Medical patch

1 . A medical patch configured for being applied to skin of a patient and for communicating with an in-vivo device located within the patient's body, the medical patch comprising:

an adhesive film configured for adhering the patch to the skin of the patient, the adhesive film including a first side having an adhesive surface configured to be adhered to the skin of the patient and a second side opposite the first side;

a plurality of protective liners removably attached to the first side of the adhesive film and configured to cover the adhesive surface prior to application of the medical patch to the skin of the patient, the plurality of protective liners including:

a first protective liner removably attached to a first portion of the first side and configured to be removed from the adhesive film to expose the first portion for adhering the first portion to the skin of the patient; and

at least one additional protective liner removably attached to a second portion of the first side adjacent to the first portion, the at least one additional protective liner configured to be removed, after adherence of the first portion to the skin of the patient, from the adhesive film to expose the second portion for adhering the second portion to the skin of the patient;

at least one support liner removably attached to the second side of the adhesive film and configured to structurally support the adhesive film during application of the medical patch to the skin of the patient;

an antenna configured for providing communication between the medical patch and the in-vivo device;

a spacing layer interposed between the adhesive film and the antenna;

a first double-sided adhesive layer interposed between the adhesive film and the spacing layer; and

a second double-sided adhesive layer interposed between the antenna and the spacing layer.

2 . The medical patch according to claim 1 , wherein the antenna is configured to communicate with the in-vivo device during movement of the in-vivo device within the patient's body.

3 . The medical patch according to claim 1 , wherein the in-vivo device is a swallowable in-vivo device configured for traveling along at least a portion of the patient's GI tract.

4 . The medical patch according to claim 1 , wherein the adhesive film includes an inner surface and an outer surface, and the adhesive surface is disposed on at least a portion of the inner surface.

5 . The medical patch according to claim 4 , wherein the at least one protective liner is attached to the inner surface of the adhesive film and is configured for protecting the inner surface of the adhesive film prior to application of the medical patch to the skin of the patient.

6 . The medical patch according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one support liner comprises four support liners configured to be removed sequentially from the second side of the adhesive film after adherence of the adhesive surface to the skin of the patient, wherein the four support liners comprise two support liner pieces extending around a top edge of a peripheral region of the adhesive film, and two support liner pieces extending along a bottom curved edge of the peripheral region, and wherein the four support liners each has a turn angle smaller than 100 degrees.

7 . The medical patch according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one support liner comprises a plurality of support liners marked with indicia indicating a sequential order for removal of the plurality of support liners from the second side of the adhesive film after adherence of the adhesive surface to the skin of the patient.

8 . The medical patch according to claim 1 , wherein the spacing layer comprises closed-cell foam that returns to its original shape following deformation, thereby maintaining separation between the antenna and the patient.

9 . The medical patch according to claim 1 , wherein each protective liner of the plurality of protective liners is marked with indicia indicating a sequential order for removal of the plurality of protective liners from the first side of the adhesive film during application of the medical patch to the skin of the patient.

10 . The medical patch according to claim 1 , wherein the first protective liner is removably attached to a middle portion of the first side and the at least one additional protective liner comprises:

a second protective liner removably attached to a first end portion of the first side, the first end portion being adjacent to a first end of the middle portion; and

a third protective liner removably attached to a second end portion of the adhesive film layer, the second end portion being adjacent to a second end of the middle portion such that the first and second end portions are separated by the middle portion, wherein:

the first protective liner is configured to be removed from the adhesive film layer prior to the second and third protective liners to expose the middle portion and adhere the middle portion to the skin of the patient prior to removal of the second and third protective liners; and

the second and third protective liners are configured to be sequentially removed from the adhesive film layer after adherence of the middle portion to the skin of the patient to expose the respective first and second end portions and adhere the first and second end portions to the skin of the patient.

