US2917050A - Means and method for assisting the birth of a child - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 15, 1959 A. D. KENYON MEANS AND METHOD FOR ASSISTING THE BIRTH OF A CHILD Filed Nov. 28, 1958 IN VENTOR. flew/0r? 0. flwm/v M ATTORNEY United States Patent MEANS AND METHOD FOR ASSISTING THE BIRTH OF A CHILD Arthur D. Kenyon, Lakewood, Colo.

Application November 28, 1958, Serial No. 776,955

Claims. (Cl. 128--361) This invention relates to a method and means for assisting the birth of a childf In the usual normal birth the fetus is expelled by muscular contraction of the uterus. This is always an exceedingly difficult procedure and upon occasions, the muscular efforts are not sulficient to accomplish the normal birth and assistance must be given by the attending physician by pressure upon the abdomen and, in extreme cases, by the use of instruments. External abdominal pressures may result in trauma and injury to the mother and the baby and, of course, there is always the possibility of injury from the use of forceps and the like.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a method and means for carrying out the method whereby atmospheric pressure will be applied to the fetus within the body of the mother in such a way as to assist in the expulsion of the fetus and to provide means for regulating the atmospheric pressure upon the fetus to the requirements of each particular occasion so as to reduce the muscular labors required in normal cases and to supplement the muscular labors in difficult cases so that in normal cases, the degree of discomfort will be greatly reduced and in abnormal cases the necessity for external physical pressure and necessity for instruments will be greatly reduced.

Within the body of the mother the fetus is subjected to uniform atmospheric pressure in all directions. Briefly, this invention contemplates reducing this atmospheric pressure on that portion of the fetus directed toward the os uteri so that there will be a differential of atmospheric pressure acting against the fetus in the direction of the 0s uteri so as to tend to force the fetus into the vagina by air pressure for normal birth. The differential will, of course, depend upon the degree of air pressure reduction in the vagina and externally of the vagina. If means are provided for regulating the reduction of pressure on the os uteri side of the fetus, the atmosphere will exert a gentle, uniform and continuing pressure upon the opposite side.

One means for accomplishing the above is illustrated in the accompanying drawing which is a perspective view of a device for accomplishing an atmospherically assisted birth.

The device illustrated comprises a fetus receiving chamber preferably but not necessarily formed of clear, transparent plastic in a spherical shape.

One side of the chamber is flared outwardly to form a relatively large circular neck 11 which forms the periphery of a fetus entrance passage 12. An annular collar 13 surrounds and is hermetically sealed to the neck 11. The collar 13 is preferably formed of neoprene or rubber or other resilient material and is provided with a flexible flaring skirt 14- of similar material.

Two flexible air tight arm sleeves 15 are sealed to and about openings in the chamber 10 at each side of and adjacent the top of the chamber. The arm sleeves are formed from impervious, flexible material such as plastic or rubber-impregnated tubing and each sleeve terminates in a flexible, adjustable arm strap 16.

An oxygen nipple 17 and an air nipple 18 are sealed to and open through the wall of the chamber 10. The oxygen nipple leads to an oxygen control valve 19 to which oxygen is supplied from a suitable source through a suitable oxygen hose 20. The air nipple 18 leads to a two-way air valve 21 which can be used to place the air nipple 18 in communication with either an atmospheric port 22 or a vacuum hose 23 leading to any suitable vacuum source.

While the valves 19 and 21 have been illustrated as mounted directly upon the chamber 10, they could, of course, be mounted at any desired points along the hoses 20 and 23, respectively. An electric lamp dome 24 is mounted on the chamber 10 and provided with a suitable electric lamp 25 which illuminates the interior of the chamber 10. Current is supplied to the lamp 25 in any desired manner, such as, by means of a flexible lamp cord 26.

Let us assume that the hose 20 is connected with an oxygen source, the hose 23 is connected with a vacuum pump, and the cord is connected with a source of electric current, and that the device has been suitably sterilized and is to be put to use. The attending physician inserts his steril hands through the two sleeves 15 and his assistant adjusts the straps 16 tightly about the physicians arms.

The device is now moved into position over the vagina of the mother and the sealing skirt 14 is pressed into airsealing contact with the body surfaces about the vagina. The air valve 21 is now adjusted to partially evacuate the interior of the chamber 10 and the oxygen valve 19 is adjusted to slowly supply oxygen to the interior.

The regulation is such that a sub-atmospheric pressure is maintained in the chamber and in the vagina to apply a pressure differential to the fetus tending to urge it into the chamber 10. The emerging fetus can be manipulated as required by the hands of the physician. When the fetus is fully discharged, the air valve 21 is immediately adjusted to disconnect the chamber from the vacuum source and open it to the atmosphere through the atmospheric port 22. This immediately returns the internal pressure of the chamber to that of the atmosphere so that it, with the contained fetus, can be readily lifted from place for delivery of the baby to the attending nurse.

It is desired to call attention to the fact. that the entire Zone of operation is fully illuminated by the lamp 25 and is in the full view of the physician through the trans parent walis of the chamber. it will also be noted that the hands of the physician are completely free for use within the chamber. Experience will teach the proper degrees of vacuum and oxygen required for each type of birth.

While a specific form of device has been illustrated and described herein and a typical example of use has been given, it is to be understood that the invention is not iimited to the specific device shown, nor the specific procedure described except insofar as such limitations are contained within the appended claims in which it is my intent to claim all novelty which is inherent to my invention.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed and desired secured by Letters Patent is:

1. Means for assisting in the birth of a child comprising a chamber of sufficient size to receive the fetus; a fetus receiving neck communicating with said chamber; sealing means surrounding the external extremity of said neck and adapted to seal the latter to the body surfaces of the mother about the external os of the vagina; and means for withdrawing air from said chamber.

2. Means for assisting in the birth of a child as described in claim 1 having arm openings in said chamber for the insertion of the hands of a physician and means for hermetically sealing the arms of the physician to said chamber about said openings.

3. Means for assisting in the birth of a child as described in claim 2 in which the means for sealing the arms of the physician to the chamber comprises a flexible sleeve secured to said chamber about each opening and extending outwardly therefrom and means for tying the 10 extremities of said sleeves about the arms of the physician.

4. Means for assisting in the birth of a child as described in claim 3 having means for introducing oxygen into said chamber when desired.

5. Means for assisting in the birth of a child as described in claim 4 having means on the exterior of said chamber for illuminating the interior thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent FOREIGN PATENTS 127,700 Sweden Mar. 21, 1950

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