Abstract:
A medical isolation gown is disclosed. The gown is to be used by medical personnel treating isolated patients with contagious diseases. The gown comprises slots and pouches that can be used to isolate the worker and his or her instruments from contamination when examining or attending the patient.

Description:
PRIORITY 
       [0001]    This application claims priority to co-pending U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/962,403 filed Jul. 30, 2007. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention is directed to a medical isolation gown that is shaped and equipped with pouches, slots, convenient entry openings, closing mechanisms, additional barriers, upper and lower extremity coverings with shoe pouches in a one size fits all solution. The present invention is meant to be utilized by medical personnel or others who are attending to patients isolated due to contagious diseases. The primary object of the present invention is to provide an uninterrupted layer of isolation and improve isolation integrity, and thereby enhance the degree of protection from contamination. The present invention thus decreases the chance of contamination of the user. In addition, its user friendly shape improves worker compliance with isolation regulations. 
         [0003]    The present invention protects not only the worker but also an instrument/tool used by the worker from contamination. Thus, the worker&#39;s safety in using the tool is improved since the tool is not contaminated. It eliminates the risk of cross-contamination or contamination between workers by eliminating the need to use shared instruments, as well as a risk of self-contamination while using unprotected and contaminated instruments. 
         [0004]    In a hospital setting, a patient with an infectious disease is generally isolated in a room, which is considered contaminated. The hospital generally dedicates one, poor quality stethoscope, for that patient room, to be used by all healthcare personnel who may attend or treat the patient. Naturally as it is used, the stethoscope becomes contaminated by contact with the patient as well as by manipulation of healthcare persons who touch the stethoscope with already contaminated gloves. The healthcare professionals, by standard procedures of examining the patient, are forced to touch and use the same shared and contaminated stethoscope again and again. The same contaminated stethoscope is placed on the face and into the ears of the next doctor/nurse in the room examining the patient. This creates a hazard of contaminating a healthcare worker&#39;s face or ears by use of the contaminated stethoscope, which is already contaminated with the patient&#39;s or other healthcare worker&#39;s pathogens. 
         [0005]    The present invention seeks to eliminate or reduce the risk of contamination, by eliminating the need for the use of contaminated tools by the healthcare worker, as well as providing a full and continuous layer of contact isolation. Another object of the present invention is to reduce the risk of patient as well as healthcare worker contamination with pathogens from another patient, or from another healthcare worker. 
         [0006]    Another object of the present invention is to improve the quality of care by reducing the chance of a patient dying and/or suffering due to hospital-acquired infection. In addition, the present invention may lower healthcare costs by further reducing the risk of contamination, and the costs associated with the treatment of hospital acquired infections as well as eliminating the costly need for disposable/shared instruments which normally are dedicated to the contaminated patient area and later disposed of. 
         [0007]    Another object of the present invention is to improve healthcare worker compliance with isolation guidelines by creating a user friendly isolation gown. The present invention is user friendly because it allows the worker, by putting the “one piece” isolation gown on, to achieve all steps necessary before entering the isolation room. In addition, it allows the workers to use their own dedicated medical instruments rather than shared instruments. 
         [0008]    Another object of the present invention is to improve the quality of patient care by improving the healthcare workers attendance to persons in isolation by reducing the incidence of doctors avoiding the examination of isolated patients due to inconvenience and excessive time consumption of examination in an isolation room. This is achieved by user-friendly construction of the gown as well as allowing the worker to use better quality, personal instruments. e.g. stethoscopes. These are generally better tools, more likely to be used by healthcare workers than those found in contaminated rooms and can produce a more accurate diagnosis. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]      FIG. 1  is a front perspective view of a doctor/nurse wearing the Advanced Isolation Gown (AIG) of the present invention. 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  is a side perspective view of the AIG. 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  is a back perspective of the AIG demonstrating the back closure mechanism (BCM) of the AIG as well as back closure mechanism of the LEIS 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  is an alternate embodiment of a component of the present invention. 
           [0013]      FIG. 5  illustrates the packaging and folding of the present invention prior to use. 
           [0014]      FIG. 6  illustrates the Shoe Isolation Soles (SIS) of the present invention. 
           [0015]      FIG. 7  illustrates the arm with the Secondary Isolation Over-Sleeve (SIO), Glove System (GS). 
           [0016]      FIG. 8  illustrates the Lower Extremity Isolation System. 
