Patent Publication Number: US-10779664-B2

Title: CNH donut pillow

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention is a small, toroidal shaped, pressure relieving, ear protecting, prosthesis, and sleep aid, to be used in conjunction with a standard pillow, especially for patients diagnosed with CNH. 
     Chondrodermatitis nodularis chronic helicis, (CNH or CHCH) is a very common, benign, condition of the helix or anti-helix of the ear, affecting persons in their middle 60&#39;s and 70&#39;s, and believed to be caused by sleeping on the same side nightly. CNH is similar to a decubitus ulcer, but smaller, sometimes only a pinpoint. CNH identifies itself, by being extraordinarily painful. CNH shows signs of nerve hyperplasia or increased small nerves adjacent to the involved cartilage which many think contributes to the acute sensitivity, often severe enough to send patients to the doctor for relief. 
     “A key diagnostic feature is the exquisite tenderness to palpation or pressure that is often associated with CNH. This pain is often the reason the patient presents for evaluation.” (1) 
     “Lesions are most common in middle-aged white males with prevalence ratios between females to males of between 1:5 and 1:10. They are most common after the age of 40 years, with 90% of cases being reported between the ages of 50 and 80 years of age.” (2) 
     This means that the number of cases will only continue to increase as baby boomers continue to reach advanced age and presently the best answer has been a home made prosthesis. 
     “Effective treatment of Chondrodermatitis nodularis chronica helicis (CNCH) As a result of this study, we recommend that patients presenting with CNCH be managed conservatively in the first instance . . . using a home-made, pressure-relieving prosthesis.” (3) 
     “A pressure relieving prosthesis can be fashioned by cutting a hole from the center of a bath sponge.” (4) All other presently available options, prosthetics, pressure pads and pillows, fall short of solving the problems for sufferers. They are faulty, in either size, construction, design, or composition. 
     Ear Pillow™, Sleep Easy R, CNH Pillow, and The Original Pillow with a hole are all large pillows with a hole cut from the middle. Tossing and positioning the head to match up with the recess in the pillow, is a painful endeavor by itself. 
     “Most commonly, the patient reports that the pain interferes with their ability to sleep at night.” (5) 
     CNH Donut Pillow is a novel and necessary remedy, to the sleep deprivation CNH sufferers incur. It is feather-light and includes a strap, so it is portable, and moves with the head, ending the possibility of accidentally bumping or brushing the sore ear. This immediately prevents pain, reduces stress, and promotes a more natural, peaceful sleep. 
     “The primary treatment goal should be to relieve or eliminate pressure at the site of the lesion. This is often difficult because of the patient&#39;s preference, or necessity, to sleep on the side of the lesion. (6) 
     CNH Donut Pillow is specially designed to keep all contact from the injured ear area, and allow a person to sleep, even while laying directly on their preferred side, and lying on the injured ear. 
     HurtsDonut, and the Infinity Snake, are both reasonable options for people with CNH, but the first is a stuffed pillow fabricated to help heal ear piercings. All “stuffed pillows” have a tendency to splay and spread, like a bean bag, under the weight of the head. 
     The unique, contiguous foam, composition of the CNH Donut, and the novel “teardrop” shaped center hole, is very lightweight and soft, yet, provides enough strength to hold a 20 pound head up off an injured ear. 
     Neither of these pillows are prosthetics, that easily affix to the head itself. CNH Donut is a prosthetic that affixes to the head. CNH Donut is unique, in that it envelopes the affected area, in a perpendicular wall of foam, surrounding the lesion like a fortress. The pain of CNH is so intense, that there is also considerable psychological benefit, to having the injured ear protected thusly. 
     Many similar products, found in my Patent search, are cushions, of one sort or another, designed to increase circulation to an area, and reduce pressure to same. The most similar device I could find in my search of Patents was JP 3130592U, 3/2006, from Minako Institutions and the “Bedsore prevention freely Pillow, which is a pillow you may stuff to the desired fill and place where you need it. My pillow/prosthesis does not benefit or use stuffing or fill. 
     Very few patents shown are directed specifically to the ear and even fewer to this condition. (CNH) Most all of the devices discovered in my diligent search are pillows, stuffed and filled, with various materials, that lend themselves to spreading and splaying into the affected area. The smaller size and “contiguous” placement of thick foam bands, as opposed to a stuffing or fill, creates a unique opportunity to form the protective teardrop shape, by using the natural arc, and firm properties of the foam, to best advantage. 
     REFERENCES CITED 
     
         
         1, 2, 5 , Decision Support in Medicine , Mary Maloney, Moncrieff, M. Sassoon,  Effective treatment of chondrodermatitis nodularis helicis using a conservative approach , Br J Dermatol. Vol 150.2004 pp 892-4 
         4, 6 , Physician Assistant Review Guide , by David Paulk and Donna Agnew, 2010 (pg 24) 
         3, National Institute of Health/PMID:15149500, May, 2004 
       
    
     
       
         
           
               
             
               
                   
               
               
                 CNH DONUT PILLOW 
               
               
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     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Invention is a pressure relieving, ear protecting, prosthesis, and sleep aid. 
     The invention is a soft and light, but rigid and strong, generally toroidial shaped, pressure relieving, ear protecting prosthesis, to be used in conjunction with a standard pillow, for patients diagnosed with CNH. 
     Comprised of 2, contiguous, foam strips, curved into a tear-drop, or lachrymiform shape ( FIG. 1 ) with ends stitched together. Covered in cylindrical, nylon, spandex fabric, ( FIG. 2 ) 
     Affixed with a head strap ( FIG. 3 ) 
     So patient may return to sleeping on the preferred side. ( FIG. 4 ) 
     The contiguous polyurethane foam design, creates a base strong enough to hold a head. No filling or stuffing, which has tendency to spread out under pressure. The oculiform or lachrymiform, shaped aperture, resists splaying. The smaller size, envelopes the ear, offering better protection from outside contact. 
     Can be used before, and after surgical treatment for CNH, or to facilitate healing without surgery. Inexpensive and user friendly. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  shows the two contiguous foam strips curved into a tear-drop shape. 
         FIG. 2  shows the foam strips covered in the nylon spandex fabric. 
         FIG. 3  shows the assembled CNH Donut Pillow including a head strap. 
         FIG. 4  shows the device being used while sleeping. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     CNH Donut Pillow is a pressure relieving, ear protecting, prosthesis, and sleep aid. 
     A soft and light, but rigid and strong, generally toroidial shaped, pressure relieving prosthesis, which protects the ear, to be used in conjunction with a standard pillow, for patients diagnosed with CNH. 
     Comprised of 2, unequal lengths of untreated, polyurethane foam, 38 cm×2.5 cm×4.5 cm, and 45.5 cm×2.5 cm×4.5 cm, placed next to each other and curved, into a 4 cm×7 cm tear-drop or lachrymiform shaped hole ( FIG. 1 ). These are held together, and carefully inserted into a soft, nylon-spandex sheath, 37 cm long and 13 cm around. ( FIG. 2 ) The hole is reformed, trimmed if necessary; then the ends of the foam are sewn together. Then the sheath is pulled the rest of the way around and sewn up, completing a 2.5 cm thick, 15 cm long×12.5 cm wide, donut shape. A soft elastic band, 1.4 cm wide and 79.5 cm long, is affixed with hook and loop fastener (1 cm×2 cm) at both ends, and at 20 cm, and 58 cm. This is attached to the completed donut pillow. ( FIG. 3 ) and used to keep it in place for sleep. ( FIG. 4 )