In US patent 4,017,909 (Brandriff) a disposable operating room gown is illustrated. This surgical gown has a front panel of a single section of material and a rear panel which includes a vertical slit. The sleeves extend on either side of the central part of the garment.

In US patent 4,296,497 (Herman) a hospital patient gown is shown in which a front panel is joined to two rear panels to form a garment having an elongated vertical opening at the back.

US patent 4,837,863 (Van Scoy-Mosher) discloses a patient's hospital gown, which include a body portion having a front panel and overlapping outer back panels. The back panels overlap for a substantial portion of their respective widths. The front panel is joined to the two back panels along each side by a series of spaced apart fasteners.

Johnson (US patent 5,444,872) discloses an overlapping hospital gown. It is made up of four parts, namely two identical sleeve pattern panels and two identical body pattern panels. The front of the gown has a V-neck shape form and the overlapping frontal portions are provided with a suitable tie to releasably secure the flap portions at one location.

McLennan (US Patent 6,134,715) describes a medical patient gown made of a single sheet, which can be worn forward or backward. The sheet is open along one vertical slit so that it can be wrapped around the body of a patient.

All of the above hospital gowns do not provide easy opening of the upper part along the shoulder of a patient and easy subsequent closure thereof when access to the upper part of a body of a patient is required. It is an object of the invention to suggest a hospital gown, which will assist in overcoming the aforesaid problem.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

According to the invention, a hospital gown for a patient, which includes a front panel having an upper edge and a lower edge; a rear panel joined to the front panel and having an upper edge and a lower edge; a neck opening formed between the upper edge of the front panel and the upper edge of the rear panel; a body opening defined opposite to the neck opening between the lower edges of the front panel and the lower edge of the rear panel; two opposite arm openings sideways of the front panel and rear panel, is characterized thereby that the front panel and the rear panel are separable along separating edges, each edge extending from the neck opening up to its arm opening, so that a shoulder flap is formed by the rear panel, on each side of the neck opening up to its arm opening, the shoulder flaps being foldable to form a ridge which, in use would lie substantially on a wearer's shoulder; and that attachment means are provided for removably attaching each shoulder flap to the front panel.

The arm openings may be located at the front panel.

The garment may be made of a single sheet of rectangularly shaped material with cut-outs to form shoulder flaps and a neck opening.

The front panel may be divided into two adjoining front panel parts, which are removably attachable by way of front panel attachment means, each front panel part having a vertical edge extending from the neck opening up to the lower edges of the front panel parts. One front panel part may be adapted to overlap the other front panel part over the vertical edge of the other front panel part by a spacing.

The spacing may amount to between 2-10 cms.

Each shoulder flap may overlap its separating edge for a distance between 2-10 cms.

Arm sleeves may be provided extending from the front panel.

The attachment means may include so-called VELCRO® strips.

The attachment means may include tie-strings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings.

In the drawings there is shown in:

Figure 1 a front view of a first embodiment of a hospital gown or upper garment for a patient in accordance of the invention;

Figure 2 a rear view of the gown shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 a front view of a hospital gown or upper garment for a patient according to a second embodiment of the invention and with its sleeves folded open;

Figure 4 a view corresponding to Figure 3 but with the bottom part folded open; Figure 5 a view corresponding to Figure 3 but with the upper part folded open;

Figure 6 a view of only the left front part of the garment illustrated in Figures 3 to 5;

Figure 7 a view of only the right front part of the garment illustrated in Figures 3 to 5;

Figure 8 a view of the rear panel of the garment illustrated in Figures 3 to 5 and with its sleeves folded open;

Figure 9 a perspective view of a patient wearing the garment illustrated in Figures 3 to 8 in accordance with the invention;

Figure 10 a front view of a lay flat material sheet cut to form a hospital gown or upper garment for a patient according to a third embodiment of the invention;

Figure 11 a front view of a hospital gown or upper garment for a patient folded from the material sheet shown in Figure 10 but with the shoulder flaps folded up; and

Figure 12 a view corresponding to Figure 11 but with the shoulder flaps folded down.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

Referring to Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings, a first embodiment of a hospital gown (or an upper garment for a patient) in accordance with the invention is shown, and is generally indicated by reference numeral 20. The gown 20 includes a tubular body 22 constituted by a front panel 24 and a rear panel 26 with a front panel bottom edge 28.1, a front panel upper edge 28.2 a rear panel bottom edge 30.1, and a rear panel upper edge 30.2 respectively, a neck opening 32 having a neck edge 34, and two sleeves 36, 38 terminating in arm or sleeve openings 40, 42. The sleeves 36, 38 can have any suitable length and can even terminate against the front panel 24 and rear panel 26.

