A papilla gown includes a cloth web that is adapted to cover the body of a patient, an elongated hole provided on the cloth web communicating the inside of the cloth web with the outside of the cloth web, a pocket attached to the cloth web, a cover portion that is provided on the outside of the cloth web and covers the hole, and a fastener that fastens the cover portion to the outside of the cloth web. The cover portion is an elongated strip that is pivotally attached to the outside of the cloth web. The hole is aligned with the breast nipple of a wearer and the pocket.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a papilla gown, which means a breast gown in Latin word. More particularly, this invention relates to a papilla gown that can be comfortably worn by a patient who needs to use a drainage system after a surgery, especially a breast surgery.

Hospital gowns are usually designed to provide basic function as clothing and easy maintenance in relation to cleaning and sterilizing. In addition, it is desirable for hospital gowns to provide an aesthetic appearance and to facilitate easy access to medical attachments to a patient such as a drainage system that should be used by a patient for some time after a surgery.

While there are many hospital gowns by prior art, no hospital gown provided the desirable combination of aesthetic appearance, good accessibility to a drainage system that is required after breast surgery, and ease of wearing. A hospital gown, or a papilla gown that is convenient to use and wear after breast surgery while providing a variety of functions as a gown has long been in need.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention contrives to solve the disadvantages of the prior art.

An objective of the invention is to provide a papilla gown that provides good accessibility of a drainage system that is required to wear after breast surgery.

Another objective of the invention is to provide a papilla gown that provides function and appearance suitable for a nightgown.

Still another objective of the invention is to provide a papilla gown that facilitates wearing of the drainage system.

Still another objective of the invention is to keep privacy of a patient, when she uses a drainage system.

To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides a papilla gown that includes a cloth web that is adapted to cover the body of a patient, a hole provided on the cloth web communicating the inside of the cloth web with the outside of the cloth web, a containing portion attached to the cloth web, a cover portion that is provided on the outside of the cloth web and covers the hole, and a fastener that fastens the cover portion to the outside of the cloth web.

The hole has an elongated shape, and the length of the hole is about four inches.

The cover portion includes an elongated strip that is pivotally attached to the outside of the cloth web. The elongated strip is attached to the cloth web longitudinally. The elongated strip has a width of about one inch.

The hole, the containing portion and the cover portion are positioned toward the left side or the right side of the cloth web or both.

The fastener includes a first segment that is attached to the cover portion, and a second segment that is attached on the cloth web. The first segment is engaged with the second segment to fasten the cover portion to the outside of the cloth web. The first segment includes a plurality of hooks and the second segment includes a plurality of loops. The hooks of the first segment engage with the loops of the second segment, and the engaged state is kept by friction.

The first segment includes one or more first fastening elements. The second segment comprises one or more second fastening elements that are positioned alongside the hole. The first fastening elements are positioned to match the second fastening elements when the cover portion is closed.

The containing portion includes a breast shape pocket sewn to the cloth web.

The cloth web includes two raglan sleeves, and the cloth web is front-opening.

The advantages of the present invention are: (1) the papilla gown is suitable to hold and route a drainage system that is required to wear after breast surgery; (2) the papilla gown has aesthetic appearance suitable for an everyday clothing like a nightgown; (3) the papilla gown facilitates wearing of the drainage system; (4) the design of the cover portion and the fastener prevents the tube and reservoir in the pocket from being pulled; and (5) the papilla gown protects privacy of a patient by tightly covering the hole through which the tube passes, and hiding the tube and reservoir in the pocket.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIGS. 1 and 2show a papilla gown10according to the present invention. The papilla gown10includes a cloth web12that is adapted to cover the body of a patient, two holes14provided on the cloth web12communicating the inside of the cloth web with the outside of the cloth web12, two containing portions16attached to the cloth web12, two cover portions18that are provided on the outside of the cloth web12and cover the holes14, and two fasteners20that fasten the cover portions18to the outside of the cloth web12.

