HEAD TRAUMA BANDAGE CAP AND METHOD

Abstract

An emergency trauma stretch bandage cap shaped as a skull cap with roll able edges capable of holding hot or cold packs, which is placed on the cranium to cover the crown, forehead, back of the head, ears, sides of the head around the ears, and the temples of an injured patient with minimal movement of the neck and spine made of two or more layers of a stretchable warp knit fabric cut and sewn to form a form-fitting head bandage shape to apply sufficient pressure to suppress bleeding.

Claims

1. A head trauma stretch bandage cap comprising: a flexible cap made of two or more layers of a stretchable warp knit fabric cut and sewn to form a form-fitting head bandage skull cap shape with i. an exterior weather resistant or waterproof exterior with rollable periphery edges, top and sides sized to fit about and cover a forehead/crown, ears, sides and back of a head of a patient with a head trauma; the periphery edges rollable to provide varying tightness, and liftable edges to expose a patient's ears to enable caregivers to observe any fluid discharge from the ears, and ii. an interior made of a sterile absorbent polymer non-adherent wound contact-surface, with enough stretch when placed on a patient to apply minimal pressure to a patient's head to control bleeding without aggravating intracranial pressure, which can be hydrated and chilled or frozen to prove an extended duration cooling device.

2. A head trauma stretch bandage cap according to claim 1, wherein the two or more layers of stretchable warp knit fabric are cut and sewn with seams positioned so no edges are against the patient's skin when applied.

3. A head trauma stretch bandage cap according to claim 1, wherein the warp knit fabric contains at least one of the following: integrated hemostatic agents, silicone or other release agents, and/or an integrated absorbent.

4. A head trauma stretch bandage cap according to claim 1, including a thermal retention layer or technology for reflection of infrared energy affixed to the interior for warmth.

5. A head trauma stretch bandage cap according to claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the warp knit fabric is constructed of nylon and spandex (87/13) filament yarns.

6. A head trauma stretch bandage according to claim 1, wherein the cap is sized to accommodate and hold wound dressings and/or cold and/or hot packs placed about a patient's head.

7. A head trauma stretch bandage cap according to claim 1, including antimicrobials placed in the sterile absorbent polymer non-adherent wound-contact surface, or in an absorbent layer, or in the waterproof exterior to reduce bacterial populations and infections.

8. A head trauma stretch bandage cap according to claim 7, wherein the antimicrobials are selected from the group comprising silver-ion releasing antimicrobials, quaternary amines and oxidizers, silquats, iodine, chlorine, or chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG).

9. A head trauma stretch bandage cap according to claim 8, wherein the silver-ion releasing antimicrobial is >10 ppm of elemental silver applied as a fiber finish.

10. A head trauma stretch bandage cap according to claim 1, wherein the flexible cap is color-coded to indicate severity of a patient's injuries in an emergency trauma triage setting.

11. A head trauma stretch bandage cap according to claim 1, including a strapping or bandage system placed about the flexible cap to selectively increase pressure applied to a patient's head to further control bleeding.

12. A head trauma stretch bandage cap according to claim 1, wherein the cap is a single knit structure in which the interior layer has a majority of hemostatic fibers in a Terry or loop knit and the exterior is primarily constructed of non-hemostatic fibers/filaments.

13. A head trauma stretch bandage cap according to claim 1, wherein the cap is a 2-layer structure with a hemostatic loop knit interior layer and a nylon/spandex knit exterior layer.

14. A head trauma stretch bandage according to claim 13, wherein the cap is a 3-layer structure in which a hydrophilic foam or absorbent core is inserted between the interior layer and the exterior layer.

15. A head trauma stretch bandage according to claim 1, wherein the cap is fabricated using a woven or nonwoven fabric manufacturing process.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

[0073] In order that the manner in which the above-recited and other features and advantages of the invention are obtained will be readily understood, a more particular description of the invention briefly described above will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments thereof which are illustrated in the appended drawings. Understanding that these drawings depict only typical embodiments of the invention and are not therefore to be considered to be limiting of its scope, the invention will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawings in which:

[0074] FIG. 1 is a side view of one embodiment of the head trauma bandage cap with liftable edges placed over the ear hole;

[0075] FIG. 2 is a side view of the embodiment of FIG. 1 with liftable edges raised above the ear hole;

[0076] FIG. 3 is a top front view of the embodiment of FIG. 1;

[0077] FIG. 4 is top back view of the embodiment of FIG. 1;

[0078] FIG. 5 is a single knit structure interior layer.