From the neck edge 34 an elongated slit 44 extends down to the front bottom edge 28.1.

If required additional vertical slits 46, 48 may be provided extending some distance away from the sleeves 36, 38 along the front body panel 24 down to the front panel bottom edge 28.1. Suitable attachment means, e.g. VELCRO strips or tie strings, are provided for attaching the front panel 24 and the rear panel 26 together along the slits 46, 48.

When the rear panel 26 is folded down, then shoulder ridges 50, 52 are formed. The shoulder ridges 50, 52 are distanced for a spacing 54 away from the upper edges 30.2 respectively. Therewith shoulder flaps 56, 58 are formed on the side of the front panel 24, which shoulder flaps 56, 58 suitably overlap the front panel upper edge 28.2 for a suitable distance to allow attachment thereof to the front panel 24 by way of suitable attachment means, e.g. by way of VELCRO strips.

It therefore is possible to open the sleeves 36, 38 by opening the attachments along the overlapping edges 28.2, 30.2. It is also possible to open the front body part 24 by opening the attachments along the slit and along the slits 46, 48, if these are provided.

On the rear body panel 26 no attachment means (e.g. strips) are provided.

As mentioned above, the slits 46, 48 do not extend right up to the sleeves 36, 38.

By way of the various slits 44, 46, 48 and overlapping edges 28.2, 30.2 it is possible to open the garment 20 as required to insert a needle for intravenous feeding or supply of medicine as may be required to any part of a patient's body or to inspect any section of the body of a patient. Also, if a patient is provided with an intravenous drip and is wearing pyjamas or even no upper body garment 20, if such a patient wishes to move away, e.g. to a toilet, then the patient can easily be provided with a gown 20 to enable the person to have his/her body covered before moving whereto required.

Furthermore, by means of the attachments along overlapping edges 28.2, 30.2 and the slits 44, 46, 48 it is possible to remove a gown 20 when contaminated or for other reasons from a patient easily by not having to pull the gown over the head of such a patient. The gown thus can be replaced with the least possible discomfort to a seriously or terminally ill patient.

Referring now to Figures 3 to 9 a second embodiment of a hospital gown or a garment for a patient in accordance with the invention is illustrated.

The gown, generally indicated by reference numeral 60, includes a front panel 62 and a rear panel 64. The front panel 62 has a left hand panel part 66 and a right panel part 68.

The left panel part 66 has a vertical outer edge 70 and a vertical front edge 72. It further has a bottom edge 74 and at its upper end is provided with a sleeve part 76. The sleeve part 76 has a bottom edge 78, an upper edge 80 and an arm or sleeve opening 82.

The right hand panel part 68 has an outer vertical edge 84, an opposite front vertical edge 86 and a bottom edge 88. Along its upper end it is provided with a sleeve part 90, which has a lower edge 92, an upper edge 94 and an arm or sleeve opening 96.

The sleeve upper edge 80 passes over into a downward curve 98 leading to a further edge 100. The sleeve upper edge 94 passes over into a downward curve 102 leading to a further edge 104. The curves 98, 102 and the edges 100 and 104 form the bottom part of a neck opening 106.

The front panel part 66 is provided with an attachment strips 108 near the edge 100 co-operating with a similar strip 110 provided on the right hand panel part 68 near the edge 104.

Furthermore, flexible attachment strings 112 and 114 are provided respectively on the left hand panel part 66 and the right hand panel part 68 for releasable attachment as shown.

The rear panel 64 has two opposite vertical edges 116 and 118, a bottom edge 120 and upper edges 122, 124 along which sleeve parts 126 and 128 are provided. Near the upper edges 122 and 124 attachment strips 130 are provided. These co-operate with the attachment strips 132 provided near the edges 80 and 94 of the front panel part 62.

