US3641592A - Breast prosthesis - Google Patents

Abstract

A surgically removed breast is replaced by a prosthesis which also has a foldable tab extending under the arm. The prosthesis comprises a soft cloth case filled with polyester fiber fluff, overlapping panels at the back providing access for insertion or removal of fluff. Snaps hold the prosthesis in place in a brassiere cup.

Description

I United States Patent Den Bleyker [54] BREAST PROSTHESIS [72] Inventor: Hazel M. Den Bleyker, 445 East Hoyt Avenue, St. Paul, Minn. 5510] [22] Filed: Jan. 29, 1970 [21 Appl. No.: 6,787

[52] U.S. Cl ..3/36 [51] Int. Cl ..A6l f 1/00, A4lc 3/10 [58] Field of Search ..3/36; 128/479-481 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,516,414 6/1970 Greenough ..3/36X 3,278,947 10/1966 Silverman ..3/36

[ 1 Feb. 15, 1972 2,429,308 10/1947 Cooper ..3/36 3,348,241 10/1967 Dodds 2,108,205 2/1938 Martin ..3/36

Primary Examiner-Richard A. Gaudet Assistant Examiner-Ronald L. Frinks AtlorneyRichard E. Brink [5 7] ABSTRACT A surgically removed breast is replaced by a prosthesis which also has a foldable tab extending under the am. The prosthesis comprises a soft cloth case filled with polyester fiber fluff, overlapping panels at the back providing access for insertion or removal of fluff. Snaps hold the prosthesis in place in a brassiere cup.

4 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PATENTEBFEMS I972 3.641 .592

2 FIG. I /4 /6 INVENIOR.

HAZEL MDENBLEYKER A 7' TORNE Y BREAST PROSTHESIS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a prosthesis which simulates a surgically removed breast. v

Women who have undergone mastectomies not only suffer considerable physical pain but also undergo severe emotional shock at the apparent loss of part of their femininity. As a result, a great deal of work has been done to develop realistic prostheses which simulate the missing breast and may extend under the arm, where muscles and lymph nodes have been removed. Several U.S. patents illustrate the fact that a common way to form a prosthesis is to insert some type of lightweight filler into a thin case of cloth or other material. Each of these prior art devices suffers from disadvantages which have limited its use. Some have tended to be hot and uncomfortable, while others have lacked breathability. Fillers often tended to harden or mat down, and removal or replacement was inconvenient. Others tended to slip embarrassingly or to become bulky at the top and make their artificiality apparent.

Despite the disadvantages of the prostheses just described, there has heretofore been no better device available. The present invention is directed to meeting this unfilled need.

SUMMARY The present invention provides a prosthesis for use by mastectomy patients which has the advantages of the best previously available prostheses without their disadvantages. The present device is light in weight, resilient, compressible, moisture vapor-transmitting, soft, nonirritating and convenient. It remains in place and does not move within the enclosing brassiere cup, performing its desired role in an efiective yet inconspicuous manner. It is also adaptable to individual needs for supplementary underarm paddings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING Understanding of the invention will be aided by reference to the accompanying drawing, in which like numbers refer to like parts in the several views, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a three-quarter front view of the prosthesis of the invention, showing the manner in which it fits inside a brassiere, the latter being shown partially in dotted lines;

FIG. 2 is a rear view of the prosthesis, with certain portions partially broken away in the interest of clarity;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the prosthesis taken along section line 3-3 and looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the prosthesis taken along section line 4-4 and looking in the direction of the arrows.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Further understanding of the invention will be facilitated by a more detailed discussion of the presently preferred embodiment, which is illustrative but is not to be considered limitative.

In the drawings the prosthesis comprises generally planoconvex, or conoidal, bust portion 10 and cushionlike tab portion 20. Bust portion 10 is made up of lower front panel 11,

upper front panel 12, inner rear panel 13 and outer rear panel 14. The outboard edges of panels 11, 12 and 13 are stitched to the inboard edges of tab panel 20, thus providing a convenient means for folding tab 20 along a predictable line, for reasons to be disclosed hereinafter.

Panels 13 and 14 overlap, edge 13a of panel 13 extending below panel 14 and edge 14a of panel 14 overlying panel 13. The entire lower edge of panels 13 and 14 is stitched to the lower edge of panel 11, while the entire upper edge of panels 13 and 14 is stitched to the upper edge of panel 12. The overlapped edges 13a and 14a define, therebetween, an opening for insertion or removal of filler 16 from the interior of bust portion 10 and/or tab portion 20. A greatly preferred material for constructing the various panels is a highly porous soft,

strong material such as a cottoncontaining broadcloth. This material comes in contact with the sensitive and tender chest wall, and should be free from any hard or rough portions such as lumps, buttons, zippers, stiff seams, etc. For similar reasons, the prosthesis is formed with all seams turned toward the inside. The fabric should also be moisture vapor transmitting, so as to avoid feeling hot or sticky. The material should have a sufficiently high coefficient of friction that it will not readily slide with respect to the brassiere; a convenient way to achieve a frictional surface is to include at least some cotton fibers in the fabric. Blends of cotton fibers and polyester fibers yield a wash-and-wear fabric which is soft, porous, adequate in frictional character, moisture-absorbent and moisture-transmissive and does not require ironing.