           [0017]      FIG. 8   a  illustrates the Lower Extremity Isolation System with LE positioned inside the LEIS. 
           [0018]      FIG. 8   aa  illustrates the Lower Extremity Isolation System. 
           [0019]      FIG. 9  illustrates the Semi-End Closed Sleeves (SECS). 
       
    
    
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0020]    The advanced Isolation Gown (“AIG”) of the present invention is an isolation system for use by medical personnel. The AIG is equipped with Dedicated Instrument Slots (“DIS”), Secondary Isolation Barriers (“SIB”), as well as End Closed Sleeves (“ECS”), a Glove System (GS), a Claw Shaped Inner Pocket (CSP), Secondary Isolation Over-Sleeve (SIO), Lower Extremity Isolation System (LEIS) with an open arch shoe habitat system (OAHS) and/or “Step On” Shoe Isolation Sole (SIS), and Semi-End Closed Sleeves (SECS). In addition, the AIG comprises a one size fits all adjusting belt and accordion shortening modifications (ASM) throughout the isolation gown on the torso, arms, legs and shoe covers. 
         [0021]    The following items are set forth in the drawings: 
         [0022]      80  The healthcare worker&#39;s Lower Extremity. (LE) 
         [0023]      82  The Shoe 
         [0024]      90  Claw Shaped Inner Pocket (CSP) 
         [0025]      100  The healthcare worker Upper Extremity (UE) 
         [0026]      110  The closure of DIS entry port ( 32 ), with any sticky or snap, mechanism 
         [0027]      130  Shoe Isolation Sole (SIS) 
         [0028]      132  Facing the shoe “sticky” surface, where any material or product that provides secured contact of the shoe sole to the SIS can be used 
         [0029]      134  Middle support layer, is optional 
         [0030]      136  Facing the floor anti slid layer. 
         [0031]      200  AIG head opening, full around the neck. 
         [0032]      210  Reverse V shape opening cut at the back of the AIG, at its cranial side 
         [0033]      215  Reverse V shape opening cut at the back of the AIG, at its caudal side. 
         [0034]      220  The V shape opening closing mechanism snap, (Velcro patch, any mechanisms providing adhesiveness). 
         [0035]      222  The snap ( 220 ) on the inner side of the coat. 
         [0036]      224  The snap ( 220 ) on the outer side of the coat figure. 
         [0037]      300  The size adjusting belt system, where tying the belt allows for pulling the gown upwards and trapping the excess of material beneath the belt, and therefore adjusting the length of material. 
         [0038]      302  Belt. 
         [0039]      304  Belt cleat. 
         [0040]      400  Semi-End Closed Sleeves (SECS). 
         [0041]      410  Thumb opening. 
         [0042]      420  Gown sleeve opening with elastic ring allowing for tight, on this picture mid palm/hand position. 
         [0043]      430  Hand. 
         [0044]      440  Gown Sleeve with an arm inside. 
         [0045]    The user of the AIG places his or her instruments, i.e. a stethoscope, into the DIS. The DIS enables the instrument to be protected from contamination when used in a contaminated area. The SIB allows for protected (without self contamination) touching and operating of instruments/objects by the worker with contaminated hands/gloves, when still in the contaminated area. The ECS, SECS and SIO allow for additional hand protection and offer convenience of use. The LEIS with its OAHS allows for lower extremities protection that is integrated with the gown for convenience of use. The system is provided with one or more accordion like features located in different areas so that the system is one size that fits all users, which is a part of this invention. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0046]    The present invention will now be described in terms of the presently preferred embodiment thereof. Those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that many obvious modifications may be made thereto without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention. 
         [0047]    The Advanced Isolation Gown (AIG)  01 , and/or the concept itself, may be used in a variety of industries, not only to protect from contamination due to pathogens, but also from different elements, toxins, dirt, contamination, etc.  FIG. 1  illustrates the use of a Dedicated Instrument Slot (DIS), Secondary Isolation Barrier (SIB), and Lower Extremities Isolation System (LEIS). The AIG  01  with its innovative concept of a DIS  30  and/or an SIB  40 , can be used on a macro scale where larger instruments are to be protected or on a micro scale where smaller working instruments would be isolated. The AIG  01  can be fabricated from a variety of materials including, but not limited to, fabric, plastics, metals, papers, or any other appropriate material. Each part of the AIG  01 , e.g. the DIS  30 , SIB  40  and ECS/GS  60 , CSP ( 90 ), SECS ( 400 ), LEIS ( 70 ), and SIS ( 130 ) SIO ( 50 ) ASM ( 05 ) and all parts are independent and may be used independently and not in conjunction with the others. As described herein, all of these elements can be used together. 