The sleeve part 126 has a bottom edge 134, and an arm or sleeve opening 5 136.

The sleeve part 126 has a bottom edge 138 and an arm or sleeve opening 140.

The neck opening 106 is provided extending down from the edges 122 and 124 as shown in Figure 8.

0 When the attachment strips 130, 132 are joined together the sleeve parts 76, 126 and 90, 128 constitute sleeves 142, 144 as shown in Figure 9.

The bottom edges 74, 88 of the front panel 62 and the bottom edge 120 of the rear panel 64 constitute a bottom body opening 146 of the gown 60 (see Figure 9).

5 It will be seen that the sleeve parts 76, 126 and 90, 128 are not attached at the upper ridge 148 placed substantially over the shoulder of a patient but some distance downwardly so that shoulder flaps 150.1, 150.2 are formed. These spacings or distances are indicated by reference numerals 152 respectivey in Figure 9 and can amount to between 2 cms and 10 cms (or 0 even more). In the case of a patient lying on his or her back this greatly facilitates attachment of the sleeve parts 76, 126 and 90, 128 after they have been opened or, vice versa, to allow opening the sleeve parts 76, 126 and 90, 128 as required. The garment 60 can be worn with the front part on the breast side of a patient or also alternatively on the back of a person.

By opening the sleeve parts 76, 126 and 90, 128 the upper part of a patient can be inspected, for instance up to the breast of a patient.

By opening the front part 62 along the slit 86 the full front side (or if worn in reverse: the rear side) of a patient can be inspected.

The attachment strings 110 on the front panel part 68 are distanced from the edge 86 for a spacing 154 and this spacing can amount to between 2 cms and 10 cms (or even more) so that the front panel part 66 overlaps the front panel part 68 when the two parts are joined together by way of the attachment strings 110, 112.

The overlapping of the front parts 66, 68 ensure that when a patient is to be inspected or treated on the front (or on the rear if the garment is worn in reverse) then the body of the patient is not exposed unnecessarily. Thereby embarrassment is avoided.

The gown 60 may be cut from a single sheet of suitable material. However, it also may be made of various part conveniently sewn together.

Figures 10 to 12 shown a simplified version of a hospital gown or upper garment for a patient in accordance with the invention.

Figure 10 shows a rectangular material sheet 156, which has two opposite side edges 158, 160, a bottom edge 162 and an upper edge 164. Along the upper edge 164 on both sides a section 166, 168 (shown in hatched lines) is respectively cut out. These sections 166, 168 are cut out by a curved edge 170, 172 leading to a straight edge 174, 176 and thence to an upwardly extending vertical edge 178, 180. Centrally an oval neck portion 182 (shown in hatched lines) is cut out from the edge 164 and two vertical slits 184, 186 extend some distance towards the bottom edge 152 from the meeting point of the edges 174, 178 and 176, 180.

Figure 11 shows the garment 188 formed from the sheet 156 with the upper edge 164 in lay flat position and in Figure 12 the garment 188 is illustrated with the upper edge 164 folded down to form sleeves 190, 192. As shown the cut-out 182 constitutes the neck opening 194, the slits 184, 186 constitute the arm or sleeve openings, the sleeves 190, 192 are constituted by the upper edge 164 being folded down so as to overlap the edges 114, 176 and being attached thereto by release attachment means, such as VELCRO® strips. The edge 158 is folded to overlap the edge 160 and being attached thereto by release attachment means, such as VELCRO® strips.

From the material sheet 156 thus front panel parts 196, 198, and a rear panel 200 are formed.

When the shoulder panels 190, 192 are folded down shoulder upper ridges 202, 204 are formed.

