GB2099306A - Drainage Sponge - Google Patents

Abstract

A drainage sponge for use in tracheostomy which consists of a sheet of absorbent material folded into a multi-ply configuration. The folded sheet has a first slit, extending from one of its side edges inwardly towards the central portion of the folded sheet with its inner end spaced from the other side edges of the folded sheet, and a second slit crossing the first slit at a location spaced slightly from the inner end of the first slit, the ends of the second slit being spaced from the side edges of the folded sheet. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATIONDrainage spongeDuring a tracheostomy procedure on a patient, an opening is formed into the traches and a tracheostomy tube is placed in the opening. Once the tube is in place, body fluids drain through the opening around the tube to the outside of the patient's body.

In the past, it has been found difficult to provide an absorbent medium to capture the body fluids, since the absorbent medium does not readily conform to the shape of the tube adjacent the patient's body.

With a view to overcoming this difficulty, the invention provides a drainage sponge, adapted for placement around a tracheostomy tube after insertion of the tube into a patient's body, said sponge consisting of a sheet of absorbent material folded into a multiply configuration and having a first slit extending inwardly from a side edge of the folded sheet towards the central portion of the sheet and having its inner end spaced from the other side edges of the folded sheet, and a second slit crossing the first slit at a location spaced slightly from the inner end of the first slit, the ends of the second slit being spaced from the side edges of the folded sheet. The two slits thus define four flaps at their juncture.

Preferably the absorbent material of which the sponge is made is a nonwoven material. In use the sponge may be placed about the projecting portion of the tracheostomy tube by passage of the tube through the first slit to the juncture of the two slits, when the flaps will lie against the tube to locate the sponge in place.

The invention will now be further described with reference to the drawings, in which:Figs. 1 and 2 are perspective views illustrating steps in the formation of a drainage sponge according to the invention,Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the completed sponge, andFig. 4 is a perspective view showing the sponge in place around a tracheostomy tube in a patient.

The drainage sponge 10 shown in Fig. 3 is formed from a sheet 12 (Fig. 1) of absorbent material having peripheral edges 14a, 14b, 14c and 14d. The sheet 12 may be made from a polyester-rayon non-woven material, such as that sold as micrexed Novonette Spy 17 by The Kendall Company, Boston, Massachusetts. To form the sponge, the sheet 12 is first folded about a central longitudinal fold line 16 and then transversely about a central fold line 18, Fig. 2.

As shown in Fig. 3, the folded sheet 12 has side edges 20a, 20b, 20c and 20d of the sponge 10, the side edge 20a extending along the fold line 18.

The sponge is then slit along a first slit 22 extending inwardly from the fold line 18 towards the central portion of the folded sheet, the inner end 24 of the first slit 22 being spaced a substantial distance from the side edges of the folded sheet 12, and also along a second slit 26 crossing the slit 22 at a location spaced slightly from the inner end 24 of the slit 22.

As shown, the opposed ends 28 and 30 of the second slit 26 are spaced a substantial distance from the side edges of the folded sheet 12. In the preferred form shown, the lengths of the portions of the slit 26 on opposite sides of the slit 22 are approximately equal to the length of the portion of the slit 22 between the juncture of the two slits 22 and 26 and the inner end 24 of the slit 22, and may be approximately one-fourth of an inch. As shown, the slits 22 and 26 define four flaps 32a, 32b, 32c and 32d of the folded sheet 12 at the juncture ofthe slits 22 and 26.

As shown in Fig. 4, during a tracheostomy procedure an opening is formed in the traches of a patientP, and a tracheostomy tube T is placed in the opening. The sponge 10 is placed about the projecting portion of the tube T by sliding the slit 22 along the tube T from the fold line 18 to the juncture ofthe slits 22 and 26. The sponge 10 then extends around the tubeT, with the sponge 10 resting against the patient's body and the flaps 32a-d lying against the tube T. The sponge 10 thus readily conforms to the shape of the tube Ton the patient's body to absorb body fluids passing through the opening in the body around the tube to the outside of the patient's body. The material of the sponge 10 does not adhere to the patient's body, and, after use, the sponge may be readily removed from the tube T and be discarded.

Claims (1)

1. A drainage sponge, adapted for placement around a tracheostomy tube after insertion of the tube into a patient's body, said sponge consisting of a sheet of absorbent material folded into a multi-ply configuration and having a first slit extending inwardly from a side edge of the folded sheet towards the central portion of the sheet and having its inner end spaced from the other side edges of the folded sheet, and a second slit crossing the first slit at a location spaced slightly from the inner end of the first slit, the ends of the second slit being spaced from the side edges of the folded sheet.

2. A sponge according to claim 1, wherein the lengths of the portions of the second slit on opposite sides of the first slit are approximately equal to the length of the portion of the first slit intermediate the juncture of the slits and its inner end.

3. A sponge according to claim 1, wherein the first slit extends inwardly from a fold line of the folded sheet.

4. A sponge according to claim 1, wherein the absorbent material is a nonwoven material.

New claims or amendments to claims filed on 8September 1982.

Superseded claim 1.

New or amended claims:

1. A drainage sponge, adapted for placement around a tracheostomy tube after insertion of the tube into a patient's body, said sponge consisting of a rectangular sheet of absorbent material folded into a multi-ply configuration and having a longerfirst slit of uniform width extending inwardly from and substantially at right angles to a side edge of the folded sheet towards the central portion of the sheet and having its inner end spaced from the opposite side edge of the folded sheet, and a second and shorter slit of uniform width crossing the first slit at a location spaced slightly from the inner end of the first slit, the ends of the second slit being spaced from the side edges of the folded sheet and the slits extending through all the plies of the folded sheets and forming four flaps at their juncture.