Irrigation, debridement and cleaning basin

Abstract

A basin for use in at least one of irrigation, debridement, cleaning and other procedures on a subject's appendage includes a flexible body including one or more walls. A first wall can define an appendage contour, which can flex under the weight of the appendage, providing a comfortable seat that conforms to the subject's appendage. The body can be a monolithic, one-piece structure constructed from a closed cell foam. The body can include integral stiffening structures that enhance its rigidity yet still enable the basin to be flexible when adjacent another appendage or body portion. The basin can include a sloped bottom to direct fluids toward an outlet port for draining, and baffles projecting from the bottom. The basin can include a reticulated foam insert positioned adjacent the bottom, on the baffles, where the insert minimizes splash back yet adequately captures debris and other items washed from the appendage.

1 . A basin adapted for use in at least one of irrigation, debridement and cleaning, the basin comprising:
 a first end wall defining a first appendage contour of a first size, the first appendage contour including an first inner portion, an first outer portion, a first side portion and a second opposing side portion, the first end wall including a first end wall inner wall and a first end wall outer wall, the first end wall inner wall separated from the first end wall outer wall by an open space defined within the first end wall and under the first appendage contour, each of the first end wall inner wall and the first end wall outer wall joined with the first appendage contour and configured to support the inner portion of the first appendage contour and the outer portion of the first appendage contour, respectively;   a second end wall defining a second appendage contour of a second size, the second size different from and larger than the first size of the first appendage contour, the second appendage contour including a second inner portion, a second outer portion, a third side portion and a fourth opposing side portion, the second end wall including a second end wall inner wall and a second end wall outer wall, the second end wall inner wall separated from the second end wall outer wall by an open space defined within the second end wall and under the second appendage contour, each of the second end wall inner wall and the second end wall outer wall joined with the second appendage contour and configured to support the inner portion of the second appendage contour and the outer portion of the second appendage contour, respectively;   first and second opposing sidewalls extending between and joining the first end wall and the second end wall, the first and second opposing sidewalls and the first and second end walls each including lower portions that are joined with a bottom so as to form a receptacle for collecting fluids from an appendage placed in at least one of the first appendage contour and the second appendage contour and washed with the fluids,   wherein at least one of the first end wall, the bottom and the second end wall define an outlet port extending at least partially therethrough,   wherein at least a portion of the bottom is sloped toward the outlet port so that the fluids contacting the at least one of the bottom flow by gravity toward the at least one of the first end wall and the second end wall,   wherein the first and second opposing sidewalls, the first and second end walls, and the bottom are in the form of a monolithic, one piece basin constructed from a closed cell foam,   wherein the first appendage contour of the first size is flexible so that the first side portion and the second side portion of the first appendage contour move toward one another to provide a clamping effect on a first portion of a subject's appendage when the first portion of the subject's appendage is placed in the first appendage contour and applies a downward force on the first appendage contour,   wherein the first end wall, the second end wall and the opposing side walls are tapered from the lower portion to an upper portion so that multiple, like basins can be stacked one upon the other in an inter-nesting manner.   
     
     
         2 . The basin of  claim 1  wherein the second appendage contour of the second size is flexible so that the third side portion and the fourth side portion of the second appendage contour move toward one another to provide a clamping effect on a second portion of a subject's appendage when the second portion of the subject's appendage is placed in the second appendage contour and applies a downward force on the second appendage contour. 
     
     
         3 . The basin of  claim 1  wherein the first and second opposing sidewalls, the first and second end walls, and the bottom are constructed from a single, generally uniform thickness, layer of closed cell foam. 
     
     
         4 . The basin of  claim 3  wherein the single layer of closed cell foam is contiguous among the first and second opposing sidewalls and the first and second end walls. 
     
     
         5 . The basin of  claim 4  wherein the port is defined in at least one of the first end wall and the second end wall, wherein the first and second appendage contours are adapted to be aligned with the longitudinal axis of the subject's appendage, wherein the port is aligned generally in parallel with the longitudinal axis of the subject's appendage. 
     
     
         6 . The basin of  claim 5  wherein the first and second sidewalls are separated by a first distance adjacent the first appendage contour, wherein the first and second sidewalls are separated by a second distance adjacent the second appendage contour, wherein the first distance is less than the second distance so that the opposing sidewalls taper generally from near the first appendage contour to near the second appendage contour, whereby the sidewalls generally form an ergonomic shape that comfortably fits adjacent another appendage adjacent the appendage placed in at least one of the first and second appendage contours. 
     
     
         7 . The basin of  claim 1  wherein each of the opposing sidewalls are hollow, and each include a sidewall inner wall and a sidewall outer wall. 
     
     
         8 . The basin of  claim 7  wherein the sidewall outer wall includes a support flange that extends laterally away from the bottom, whereby the support flange provides stability to the basin. 
     
