Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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The present invention relates to covers :Eor
burned hands and in par-ticular to a glove for in-terim
therapy in the treatment regimen for hypertrophic scarring
and/or edema.
One of the problems associated with burns is
hypertrophic scarring and edema. It has been found that
the application oE continuous pressure on hypertrophic
scar formation controls andlor diminishes the deforming
sequelae associated with thermal injuries. One solution
to the problem is an elastic bandage wrap. However, it
often is difficult to obtain and maintain consis-tent
pressure with such wraps especially in areas of rapidly
changing contour such as a hand.
A better solution to the problem is a glove
formed from an elastomeric knitted fabric. The glove can
be custom fitted to the hand for the precise application
of pressure in all areas. However, since the glove is
custom fitted, there is a manufacturing delay before the
glove is available.
The present invention concerns a glove for burned
hands for use in interim therapy in the treatment regimen
for hypertrophic scarring and/or edemaO In a preferred
embodiment, the glove is formed from a pair of fabric
blanks having finger, thumb and wrist portions connected
to a body portion. The edges of the blanks are stitched
together leaving the wrist portion open for the insertion
of the hand. Cutouts are formed in the web area between
adjacent fingers and the edges of the cutouts are stitched
together -to apply local pressure in the dorsal web areas
of the hand. The cutouts are slanted with respect to the
longitudinal axes of the adjacent fingers to avoid the
knuckle areas of the hand.
In an alternate embodiment, a flap is connected
to the body portion of each blank along the little finger
edge thereof. The flaps and the edges of the wrist
portions of the two blanks are not attached such that they
can be separated to provide a large opening for the
insertion of the hand. The flaps can be provided with a
.3
a loop means and a hook means can be utilized -to attach the
loop means after the -flaps have been wrapped about the
wrist. The loop ana hook means provide for -the adjustment
of the pressure applied to the wris-t.
The present inven-tion also relates to a method
of selecting a standard glove size. In a preferred aspec-t,
two dimensional measurements having a rela-tively high
correlation to hand volume are selected. A population of
hands is divided into a predetermined number oE approx-
ima-tely equally populated hand volume size ranges by equal
subdivision of the area under the associated maximum
likelihood normal probability curve~ Two dimensional
chart areas for each subgroup are then plotted. The hand
to be measured is placed on the chart at a predetermined
position and a horizontal line and a vertical line are
extended from predetermined points on the hand. The inter-
section of the two lines falls into one of chart areas to
select a corresponding glove size.
According to the present invention, then, -there
is provided an apparatus for treating a h~an hand com-
prising a fabric glove including Einger and th~b portions
connected to a body portion for applying a predetermined
pressure to the hand graduated from the tips of the finger
and thumb portions to the body portion and means for
decreasing the area of the fabric adjacent the finger
portions for applying relatively greater local pressure in
a dorsal web space on the hand than in other adjacent areas
of the hand.
Further objects and advantages of the invention
will become apparent to those skilled in the art from
the following detailed description, taken in conjunction
with the annexed sheets of drawings~ on which is illus-
trated a preferred embodiment of this invention.
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a glove according
to the present invention fitted to a human hand;
Fig. 2 is a plan view of the glove shown in ~ig.
l;
Fig. 3 is a plan view of an alternate embodiment
of the present invention; and
Fig. 4 is a measuring diagram ~or use in a method
of determining the proper siæe glove according to the
present invention.
Referring to Fig. 1 there is shown a perspective
view o~ a glove 10 according to the present invention.
The glove includes finger portions 11, 12, 13 and 1~
and a thumb portion 15 integral with a body portion 16
tapering to a wrist por~ion 17. The glove 10 is
formed from a pair of identical fabric blanks which are
sewn together at the edges 18 thereof as shown more
clearly in Fig. 2. The outside edges 19 or the wrist
portion 17 are not sewn together to permit the inser-
tion of a hand in the glove. However, these edges 19can be stitched to strengthen them.
The glove 10 is particularly useful in the interim
therapy in the treatment regimen for hypertrophic
scarring and/or edema. The fabric blanks are formed
from a knitted elastic fabric and shaped to apply a
graduated pressure to the hand. ~or example~ the glove
10 can apply approximately five mm Hg. at the wrist to
approximately twenty-five mm ~Ig. at the finger -tips.
A glove for applying graduated pressure in the
treatment of hypertrophlc scarring and/or edema is
cor~ercially available as catalog no. 05-35 from Jobst
Institute, Inc. However, such a glove must be custom
made and, therefor, would not be available for irnmediate
treatment. The glove according to the present inven-
tion is constructed from two identical blanks. There-
foreg it can be worn on either hand and is relatively
inexpensive to manufacture and stock for immediate
availability for temporary treatment.