         [0048]    As shown in  FIG. 1 , the preferred embodiment of the AIG  01  comprises various components. First, the Dedicated Instrument Slot (DIS)  30  is an isolation gown special slot, referred to herein as an out-pouch. This DIS  30  is adapted for insertion therein of a worker&#39;s instrument(s). The DIS  30  creates the opportunity to use non-contaminated instrument(s) that will be located therein and protected from contamination by the AIG  01 . The entry to the DIS  30  is located on what is considered the clean, inner surface  32  of the AIG  30 , where the worker is also located. For example, the stethoscope  20 , which a nurse or doctor  10  has on his or her neck, will fit easily into the DIS  30 . The opening  32  on the top of the DIS  30  for insertion of the stethoscope  20  is located on the internal side of the gown  30 , on its front plane around the upper chest area. The distal end  22  of the stethoscope  20  is located inside the DIS  30  while the proximal end  21  will be exposed outside of the AIG  01 . The DIS  30  comprises an arm  34  extending outside of the gown, providing for unrestricted manipulation of the stethoscope or other instrument that is inserted into the DIS  30 , as well as the distal end of the arm  36 , inside of which the stethoscope bell  22  is located. 
         [0049]    The AIG  01  is designed to be one size to fit all users. It comprises an accordion like fold or folds  05 , shortening the gown as illustrated in  FIG. 1 , but the fold  05  may be extended if a taller person is the user, as illustrated in  FIG. 2 . The one size fits all mechanism in the gown and/or any other parts described herein, can be done by the accordion design, by folds, material overlaps, elastic or any other means of achieving a lengthening or shortening effect. The accordion design fold(s)  05  can be located in different areas of this invention, e.g. arm sleeves, leg protections, etc. 
         [0050]    The Secondary Isolation Barrier (SIB)  40  is an isolation sleeve located on the outer surface of the gown  01  near to the user&#39;s shoulder. The SIB  40  is essentially a pouch/pocket and is designed for placing contaminated hands/gloves inside for isolation, while allowing at the same time, for operation of the stethoscope  20  by the hands. The SIB  40  gives the worker, when in the contaminated area, constant access to parts/areas of the instruments/body that are not isolated inside the AIG  01  and require protection from contamination. For example, a nurse may examine a patient in isolation but needs to listen to the patient&#39;s lungs. However, her isolation gloves and gown are already contaminated and she has no easy safe way to touch the upper part of stethoscope  20  in order to use it, and not contaminate herself through touching herself with contaminated gloves. But with the SIB  40  she simply inserts her hands into the SIB entry port  42  located outside of the AIG and, with its layer of isolation, can operate the stethoscope  20  as she requires. She will use the same SIB  40  later when she is ready to take off her stethoscope and exit the contaminated area. The SIB  40  is provided with elastic  49  which compresses the SIB  40  when not in use. The arm sleeve end of the gown is enclosed, by the End Closed Sleeves (ECS)  60 . The ECS  60  can be either a glove, a pouch, or just a blind end, so the hand is inside the gown. 
         [0051]    The ECS  60  provides continuity with the layer of isolation provided by the AIG  01 . The ECS  60  stretch design also allows for one size fits all utilization. The ECS  60  is comprised of at least one or more layers. The ECS  60  comprises an external layer  62  made of material with isolation properties. e.g. latex, as well as with elastic properties to allow for expansion for larger hand size, but preventing discomfort of use with a smaller hand size. Alternatively, any material with isolation properties and sufficient elasticity can be used. Such a material layer could be folded in accordion-like fashion  05 , that can be extended in larger hands and compressed for a smaller hand. An Inner layer  64  of the ECS  60  is optional and is made of elastic material e.g. spandex, giving support for the external layer  62 . 
         [0052]    The AIG  01  can optionally be provided with a Secondary Isolation Over-Sleeve (“SIO”)  50 . The use of the SIO  50  is shown in  FIG. 7 . 
