Ultrasound medical diagnostic device having a coupling medium providing self-adherence to a patient

A transducer assembly for patient monitoring, comprising:

• a housing containing an emitter for producing sound waves transmissible through the body tissues of said patient;
• adhesive coupling medium positioned between said housing structure and the skin of said patient, said coupling medium having a density conducive to transmission of said sound waves through said body of said patient and being structured to provide self-adhesion of said assembly to said skin;
• and
• flexible support structure associated with said housing and attachable to said coupling medium to provide selectively sustained variable distance positioning of said coupling medium relative to and away from said skin of said patient.

A transducer assembly for patient monitoring, comprising:

• a housing containing structure to produce and detect sound waves transmissible through the body tissues of a patient, said housing having a perimeter;
• adhesive contact medium having a central portion positioned between said housing and said skin of said patient to provide transmission of sound waves therethrough, said adhesive coupling medium being sized to extend laterally beyond said perimeter of said housing a selected distance, said contact medium having a selected density compatible with transmission of said sound waves through said body tissue;
• and
• flexible support structure associated with said housing and sized to extend laterally beyond said perimeter of said housing to support and retain said laterally extending adhesive coupling medium in at least one position away from said skin of said patient when said central portion of said adhesive coupling medium is positioned against said patient's skin.

A method of performing ultrasound diagnoses comprising:

• providing an ultrasound device having a housing containing structure for producing and detecting sound waves transmissible through the body tissue of a patient, an adhesive hydrogel film contact medium positioned between said housing and the skin of said patient to transmit sound waves therethrough, said hydrogel film being sized to extend beyond the perimeter of said housing, and flexible support structure associated with said housing to which said hydrogel film is secured, said flexible support structure providing adjustability of said extended hydrogel film relative to said skin;
• adjusting said flexible support structure to position and retain said extended hydrogel film away from said skin;
• placing said ultrasound device in proximity to said patient's skin with said hydrogel film positioned between said housing and said skin;
• producing said sound waves from said ultrasound device;
• moving said ultrasound device about said patient's body until a desired signal is detected by said ultrasound device;
• and
• adjusting said flexible support structure to position said extended hydrogel film against said skin to enhance adherence of said extended hydrogel film to said skin.