WO2009071953A1 - Drainage stabilizer - Google Patents

Abstract

Drainage stabilizer consists of a basis of sterilized gauze (4), an epithesis pillow (2) of the drainage tube, and a partially adhesive band (3). The parts (2) and (3) are those holding the drainage tube passing through a hole on the basis (1) - which may differ in diameter depending on the needs - at the correct angle and position, both inside and outside of the patient's body, without the additional injury of the skin. Finally the invention is stabilized on the patient's skin with self-adhesive bands.

Description

DRAINAGE STABILIZER

Invention refers to a sterilized gauze which operates as a basis, with an adjacent stuck special pillow (epithesis pillow), consisting of a sterilized material (cotton wool or gauze) and self-adhesive band. This band, as well as the pillow, holds the drainage tube - which passes through a hole of the gauze — at its position. . There are bandages for the cover, and only for the cover, of surgical sections. Almost all the times the placement, even preventively, of a drainage tube is necessary for the facilitation of flow and control, in case of fluid collection after the surgery. This tube is presently held by a stitch on the skin, a fact causing further injury to the already sensitive area of the operation. Many times, the stitch does not hold sufficiently the tube, with the result that it is displaced as the patient moves, and these displacements of the drainage tube may cause slight injuries to the internal organs, or the stitch does not hold out nad is cut, which result to the displacement of the drainage tube and the necessity of its stitching again but also to the hardship of the patient. By covering the injury by the usual gauze (by the doctors), for the avoidance of infection of the surgical injury, for the protection of the patient's clothes and for the control of the possible outflow of fluids (which may be of hematogenic, purulent, serous character, or a combination of the above), the tube bends due to the pressure exercized by the usual gauzes, with the result that the regular or complete flow of the fluids (if they have been produced or concentrated) is prevented and the doctor does not have a complete picture of the situation. Also, many times concentration of fluids creates problems, such as for example, from the exercise of pressure to the tissues, or because the body fluids, and in particular blood, constitute a very good nutritive material for the growth of microbes, resulting to infections, which constitute not only a serious post-operative problem but also a cause of mortality. Other times, surgeons, in order to avoid the problem of the tube's bending, are obliged to cut the tube at a very short length outside the body, with the result that, after the cut of the suture, and specially in surgeries of the abdominal area, the tube enters into the boby, resulting to the non correct use and the patient's hardship. This problem has been solved many times by the placement of a safety-pin on the tube, which prevented the total entry of the tube into the body, operating as a prevention lever.

In the drainage stabilizer the self-adhesive band, whose a small part, which is in the opposite side of the epithesis pillow, is stuck on the sterilized gauze operating as basis, the internal part (the part being on the side of the gauze) is covered by a plastic band preventing the self-adhesive band from sticking on the gauze before use. The glue used for the holding of the tube is not strong, and this is so because many times the change of the tube or the drainage stabilizer or both simultaneously is necessary. This facilitates the medical staff in the change and does not harass the patient. Self-adhesive band holds the tube at the right length both outside and inside the body regardless of the patient's movements.

The epithesis pillow helps also to keep the correct position of the drainage tube, so that it does not bend, and does not prevent the regular or complete flow of the possibly concetrated fluids, as it happens many times, since the cover of the tube with gauzes forces the tube to bend. The advantages of this is the possibilty of keeping the drainage tube in the correct position both iside and outside of the body, the easy change of the drainage stabilizer, as well as the non further injury of the tissue from the possibly necessary stitching of the tube on the patient's body.

Characteristic of the invention is the epithesis pillow, consisting of sterizized material helping to the maintenance of the correct angle of the drainage tube. The epithesis pillow is adjacent to and constitutes a part of the sterizized gauze placed on the patient's skin.

One more characteristic is the self-adhesive band holding the tube. The self-adhesive band has a sticky substance only on the side of the sterilized gauze operating as a basis. Self- adhesive band is partially stuck on the basis, from the opposite side of the hole, and the remaining part is covered by a plastic band, which, when removed, reveals the part of the self- adhesive band where the drainage tube, which passes through a hole, will stick. The size of the hole diameter may differ, and as shown in the drawing, its edge is in contact with the edge of the epithesis pillow. From the opposite edge, the hole is partially covered by the self-adhesive band. Finally, the invention is stabilized on the patient's body by self-adhesive bands of commom use, as those used presently and may be covered by the self-adhesive gauzes. Drawing A shows the sectional plan of the drainage stabilizer.

Drawing B shows the lateral view - section of the drainage stabilizer at a point where the section intersects the epithesis pillow, the hole and the self-adhesive band. One way of the invention's application is described by reference to the drawing. The drainage stabilizer consists of a basis of sterilized gauze (4) which has a hole (1), through which the drainage tube passes. The surgeon after the operation and the placement of the drainage tube inside the body, passes the tube through the hole (1), and places the sterilized gauze (4) on the patient's body. Self-adhesive band (3) is covered from the inside of the gauze by a plastic band (5), a part of which protrudes slightly from one lateral side of the self- adhesive band (3) for its easy removal. Its role is to prevent the sticking of the self-adhesive band (3) on the sterizized gauze (4) before use. The epithesis pillow (2), found on the opposite side of the self-adhesive band (3) helps to keeping the correct angle of the drainage tube at its exit from the body and prevents the tube's bending, maintaing at the same time a length of the tube outside the body which may be covered without problem by other sterilized gauzes. The doctor stabilizes the tube on the epithesis pillow (2) by removing the protective plastic band (5), sticks the self-adhesive band on the tube and then cuts the tube at a short length outside the patient's body, but completely stable. The drainage stabilizer may be used in the operations for pancreatic cysts.

Claims

1. The drainage stabilizer consists of the basis of sterilized gauze (4) and is characterized by the existence of a hole (1), which is found between a self-adhesive band (3) partially stuck on the basis, whose part which is not stuck on the sterilized gauze (4) is covered by a plastic band (5) from the side of the sterilized gauze (4), and the epithesis pillow (2), which is adjacent to and stuck on the sterilized gauze (4).

2. The drainage stabilizer, according to requirement No. 1, is characterized by the epithesis pillow (2) for the maintenance of the correct angle - position of the drainage tube, both inside and outside the patient's body. Epithesis pillow (2) is stuck on the basis of the sterilized gauze (4). The combination with the self-adhesive band (3) stabilizes the drainage tube.

3. The drainage stabilizer, according to the requirement No. 1 has a self-adhesive band (3), which holds the drainage tube, as it passes through the hole (1) of the sterilized gauze (4).