         [0053]    The Claw Shaped Inner Pocket (“CSP”)  90  is illustrated in  FIG. 1 . The CSP  90  is designed so the healthcare worker can reach and manipulate objects underneath the AIG  01 . The CSP  90  corresponds to a layer of material that can be moved from position  50  to position  55  where it protects the ECS  60  from secondary contamination and/or can provide an extra layer of isolation if required. 
         [0054]    The Lower Extremity Isolation System (“LEIS”)  70  consists of openings  72  attached inside the gown at the front or other site allowing for leg entry. The LEIS body  75  is open at the back, but closed at the front as shown in  FIG. 8   a.  The LEIS body  75  has an accordion-like fold or ASM  78 . 2 , which allows for user height adjustment. On the side of the LEIS body  75 , there are elastics  78 , which allow for initial high positioning of the LEIS  70  to prevent dragging on the floor if it is not used as well as adjustment to user height along with the ASM  78 . 2 . 
         [0055]    The body of the LEIS  75  is adapted to join the shoe habitat of the LEIS (SH-LEIS)  76 . The SH-LEIS  76  is a supportive structure, the Open Arch Shoe Habitat system (OAHS)  77 , consisting of the arch, the sole and the spur. The arch  77 . 2  provides the constant open entry for no hassle shoe sliding into the LEIS shoe habitat. The sole  77 . 4  of the shoe habitat provides support for the heel of the shoe and ends with the arch, allowing for the elastic shoe habitat ( 76 . 2 ) to expand or not, to provide coverage for various shoe sizes. The spur  77 . 6 , is the sole extension, allowing for a stepping on and immobilizing shoe habitat for facilitated shoe entry. 
         [0056]    At the front of the OAHS  77  arch, there is the toe part of SH-LEIS  76 . 2 . At that end, the material and elastic  76 . 3  around it create an expandable shoe pouch. At the back of the OAHS  77  arch, there is a heel part of the SH-LEIS  76 . 4  with elastic material  76 . 5 . It is illustrated with its two positions in  FIG. 8 . First, when the when the heel part of the SH-LEIS is compressed  76 . 4   a  against the sole of the OAHS  77  and second and when it is raised and covering the shoe  76 . 4   b.  Alternatively, the LEIS  70  could be any shape to cover the legs and shoes attached to the gown. Here the LEIS  70  opening is kept wider by supporting and expanding element  79  as shown in  FIG. 8 . The LEIS entry port opener is made of any supportive material, or expanding material that keeps the entry port of the LEIS open, preventing collapsing, and enables leg insertion. The left leg demonstrates the closed variation of the LEIS  70 , whereas the illustration on the right leg demonstrates the LEIS  70  with the back open design further illustrated in  FIG. 8  and  FIG. 8   a.  The shoe habitat  76  of the LEIS is illustrated in  FIG. 8 . The shoe habitat  76  comprises the following items: 
         [0057]    The toe site of  76 . 2   a  of the shoe habitat as it is shrunk by the elastic and folded is shown in  FIG. 8   aa.  The toe site  76 . 2   a  of the shoe habitat as it is expanded on the shoe to provide isolation for all shoe sizes is shown in  FIG. 8   a.    
         [0058]    The AIG  01  further comprises Semi-End Closed Sleeves (SECS)  400  with an extension of the AIG  01  arm sleeve  440  into the palm area. The sealing mechanism for the SECS  400  consists of a thumb hole  410  and palm sleeve opening  420 . If used in conjunction with a surgical glove on the user&#39;s hand, the SECS  400  allows for a complete and uninterrupted isolation barrier for the user&#39;s hands. 
         [0059]    The Shoe Isolation System (“SIS”)  130  allows the user to “step on and go”. The Shoe Isolation System  130  comprises a sticky layer on one side to stick to the user&#39;s shoe and an optional non-skid layer on the opposite side as shown in  FIG. 6 . 
         [0060]    The AIG  01  in its folded condition prior to use is illustrated in  FIG. 4 . The AIG  01  will be pre-folded as shown in  FIG. 4 . The user will first place his or her arms into the sleeve openings  65  and then his or her head into the head opening  110 . These openings are accessible from the inner surface of the AIG  01 . The user then extends his or her arms into the end  65  of the arm sleeves. Next, by leaning forward and detaching, if necessary, the user will position the LEIS  70  and its open arch shoe habitat system OAHS  77 . Here, like into slippers, the user will place the shoes. A spur  77 . 6  can be used, if necessary, by stepping on it with one foot, and pushing into the OAHS  77  with the other. When both shoes are in the OAHS  77 , the user will rise expanding, if necessary, the accordion systems  05  throughout the AIG  01 . If necessary, the heel part of the SH-LEIS  76 . 4  can be raised as demonstrated in  FIG. 8 . 
