US2700384A - Treatment chamber apparatus - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 25, 1955 H. s. IVORY 2,700,384

TREATMENT CHAMBER APPARATUS Filed Feb. 1, 1952 N V E N T01? HARRY Sv IVORY Fig.1

United States Patent 2,700,384 TREATMENT CHAMBER APPARATUS Harry S. Ivory, Point Pleasant, N. J.

Application February 1, 1952, Serial No. 269,452

4 Claims. (Cl. 128-204) This invention relates to improvements in treatment chamber apparatus for the reception of the human body whereby to subject the same to externally applied treating fluids, including gaseous fluids administered at selected pressure, the treatment chamber apparatus being Iegspecially well adapted for the treatment and care of urns.

The invention has for an object to provide treatment chamber apparatus for the reception of the human body, said apparatus being of such construction, and so sealed with respect to the body enclosed therein, as to permit introduction thereinto of a selected gas which is maintained at a desired pressure for contact with the enclosed body, whereby pressure will be applied to the injured area as to prevent tissue leakage, thereby maintaining normal fluid and electrolyte balance with respect to the injured area; to provide means, if fluid or electrolyte loss occurs, for collecting the exudation thereof subject to measurement and analysis.

The invention has for a further object to provide treatment chamber apparatus of such construction that progress of healing of injured area of the body enclosed therein will be constantly under vision; that easy access to the injured area is afforded when required; and that antibiotics, antiseptics or other medicament can be easily introduced and externally applied to the injured area.

The invention has for a more specific object to provide a treatment chamber apparatus for the reception and enclosure of the entire human body, the same being of such construction as to provide all the advantages and facilities already above enumerated, and to additionally provide easy access for feeding the treated patient either directly or indirectly by intubation or by intravenous or intramuscular injection; to provide means for respiratory functioning or respiratory aid; to provide means facilitating changing position of the patient for respiratory and circulatory aid; and to provide easy access for taking care of normal body excretions.

The above and other objects of this invention will be understood from a reading of the following detailed description thereof in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a perspective view of a treatment chamber apparatus of this invention adapted for reception of the entire human body; and Fig. 2 is an end elevational view of the same, viewed from the right in Fig. 1.

In the treatment chamber apparatus of this invention, the walls of the main casing thereof, in the main, preferably comprise substantially rigid transparent material, such as a plastic material, glass or equivalent material, although said walls may also' be made of metal or other may be opened for entrance of the patients body thereinto. Ordinarily the interior of the body accommodating casing 1 will be equipped with suitable body supports, as 10, or supporting means which can be so adjusted as to optionalliy dispose the patients body in prone posiopaque material, provided suitably located transparent ports or windows are mserted therein at desired locations to permit observation of the body enclosed in the casing for treatment.

The treatment chamber apparatus is suitably shaped and dimensioned to accommodate the entire human body. An illustrative form of the apparatus for entire body reception is shown in Fig. 1, and comprises an elongated casing 1 having a cover section 32, the side and top wall structure of which is made in whole or in part of rigid transparent material, said cover section being supported by a base and end wall structure, subject to displacement from said base and end wall strutcure whereby to admit placement of the patient within the apparatus. It will be understood that the casing 1 may be constructed in any suitable manner whereby the same tion on its back or side as may in any case be required. The cover section 32 of the casing is provided with one or more suitably located sealable door members 18 which, when necessary, can be opened to give temporary access to injured areas of the patients body. The body accommodating treating chamber apparatus is provided with a suitable valve 5 through which a treating fluid, such as gas (e. g. oxygen, carbon dioxide or other suitable gas), can be introduced into the casing interior, and normally maintained therein at a desired selected pressure. A pressure gauge 4 is preferably associated with said valve 5, whereby to indicate the gas pressure within the casing interior. If it is desired to vacuumize the interior of the casing, the valve 5 can be used as an exhaust valve when coupled to exhaust pump means.

The casing 1 is further provided with a plurality of suitably located external admission valves 6, which communicate with internal discharge nozzles 2 operative to direct a selected medicament upon and for application to injured areas of the enclosed patients body. The medicament may optionally comprise a desired antibiotic, antiseptic or other suitable medicament which can be discharged upon the injured area of the patients body; the discharge nozzles 2 being preferably operative to discharge the medicament in the form of a mist or spray.

The casing 1 is also provided, preferably in an end wall thereof, with pet cock means 8 which may be utilized to drain away from the casing interior any liquid collecting in the treatment chamber.

To accommodate resipratory functioning of the patient, when housed within the casing, said casing is provided with suitably located admission means 26 including a flexible flow conduit for administering air or oxygen to the patient. Similarly, the casing 1 is also provided with liquid food delivery means 27, also including a flexible flow conduit which can be utilized by the treated patient for partaking food in such form.

In addition to the above described equipment, the body accommodating treatment chamber is also provided with means adapted to permit intravenous feeding of the patient or administration of blood for blood transfusion treatment, this means comprising an external supply reservoir 30 from which leads, into the treatment chamber interior, a flexible flow conduit by which a feeding or blood transfusion administering device is supplied.

If desired, the casing 1 can be provided with a sealable door 31 in its head end wall, through which access to the occupying patients head can be had when required.

It is preferable to provide means to so support the casing 1 as to dampen vibration. To this end the casing can be normally supported by transverse supports 9, suitably equipped with resilient cushioning elements.

Having now described my invention, I claim:

1. A treatment chamber apparatus adapted to enclose a patients entire body comprising a hermetically sealable elongated casing, at least selected areas of the walls thereof comprising transparent material, means within the casing for supporting the patients body in prone position, means for admitting a selected gas under pressure into the casing interior to provide a selected nonfluctuating pressure atmosphere around the patients body, means leading into the casing for discharging a selected medicament within the casing upon the injured areas of the patients body, means projecting externally of the casing for connecting said medicament discharge means with a source of medicament supply, respiratory means attachable to the patients nose, said respiratory means having an intake exteriorly of the casing, and liquid feeding means attachable to the patients mouth having intake means exteriorly projecting from the casing.

2. A treatment chamber apparatus adapted to enclose a patients entire body according to claim 1, including means within the casing for administering intravenous feeding, blood transfusion or similar treatment, a reset- 3 4 VOiLgIIlOllntfid exteriorly of :the casing with which said and vibration dampening supports by which the casing is administering means communicates. carried.

3. A treatment chamber apparatus adapted to enclose References Cited in the file of this patent a patients entire body according to claim 1, including drain valvemeans operable to drain away liquid tending 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS to collect in the bottom of the casing interior. 2,243,999 Chapple Ju 3, 1941 4. A treatment chamber apparatus adapted to enclose a patients entire body according to claim 1, wherein the FOREIGN PATENTS casing: walls include scalable door means opening of 641,061 Great Britain Aug. 2, 1950 which .gives direct access to the patient When required,v 312,717 France Feb.-8, 1937

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