The gowns 20, 68, 188 in accordance with the invention may be made of any suitable textile material but also from a throw-away material, such as suitable paper or laminated sheet material. Reference numerals

20 hospital gown

22 tubular body

24 front panel

5 26 rear panel

28.1 front panel bottom edge

28.2 front panel upper edge

30.1 rear panel bottom edge

. 30.2 rear panel upper edge to 32 neck opening

34 neck edge

36 sleeves

38 sleeves

40 arm or sleeve opening

15 42 arm or sleeve opening

44 elongated slit

46 vertical slit

48 vertical slit

50_. shoulder ridge

20 52 shoulder ridge

54 spacing

56 shoulder flap

58 shoulder flap

60 hospital gown

25 62 front panel

64 rear panel

66 left hand panel part

68 right hand panel part

70 vertical outer edge 72 vertical front edge

74 bottom edge

76 sleeve part

78 sleeve bottom edge

5 80 sleeve upper edge

82 arm or sleeve opening

84 vertical outer edge

86 opposite front vertical edge

88 bottom edge

10 90 sleeve part

92 sleeve lower edge

94 sleeve upper edge

96 arm or sleeve opening

98 downward curve

15 100 edge

102 downward curve

104 edge

106 neck opening

108 attachment strip

20 110 attachment strip

112 flexible attachment string

114 flexible attachment string

116 vertical edge

118 vertical edge

25 120 bottom edge

122 upper edge

124 upper edge

126 sleeve part

128 sleeve part 130 attachment strips

132 attachment strips

134 bottom edge

136 arm or sleeve opening

5 138 bottom edge

140 arm or sleeve opening

142 sleeve

144 sleeve

146 bottom body opening

10 148 shoulder upper ridge

150.1 shoulder flap

150.2 shoulder flap 152 spacing

154 spacing

15 156 material sheet

158 side edge

160 side edge

162 bottom edge

164 upper edge

20 166 cut-out section

168 cut-out section

170 curved edge

172 curved edge

174 straight edge

25 176 straight edge

178 vertical edge

180 vertical edge

182 neck portion

184 vertical slit 186 vertical slit

188 garment

190 shoulder flap

192 shoulder flap

5 194 neck opening

196 front panel part

198 front panel part

200 rear panel

202 shoulder ridge

10 204 shoulder ridge

Claims

PATENT CLAIMS

1. A hospital gown (20, 60, 188) for a patient, which includes a front panel (22, 24; 62; 196, 198) having an upper edge (28.2; 70, 84; 174, 176) and a lower edge (28.1; 74, 88; 162); a rear panel (26; 64; 200) joined to the front panel (22, 24; 62; 196, 198) and having an upper edge (30.2; 122, 124; 164) and a lower edge (30.1; 120; 162); a neck opening (32; 106; 194) formed between the upper edge (28.2; 80, 94; 164) of the front panel (22, 24; 62; 196, 198) and the upper edge (30.2, 122, 124; 154) of the rear panel (26; 64; 200); a body opening defined opposite to the neck opening (32; 106; 194) between the lower edges

(28.1; 74, 88; 162) of the front panel (22, 24; 62; 196, 198) and the lower edge (30.1, 120; 152, 162) of the rear panel (26; 64; 200); two opposite arm openings (40, 42; 136, 140; 184, 186) sideways of the front panel (22, 24; 62; 196, 198) and rear panel (26; 64; 200), characterized thereby that the front panel (22, 24; 62; 196, 198) and the rear panel (26; 64; 200) are separable along separating edges (28.2, 30.2; 80, 122, 94, 124; 174, 176), each edge (28.2, 30.2; 80, 122, 94, 124; 174, 176) extending from the neck opening (32; 106; 194) up to its arm opening (40, 42; 82, 136; 196, 140; 184, 186), so that a shoulder flap (56, 58; 150.1, 150.2; 190, 192) is formed by the rear panel (26; 64,

200), on each side of the neck opening (32; 106, 194) up to its arm opening (40, 42; 82, 136, 196, 140; 184, 186), the shoulder flaps (56, 58; 150.1, 150.2; 190, 192) being foldable to form a ridge (50, 52; 148; 202, 204) which, in use would lie substantially on a wearer's shoulder; and that attachment means (130, 132) are provided for removably attaching each shoulder flap (56, 58; 150.1, 150.2; 190, 192) to the front panel (22, 24; 62; 196, 198).

2. A hospital gown as claimed in claim 1, characterized thereby that the arm openings (184, 186) are located at the front panel (196, 198).

3. A hospital gown as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, characterized thereby that the front panel (22, 24; 64; 196, 198) is divided into two adjoining front panel parts (22, 24; 66, 68; 196, 198), which are removably attachable by way of front panel attachment means (112, 114), each front panel part (22, 24; 66, 68; 196, 198) having a vertical edge (178; 180) extending from the neck opening (32; 106; 194) up to the lower edges (28.1; 74, 88; 162) of the front panel parts (22, 24; 66, 68; 196, 198).

