Medical apparatus

Abstract

Medical apparatuses for securing, protecting, retaining, and/or concealing various medical devices such as catheters or electrical leads are disclosed herein. The medical apparatus can be a garment which for use by a patient having a central venous catheter in place. Medical garments as disclosed herein can be used for a wide variety of medical devices attached to a patient, by implantation or otherwise, for varying lengths of time. Medical garments described herein may be used with any of a variety of medical devices which include or comprise one or more conduits used for medical treatment or diagnosis, including conduits which comprise catheters as well as electrical conduits such as electrical leads.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A medical apparatus for retaining at least one medical device, comprising:
 a. a garment, the garment comprising a body portion comprising an outward facing surface and an inward facing surface, the body portion further comprising an upper panel and a lower panel;   b. the body portion comprising,
 i. a juxtaposition of the upper panel and the lower panel, the juxtaposition defining an access opening, the access opening providing access from the outward facing surface to the inward facing surface between the upper panel and the lower panel; 
 ii. an anchor secured on the outward facing surface, the anchor comprising a first strip member and a mating second strip member hingedly joined to the first strip member, and wherein the anchor is configured for releasable securement of a first portion of a first medical device; and 
 iii. an outer panel affixed to and selectively detachable from the body portion along at least one peripheral edge, the outer panel spanning at least a portion of the access opening and defining a selectively closeable pocket configured to retain a second portion of the first medical device. 
   
     
     
         2 . The medical apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the mating second strip member is hingedly joined to the first strip member by a sewn coupling. 
     
     
         3 . The medical apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the anchor is configured for releasable securement of a first length of catheter tube as the first portion, and the selectively closeable pocket is configured to retain a second length of catheter tube as the second portion. 
     
     
         4 . The medical apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the anchor comprises a plurality of spaced apart joining members configured to releasably secure the first medical device. 
     
     
         5 . The medical apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the plurality of spaced apart joining members comprise one or more of snaps, hooks, or adhesive surfaces. 
     
     
         6 . The medical apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the anchor comprises a color coding, the color coding being a visual indication for communicating information relating to a type of the first medical device being secured therein, the visual indication comprising one or more of a color indicator, a text indicator, and a spatial indicator. 
     
     
         7 . The medical apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a side retention strap affixed to a side portion of the garment, the side retention strap being selectively detachable from the side of the garment for securing a third portion of the first medical device to the garment. 
     
     
         8 . A medical apparatus for retaining at least one medical device, comprising:
 a. a garment, the garment comprising a body portion comprising an outward facing surface and an inward facing surface, the body portion further comprising an upper panel, a central panel, and a lower panel;   b. an upper portion of the body portion, the upper portion comprising,
 i. an upper access opening providing access from the outward facing surface to the inward facing surface between the upper panel and the central panel; 
 ii. an upper anchor secured on the outward facing surface, the upper anchor comprising an upper first strip member and a mating upper second strip member, and wherein the upper anchor is configured for releasable securement of a first portion of a first medical device; and 
 iii. an upper outer panel affixed to and selectively detachable from the body portion along at least one peripheral edge of the upper outer panel, the upper outer panel spanning at least a portion of the upper access opening and defining a selectively closeable upper pocket configured to retain a second portion of the first medical device; and 
   c. a lower portion of the body portion, the lower portion comprising,
 i. a lower access opening providing access from the outward facing surface to the inward facing surface between the central panel and the lower panel; 
 ii. a lower anchor secured on the outward facing surface, the lower anchor comprising a lower first strip member and a mating lower second strip member, and wherein the lower anchor is configured for releasable securement of a first portion of a second medical device; and 
 iii. a lower outer panel affixed to and selectively detachable from the body portion along at least one peripheral edge of the lower outer panel, the lower outer panel spanning at least a portion of the lower access opening and defining a selectively closeable lower pocket configured to retain a second portion of the second medical device. 
   
     
     
         9 . The medical apparatus of  claim 8 , further comprising an upper hinged portion that joins the upper first strip member and the mating upper second strip member, and a lower hinged portion that joins the lower first strip member and the mating lower second strip member. 
     
     
         10 . The medical apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the upper hinged portion comprises a sewn coupling. 
     
     
         11 . The medical apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the lower first strip member and the mating lower second strip member comprise a plurality of spaced apart joining locations and are releasably joinable at the plurality of spaced apart joining locations. 
     
     
         12 . The medical apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the lower anchor comprises a color coded portion, the color coded portion being a visual indication for communicating information relating to a type of medical device being secured therein, the visual indication comprising one or more of a color indicator, a text indicator, and a spatial indicator. 
     
     
         13 . The medical apparatus of  claim 8 , further comprising a side retention strap affixed to a side portion of the garment, the side retention strap being selectively detachable from the side of the garment. 
     
     
         14 . A garment for retaining at least one medical device, comprising:
 a. a body portion comprising an outward facing surface and an inward facing surface, the body portion further comprising an upper portion and a lower portion;   b. the body portion comprising,
 i. an access opening, the access opening providing access from the outward facing surface to the inward facing surface between the upper portion and the lower portion; 
 ii. an anchor secured on the outward facing surface, the anchor comprising a first set of linearly disposed connectors and a mating second set of linearly disposed connectors, and wherein the anchor is configured for releasable securement of a first portion of a first medical device; and 
 iii. an outer panel affixed to and selectively detachable from the body portion along at least one peripheral edge and defining a selectively closeable pocket configured to retain a second portion of the first medical device. 
   
     
     
         15 . The garment of  claim 14 , wherein the outer panel spans at least a portion of the access opening. 
     
     
         16 . The garment of  claim 14 , wherein the anchor is positioned proximally to the access opening and configured for releasable securement of the first portion of the first medical device when the first portion passes through the access opening from an interior of the garment defined by the inward facing surface and into the selectively closeable pocket. 
     
     
         17 . The garment of  claim 14 , wherein the first set of linearly disposed connectors and the mating second set of linearly disposed connectors, when coupled to each other, define one or more spaced apart openings configured for releasable securement of the first portion of the first medical device. 
     
     
         18 . The garment of  claim 17 , wherein the one or more spaced apart openings comprise a plurality of openings of varying width, and wherein the widths of the plurality of openings are selected to provide strain relief for varying dimensions of the first medical device. 
     
     
         19 . The garment of  claim 14 , the anchor further comprising a hinged portion positioned to align the first set of linearly disposed connectors and the mating second set of linearly disposed connectors for coupling. 
     
     
         20 . The garment of  claim 19 , wherein the hinged portion comprises a sewn coupling.