Enhanced trauma bandage
View Patent ↗Disclosed is an enhanced trauma bandage suitable for use as a compression dressing, the structure including an elastic bandage roll, a pass-through structure attached to one end of the elastic bandage roll, a pass-through structure having both an opening and a bandage guide structure at one edge of the opening; a support surface on a lower surface of the pass-through structure; and an absorbent pad removably attached to the lower surface of the pass-through structure.
1 . An enhanced trauma bandage, comprising:
a) a bandage material in the form of a roll, bundle or folded stack;
b) a pass-through region that is a ring, D-ring or eyelet, comprising a pass-through opening and a tensioning opening;
c) a dressing support surface connecting the bandage material and the pass-through region, wherein the bandage material and the pass-through region are attached to an upper surface of the dressing support surface, and the bandage material is attached to the dressing support surface opposite the tensioning opening, wherein the pass-through region is removably attached to the upper surface of the dressing support surface; and
d) a dressing removably attached to a lower surface of the dressing support surface;
wherein the pass-through opening of the pass-through region is sized to allow the bandage material in its entirety in the form of the roll, bundle or folded stack to pass through and the tensioning opening is a linear opening.
2 . The enhanced trauma bandage of claim 1 , wherein the bandage material is configured to provide a degree of self-tack to allow the roll, bundle or folded stack to maintain its integrity until the enhanced trauma bandage is applied to a wound.
3 . The enhanced trauma bandage of claim 1 , wherein the bandage material is an elastic compression wrap.
4 . The enhanced trauma bandage of claim 1 , wherein the tensioning opening maintains substantially the full width of the bandage material during application to a wound.
5 . The enhanced trauma bandage of claim 1 , wherein the dressing support surface is formed from the bandage material.
6 . The enhanced trauma bandage of claim 1 , wherein the dressing is removably attached to the lower surface of the dressing support surface via adhesive, hook and loop fasteners, stitching, tack-stitching, needle-tacking or welding.
7 . The enhanced trauma bandage of claim 1 , wherein the pass-through region is removably attached to the upper surface of the dressing support surface by one or more attachments comprising rivets, adhesive, stitching, hook and loop fasteners, or welding.
8 . The enhanced trauma bandage of claim 1 , wherein the dressing comprises an absorbent material.
9 . The enhanced trauma bandage of claim 8 , wherein the absorbent material comprises foamed, woven, and/or nonwoven material of natural and/or synthetic fibers selected from the group consisting of rayon, polyester, polyurethane, polyolefin, cellulose, cellulose derivatives, cotton, orlon, polymeric hydrogels, and mixtures and combinations thereof.
10 . The enhanced trauma bandage of claim 8 , wherein the absorbent material includes a coagulant and/or antibiotic/antimicrobial substance.
11 . The enhanced trauma bandage of claim 8 , wherein the absorbent material is configured to be expanded into a bag/pouch for covering and/or protecting a remaining stump of a body part after an amputation.
12 . The enhanced trauma bandage of claim 1 , further comprising a pocket on the pass-through region and/or the dressing support surface.
13 . The enhanced trauma bandage of claim 1 , wherein the dressing support surface is clear or translucent.
14 . The enhanced trauma bandage of claim 1 , further comprising a material to allow visibility of the enhanced trauma bandage using medical imaging techniques.
15 . A method of applying the enhanced trauma bandage of claim 1 to a wound, comprising:
a) placing the removably attached dressing on a surface of the wound;
b) wrapping the bandage material in a first direction around a limb or body part on which the wound is located;
c) passing the bandage material in its entirety in the form of the roll, bundle or folded stack through the pass-through opening of the pass-through region;
d) pulling the bandage material against the tensioning opening to provide a desired level of compression over the wound;
e) reversing the wrapping direction of the bandage material in a second direction, opposite the first direction, and over a previously applied portion of the bandage; and
f) securing the bandage material to maintain the desired level of compression over the wound.
16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein a) through f) are carried out in a one-handed and/or self-application.
17 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising joining a second enhanced trauma bandage by passing a second bandage material in its entirety in the form of a roll, bundle or folded stack through the pass-through opening of the pass-through region to provide a longer bandage.