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US 6,183,436 B2Granted
Article for packing body cavities
AssigneeUltracell Medical Technologies of Connecticut, Inc.
InventorsWayne Korteweg, George P. Korteweg
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An article for packing body cavities comprises a protective sheath of supple, smooth, polymeric film, containing an absorbent sponge or like tampon component. The sheath facilitates insertion and removal of the article by minimizing tissue attachment, adherence, abrasion, and desiccation of the tampon.
Claims21
An article for packing a body cavity, comprising:
- a sheath of smooth, supple polymeric film formed to provide a containment portion with a closed posterior end portion and an anterior end entrance aperture spaced therefrom, said anterior end entrance aperture being defined by structure that lies substantially in a transverse plane and has an inherent peripheral dimension that is substantially smaller than the inherent peripheral dimension of any cross sectional element taken along the length of said containment portion between said anterior end entrance aperture and posterior end portion and lying in a plane parallel to said transverse plane;
- a dry, elongate tampon dimensioned and configured to be loosely disposed entirely within said containment portion of said sheath, and comprised of an absorbent material that is expansible, when wetted, from a dry, stable, compressed state to an expanded state, said dry tampon being compressed to a stable shape and size in two directions that are perpendicular to one another and also to the length dimension of said tampon;
- and a retrieval element extending from adjacent said anterior end of said sheath and operatively attached for effecting withdrawal of said tampon from a body cavity containing the same, said retrieval element being constructed to extend from the containing body cavity when said article is in place therewith.
An article for packing a body cavity, comprising:
- a sheath of smooth, supple polymeric film formed to provide a containment portion with a closed posterior end portion and an anterior end entrance aperture spaced therefrom, said anterior end entrance aperture being defined by structure that lies substantially in a transverse plane and has an inherent peripheral dimension that is substantially smaller than the inherent peripheral dimension of any cross sectional element taken along the length of said containment portion between said anterior end entrance aperture and posterior end portion and lying in a plane parallel to said transverse plane, said polymeric film being of a fluid-impermeable material about 0.5 to 3 mils thick and with a Shore A Durometer value of about 20 to 60, and wherein said containment portion has perforations along the length thereof between said anterior end entrance aperture and posterior end portion, said article being thereby adapted for the absorption of liquid substances from the cavity;
- a dry, elongate tampon dimensioned and configured to be loosely disposed entirely within said containment portion of said sheath, and comprised of an absorbent material that is expansible, when wetted, from a dry, stable, compressed state to an expanded state, said dry tampon being compressed to a stable shape and size in two directions that are perpendicular to one another and also to the length dimension of said tampon, said peripheral dimension of said anterior end entrance aperture structure being not substantially greater than is necessary to permit passage of said compressed tampon therethrough.
An article for packing a body cavity, comprising:
- a sheath of smooth, supple polymeric film formed to provide a containment portion with a closed posterior end portion and an anterior end entrance aperture spaced therefrom, said anterior end entrance aperture being defined by structure that lies substantially in a transverse plane and has an inherent peripheral dimension that is substantially smaller than the inherent peripheral dimension of any cross sectional element taken along the length of said containment portion between said anterior end entrance aperture and posterior end portion and lying in a plane parallel to said transverse plane;
- a dry, elongate tampon dimensioned and configured to be loosely disposed entirely within said containment portion of said sheath, and comprised of an absorbent material that is expansible, when wetted, from a dry, stable, compressed state to an expanded state, said dry tampon being compressed to a stable shape and size in two directions that are perpendicular to one another and also to the length dimension of said tampon;
- and a hollow tube extending between said anterior end entrance aperture and posterior end portion of said sheath to provide an airway through said article, said sheath being in sealing engagement with said tube at least at said posterior end portion to provide closure of said containment portion of said sheath thereat.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.