Low profile chest seal

1. A chest seal comprising:

a flexible flange body having a top side surface and a bottom side surface, said flange body having at least one opening defined therethrough in a central portion thereof;

a biocompatible adhesive disposed on said bottom surface of said flexible flange body; and

at least one one-way valve secured with respect to said upper surface of said flange body so as to overlie a respective at least one said central opening, said one-way valve comprising a valve body having a peripheral wall, a passage defined therethrough, a valve seat, and a sealing element disposed in said valve body so as to selectively seat on said valve seat to seal said passage to preclude air flow in one direction through said valve body toward the at least one opening in the flange body and so as to be selectively unseated from said valve seat to allow air flow through said valve body in a direction opposite the one direction, said sealing element comprising an elastomeric sealing element, said valve seat being defined on a transverse wall of said valve body that is disposed in a plane that is substantially parallel to a plane of said flange body,

whereby when the flange body is adhered to the skin of a patient with said at least one central opening generally overlying a chest wound, air is allowed to escape from the chest wound through the one-way valve whereas air flow into the chest wound is precluded.

2. A chest seal as in claim 1 , wherein said one-way valve is mounted to said upper surface of said flange body with a mounting membrane disposed to overlie said valve and having at least one opening aligned with said valve body for air to escape from the one-way valve through the mounting membrane.

3. A chest seal as in claim 2 , wherein said mounting membrane is adhesively secured to said upper surface of said flange body.

4. A chest seal as in claim 1 , wherein there are a plurality of one-way valves secured with respect to said upper surface.

5. A chest seal as in claim 4 , wherein there are three one-way valves.

6. A chest seal as in claim 1 , wherein said sealing element comprises an elastomeric sealing disk that is free-floating within said valve body between the seated and unseated positions thereof.

7. A chest seal as in claim 1 , further comprising a peel-off backing for covering and protecting said adhesive prior to application of the chest seal.

8. A chest seal as in claim 1 , further comprising a filter component disposed between aid valve body and said flange body.

9. A chest seal comprising:

a flexible flange body having a top side surface and a bottom side surface, said flange body having at least one opening defined therethrough in a central portion thereof;

a biocompatible adhesive disposed on said bottom surface of said flexible flange body and at least one one-way valve secured with respect to said upper surface of said flange body so as to overlie a respective at least one said central opening, said one-way valve comprising a valve body having a peripheral wall, a passage defined therethrough, and a sealing element disposed in said valve body so as to selectively seat to seal said passage to preclude air flow in one direction through said valve body and so as to be selectively unseated to allow flow through said valve body in the opposite direction, whereby when the flange body is adhered to the skin of a patient with said at least one central opening generally overlying a chest wound, air is allowed to escape from the chest wound through the one-way valve whereas air flow into the chest wound is precluded, and

further comprising a filter component disposed between said valve body and said flange body.

10. A chest seal as in claim 9 , wherein said one-way valve is mounted to said upper surface of said flange body with a mounting membrane disposed to overlie said valve and having at least one opening aligned with said valve body for air to escape from the one-way valve through the mounting membrane.

11. A chest seal as in claim 9 , wherein there are a plurality of one-way valves secured with respect to said upper surface.

12. A chest seal as in claim 9 , wherein said sealing element comprises an elastomeric sealing disk that seats and unseats from a valve seat defined on a transverse wall of said valve body, said transverse wall being disposed in a plane that is substantially in parallel to a plane of said flange body.

13. A method of treating an open pneumothorax comprising:

providing a chest seal comprising a flexible flange body having a top side surface and a bottom side surface, said flange body having at least one opening defined therethrough in a central portion thereof, a biocompatible adhesive disposed on said bottom surface of said flexible flange body, and a one-way valve secured with respect to said upper surface of said flange body so as to overlie a respective at least one said central opening, said one-way valve comprising a valve body having a peripheral wall, a passage defined therethrough, a valve seat, and a sealing element disposed in said valve body so as to selectively seat on said valve seat to seal said passage to preclude air flow in one direction through said valve body toward the central opening and so as to be selectively unseated from said valve seat to allow air flow through said valve body in a direction opposite the one direction, said sealing element comprising an elastomeric sealing element, said valve seat being defined on a transverse wall of said valve body that is disposed in a plane that is substantially in parallel to a plane of said flange body;

wiping the patient's skin in an area around the chest wound;

applying the chest seal to the patient's skin with at least one said central opening overlying the chest wound; and

pressing to adhere the adhesive to patient's skin around and about the chest wound, whereby air is allowed to escape from the chest wound through the one-way valve whereas air flow into the chest wound is precluded.

14. A method as in claim 13 , wherein said one-way valve is mounted to said upper surface of said flange body with a mounting membrane disposed to overlie said valve and having at least one opening aligned with said. valve body for air to escape from the one-way valve through the mounting membrane.

15. A method as in claim 14 , wherein said mounting membrane is adhesively secured to said upper surface of said flange body.

16. A method as in claim 13 , wherein there are a plurality of one-way valves secured with respect to said upper surface.

17. A method as in claim 16 , wherein there are three one-way valves.

18. A method as in claim 13 , wherein said sealing element comprises an elastomeric sealing disk that is free-floating within said valve body between the seated and unseated positions thereof.

19. A method as in claim 13 , wherein the chest seal further comprises a peel-off backing for covering and protecting said adhesive prior to application of the chest seal, and wherein the method further comprises removing said peel-off backing before said applying step.

20. A method as in claim 13 , further comprising a filter component disposed between said valve body and said flange body.