The glove 10 also includes stitching on each blank
extending from the web spaces between ad~acent pairs o
fingers alony the body portion 16 toward the ~rist
portion 17. As sho~l in Figs. 1 and 2, stitching ~0
extends from the web space between the ingers 11 and
12, stitching 21 extends rom the web space between the
fingers 1~ and 13, and stitching 2~ extends from the
web space between the fingers 13 and 14. The stitching
joins edges formed from tear drop shaped cutouts made
in the blanks, the pointed ends of the cutouts oriented
toward the web spaces. The joining of these edges
stretches the fabric to create local pressure areas
over the dorsal web spaces of the hand. Although not
shown, the opposite side of the glove lQ has similar
stitches. Such local pressure is extremely important
in the treatment of burns for prev~nting the formation
of scar tissue. Furthermore, the stitches are slanted
with respect to the longitudinal axes of the adjacent
fingers to avoid the knuckle areas and the associated
tendons which are located there to prevent pressure
points from forming ulcers.
There is shown in Fig~ 3 in plan view an alternate
embodiment of a burn glove according to the present
invention. A glove 30 includes finger portions 31, 32,
33, and 34 and a thumb portion 35 integral with a body
portion 36. The body 36 tapers to a wrist portion 37
toward the thumb portion side and tapers into a flap 38
which extends at approximately right angles to the
longitudinal axis of the finger portions. As in the
glove 10, the glove 30 is formed from a pair of identi-
cal fabric blanks which are sewn together at the edges
39 thereof. The outside edges 40 of the wrist portion
%~
37 are not sewn together to permit the insertion of a
hand in the glove. However, these edges can be stitched
to strengthen them.
The outside edges 41 of the flaps 38 also are not
sewn toge-ther from the edges 40 of the wrist portion 37
to a point 42 along the edge of the body portion 36
near the finger portion 31. I~owever, these eAges can
be stitched to strengthen them. ~s a hand is being
inserted into the glove, the flaps 38 can be separated
to open the body portion 36 for ease of entry.
The outer end of each flap 38 has a fastening
means incorporated therein such as a piece of Velcro
brand loop material ~3. The flaps 38 are wrapped about
the wrist in overlying fashion and secured together
with a piece of double-sided Velcro*brand hook material
44. Although other forms of fastening means could be
utilized, the flaps and Velcro brand fastener have cost
and ease of operation advantages over a zipper as well
as the advantage of being able to adjust the tension
applied at the wrist.
Since it is a purpose of the present invention to
provide a burn glove which is immediately available,
the gloves must be manufactured in a limited number of
standard sizes. There is shown in Fig. 4 a chart for
use in a method of determining the proper standard size
burn glove. The easiest measurements to make on a hand
are from a two-dimensional profile. i~owever, the
volume of the hand must be considered when designing a
glove since, not only must the hand fit ;nto the glove,
but the glove must fit so as to apply the desired
amount of pressure.
Through the use of experimental techniques,
various two dimensional and volume measurements were
obtained from a population of hands. Statistical
correlation coefficients were calculated and used to
* Trade ~ark
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select the two dimensional measuxement combination with
the highest correlation to the hand volume. The data
group was then divided into three equally populated
hand volume subgroups or size ranges by equal sub-
S division of the area under the associated maximumlikelihood normal probability curve~ Poînts were
plotted for each volume group at the intersections of
the coordinates defined by the maximum correlation
dimensions which in ~urn defined the chart areas
allotted to each size. Further experimentation de-
termined that the percentage of "misfits" was greatly
reduced by dividing each volume size into two parts, a
regular and a long for each.
The chart shown in Fig. 4 can be utilized or both
the right and left hands. A pencil or similar object
is centered on end at point P on the chart to function
as a stop. A right hand 50 shown in outline form, is
placed palm down with the web space between the middle
and index fingers butted against the the stop at point
P. The fingers on the hand are pressed together and a
horizontal line 51 is traced from the tip T of the
middle finger to a glove size diagram 5~ Then a
vertical line 53 is traced up from the base B of the
little finger to the glove size diagram 52. The
standard glove size will be indicated at the inter-
section of the vertical and horiztonal lines which
intersection will lie in one of the areas LL (large
long), LR (large regular), ML (medium long), MR (medium
regular, SL (small long), and SR (small regular).
Although the invention has been described in terms
of specified embodiments which are set forth in detail,
it should be understood that this is by ill~stration
only and that the invention is not necessarily limited
thereto, since alternative embodiments and operating
techniques will become apparent to those skilled in the
art in ~riew of the disclosureO Acc:ordingly, modifi-
catic>ns are contemplated which can be made without de-
parting from the spirit of the described invention.
