Low profile chest seal

Abstract

A chest seal for treating an open pneumothorax that is low profile and thus unobtrusive so that the chest seal can be effectively maintained in position to seal a chest wound while allowing the pleural cavity to vent.

1 . A chest seal comprising:
 a flexible flange body having a top side surface and a bottom side surface, said flange body having at least one opening defined therethrough;   an adhesive disposed on said bottom surface of said flexible flange body; and   at least one one-way valve secured to said flange body so as to overlie at least a portion of said central opening, said one-way valve comprising a valve body having a peripheral wall, a passage defined therethrough, a valve seat, and a sealing element disposed in said valve body so as to selectively seat on said valve seat to seal said passage to preclude air flow in one direction through said valve body toward the at least one opening in the flange body and so as to be selectively unseated from said valve seat to allow air flow through said valve body in a direction opposite the one direction, said sealing element comprising a sealing element, said valve seat being defined on a transverse wall of said valve body that is disposed in a plane that is substantially parallel to a plane of said flange body, whereby when the flange body is adhered to the skin of a patient with said at least one opening at least partially overlying a chest wound, air is allowed to escape from the chest wound through the one-way valve and air flow into the chest wound is precluded.   
     
     
         2 . A chest seal as in  claim 1 , wherein said opening is defined in a central portion of said flange. 
     
     
         3 . A chest seal as in  claim 1 , wherein said at least one one-way valve is secured to an upper surface of said flange. 
     
     
         4 . A chest seal as in  claim 1 , wherein said adhesive is a biocompatible adhesive. 
     
     
         5 . A chest seal as in  claim 1 , wherein said one-way valve is mounted to said upper surface of said flange body with a mounting membrane disposed to overlie said valve and having at least one opening aligned with said valve body for air to escape from the one-way valve through the mounting membrane. 
     
     
         6 . A chest seal as in  claim 5 , wherein said mounting membrane is adhesively secured to said upper surface of said flange body. 
     
     
         7 . A chest seal as in  claim 1 , wherein there are a plurality of one-way valves secured with respect to said upper surface. 
     
     
         8 . A chest seal as in  claim 7 , wherein there are three one-way valves. 
     
     
         9 . A chest seal as in  claim 1 , wherein said sealing element comprises an elastomeric sealing disk that is free-floating within said valve body between the seated and unseated positions thereof. 
     
     
         10 . A chest seal as in  claim 1 , further comprising a peel-off backing for covering and protecting said adhesive prior to application of the chest seal. 
     
     
         11 . A chest seal comprising:
 a flexible flange body having a top side surface and a bottom side surface, said flange body having at least one opening defined therethrough;   an adhesive disposed on said bottom surface of said flexible flange body;   at least one one-way valve secured to said flange body so as to overlie at least a portion of said central opening, said one-way valve comprising a valve body having a peripheral wall, a passage defined therethrough, a valve seat, and a sealing element disposed in said valve body so as to selectively seat on said valve seat to seal said passage to preclude air flow in one direction through said valve body toward the at least one opening in the flange body and so as to be selectively unseated from said valve seat to allow air flow through said valve body in a direction opposite the one direction, said sealing element comprising a sealing element, said valve seat being defined on a transverse wall of said valve body that is disposed in a plane that is substantially parallel to a plane of said flange body, and   a filter component disposed between said valve body and said flange body, whereby when the flange body is adhered to the skin of a patient with said at least one opening at least partially overlying a chest wound, air is allowed to escape from the chest wound through the one-way valve and air flow into the chest wound is precluded.   
     
     
         12 . A method of treating an open pneumothorax comprising:
 providing a chest seal comprising a flexible flange body having a top side surface and a bottom side surface, said flange body having at least one opening defined therethrough, an adhesive disposed on said bottom surface of said flexible flange body, and a one-way valve secured with respect to said flange body so as to at least partially overlie said at least one opening, said one-way valve comprising a valve body having a peripheral wall, a passage defined therethrough, a valve seat, and a sealing element disposed in said valve body so as to selectively seat on said valve seat to seal said passage to preclude air flow in one direction through said valve body toward the opening and so as to be selectively unseated from said valve seat to allow air flow through said valve body in a direction opposite the one direction, said sealing element comprising a sealing element, said valve seat being defined on a transverse wall of said valve body that is disposed in a plane that is substantially in parallel to a plane of said flange body;   wiping the patient's skin in an area around the chest wound;   applying the chest seal to the patient's skin with said at least one opening overlying the chest wound; and   pressing said chest seal to adhere the adhesive to patient's skin around and about the chest wound, whereby air is allowed to escape from the chest wound through the at least one one-way valve and air flow into the chest wound is precluded.   
     
     
         13 . A method as in  claim 12 , wherein said one-way valve is mounted to said upper surface of said flange body with a mounting membrane disposed to overlie said valve and having at least one opening aligned with said valve body for air to escape from the one-way valve through the mounting membrane. 
     
     
         14 . A method as in  claim 13 , wherein said mounting membrane is adhesively secured to said upper surface of said flange body. 
     
     
         15 . A method as in  claim 12 , wherein there are a plurality of one-way valves secured with respect to said upper surface. 
     
     
         16 . A method as in  claim 15 , wherein there are three one-way valves. 
     
     
         17 . A method as in  claim 12 , wherein said sealing element comprises an elastomeric sealing disk that is free-floating within said valve body between the seated and unseated positions thereof. 
     
     
         18 . A method as in  claim 12 , wherein the chest seal further comprises a peel-off backing for covering and protecting said adhesive prior to application of the chest seal, and wherein the method further comprises removing said peel-off backing before said applying step. 
     
     
         19 . A method as in  claim 12 , further comprising a filter component disposed between said valve body and said flange body. 
     
     
         20 . A chest seal comprising:
 a flexible flange body having a top side surface and a bottom side surface, said flange body having at least one opening defined therethrough;   an adhesive disposed on said bottom surface of said flexible flange body; and   at least one one-way valve in fluid communication with said at least one opening, whereby when the flange body is adhered to the skin of a patient with said at least one opening at least partially overlying a chest wound, air is allowed to escape from the chest wound through the one-way valve and air flow into the chest wound is precluded.   
     
     
         21 . A method of treating a chest wound comprising an open pneumothorax, said method comprising the steps of:
 providing a chest seal comprising a flexible flange body having a top side surface and a bottom side surface, said flange body having at least one opening defined therethrough, an adhesive disposed on said bottom surface of said flexible flange body, and at least one one-way valve in fluid communication with said at least one opening, whereby when the flange body is adhered to the skin of a patient with said at least one opening at least partially overlying a chest wound, air is allowed to escape from the chest wound through the one-way valve and air flow into the chest wound is precluded;   wiping the patient's skin in an area around the chest wound;   applying the chest seal to the patient's skin with said at least one opening overlying the chest wound; and   pressing said chest seal to adhere the adhesive to patient's skin around and about the chest wound, whereby air is allowed to escape from the chest wound through the at least one one-way valve and air flow into the chest wound is precluded.