     
         9 . The basin of  claim 1  comprising a plurality of baffles adjacent the bottom and an open cell reticulated foam insert placed adjacent and supported by the plurality of baffles, the open cell reticulated foam insert generally spanning between the first end wall toward the second end wall. 
     
     
         10 . A basin adapted for use in at least one of irrigation, debridement and cleaning, the basin comprising:
 a first end wall;   a second end wall distal from the first end wall;   a first side wall,   a second side wall opposite the first side wall,   wherein the first and second side walls are connected to and join the first and second end walls,   wherein the first and second end walls define first and second appendage contours, respectively, the contours being aligned along a longitudinal axis, the first and second appendage contours being of different size with the first appendage contour larger than the second appendage contour,   wherein the first end wall, second end wall, first side wall and second side wall all include respective lower portions that are joined with a bottom to form an interior receptacle;   wherein the first end wall, second end wall, first side wall and second side wall each include inner wall portions that face the interior receptacle, and outer wall portions that face an exterior of the basin,   wherein the inner wall portions and outer wall portions are separated from one another to form a cavity therebetween,   wherein the first end wall, second end wall, first side wall, second side wall and bottom are constructed from a closed cell foam and are in the form of a monolithic one piece basin,   wherein the first end wall, second end wall, first side wall and second side wall are tapered from the lower portion to an upper portion so that a plurality of like basins can be stacked one upon the other, in an inter-nesting manner, with portions of the first end wall, second end wall, first side wall and second side wall of a lower basin projecting at least partially into the cavity defined within the first end wall, second end wall, first side wall and second side wall of an upper basin.   
     
     
         11 . The basin of  claim 10  wherein the wherein the first appendage contour includes a first side portion that is positioned adjacent a first side of a subject's appendage and a second side portion that is positioned adjacent a second side of a subject's appendage, the first side portion and second side portion flexible so that the first side portion and the second side portion of the first appendage contour move toward one another to conform to a first portion of a subject's appendage when the first portion of the subject's appendage is placed in the first appendage contour and applies a downward force on the first appendage contour 
     
     
         12 . The basin of  claim 10  comprising a plurality of baffles projecting upwardly from and integral with the bottom, each of the baffles being constructed from a layer of foam that is contiguous with the bottom, each of the baffles defining a cavity therein. 
     
     
         13 . The basin of  claim 10  comprising an open cell reticulated foam insert positioned above the bottom, the open cell reticulated foam insert generally spanning from the first end wall toward the second end wall. 
     
     
         14 . The basin of  claim 10  wherein the first end wall, second end wall, first side wall, second side wall and bottom are constructed from a single, generally uniform thickness layer of closed cell foam. 
     
     
         15 . The basin of  claim 10  wherein the bottom slopes toward the first end wall so that fluids drain by gravity toward at least one of the first end wall and the second end wall. 
     
     
         16 . The basin of  claim 15  wherein at least one of the bottom, the first end wall and the second end wall defines an outlet and a conduit is joined with the outlet, wherein the outlet is generally aligned with the appendage of a subject when the appendage is placed over the basin, whereby the conduit can extend from at least one of the first end wall and the second end wall, generally out of the way of an attending health care provider, and generally away from another appendage of the subject. 
     
     
         17 . A basin adapted for use in at least one of irrigation, debridement and cleaning, the basin comprising:
 a flexible body including a first wall defining an appendage contour adapted to receive a portion of a subject's appendage and a second wall joined with the first wall, the flexible body including a bottom and a receptacle, the receptacle bounded by the first end wall, the second wall and the bottom, the receptacle adapted to collect fluids washed over the subject's appendage,   wherein the appendage contour includes first and second side portions, and is operable in a flexed mode and a relaxed mode, wherein the first and second side portions are at a predetermined distance from one another in the relaxed mode, wherein the first and second side portions flex inward to reduce the predetermined distance in the flexed mode to generally conform to at least a portion of the subject's appendage when the subject's appendage provides a downward force on at least a portion of the appendage contour,   wherein at least one of the first wall and the second wall include an inner wall and an outer wall separated by a cavity defined within the respective at least one of the first and second walls, the cavity opening downwardly, and   wherein at least one of the first wall and the second wall generally taper outwardly from an upper portion to a lower portion of the respective at least one of the first and second walls to provide integral stiffening to the at least one of the first wall and the second wall.   
     
     
         18 . The basin of  claim 17  wherein the flexible body is constructed from a chemically cross linked polyethylene foam having a density of about 3 to about 4 pounds per cubic foot. 
     
     
         19 . The basin of  claim 17  wherein the first wall and second wall are part of a common curve. 
     
     
         20 . The basin of  claim 17  wherein the appendage contour spans from the inner wall portion and outer wall portion of the first wall, wherein the cavity is defined by the inner wall portion, the outer wall portion and the appendage contour, and wherein the inner wall portion, the outer wall portion and the appendage contour are formed by a continuous closed cell foam layer and are of generally the same thickness.