Garment For An Echocardiographic Patient

Abstract

An examination garment for covering a patient's torso during a medical examination. The garment includes a front panel having an access opening defined there through to provide access to an area of a patient's torso. The garment additionally includes a back panel connected to the front panel and a flap connected to the front panel for covering the access opening. The flap is connected to the front panel along a top edge of the flap and along at least a portion of one side edge of the flap such that when the patient is lying on her/his side and the flap is placed in a Closed position, the flap will maintain a disposition over the access opening and will not fall open toward the patient's lower side, thereby maintaining coverage and concealment of the access opening and the patient's chest as the patient lies on her/his side.

1 . An examination garment for covering a patient's torso during a medical examination, said garment 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 positioned on the front panel such that, when a patient wears the garment, the access opening will provide access to an area of a patient's torso between a 3 rd  intercostal area and a 5 th  intercostal area;   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; and   a flap connected to the front panel along a top edge of the flap and along at least a portion of one side edge of the flap such that when the flap is placed in an Open position, the flap will fold diagonally up toward the patient's shoulder exposing the access opening, and when the patient is lying on her/his side and the flap is placed in a Closed position, the flap will maintain a disposition over the access opening and will not fall open toward the patient's lower side, thereby maintaining coverage and concealment of the access opening and the patient's chest as the patient lies on her/his side.   
     
     
         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  further comprising a fastener structured to connect together one of the front left and right sides with a corresponding one of the back left and right sides, wherein the fastener is positioned from the front top edge at a distance of about 7 inches to about 15 inches. 
     
     
         7 . The garment of  claim 1  wherein the flap is positioned from the top edge at a distance of about 3 inches to about 7 inches. 
     
     
         8 . The garment of  claim 1  further comprising a pocket attached to the front panel at a positioned below the access opening. 
     
     
         9 . The garment of  claim 1 , wherein the flap connected to the front panel along approximately one-third of the length of the one side edge of the flap. 
     
     
         10 . The garment of  claim 1 , wherein the flap connected to the front panel along approximately three-quarters of the length of the one side edge of the flap. 
     
     
         11 . The garment of  claim 1 , wherein the flap connected to the front panel along approximately the entire length of the one side edge of the flap. 
     
     
         12 . An examination garment for covering a patient's torso during a medical examination, said garment 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 such that when a patient wears the garment, the access opening will provide access to an area of the patient's torso between a 3 rd  intercostal area and a 5 th  intercostal area;   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 plurality of fasteners connected to one of the front left and right sides and the corresponding one of the back left and right sides, the fastener structured to connect together the front panel and the back panel; and   a flap connected to the front panel along a top edge of the flap and along at least a portion of one side edge of the flap such that when the flap is placed in an Open position, the flap will fold diagonally up toward the patient's shoulder exposing the access opening, and when the patient is lying on her/his side and the flap is placed in a Closed position, the flap will maintain a disposition over the access opening and will not fall open toward the patient's lower side, thereby maintaining coverage and concealment of the access opening and the patient's chest as the patient lies on her/his side.   
     
     
         13 . The garment of  claim 12  wherein the access opening is oval shape having a top, a bottom and opposing sides. 
     
     
         14 . The garment of  claim 13  wherein the access opening has a width as measured between the opposing sides of the opening of about 2 inches to about 6 inches. 
     
     
         15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . The garment of  claim 12  further comprising a pocket attached to the front panel at a positioned below the access opening. 
     
     
         16 . The garment of  claim 12 , wherein the flap connected to the front panel along approximately one-third of the length of the one side edge of the flap. 
     
     
         17 . The garment of  claim 12 , wherein the flap connected to the front panel along approximately three-quarters of the length of the one side edge of the flap. 
     
     
         18 . The garment of  claim 12 , wherein the flap connected to the front panel along approximately the entire length of the one side edge of the flap. 
     
     
         19 . A method of providing access to the intercostal area of a patient during an medical examination, said method comprising:
 providing a garment having a front panel and a back 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; and   inserting an echocardiographic probe under a flap connected to the front panel and through an access opening disposed within the front panel and structured to provide access to the patient's chest between the 3 rd  intercostal area and the 5 th  intercostal area, wherein the flap is connected to the front panel along a top edge of the flap and along at least a portion of one side edge of the flap such that when the flap is placed in an Open position, the flap will fold diagonally up toward the patient's shoulder exposing the access opening, and when the patient is lying on her/his side and the flap is placed in a Closed position, the flap will maintain a disposition over the access opening and will not fall open toward the patient's lower side, thereby maintaining coverage and concealment of the access opening and the patient's chest as the patient lies on her/his side.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19  wherein fastening the front panel and the back panel comprises fastening the panels in a configuration that exposes an opening between the front panel and the back panel.