Drain tube belt and shower pack kit

After an operation, a drain tube or drain tubes may be placed in the patient's body. Sometimes the drain tube is sutured into the open end of the body and hangs from the body. After a mastectomy, the drain tube is often sutured into the body of the patient. The drain tube hangs downwardly and there is a collection bulb on the end of the drain tube to the discomfort of the patient. The applicant has devised a strap which fits around the abdomen and on the strap there is a pocket for receiving the drain tube and the collection bulb. The patient can walk and maneuver with less discomfort because the pocket and the strap are bearing some of the weight of the drain tube and collection bulb and provide proper drainage. Also, there is disclosed a receptacle for holding the collection bulb by itself. The patient may want to take a shower or dress or undress. The collection bulb can be placed in this second receptacle. This allows freedom of movement of the hands and of the patient. The patient can position the receptacle on some of the plumbing features and accessory features in the shower as the receptacle does have a handle. Or, the patient can position the receptacle and the collection bulb on the rod holding the shower curtain. In essence, the patient can be made more comfortable with this invention as the patient has assistance in supporting the drain tube and the collection bulb.

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS (IF ANY) 
There is no related application. 
STATEMENT AS TO RIGHTS TO INVENTIONS MADE UNDER FEDERALLY SPONSORED 
RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT (if any) 
This invention and patent application was financed with private funds and 
there was no federal assistance in developing the invention and in the 
filing of the patent application. 
REFERENCE TO A "MICROFICHE APPENDIX" 
There is no microfiche appendix. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The genesis of this invention is that one of the co-inventors had breast 
cancer. A mastectomy was performed. Two drain tubes were placed inside of 
her. These drain tubes extended from inside of her to outside of her. A 
drain tube is sutured into the body of the patient so that the drain tube 
cannot be accidentally removed. On the outer end of the drain tube there 
is positioned a collection bulb. The collection bulb may be at a lower 
internal pressure than the atmospheric pressure for the patient and the 
fluid from the patient's body flows into the collection bulb. 
The tube and the collection bulb hang from the person's body. In the 
recovery period, the drain tube and the collection bulb become painful and 
also become a nuisance. A person walks or arises from a chair and the tube 
and collection bulb are swinging. Remember, the tube is sutured into the 
body of the patient. The weight of the tube and the collection bulb pull 
on the skin of the patient can cause pain and discomfort. 
A first receptacle can be positioned around the patient's waist. The first 
receptacle can be a cloth such as cotton cloth. There is a pocket in the 
first receptacle and this pocket can receive the tube and the collection 
bulb. The first receptacle and the pocket support the tube and the 
collection bulb. This relieves some of the pain and discomfort of the tube 
being in the body of the individual and depending from the upper part of 
the body of the patient. 
Another problem arises when the patient wants to take a shower. With the 
tube and collection bulb hanging from the patient, it is not practical to 
wear the first receptacle of cloth. The tube and the collection bulb hang 
from the patient and cause pain and discomfort. A partial solution is to 
have a second receptacle. The collection bulb is placed in the second 
receptacle. The second receptacle can be positioned on or hung from a 
plumbing feature in the shower or hung from a towel bar. The drain tube 
still hangs from the patient in the shower but the patient has freedom of 
movement with the hands for cleansing the body. 
The second receptacle can be of a material that does not absorb and soak 
water. A suitable material may be a nylon mesh. The collection bulb can be 
placed in the second receptacle of nylon mesh and hung on the shower rail 
or a plumbing fixture. The material of the second receptacle may be 
hydrophobic so that it dries quickly. After the shower, the patient can 
put the first receptacle on the body. The tube and the collection bulb can 
be placed in the first receptacle to be supported by the first receptacle. 
2. Description of the Related Art 
There is a patent to Aiello, Des. Pat. No. 292,127, issue date of Sep. 29, 
1987, for a "COMBINED I.V. CONTAINER HOLDING BAG AND STRAP". The subject 
invention differs from this patent in that the subject invention can hold 
the tube in a folded condition and also the collection bulb on the end of 
the tube. The receptacle of the subject invention is long so that the 
collection bulb and the tube can be placed in the first receptacle and 
when appropriate, the tube can be folded back on itself in a loose way so 
as not to restrict flow of drainage. This is not possible with Aiello. The 
holding bag of Aiello is not made of flexible cloth but is made of a rigid 
cloth structure. 
