Therapeutic device for prevention and treatment of decubitous ulcerations

Disclosed is a therapeutic device for the prevention and treatment of ulcerations in the hip and coccygeal areas. Tubular members surround and continuously make contact with second areas adjacent to and surrounding the immediate areas of the bony prominences of the hip and coccygeal areas. Also disclosed is a therapeutic device for the prevention and treatment of ulcerations in the scapular area. Tubular members surround and continuously make contact with second areas adjacent to and surrounding the immediate areas of the bony prominences of the scapular area. Also disclosed is a therapeutic device for the prevention and treatment of ulcerations in the elbow area. A tubular member surrounds and continuously makes contact with a second area adjacent to and surrounding the immediate area of the bony prominence of the elbow.

BACKGROUND 
1. Technical Field 
This invention relates to a therapeutic device for the prevention and 
treatment of ulcerations in various parts of the body. 
2. Background 
Ulcerations commonly referred to as bed sores and other pressure related 
wounds which develop when a patient is bed-ridden or immobile for 
considerable periods of times such as when confined to a wheel chair. Such 
ulcerations usually appear at the location of bony prominences due to the 
concentration of pressure caused at these points. 
There is a need for a device to prevent pressure over the coccyx and the 
bony prominence on the posterior aspect of the coccyx bone. There is a 
need for another device to protect the scapular areas from the development 
of decubitous ulcers. And there is a need for another device to protect 
the elbow areas from decubitous ulcers. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
Accordingly, the object of the invention is to provide devices for the 
prevention of ulcerations of the coccygeal and hip areas, the scapular 
area and the elbows, respectively, with such devices comprising tubular 
members of resilient material suitably shaped to generally develop the 
corresponding anatomical areas of consideration and having openings into 
which the bony prominences protrude to relieve and eliminate the pressures 
normally experienced at such points of bony prominences of the patient's 
coccygeal and hip areas, scapular areas and elbows, respectively, while at 
the same time leave such bed-ridden or chair-ridden patient free to assume 
any desired position without interfering with the effectiveness of any of 
such devices.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
In FIG. 1 of the drawings, reference numeral 1 generally refers to the 
therapeutic device for use in the coccygeal and hip areas for the 
prevention and treatment of ulcerations. Device 1 has two circular-shaped 
tubular members 3 and a triangular-shaped tubular member 5. Tubular 
members 3 are joined and communicate with each other via interposed 
tubular connecting element 7; and tubular members 3 are joined and 
communicate with tubular member 5 via interposed tubular connecting 
element 9. The ends 11 of tubular connecting element 7 are of 
accordion-like configuration and the ends 13 of tubular connecting element 
9 are of accordion-like configuration. A hollow bladder element 15 is 
joined to the tubular members 3 via accordion-like webbing 17, is joined 
to the tubular connecting elements 9 via accordion-like webbing 19, is 
joined to and communicates with the tubular connecting element 7 via 
accordion-like tubular connecting element 21 and is joined to and 
communicates with the tubular member 5 via accordion-like tubular 
connecting element 23. An adjustable attachment element 25 of strip 
webbing with Velcro fasteners (not shown) is suitably affixed to the 
tubular members 3 and is disposed in mounting relationship about the hip 
area of the patient; and an adjustable attachment element 27 of strip 
webbing with Velcro fasteners (not shown) is suitably affixed to the 
tubular members 5 and is disposed in mounting relationship about the 
buttocks region of the patient. The accordion-like end 11 and 13, the 
accordion-like webbing 17 and 19, and the accordion-like tubular 
connecting elements 21 and 23, function to allow the device to fit and to 
be adjusted for variations in the anatomy in the event that, in different 
patients, the bony prominences in the hip area are wider apart or the bony 
prominences in the coccygeal area are higher or lower. Valve 29 allows the 
introduction of air to thereby fill up the tubular members 3 and 5, the 
tubular connecting elements 7, 9, 21 and 23, and the bladder element 15. 
The device can be utilized without the bladder element 15; however, 
bladder element 15 allows the device 1 to seat itself better over the 
buttocks region with increased comfort along with aid in securement by 
virtue of fitting of natural contours via bladder element 15. The device 
can be inflated with liquid, semisolids or gas and is made of suitable 
material that is hypo-allergenic in nature. 
Ulcerations appear and develop at the location of a bony prominence on a 
patient's body and the immediate area of such bony prominence, and such 
ulcerations are caused by direct contact pressure from an object such as a 
bed, wheel chair, furniture, etc. making the direct contact with such bony 
prominence and its immediate area as a result of such patient being 
bed-ridden, confined to a wheel chair or immobile for a period of time. 
The tubular members 3 surround the bony prominences of the hip area and 
continuously make contact with second areas adjacent to and surrounding 
the immediate areas 31 of such bony prominences of the hip area and 
thereby transfer and spread to such second areas the pressures created and 
caused by direct contact with an object, such as a bed, wheel chair, 
furniture, etc. to thereby prevent ulcerations from developing which would 
otherwise develop from contact of such object with such bony prominences 
and the immediate areas 31 of such bony prominences. Likewise, the tubular 
member 5 surrounds the bony prominence of the coccygeal area and 
continuously makes contact with a second area adjacent to and surrounding 
such immediate area 33 of the bony prominence of such coccygeal area to 
thereby transfer and spread to such second area the pressures created and 
caused by direct contact with an object, such as a bed, wheel chair, 
furniture, etc. to thereby prevent ulcerations from developing which would 
otherwise develop from contact of such object with such bony prominence 
and the immediate area 33 of such bony prominence. Hence, with the 
therapeutic device 1 emplaced and worn by a patient, no ulcerations in the 
hip region and coccygeal area can be caused by contact pressure from an 
object. Similarly, the therapeutic device 1 can be utilized for the 
treatment of ulcerations theretofore developed by the patient as a result 
of contact pressures from an object. 
