Garment for an echocardiographic patient

Abstract

A patient garment. The garment is configured to highlight the intercostal area of a patient during an echocardiographic examination. The garment comprises a front panel having a front top edge, a front bottom edge, a front left side and a front right side. The front panel has an access opening defined there through. The garment further comprise a back panel having a back top edge that is connected to the front top edge, a back bottom edge, a back left side and a back right side. The access opening is positioned on the front panel to expose an area of the patient's torso between a 3 rd intercostal area and a 5 th intercostal area of the patient's torso.

1 . A garment for covering a patient's torso during an echocardiographic examination, comprising:
 a front panel having a front top edge, a front bottom edge, a front left side and a front right side, the front panel having an access opening defined there through;   a back panel having a back top edge that is connected to the front top edge, a back bottom edge, a back left side and a back right side;   a fastener removably connecting together the front left side and the back left side,   wherein the access opening is positioned on the front panel to expose an area of the patient's torso between a 3 rd  intercostal area and a 5 th  intercostal area of the patient's torso.   
     
     
         2 . The garment of  claim 1  wherein the access opening is oval shape having a top, a bottom and opposing sides. 
     
     
         3 . The garment of  claim 2  wherein the access opening has a width as measured between the opposing sides of about 2 inches to about 6 inches. 
     
     
         4 . The garment of  claim 2  wherein the access opening has a length as measured between the top and the bottom of about 2 inches to about 8 inches. 
     
     
         5 . The garment of  claim 2  wherein the top of the access opening is positioned from the front top edge at a distance of about 2 inches to about 8 inches. 
     
     
         6 . The garment of  1  wherein the fastener is positioned from the top edge at a distance of about 7 inches to about 15 inches. 
     
     
         7 . The garment of  claim 1  further comprising a movable flap attached to the front panel, the flap being configured to cover the access opening. 
     
     
         8 . The garment of  claim 7  wherein the flap is positioned from the top edge at a distance of about 3 inches to about 7 inches. 
     
     
         9 . The garment of  claim 1  further comprising a pocket attached to the front panel at a positioned below the access opening. 
     
     
         10 . The garment of  claim 1  wherein the front panel and back panel form a gown. 
     
     
         11 . A garment for covering a patient's torso during an echocardiographic examination, comprising:
 a front panel having a front top edge, a front bottom edge, a front left side and a front right side, the front panel having an access opening defined there through, the access opening being positioned from the top edge at a distance of about 3-7 inches to expose an area of the patient's torso between a 3 rd  intercostal area and a 5 th  intercostal area of the patient's torso;   a back panel having a back top edge that is connected to the front top edge, a back bottom edge, a back left side and a back right side;   a fastener connected to the front left side and the back left side at a distance from the front top edge of about 7-15 inches, the fastener being configured to removably connect together the front left side and the back left side; and   a flap attached to the front panel at a distance from the front top edge of about 3-7 inches wherein the flap is configured to move between an open position that exposes the access opening and a closed position that covers the access opening.   
     
     
         12 . The garment of  claim 11  wherein the access opening is oval shape having a top, a bottom and opposing sides. 
     
     
         13 . The garment of  claim 12  wherein the access opening has a width as measured between the opposing sides of about 2 inches to about 6 inches. 
     
     
         14 . The garment of  claim 12  wherein the access opening has a length as measured between the top and the bottom of about 2 inches to about 8 inches. 
     
     
         15 . The garment of  claim 11  further comprising a pocket attached to the front panel at a positioned below the access opening. 
     
     
         16 . The garment of  claim 11  wherein the front panel and back panel form a gown. 
     
     
         17 . The garment of  claim 11  wherein the front panel and back panel form a vest. 
     
     
         18 . A method of exposing the intercostal area of a patient during an echocardiograph examination, the method comprising:
 providing a garment having a front panel and a second panel;   putting the garment on the patient such that the front panel covers the torso of the patient and the back panel covers the back of the patient;   fastening together the front panel and the back panel;   inserting echocardiographic probe through an access opening positioned through the front panel, the access opening configured to expose the patient's chest between the 3 rd  intercostal area and the 5 th  intercostal area;   covering the access opening; and   obtaining echocardiographic readings from the probe.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18  further comprising inserting the probe through the access opening within 90 seconds of the patient completing a stress test. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18  wherein fastening the front panel and the second comprises fastening the panels in a configuration that exposes an opening between the front panel and the back panel.