There is a patent to James G. Rice, Des. Pat. No. 311,453, issue date of 
Oct. 23, 1990, which shows a "BODY ATTACHABLE BAG". The upper part of the 
body attachable bag appears to be stiff and of a thick material which 
cannot be folded and bent. The subject invention comprises a first 
receptacle of flexible cloth material which can be folded and bent upon 
itself. 
There is patent to Charlotte Goude, Des. Pat. No. 335,759, issue date of 
May 25, 1993. Goude shows an "APRON". Goude does not show a receptacle for 
holding a drain tube with a collection bulb on the end of a drain tube. 
There is a patent to LaBove et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,087,864, issue date of 
May 9, 1978. LaBove et al teaches of a vest for fitting on and over the 
upper part of the patient's body. The subject invention is not for a vest 
and differs from the patent of Larry D. LaBove et al. 
There is a patent to Gladys G. Piloian, U.S. Pat. No. 5,142,702, issue date 
of Sep. 1, 1992, for an "UPPER BODY OSTOMY GARMENT". This garment is, 
essentially, a vest as worn by a patient. The subject invention of a band 
or strap with a receptacle on the band or strap is not a vest and differs 
from Piloian. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
In a mastectomy operation, after the breast has been removed, plastic tubes 
are placed beneath the skin of the breast and the pectoral muscle. These 
tubes are used to drain the fluid that will collect in the spaces created 
by the surgery and the removal of lymph glands. At the places where the 
tubes emerge, the tubes are sutured to the skin and attached to a small 
collection bulb in which there is a partial vacuum. The fluid flows from 
the body of the patient to the small collection bulb as the pressure in 
the small collection bulb is less than the pressure in the patient. 
This invention is directed to relieving the patient of the weight of the 
tubes which have been surgically implanted in the body. Also, the weight 
of the collection bulb is removed. This invention also gives the patient 
the freedom to shower without having to hold the bulb in one hand during 
the shower. The first receptacle is for receiving the drain tube and the 
collection bulb on the end of the drain tube. The first receptacle is of 
cotton cloth, or equivalent, and can be folded and matted into a small 
unit when not being used. Then, the first receptacle can be positioned 
around the waist of the patient. The collection bulb and part of the tube 
are positioned in the first receptacle and supported in the first 
receptacle so as to lessen the tension on the tube sutured to the body of 
the patient. 
There is a second receptacle for holding the collection bulb. In 
preparation to take a shower, the drain tube and the collection bulb can 
be separated from the first receptacle and placed in the second 
receptacle. The first receptacle can be removed from the patient's body. 
The second receptacle can be positioned on a plumbing fixture in the 
shower or on a rod for the shower curtain. This gives the patient freedom 
of movement in the shower and also relieves the patient of the weight of 
the collection bulb. 
After the shower, the second receptacle can be removed from the plumbing 
fixture or the rod for the shower curtain and hung on a towel rack or wall 
hook to allow the patient to dry with both hands. Then the drain tube and 
the collection bulb can be placed in the dry first receptacle and worn by 
the patient. 
OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES 
There are many objects and advantages of this invention. 
One of these is to provide a support for a drain tube and a collection bulb 
for a person having a drain tube coming out of the body and which drain 
tube may be sutured into the body; 
A further object is to provide the support for a drain tube so that the 
patient can, in comfort, walk and/or sit without the drain tube causing 
pain and discomfort; 
An additional object and advantage is to provide a support for a drain tube 
without hindering the flow of body fluid through the drain tube and into 
the collection bulb at the end of the drain tube; 
Another object is to provide a support for the collection bulb and which 
support can be positioned on a shower faucet or shower plumbing or a 
shower fixture so as to free the two hands of the patient taking a shower; 
An additional object is to provide a support which allows the drain tube 
and collection bulb to be hidden from view and not seen by a visitor 
visiting the patient; 
An additional object of the invention is to provide mastectomy patients and 
other patients with a very easy way to relieve the pain of weight of the 
collection bulb and provide way to shower and dry oneself with both hands 
free and nothing on the body preventing a thorough shower and no wet belt 
to have to wait to dry in addition to being a cosmetic factor in that the 
tube and the collection bulb are not visible; 
Further, this invention allows the patient to remove the belt completely 
from oneself so as to shower and after showering to have a dry belt to put 
on as soon as the patient dries oneself; 
The pocket going completely from side to side allows the tube to come from 
almost any site on the body; and 
Additional objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will be 
set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will 
become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the 
following or may be learned by the practice of the invention. The objects 
and advantages of the invention may be realized and attained by means of 
the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the 
appended claims.