Combi-plaster and a nose-bridge plaster forming part thereof
The invention relates firstly to a plaster combination for the controlled application of a tube or the like to a patient, which combination comprises at least one plaster element, wherein the at least one plaster element comprises a fastening tab extending sideways from the body of the plaster element.
Such a plaster combination is known from WO 93/16750, US-A-4,120,304, US-A-5, 52, 511, WO 94/28962 and US- A-5, 527,293. WO 93/16750, US-A-4, 120, 304 and US-A-5, 752, 511 each show a plaster combination wherein the end of the fastening tab furthest removed from the plaster element has a fixed clamping member attached thereto, which serves for fixing the tube in position. WO 94/28962 shows a plaster combination wherein the fastening tab extends into a permanently attached plaster portion that serves for fixing the tube into position.
US-A-5, 527, 293 shows a plaster combination wherein the fastening tab extends into an adhesive tape, which is to be applied around the tube for its controlled application.
Especially in hospital practice there is a need for a plaster combination providing a suitable manner of fastening a tube, in particular a nasal tube, to a patient. The object is to fasten the nasal tube to the nose bridge of the patient and thus fixing it into position. The patient may be a baby or a young child requiring nasal intubation. Application with older patients is also possible, for example, in the case of applying a gastric tube. The known prior art has the drawback that the necessary daily replacement and/or re- attachment of the nasal, tube is a laborious task on both the nursing staff and the patient. The object of the invention is to improve this, and to provide an alternative that allows the controlled application of the tube, allowing the daily replacement of the tube to be carried out relatively cheaply. According to the invention there is first proposed a plaster combination of the kind referred to in the preamble,
which is characterised in that at least one removable and replaceable fastening element is provided, wherein this fastening element is designed so as to during use allow the tube to be removably fastened to the fastening tab. The fastening tab may have any desirable form, for example, that of a plate, strip or bar. In order for the tube and the plaster combination to be coupled so as to stay in position during ordinary head movements, the fastening element and the fastening tab together need to be capable of withstanding a pushing and pulling force in the range of 1-5 newton. Within the scope of the invention it is possible to use long-lasting adhesion nose plasters that are capable of retaining their adhesive power even under damp conditions.
The advantage of the invention is that the at least one plaster element can stay in position for a longer period of time, while the daily replacement and fastening of the nasal tube can take place by using the removable and replaceable fastening element for the positioned fastening of the tube to the fastening tab of the nose bridge plaster. As the nose bridge plaster may remain in place for a longer period of time, for example, one week before being removed, this reduces the load on nursing staff and patient considerably, while the construction of the plaster combination comprising the removable and replaceable fastening element makes it pos- sible for one member of the nursing staff to simply perform the daily replacement and fastening of the nasal tube.
It is preferred for the fastening tab of the plaster element used as nose bridge plaster to be transparent. This brings the advantage that any texts on the nasal tube remain legible.
As fastening element with which the nasal tube can be fastened to the nose bridge plaster it is also possible to use the usual tube fixing plasters or specially designed narrow plaster strips. The invention is also embodied in the separate nose bridge plaster proposed by the invention, which is characterised in that the same is provided with a fastening tab extending sideways from the body of the plaster. As mentioned
earlier, this fastening tab is preferably transparent.
The invention will hereinafter be elucidated with reference to the drawing.
In the drawing a non-liming embodiment is shown to which various variations can be applied:
- Fig. 1 is an example of the plaster combination according to the invention, and
- Fig. 2 is a plaster combination according to the invention during use. Identical reference numbers in the figures refer to similar components.
With reference first to Fig. 1, an unassembled plaster combination is shown carrying reference number 1, for the controlled application of an nasal tube to a patient. This combination 1 comprises at least one plaster element 2 that will be serviceable as nose bridge plaster. The plaster element 2 is provided with a fastening tab 4 extending sideways from the body 3 of the plaster element 2, which fastening tab 4 is preferably transparent. Further pro- vided is at least one, and in the case illustrated, two fastening elements 5 which serve to be used to act together with the fastening tab 4 for fastening the nasal tube.
Fig. 2 shows the plaster combination 1 according to the invention, in use. Fig. 2 shows a part of a patient 6 in recumbent posture to whose nose a plaster combination 1 according to the invention is applied. What is shown is the nose bridge plaster 2 applied to the nose 7, also clearly showing the fastening tab 4 extending from the body 3 of the nose bridge plaster 2. The figure further shows a nasal tube 8, which is inserted into the nose 7 of the patient 6, while the figure further clearly shows that the tube 8 is fixed into position with the aid of a tube fixing plaster 9 by fastening the same to the fastening tab 4 of the nose bridge plaster 2. It will be clear that instead of a single tube fixing plaster 9 it is also possible to use several tube fixing plasters 9 to strengthen the contact with the fastening tab 4 of the nose bridge plaster 2.
Although the invention as described hereinbefore refers in particular to the example of fastening the nasal tube to a patient, the invention is not limited to a plaster combination that serves for such application. Consequently, the protection of the appended claims is not limited to this application but is only limited by the material characteristics of the plaster combination and the separate nose bridge plaster, respectively, as disclosed in the appended claims.