A greatly preferred filler material is polyester fiber, e.g., that sold under the designation Dacron flufi'. This material is light in weight, highly compressible but resilient, does not mat down, is easily washable, and transmits moisture vapor readily. It is also cooler and more comfortable to wear than many other commercially available products.

Tab 20 is provided with an amount of filler l6 suited to the needs of the wearer. In a radical mastectomy, a considerable amount of axillary tissue is removed, and a correspondingly large quantity of filler 16 may be needed. In such operations it is also common to leave a drainage tube in the underarm area, and it affords the patient a great deal of physical comfort to have this area padded. When desired or appropriate, however, filler 16 may be removed from the interior of tab 20, which can then be folded under the rear of bust portion 10. This feature has also been found valuable to double mastectomy patients, who may choose to use tab 20 at some times but not need it at others.

Another important aspect of the present invention is the provision of means to insure that the prosthesis will remain consistently in the same location on the body of the wearer. Thus means are provided for the brassiere to snugly grip the prosthesis. Small male snap fasteners l7, l8 and 19 are inconspicuously positioned at the top, bottom and sides of bust portion 10, the female halves of these fasteners being complementarily positioned on the interior of the brassiere cup. This arrangement insures that the top of bust portion 10 will remain firmly pressed against the body of the wearer and that it will also be surrounded by the breast cup of the brassiere, thereby preventing embarrassment such as would result from exposure of the top of bust portion 10. As shown in FIG. 4, fastener 19 at the top is attached to a shallow flange formed by top stitching, which itself functions as a means to grip the prosthesis between the upper edge of the brassiere and the body of the wearer, helping the prosthesis to lie flat.

What I claim is as follows:

1. A breast prosthesis which is light in weight, resilient, compressible, moisture vapor-transmitting, soft, nonirritating, conformable and has particular utility for a mastectomy patient, comprising in combination:

a thin, strong, breathable soft fabric case filled with nonmatting, washable, moisture vapor-transmitting polyester fluff, the filled case having a generally planoconvex breast portion, the planar surface being intended to serve as a body-contacting portion and the convex surface being intended to serve as a brassiere-contacting portion, and extending from the laterally outer edge thereof a hollow fabric tab portion adapted to be either filled with polyester fluff and extended under the arm of the wearer or emptied, collapsed and folded under the planar surface of said breast portion, the edge of the fabric forming the tab portion being stitched to the laterally outer edge of the fabric forming the breast portion, thereby defining a line of demarcation along which said tab portion can be more easily folded, the interior of said tab portion being open to the interior of said breast portion; the body-contacting portion of said case being free from stiff or hard areas and having panels in the planar surface of said breast portion which overlap to close an opening through hold the prosthesis flat against the body of the wearer.

3. The prosthesis of claim 1 wherein the holding means comprises half a snap fastener, the mating half of said fastener to be complementarily mounted on the brassiere of the wearer.

4. The prosthesis of claim 1 wherein the convex portion is defined by a lower front panel and an upper front panel.

Claims (4)

1. A breast prosthesis which is light in weight, resilient, compressible, moisture vapor-transmitting, soft, nonirritating, conformable and has particular utility for a mastectomy patient, comprising in combination: a thin, strong, breathable soft fabric case filled with nonmatting, washable, moisture vapor-transmitting polyester fluff, the filled case having a generaLly planoconvex breast portion, the planar surface being intended to serve as a bodycontacting portion and the convex surface being intended to serve as a brassiere-contacting portion, and extending from the laterally outer edge thereof a hollow fabric tab portion adapted to be either filled with polyester fluff and extended under the arm of the wearer or emptied, collapsed and folded under the planar surface of said breast portion, the edge of the fabric forming the tab portion being stitched to the laterally outer edge of the fabric forming the breast portion, thereby defining a line of demarcation along which said tab portion can be more easily folded, the interior of said tab portion being open to the interior of said breast portion; the body-contacting portion of said case being free from stiff or hard areas and having panels in the planar surface of said breast portion which overlap to close an opening through which said fluff can be inserted or removed; the brassiere-contacting portion of said case having an adequate coefficient of friction to minimize slippage between said case and a brassiere; holding means on the periphery of said breast portion being provided to facilitate gripping said pad by a brassiere so as to further reduce slippage.

2. The prosthesis of claim 1 wherein the holding means comprises a shallow flange along the upper edge, which flange is adapted to be gripped by the upper edge of a brassiere to hold the prosthesis flat against the body of the wearer.

3. The prosthesis of claim 1 wherein the holding means comprises half a snap fastener, the mating half of said fastener to be complementarily mounted on the brassiere of the wearer.

4. The prosthesis of claim 1 wherein the convex portion is defined by a lower front panel and an upper front panel.

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