The hole14has an elongated shape, and the length of the hole14is four inches. The hole14is a very narrow slit.

The cover portion18includes an elongated strip22that is pivotally attached to the outside of the cloth web12. The elongated strip22is attached to the cloth web12longitudinally. The elongated strip22has a width of one inch.

One set of the hole14, the containing portion16, and the cover portion18is positioned toward the left side24of the cloth web12, or the left part of the papilla gown10. The other set of the hole14, the containing portion16, and the cover portion18is positioned toward the right side26of the cloth web12, or the right part of the papilla gown10.

The fastener20includes a first segment28that is attached to the cover portion18, and a second segment30that is attached on the cloth web12. The first segment28is engaged with the second segment30to fasten the cover portion18to the outside of the cloth web12. The first segment28includes a plurality of hooks (not shown) and the second segment30includes a plurality of loops (not shown). The hooks of the first segment28engage with the loops of the second segment30, and the engaged state is kept by friction. VELCRO strips may be used for the hooks of the first segment28and the loops of the second segment30.

The containing portion16includes a breast shape pocket32sewn to the cloth web12. The breast shape is commonly defined as a combination of a triangle having dimension of 12×24 cm, and a circle of 24 cm diameter and 9 cm height. The numerical values are approximate.

The cloth web12includes two raglan sleeves33, and the cloth web12is front-opening.

FIG. 3shows a drainage system that includes a drain tube36and a reservoir38. Typically, Jackson-Pratt drains and tubes are used as the drainage system.FIGS. 4 and 5show alternate location of the first segment28and the second segment30. The first segment28includes two first fastening elements42. The second segment30includes two second fastening elements44that are positioned alongside the hole14. The first fastening elements42are positioned on the cover portion18to match and engage with the second fastening elements44when the cover portion18is closed. The engagement of the first fastening elements and the second fastening elements effectively holds the tube36and covers the hole14so that part of body of the patient cannot be seen from outside.

The papilla gown10is especially suited to be used with “Safety Pouches” carrying Closed (self-contained) Wound Drainage Systems for female breast cancer patients after breast surgeries. The papilla gown10is knee-length and made of 100% cotton fabric. The papilla gown10may be worn as a nightgown and lounging dress for out patients. The front-opening papilla gown10with raglan sleeves33and a round neckline34incorporates common design features on both, the hospital gown and nightgown. When the Drainage System is not used, the patient can wear the garment as a regular nightgown.

For carrying and securing the Wound Drainage System, the papilla gown10has special design features. As shown inFIGS. 1 and 2, the papilla gown10has the cover portion or tuck18of one-inch size, the four-inch hole or eyelet14, the first and second segments28,30, and the containing portion, or safety pouch16.

A patient can wear the papilla gown10with six easy steps. In step1, the patient slips into the papilla gown10leaving it unbuttoned. In step2, the patient thread the drain tube36and the reservoir38from inside the papilla gown10through the hole14. In step3, the drain tube36and the reservoir38are passed under the tuck18. In step4, the reservoir38is put in the safety pouch16. In step5, the first segment28on the tuck18is closed to secure the drainage System in the papilla gown10In step6, snaps40on the center front of the papilla gown10are closed.

The papilla gown10is made with the following steps. In step1, the hole or eyelet14is made. In step2, the the first and second segments28,30are stitched. In step3, the tuck18is sewn. In step4, the tuck18is folded toward side seam. In step5, the safety pouch16is attached and top stitched.

Referring back toFIG. 1, the hole14is provided in a way that the hole14is substantially aligned with the pocket32and the breast nipple of a wearer of the papilla gown10in longitudinal direction of the papilla gown and the hole14is provided below the breast nipple and above the pocket32. Referring back toFIGS. 4 and 5, the elongated strip22of the cover portion18pivots around a longitudinal pivot axis. The elongated strip22covers the hole14and extends beyond the hole14down to the pocket32.