MEDICAL GARMENT

Abstract

A medical garment for a patient includes a front garment panel having a front garment fastener assembly and a rear garment panel operatively associated with the front garment panel. The rear garment panel has a rear garment fastener assembly operatively adapted for detachable attachment to the front garment fastener assembly so as to secure the front garment panel to the rear garment panel. The medical garment further includes a bag adapted to hold medical equipment attached to the patient. The bag includes a first bag fastener assembly and a second bag fastener assembly. The first bag fastener assembly is operatively adapted for detachable attachment to the front garment fastener assembly and the second bag fastener assembly is operatively adapted for detachable attachment to the rear garment fastener assembly to secure the bag between the front garment panel and the rear garment panel.

Claims

1. A medical garment to be worn by a patient including: a front garment panel having a front garment fastener assembly; a rear garment panel operatively associated with the front garment panel, the rear garment panel having a rear garment fastener assembly operatively adapted for detachable attachment to the front garment fastener assembly so as to secure the front garment panel to the rear garment panel, and a bag adapted to hold medical equipment attached to the patient, the bag including a first bag fastener assembly and a second bag fastener assembly, the first bag fastener assembly operatively adapted for detachable attachment to the front garment fastener assembly and the second bag fastener assembly operatively adapted for detachable attachment to the rear garment fastener assembly so as to secure the bag between the front garment panel and the rear garment panel.

2. A medical garment according to claim 1, wherein the front garment fastener assembly includes snap fasteners which are operatively adapted for snap engagement with corresponding snap fasteners of the rear garment fastener assembly.

3. A medical garment according to claim 2, wherein the first and second bag fastener assembly include snap fasteners which are operatively adapted for snap engagement with corresponding snap fasteners of the front and rear garment fastener assembly.

4. A medical garment according to claim 1, wherein the bag is adapted to be secured at different positions relative to the front and rear garment fastener assembly.

5. A medical garment according to claim 1, wherein the bag includes two pockets.

6. A medical garment according to claim 1, wherein the pockets are formed by a line of stitching in the bag.

7. A bag adapted (i) to hold medical equipment attached to a patient, and (ii) to be attached to a medical garment having a front garment panel and a rear garment panel, the bag including a first bag fastener assembly and a second bag fastener assembly, wherein the first bag fastener assembly is operatively adapted for detachable attachment to a front garment fastener assembly of the front garment panel and the second bag fastener assembly is operatively adapted for detachable attachment to a rear garment fastener assembly of the rear garment so as to secure the bag between the front garment panel and the rear garment panel.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] A preferred embodiment of the invention will be described hereinafter, by way of example only, with reference to the accompany drawings, wherein:

[0018] FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic front view of an embodiment medical garment with a front garment panel lifted to reveal a bag of the medical garment; and

[0019] FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic side view of the embodiment medical garment with the front garment panel lifted to reveal the bag of the medical garment.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0020] FIGS. 1 and 2 show an embodiment medical garment to be worn by a patient, generally indicated with the reference numeral 10. In this embodiment the medical garment 10 is particularly suited to be worn by a young child. The medical garment 10 includes a fabric front garment panel 12 having a front garment fastener assembly 14. The medical garment 10 further includes a fabric rear garment panel 16 operatively associated with the front garment panel 12. The rear garment panel 16 includes a rear garment fastener assembly 18 operatively adapted for detachable attachment to the front garment fastener assembly 14 so as to secure the front garment panel 12 to the rear garment panel 16.

[0021] The medical garment 10 further includes a bag 20 adapted to hold medical equipment attached to the patient. The bag 20 includes a first bag fastener assembly 22 and a second bag fastener assembly 24. The first bag fastener assembly 22 is operatively adapted for detachable attachment to the front garment fastener assembly 14. The second bag fastener assembly 24, in turn, is operatively adapted for detachable attachment to the rear garment fastener assembly 18 so as to secure the bag 20 between the front garment panel 12 and the rear garment panel 16.

[0022] By having the front garment panel 12 detachably attached to the rear garment panel 16, medical personal are able to detach the front and rear garment panels 12, 16 with relative ease in order to gain access to the body of the patient to facilitate inspection or treatment. Further, providing that the front garment panel 12 and the rear garment panel 16 are detachably attached provides for relative ease or replacement of a soiled medical garment without the need, for example, of removing intravenous lines and the associated discomfort to the patient.

[0023] In use the bag 20 will serve to hold and support medical equipment secured to the body of the patient. Such medical equipment may include a central line (a type of catheter placed in a large vein which allows multiple IV fluids to be given and blood to be drawn), peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) lines; diabetes monitors, stoma bags and gastric catheters. Such devices will generally simply hang from the body of the patient. In the case of a child patient the lines may be dragged along the floor with the consequential risk of contamination, falls and damage. Providing the bag 20 facilitates storage of such devices. As the bag 20 is located behind the front garment panel 12 the bag 20 and its contents are hidden from sight. Further, by having the bag 20 being adapted for detachable attachment to the front and rear garment panels 12, 16 enables the position of the bag 20 to be adjusted depending on the nature of the medical equipment being supported so as best to accommodate such medical equipment.

[0024] The embodiment bag 20 includes two pockets 26, here formed by a vertical line of stitching 28 in the centre of the bag. Having two pockets 26 of even size serves to distribute the weight of medical equipment held within the bag 20 evenly along the length of the bag 20.

[0025] The front garment fastener assembly 14 includes snap fasteners 30, here female snap buttons, which are operatively adapted for snap engagement with corresponding snap fasteners 32, here male snap buttons, of the rear garment fastener assembly 18. The first bag fastener assembly 22 includes snap fasteners 34, here male snap buttons, operatively adapted so snap engage the female snap buttons 30 of the front garment fastener assembly 14. The second bag fastener assembly 24 includes snap fasteners 36, here female snap buttons, operatively adapted to snap engage the male snap buttons 32 of the rear garment fastener assembly 18. In effect the bag 20 is sandwiched between the front and rear garment panels 12, 16.

[0026] Although the invention has been described with reference to a specific example, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the invention may be embodied in many other forms.

TABLE-US-00001 KEY TO REFERENCE NUMERALS IN THE DRAWINGS 10 Medical garment 12 Front garment panel 14 Front garment fastener assembly 16 Rear garment panel 18 Rear garment fastner assembly 20 Bag 22 First bag fastener assembly 24 Second bag fastener assembly 26 Pockets 28 Line of stitching 30 Snap fasteners 32 Snap fasteners 34 Snap fasteners 36 Snap fasteners