[0079] FIG. 6 is a 2-layer structure with two knits.

[0080] FIG. 7 is a 3-layer structure including a hydrophilic foam or absorbent core.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0081] The presently preferred embodiments of the present invention will be best understood by reference to the drawings, wherein like parts are designated by like numerals throughout. It will be readily understood that the components of the present invention, as generally described and illustrated in the figures herein, could be arranged and designed in a wide variety of different configurations. Thus, the following more detailed description of the embodiments of the FIGS. 1-7 of the present invention, is not intended to limit the scope of the invention, as claimed, but is merely representative of presently preferred embodiments of the invention.

[0082] FIG. 1 is a side view of one embodiment of the stretchable head trauma bandage cap 10 with roll able, lift able edges 12 placed over the ear hole. The head trauma bandage cap 10 has two or more layers 14, 16 of a stretchable warp knit fabric cut and sewn to form a form-fitting head bandage shape. The exterior weather resistant or waterproof exterior layer 14 has periphery edges 12, top 18 and sides 20 sized to fit about and cover a forehead/crown, sides and back of a head of a patient with a head trauma. The liftable edges 12 may be rolled up to expose a patient's ears as shown in FIG. 2 to enable caregivers to observe any fluid discharge from the ears. The tightness of the rolled edges 12 can be varied to provide varying head bandage pressure to a head wound.

[0083] FIG. 3 is a top front view of the embodiment of FIG. 1;

[0084] FIG. 4 is top back view of the embodiment of FIG. 1;

[0085] The interior layer 16 is made of a sterile superabsorbent wicking polymer non-adherent wound contact-surface, with enough stretch when placed on a patient to apply minimal pressure to a patient's head to control bleeding without aggravating intracranial pressure and can be hydrated and chilled or frozen to prove an extended duration cooling device.

[0086] The two layers 14, 16 of the head trauma bandage cap 10 are cut and sewn with seams positioned so no edges are against the patient's skin when applied. The warp knit fabric of the layers 14, 16 may contain at least one of the following: integrated hemostatic agents, silicone or other release agents, and/or an integrated absorbent.

[0087] The head trauma bandage cap 10 may include a thermal retention layer or technology for reflection of infrared energy for warmth.

[0088] The head trauma bandage cap 10 warp knit fabric is constructed of nylon and spandex (87/13) filament yarms. It is sized to accommodate and hold wound dressings and/or cold and/or hot packs placed about the patient's head, and may include antimicrobials placed in the absorbent sterile non-adherent wound-contact surface absorbent layer 16, or in a waterproof-breathable outer layer 14 to reduce bacterial populations and infections. The antimicrobials are selected from the group comprising silver-ion releasing antimicrobials, quaternary amines and oxidizers, silquats, iodine, chlorine, or chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG). The silver-ion releasing antimicrobial is >30 ppm of elemental silver applied as a fiber finish.

[0089] The head trauma bandage cap 10 may be color-coded to indicate severity of a patient's injuries in an emergency trauma triage setting.

[0090] FIG. 5 is a single knit structure which forms an interior layer 14 with a majority of hemostatic fibers in a Terry or loop knit and an exterior layer 16, which is primarily non hemostatic fibers/filaments.

[0091] FIG. 6 is a 2-layer structure with two separate knit layers 14, 16. There is a Hemostatic loop knit interior layer 14 and a nylon/spandex knit exterior layer 16 on the outside.

[0092] FIG. 7 is a 3-layer structure in which a hydrophilic foam or absorbent core 22 is inserted between the two knit layers 14, 16 of FIG. 6.

[0093] The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its structures, methods, or other essential characteristics as broadly described herein and claimed hereinafter. The described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative, and not restrictive.