4. A hospital gown as claimed in claim 3, characterized thereby that one front panel part (66) is adapted to overlap the other front panel part (68) over the vertical edge (86) of the other front panel part (68) by a spacing (154).

5. A hospital gown as claimed in claim 4, characterized thereby that the spacing (154) amounts to between 2-10 cms.

6. A hospital gown as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized thereby that each shoulder flap (56, 58; 150.1, 150.2; 190,

192) overlaps its separating edge (28.2, 30.2; 80, 122, 94, 124; 174, 176) for a distance between 2-10 cms.

7. A hospital gown as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized thereby that it is made of a single sheet (156) of rectangularly shaped material with cut-outs (166, 168, 182) to form shoulder flaps (190, 192) and a neck opening (194).

8. A hospital gown as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized thereby that arm sleeves (76, 90; 126, 128; 142, 144) are provided extending from the front panel (22, 24; 62).

9. A hospital gown as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the attachment means (130, 132) include so-called VELCRO® strips.

10. A hospital gown as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized thereby that the attachment means (130, 132) include tie- strings (112, 114).

AMENDED CLAIMS

[received by the International Bureau on 27 December 2001 (27.12.01); original claims 1-10 replaced by amended claims 1-9 (2 pages)]

1. A hospital gown (20, 60, 188) for a patient, which includes a front panel (22, 24; 62; 196, 198) having an upper edge (28.2; 70, 84; 174, 176) and a lower edge (28.1; 74, 88; 162); a rear panel (26; 64; 200) joined to the front panel (22, 24; 62; 196, 198) and having an upper edge (30.2; 122, 124; 164) and a lower edge (30.1; 120; 162); a neck opening (32; 106; 194) formed between the upper edge (28.2; 80, 94; 164) of the front panel (22, 24; 62; 196, 198) and the upper edge (30.2, 122, 124; 154) of the rear panel (26; 64; 200); a body opening defined opposite to the neck operiing (32; 106; 194) between the lower edges (28.1; 74, 88; 162) of the front panel (22, 24; 62; 196, 198) and the lower edge (30.1, 120; 152, 162) of the rear panel (26; 64; 200); two opposite arm openings (40, 42; 136, 140; 184, 186) sideways of the front panel (22, 24; 62; 196, 198) and rear panel (26; 64; 200), characterized thereby that it is made of a single sheet (156) of rectangularly shaped material with cut-outs (166, 168, 182) to form shoulder flaps (190, 192) and a neck opening (194); that the front panel (22, 24; 62; 196, 198) and the rear panel (26; 64; 200) are separable along separating edges (28.2, 30.2; 80, 122, 94, 124; 174, 176), each edge (28.2, 30.2; 80, 122, 94, 124; 174, 176) extending from the neck operiing (32; 106; 194) up to its arm opening (40, 42; 82, 136; 196, 140; 184, 186), so that a shoulder flap (56, 58; 150.1, 150.2; 190, 192) is formed by the rear panel (26; 64, 200), on each side of the neck opening (32; 106, 194) up to its arm opening (40, 42; 82, 136, 196, 140; 184, 186), the shoulder flaps (56, 58; 150.1, 150.2; 190, 192) being foldable to form a ridge (50, 52; 148; 202, 204) which, in use would lie substantially on a wearer's shoulder; and that attachment means (130, 132) are provided for removably attaching each shoulder flap (56, 58; 150.1, 150.2; 190, 192) to the front panel (22, 24; 62; 196, 198).

6. A hospital gown as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized thereby that each shoulder flap (56, 58; 150.1, 150.2; 190, 192) overlaps' its separating edge (28.2, 30.2; 80, 122, 94, 124; 174, 176) for a distance between 2-10 cms.

7. A hospital gown as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized thereby that arm sleeves (76, 90; 126, 128; 142, 144) are provided extending from the front panel (22, 24; 62).

8. A hospital gown as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the attachment means (130, 132) include so-called VELCRO® strips.

9. A hospital gown as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized thereby that the attachment means (130, 132) include tie-strings (112, 114).