FIGS. 2-4 of the drawings differ from the therapeutic device 1 shown and 
described in FIG. 1 in that the shape of the tubular member has been 
changed to functionally and spatially accommodate the differences in the 
configurations of the bony prominences underlying the immediate area 33. 
In FIG. 2, a square-shaped tubular member 35 is used in place of the 
tubular member 5; in FIG. 3, a hexagonal-shaped tubular member 37 is used; 
and in FIG. 4, a trapezoidal-shaped tubular member 39 is used. 
In FIG. 5 of the drawings, reference numeral 41 generally refers to the 
therapeutic device for use in the scapular area for the prevention and 
treatment of ulcerations. Device 41 has two circular-shaped tubular 
members 43. Tubular members 43 are joined and communicate with each other 
via interposed accordion-like connecting elements 45 and hollow bladder 
element 47, with such bladder element 47 filling the natural dell between 
the scapulae. Adjustable attachment elements 49 of strip webbing with 
Velcro fasteners (not shown) are suitably affixed to the tubular members 
43 and are disposed in mounting relationship by going over the shoulders 
and underneath the arms of the patient. Valve 51 allows inflation of the 
tubular members 43, connecting elements 45 and bladder element 47. 
The tubular members 43 surround the bony prominences of the scapular area 
surround and continuously make contact with second areas adjacent to and 
surrounding the immediate areas 53 of such bony prominences of the 
scapular area and thereby transfer and spread to such second contact areas 
the pressures created and caused by direct contact with an object, such as 
a bed, wheel chair, furniture, etc. to thereby prevent ulcerations from 
developing which would otherwise develop from contact of such object with 
such bony prominences and the immediate areas 53 of such bony prominences. 
Hence, with therapeutic device 41 emplaced and worn by a patient, no 
ulcerations in the scapular area can be caused by contact pressure from an 
object. Similarly, therapeutic device 41 can be utilized for the treatment 
of ulcerations theretofore developed by a patient in the scapular area. 
FIGS. 6-8 of the drawings differ from the therapeutic device 41 shown and 
described in FIG. 5 in that the shape of the tubular member has been 
changed to functionally and spatially accommodate the differences in the 
configurations of the bony prominences underlying the immediate areas 53. 
In FIG. 6, an element 55 that is square-shaped is used in place of tubular 
member 43; in FIG. 7, a triangular-shaped tubular member 57 is used; and 
in FIG. 8, a hexagonal-shaped tubular member 59 is used. 
FIGS. 9-13 of the drawings differ further from the therapeutic device 41 
shown and described in FIG. 5 in that a single tubular connecting element 
61 with accordion-like ends 63 is used in place of the accordion-like 
connecting elements 45 and hollow bladder element 47. In FIG. 9, the 
tubular members 65 are triangular-shaped (only one is shown); in FIG. 10, 
the tubular members 67 are square-shaped (only one is shown); in FIG. 11, 
the tubular members 69 are hexagonal-shaped (only one is shown); in FIG. 
12, the tubular members 71 are circular-shaped (only one is shown); and in 
FIG. 13, the tubular members 73 are trapezoidal-shaped (only one is 
shown). The accordion-like connecting elements 45 are extensible and 
function to allow device 41 to fit and to be adjusted for variations in 
anatomical size differences and distances between the bony prominences of 
the scapulae, as similarly function the accordion-like ends 63. 
In FIG. 14 of the drawings, reference numeral 75 generally refers to the 
therapeutic device for use on the elbow for the prevention and treatment 
of ulcerations. Device 75 has a rectangular-shaped tubular member 77 with 
an adjustable attachment element 79 of strip webbing with Velcro fasteners 
(not shown) suitably affixed to the tubular member 77 and disposed in 
mounting relationship around the elbow, as shown, with adjustment provided 
by such Velcro fasteners. Valve 81 allows inflation of tubular member 77. 
Tubular member 77 surrounds the bony prominence of the elbow area and 
continuously makes contact with a second area adjacent to and surrounding 
the immediate area 83 of such bony prominence of the elbow area and 
thereby transfers and spreads to such second contact area the pressures 
created and caused by direct contact with an object, such as a bed, wheel 
chair, furniture, etc. to thereby prevent ulcerations from developing 
which would otherwise develop from contact of such object with such bony 
prominence and the immediate area 83 of such prominence. Hence, with 
therapeutic device 75 emplaced and worn by a patient, no ulcerations in 
the elbow area can be caused by contact pressure from an object. 
Similarly, therapeutic device 75 can be utilized for the treatment of 
ulcerations theretofore developed by a patient. 
FIGS. 15-19 of the drawings differ from the therapeutic device 75 shown and 
described in FIG. 14 in that the shape of the tubular member has been 
changed to functionally and spatially accommodate the differences in the 
configuration of the bony prominence in the immediate area 83. In FIG. 15, 
a trapezoidal-shaped tubular member 85 is used in place of the tubular 
member 77; in FIG. 16, a circular-shaped tubular member 87 is used; in 
FIG. 17, a hexagonal-shaped tubular member 89 is used; in FIG. 18, a 
triangular-shaped tubular member 91 is used; and in FIG. 19, a 
square-shaped tubular member 93 is used.