FR2654333A1 - Dressing with a cooling action - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a dressing with a cooling action. It consists of a combination of, firstly, a very flexible bag (1) of impermeable material, in which a cooling liquid circulates, and comprising a series of inner walls (7) which form a passage forcing the cooling liquid to circulate through the whole of the said bag in such a way as to obtain a good distribution of the temperature; secondly, of a flexible conduit (2) connected to the bag (1) and provided for the supply and removal of the cooling liquid and consisting of two tubes (9, 10) which are surrounded by an outer sheath (11) filled with an insulating material (12) in order to prevent condensation; and, finally, of a mobile refrigerating unit equipped with a thermostat, to which the flexible conduit is connected, and intended to maintain the temperature of the cooling liquid and to cause the latter to circulate. It relates to the area of medical/surgical cryotherapy.

Description

The present invention relates to a cooling dressing.

It relates to the field of medical and surgical cold treatment.

Refrigeration of wounds or surgical wounds is a process that has been used for a long time. Cold has a well-known vasoconstrictive, anti-inflammatory and analgesic action.

The use of an ice bladder or a gel bag imposes the servitude of a renewal, sometimes painful on a recent wound and which can pose a problem of aseptia. Some applications use refrigerants, but most often these are tubes surrounding a member or arranged in coils which do not allow good heat exchange and are difficult to set up.

The device according to the present invention eliminates all these drawbacks. In fact, it makes it possible to maintain a perfectly constant and uniform low temperature as long as necessary, without renewal, is very simple to handle and can adapt to all cases by ensuring excellent heat exchange with the area to be treated.

It consists of the first combination of a very flexible pocket made of impermeable material in which a coolant circulates and comprising a series of internal walls forming a passage forcing the coolant to circulate in the whole of said pocket so as to obtain a good distribution of the temperature, then, of a flexible conduit connected to the pocket, ensuring the return of the coolant and consisting of two tubes surrounded by an outer sheath filled with insulator to avoid condensation, finally, a mobile refrigeration unit equipped with a thermostat to which the flexible duct is connected, and responsible for maintaining the temperature of the coolant and circulating it.

In the accompanying drawings, given by way of nonlimiting example, of one of the embodiments of the subject of the invention:
FIG. 1 represents the refrigerant dressing provided with the flexible connection conduit.

FIG. 2 is a cross section along the arrows A-A of FIG. 1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged view of the connections for connecting the refrigerant dressing to the refrigeration unit.

The device, FIGS. 1 to 3, consists of a very flexible pocket 1 provided with a flexible double duct 2 allowing it to be connected to a mobile refrigeration unit (not shown), by means of two removable connectors 3.

The pocket 1 is formed by two plastic sheets 4, 5 which are very flexible and waterproof, heat-welded around the periphery 6 of the said pocket.

It is provided with transverse internal walls 7 made of the same material and forming a passage forcing the coolant to run through the entire pocket (arrows 8).

The flexible conduit 2 comprises an inlet tube 9 and a return tube 10 for the coolant enclosed in a sheath 11 filled with insulation 12.

 The refrigerant dressing can be gas sterilized and placed in the operating room inside a dressing. It is then connected to the mobile refrigeration unit and left on for the required time. Its use avoids revialing patients to change the ice and ensures perfect continuity in the degree of refrigeration, adjustable by the thermostat of the refrigeration unit.

The refrigerant dressing object of the present invention is particularly indicated in knee surgery, after arthroscopy, ligamentoplasty and prosthesis.

The positioning of the various constituent elements gives this device a maximum of useful effects which had not been obtained to date by similar devices.

Claims (3)

10 Refrigerant dressing, intended for medico-surgical treatment by cold, characterized by the combination first of all, of a very flexible pocket (1) made of impermeable material in which a cooling liquid circulates and comprising a series of internal walls (7) transverse made of the same material and forming a passage forcing the coolant to circulate in the whole of said pocket so as to obtain a good distribution of the temperature, then, of a flexible duct (2) connected to the pocket (1) ensuring the return flow of the coolant and consisting of two tubes (9, 10) surrounded by an outer sheath (11) filled with insulation (12) to prevent condensation, finally, a mobile refrigeration unit equipped with 'a thermostat to which the flexible duct (2) is connected, and responsible for maintaining the temperature of the coolant and circulating it.  20 Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the pocket (1) is formed of two plastic sheets (4, 5) very flexible and waterproof heat-sealed on the periphery (6) of said pocket. 30 Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the flexible duct (2) is connected to the mobile refrigeration unit by means of two removable connectors (3).