         [0061]    Upon entry into the contaminated area, the worker will isolate himself/herself with the AIG  01  by placing the AIG  01  over his/her body in a conventional manner. The worker would place his instrument(s) through the opening  32  and into the DIS  30  thereby achieving complete isolation of worker and the tools inside the AIG  01 . When it is necessary to manipulate the instrument in the contaminated area, as well as upon exiting from the contaminated area, the worker uses the SIB  40  to touch and operate certain parts of the instruments, which are located inside the DIS  30 , for prevention of self and/or instrument contamination. 
         [0062]    The following is an example of how the present invention can be used in medical settings: 
         [0063]    The nurse, prior to entering the room of a patient in isolation due to a contagious disease, will put on the specially designed gown AIG  01  as explained above in connection with  FIG. 4 . She would place her stethoscope  20  inside the DIS  30  through the opening  32  on the inside of the AIG  01 . She and the stethoscope  20  are now both isolated from the environment and potential pathogens. She walks into the patient contaminated room with her legs isolated and protected by the LEIS  70  and her hands protected by the ECS  60  or SECS  400  with regular surgical gloves on top of the AIG  01  which allows for eliminating space between the glove and the healthcare worker arm/hand. The ECS  60  extends beyond the wrist to the palm area, and is secured by the thumb hole and the elastic. In  FIG. 7 , it is secured in the mid-palm position. She examines the contaminated patient. At that point, her gloved hands are considered to be contaminated since they were in direct contact with a contaminated patient. She needs to perform auscultation, and therefore places the stethoscope  20  into her ears. In order to place the stethoscope  20  into her ears, she needs to use her hands. Since her gloved hands are contaminated, in order to perform this task without secondary contamination, meaning contaminating herself with her own gloves, she uses the SIB  40 . She puts her contaminated gloved hands inside the gown folds/slots that form the SIB  40  on her chest and shoulders. Now, with her gloved hands inside the SIB  40 , she can touch and operate the stethoscope  20  with the clean, exterior surface of the SIB  40 . She places the stethoscope  20  into her ears without contaminating the stethoscope, her skin and/or her clothes around the stethoscope ear piece  21 . The nurse completes the exam and uses the stethoscope  20  to listen to the patient. To remove the stethoscope  20 , she again utilizes the SIB  40 . The Nurse then appropriately removes and discards the AIG  01  upon exiting the contaminated area. 
         [0064]    Those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that there can be numerous obvious modifications of shapes, cuts and/or structuring of the material, to obtain the goal of isolating the worker/operator together with the instruments. These modifications can be achieved by essentially creating the instruments slots, and/or secondary contamination barriers. Also the advanced isolation gown can be “broken” into two or more pieces, to separately protect/isolate the worker or parts of the worker&#39;s body, and the tools/instruments that the worker is using. All different variations, to fulfill the innovative goal of isolation not only of the worker but the multiuse instruments the worker uses. For example, the ECS  60  can be formed as just a “blind” sleeve end, or a pouch, or glove at the end of the sleeve such as shown in  FIG. 7 . Alternatively, it can be formed in any other shape which isolates the hand inside the gown from the outside contaminated environment. 
         [0065]    The present invention is also directed to isolating the stethoscope or other tool used in a contaminated area, by creating essentially a protective cover for it as illustrated in  FIG. 4 . This can be achieved by use of a protective layer  30  that would partially or completely embrace the instrument/tool e.g. the stethoscope. This could be used as for example a separate stethoscope protective cover. The protective layer  30  further comprises a joining device  100 . The joining device  100  can be any sort of sticky material, snap or other method so that the protective layer  30  can be joined to the instrument. The protective layer  30  could be anywhere from long to short, and cover anywhere from entire to only a small portion of the stethoscope, e.g. a stethoscope head only cover “a cup” or, as shown in  FIG. 2 , the cover of the stethoscope trunk and head. 
         [0066]    Those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that many obvious modifications can be made to the embodiments described above without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention as set forth in the appended claims.