Surgicl Glove

Abstract

A surgical glove adapted to be worn by a user has a portion at the underside of the wrist area of the glove which is enlarged or expandable provides relief from pressure to the wrist of a user wearing the glove during use of the glove. A second enlarged or expandable portion positioned at the dorsal side of the wrist area of the glove further provides relief from pressure to the wrist of the wearer of the glove.

Description

[0001]The present invention relates to surgical gloves, and more particularly to surgical gloves of elastomeric material having improved comfort and stress relief to the user, particularly at the wrist area.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]Surgical gloves, particularly of elastomeric material, such as latex, are commonly and widely known. The gloves, in addition to use in surgical medical and dental examination and treatment procedures, are also used in many commercial and industrial applications, such as in the manufacture of shoes and in the manufacture and / or assembly of electronic equipment, for example, computer chips, which also require clean-room or almost sterile conditions to prevent contamination of the devices being assembled. The reference to “surgical gloves” herein is understood to apply to the above-described gloves used in the various applications.[0003]The need for improvement in surgical gloves to provide comfort to the user in some respects has been recognized. Fo...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0006]Therefore, one object of this invention is the provision of a surgical glove which includes a portion of the glove in the area of the inside, i.e., the underside or palmar side of the wrist above the carpal tunnel and palmar carpal ligament, which does not cause pressure to that area upon the wearer of the glove performing hand manipulation.

[0010]The surgical glove of the present invention of elastomeric material, such as latex, or other material commonly used for such gloves, includes a portion which provides relief, i.e., eliminates pressure, to the wrist above the carpal tunnel and palmar carpal ligament of the wearer of the glove. As heretofore described, it has now been discovered that stress to the wrist of surgeons, particularly surgeons performing spinal surgery on patients over several or more hours is likely to cause wrist stress-related problems. It is believed that the surgical glove of the present invention fulfills the objects described above by providing an area of enlargement or an enlargeable area of the glove, at least in the area of the palmar side, i.e., the inside or underside of the wrist, which will be above the carpal tunnel and the palmar carpal ligament of the wearer of the glove.

[0012]In another embodiment, the area of enlargement of the glove in the glove material also may be on the palmar side and on the outside, i.e., the side opposite the palmar or dorsal side in the same region of the glove as described above. Having the area of enlargement on both the palmar side and the outside or dorsal side is advantageous in that the glove may be worn on either the right hand or the left hand of the wearer. Thus, the surgical gloves of this embodiment may be packaged without the need for gloves to be packaged or the wearer selecting right-hand or left hand gloves. The gloves can be manufactured as described above, but with the form having bulges or other enlarged configuration corresponding to the above-described area on the palmar side and the area on the opposite or dorsal side of the form. The resulting glove will have baggy portions on the two opposing sides, allowing the glove to be worn on either hand, while providing relief from pressure to the wrist area above the carpal tunnel and palmar carpal ligament of the wearer of the glove on either hand.

[0013]In still another embodiment, the area of enlargement of the glove material may be provided circumferentially about the wrist area of the glove, for example, by forming a circumferential bulge in the form for the glove about the wrist area, and using the form in the above manufacturing process. The resulting glove will be wearable on either hand and will eliminate stress to the wrist area to the wearer of the glove.

Problems solved by technology

It has now been shown, in an unreported study, that repetitive hand manipulation, particularly in surgical procedures, requiring hand manipulation of instruments, including instruments causing vibration which may be transmitted to the surgeon's hand and wrist, more particularly surgeons performing spinal surgery on patients over several or more hours is likely to cause wrist stress-related problems, for example, carpal tunnel problems.

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