11 . A method for applying a medical patch to skin of a patient, the method comprising:

removing a first protective liner from a first side of an adhesive layer of the medical patch to expose a first portion of the first side of the adhesive layer;

adhering the first portion of the first side of the adhesive layer to the skin of the patient;

removing, after removing of the first protective liner and after adhering of the first portion to the skin of the patient, at least one additional protective liner from the first side of the adhesive layer to expose a second portion of the first side adjacent to the first portion;

adhering the second portion to the skin of the patient;

removing, after removing of the at least one additional protective liner and after adhering of the second portion to the skin of the patient, a support liner from a second side of the adhesive layer, the second side of the adhesive layer being opposite the first side of the adhesive layer; and

removing, after removing of the support liner, at least one additional support liner from the second side of the adhesive layer, wherein the medical patch includes a spacing layer interposed between the adhesive layer and an antenna, a first double-sided adhesive layer interposed between the adhesive layer and the spacing layer, and a second double-sided adhesive layer interposed between the antenna and the spacing layer.

12 . The method according to claim 11 , wherein removing the support liner from the second side of the adhesive layer includes removing the support liner from an outer periphery area of the adhesive layer.

13 . The method according to claim 11 , wherein removing the first protective liner and removing the at least one additional protective liner includes removing a plurality of protective liners sequentially in accordance with indicia included on the plurality of protective liners, the indicia indicating a sequential order for removing of the plurality of protective liners.

14 . The method according to claim 11 , wherein removing the support liner and removing the at least one additional support liner includes removing a plurality of support liners sequentially in accordance with indicia included on the plurality of support liners, the indicia indicating a sequential order for removing of the plurality of support liners subsequent to the removing of the at least one additional protective liner.

15 . The method according to claim 11 , wherein:

removing the first protective liner includes removing the first protective liner from a middle portion of the first side and adhering the middle portion to the skin of the patient; and

removing the at least one additional protective liner includes:

removing, after adhering of the middle portion to the skin of the patient, a second protective liner from a first end portion of the first side, the first end portion being adjacent to a first end of the middle portion;

adhering the first end portion to the skin of the patient;

removing, after adhering the first end portion to the skin of the patient, a third protective liner from a second end portion of the first side, the second end portion being adjacent to a second end of the middle portion; and

adhering the second end portion to the skin of the patient.

16 . A medical patch configured for being applied to skin of a patient and for communicating with an in-vivo device located within the patient's body, the medical patch comprising:

a communication layer comprising an antenna configured for providing communication between at least one of the in-vivo device and the medical patch or the medical patch and an external device;

an adhesive film layer configured for adhering the medical patch to the skin of the patient;

a plurality of protective liners removably attached to the adhesive film layer, the plurality of protective liners including:

a first protective liner removably attached to a first portion of the adhesive film layer and configured to be removed from the adhesive film layer to expose the first portion for adhering the first portion to the skin of the patient; and

at least one additional protective liner removably attached to a second portion of the adhesive film layer adjacent to the first portion, the at least one additional protective liner configured to be removed from the adhesive film layer after adherence of the first portion to the skin of the patient to expose the second portion for adhering the second portion to the skin of the patient;

a spacing layer interposed between the adhesive film layer and the communication layer for separating the communication layer of the medical patch from the skin of the patient such that the communication layer is not in direct contact with the skin of the patient;

a first double-sided adhesive layer interposed between the adhesive film layer and the spacing layer and configured to attach the adhesive film layer to the spacing layer; and

a second double-sided adhesive film layer interposed between the communication layer and the spacing layer and configured to attach the communication layer to the spacing layer.

17 . The medical patch according to claim 16 , wherein the first protective liner is removably attached to a middle portion of the adhesive film layer and the at least one additional protective liner comprises:

a second protective liner removably attached to a first end portion of the adhesive film layer, the first end portion being adjacent to a first end of the middle portion; and

a third protective liner removably attached to a second end portion of the adhesive film layer, the second end portion being adjacent to a second end of the middle portion such that the first and second end portions are separated by the middle portion, wherein:

the first protective liner is configured to be removed from the adhesive film layer prior to the second and third protective layers to expose the middle portion and adhere the middle portion to the skin of the patient prior to removal of the second and third protective liners; and

the second and third protective liners are configured to be sequentially removed from the adhesive film layer after adherence of the middle portion to the skin of the patient to expose the respective first and second end portions and adhere the first and second end portions to the skin of the patient.