Medical Garments and their Use

Abstract

Medical garments with features for improving patient privacy during a medical examination or treatment are provided. Garments of the invention also enable ease of access by a treatment provider.

1 . A gown comprising:
 at least two overlapping panels of material attached to a common third panel wherein each of the two overlapping panels is attached to a separate side edge of the third panel;   a fourth panel forming a top yoke section, wherein the two overlapping panels are attached to the fourth panel along a common edge of the fourth panel;   the fourth panel further comprising two separate edges whereby the two separate edges are parallel to the common edge attached to the two overlapping panels;   said third panel consisting of a tie attached to a point mid-length along a length dimension of the third panel.   
     
     
         2 . The gown of  claim 1  further comprising at least one closing means on each of the two separate edges whereby the fourth panel is secured to the third panel by the closing means binds the separate edges to the third panel. 
     
     
         3 . The gown of  claim 1 , wherein one of the at least two overlapping panels overlaps at least a portion of the other of said at least two overlapping panels. 
     
     
         4 . A gown of  claim 1 , wherein said at least two overlapping panels, the third panel and the fourth panel are made from a water-absorbent material. 
     
     
         5 . The gown of  claim 1 , wherein the tie extends out from each of the side edges of the third panel such that the tie can be folded around the two overlapping panels to form a belt around the gown. 
     
     
         6 . The gown of  claim 2  wherein the closing means is selected from a group consisting of buttons, ties, snap-ons, or Velcro closures. 
     
     
         7 . The gown of  claim 1 , wherein said at least two over lapping panels, the third panel and the fourth panel are made from a cotton fabric. 
     
     
         8 . The gown of  claim 1 , wherein said at least two over lapping panels, the third panel and the fourth panel are made from a synthetic material. 
     
     
         9 . The gown of  claim 1 , wherein said at least two over lapping panels, the third panel and the fourth panel are made from a disposable material. 
     
     
         10 . A medical garment comprising:
 a back panel having two opposed side edges, a top edge and a bottom edge perpendicular to said opposite side edges'   
       a first front panel with two overlapping sections secured together along a bottom edge of said first front panel; 
       a second front panel attached to one side edge of the back panel and at least partially attached to the bottom edge of said first front panel; 
       a third front panel attached to a second side edge of the back panel and at least partially attached to the bottom edge of the first front panel so as to overlap the second front panel. 
       a means to secure corners of opposing edges of the second and third front panels to each other. 
     
     
         11 . The medical garment of  claim 10 , wherein the first front panel is secured along two sections of a top edge to the top edge of the back panel so as to form two sleeves or arm openings. 
     
     
         12 . The medical garment of  claim 11 , wherein the first front panel, the back panel, the second and third front panels are made of a material selected disposable synthetic fibers, paper or fabric. 
     
     
         13 . The medical garment of  claim 12 , wherein the material is cotton. 
     
     
         14 . The medical garment of  claim 13 , wherein the material is paper. 
     
     
         15 . The medical garment of  claim 10 , further comprising a tie secured to an internal surface at a point mid-length along the two side edges of the back panel. 
     
     
         16 . The medical garment of  claim 15 , wherein the tie extends out of the edges wherein the back panel is secured to the second and third front panels so as to form a belt for tying around the medical garment when in use. 
     
     
         17 . The medical garment of  claim 15 , wherein the first front panel comprises double layers of materials within each overlapping section. 
     
     
         18 . The medical garment of  claim 10  wherein the second and third front panels overlap each other for almost the entire width of each panel.