Garment closure apparatus, system & method

Abstract

A versatile garment ( 18 ) which is a facsimile of normal clothing and which promotes personal well-being, privacy, modesty and euthermia, for use in the hospital environment or as required in the patient-care-giver interaction, which garment beneficially incorporates means ( 15 ) for versatile garment deconstruction prior to treatment or monitoring allowing patient access and incorporates means for post-treatment reconstruction of the garment in the post-treatment, diagnostic exam or monitoring environment.

1 . A garment as a facsimile of normal clothing for use in the hospital environment or as required in the patient-care-giver interaction, which garment comprises means for versatile garment deconstruction prior to treatment or monitoring allowing patient access and incorporates means for post-treatment reconstruction of the garment in a post-treatment, diagnostic exam or monitoring environment. 
     
     
         2 . The garment according to  claim 1 , equipped with means for the provision of easily removable, segmentable or detachable and re-attachable panels. 
     
     
         3 . The garment according to  claim 2 , wherein the re-attachable means are non-site specific. 
     
     
         4 . The garment according to  claim 1 , having re-dimensioning and/or re-configurable properties. 
     
     
         5 . The garment as claimed in  claim 1 , having panels with separable margins allowing selective disassembly of the garment. 
     
     
         6 . The garment according to  claim 1  adapted for use in pre-diagnostic, medical, surgical, therapeutic and/or diagnostic or any other type or modality of intervention as required in the patient-care-giver interaction, whether in the home, during patient transport, outdoors, in the healthcare facility or chronic-health care facility. 
     
     
         7 . The garment as claimed in  claim 1 , as a single use clean or sterile garment. 
     
     
         8 . The garment, according to  claim 1 , adapted to be wholly removable and/or partially disassembled during use. 
     
     
         9 . The garment, according to  claim 1 , which is adapted to accommodate health-care devices and systems. 
     
     
         10 . The garment according to  claim 1 , adapted to promote patient euthermia, which euthermic properties can be augmented through the use of external heat sources. 
     
     
         11 . The garment according to  claim 1 , which is adapted to allow access to the abdominal area of a wearer. 
     
     
         12 . The garment according to  claim 1 , which is adapted to allow access the perineal area of a wearer. 
     
     
         13 . The garment according to  claim 1 , which is adapted to allow access to the back shoulder and/or anterior and/or lateral chest for telemetry and central lines. 
     
     
         14 . The garment according to  claim 1 , adapted for access in the extremities such as ventral aspect of wrist, dorsum of hand or foot, ankle, groin or ante-cubital fossa for intravenous, intra-arterial and central line access. 
     
     
         15 . The garment according to  claim 1 , configured such that the garment configuration is unconstrained, such that diagnostic specific configurations may be fabricated, allowing site or equipment specific treatment, therapeutic or diagnostic procedures to be performed on any part of the body. 
     
     
         16 . The garment according to  claim 15 , adapted to allow ultrasound examination of an abscess and/or Wound-Vac™ management of an open wound and/or mammography. 
     
     
         17 . The garment according to  claim 1  which is further formed from materials and incorporating fixtures, processes and structures, such that it is not rendered radio-opaque nor provides interference with Magnetic Resonance Imaging or Computer Assisted Tomography or radiography or other diagnostic modalities. 
     
     
         18 . The garment according to  claim 1 , further comprising radio opaque panels. 
     
     
         19 . The garment according to  claim 1 , further modified through the use of color, pattern or markings enabling rapid patient status identification.