Abstract: A method of dispensing and resealing a moisture curable medical material against moisture intrusion is provided. The method includes the steps of providing a moisture-impervious product container comprising an elongate sleeve sealable to prevent entry of moisture, providing an elongate medical material positioned in the sleeve, sealing the medical material in the sleeve against entry of moisture until use, providing a dispensing carton within which the sleeve and medical material positioned therein is contained, and bearing a tab against the length of the sleeve devoid of medical material and into a laterally-extending opening in the sealing member to form a doubled thickness of the sleeve having a sealing fold therein to form a seal that is resistant to moisture intrusion into the sleeve.

Abstract: An adjustable orthostatic intolerance garment formed of a knitted spandex powernet construction in order to provide compression when on the leg, and including legs and a torso portion that extends upwardly into the abdominal area below the pectoral muscles; and a respective pair of elongate panels that are retained in place by attaching elements, and that are introduced into or removed from the garment to increase or reduce compression on the wearer's body as desired.

Abstract: A water resistant article for positioning on an appendage to be treated comprises a knitted body constructed from synthetic yarns is provided, wherein each of the synthetic yarns comprise a bundle of substantially parallel fine monofilaments.

Abstract: An undercast liner for being applied to an anatomical shape of a patient and overlaid with a cast material. An elongate fabric has two opposing faces and an intermediate spacer area that both separates and interconnects the opposed faces. The liner is constructed at least in part of hydrophobic, water resistant monofilament yarn for providing enhanced water resistance, light weight, breathability and resistance to collapse and degradation due to moisture and bacteria during extended use to the liner. The liner has sufficient stretch in both a length-wise and width-wise direction to facilitate conforming the undercast liner around the anatomical shape without wrinkling during application.

Abstract: A medical bandaging product, including a sleeve formed of moisture-impervious material and sealable to prevent entry of moisture, and a medical material positioned in the sleeve and sealed therein against entry of moisture until use. The medical material is a substrate having two marginal areas of relatively lower modulus yarns and/or a more open knitted structure to provide reduced abrasion against the skin. A reactive system on the substrate remains stable when maintained in substantially moisture-free conditions and hardens upon exposure to sufficient moisture to form a rigid, self supporting structure. A soft, flexible protective material covers at least one of the major faces of the substrate along its length to provide a cushioning barrier between the substrate and the skin of a patient when the material is in use.

Abstract: A medical bandage is disclosed including a knitted spacer fabric cover or padding positioned in surrounding relation on a moisture-hardenable substrate. A reactive system is applied to and into the thickness of the substrate. The reactive system having a first state wherein the substrate remains in a flexible, conformable condition and a second state wherein the reactive system hardens, simultaneously hardening the substrate into a desired conformation.

Abstract: A water resistant light compression and/or retention bandage for retaining an orthopaedic splint, padding or medical device against a body part, includes a knitted fabric formed of synthetic yarns having a moisture vapor transmission rate from an inner face of the bandage to an outer face of the bandage of at least 500 g/m2 per 24 hours.

Abstract: A medical bandaging product having a predetermined length suitable for a given medical use, including an enclosure formed of a moisture-impervious material sealable to prevent entry of moisture and a medical bandage material positioned in the enclosure and sealed therein against entry of moisture until use. The medical bandage material includes a substrate formed from a single integrated knitted fabric layer having a plurality of interconnected knitted fabric yarns forming a three-dimensional structure. A reactive system is impregnated into or coated onto the substrate. The system remains stable when maintained in substantially moisture-free conditions and hardens upon exposure to sufficient moisture to cooperate with the three-dimensional structure to form a rigid, self supporting structure. A soft, flexible protective wrapping encloses the substrate along its length for providing a cushioning barrier interposed between the substrate and a patient when the medical bandage material is in use.

Abstract: A device for assisting in opening and closing a zipper is provided. The device includes a body having first and second diverging guide channels having mutually oriented guide angles for receiving the respective zipper tracks for sliding, non-interlocking movement of the zipper tracks through the guide channels in advance of the zipper slider for reducing the closure angle of the zipper tracks in advance of the zipper slider to correspond to the guide angle of the guide channels, and a handle carried by the body for permitting manual pulling movement of the body along at least a portion of the length of the zipper and generally positioned in a coextensive orientation in relation to a pull tab of the zipper slider such that an operator can simultaneously grasp the pull tab of the zipper slider and the handle while sliding the zipper slider in the closing direction.

Abstract: A device for assisting in opening and closing a zipper of the type having a central zipper slider for opening and closing the zipper by selectively disconnecting and connecting a pair of opposed interlockable tracks as the zipper slider moves in respective opening and closing directions along the tracks. The device includes a body having first and second diverging guide channels for receiving the respective zipper tracks for sliding movement along the guide channel path length and for progressively interconnecting the interlockable tracks at a predetermined mutually oriented angle of closure, a connector carried by the body for connecting the body to the zipper slider, and a pull for permitting manual pulling movement of the body.

Abstract: A medical bandaging product that includes a container formed of moisture-impervious material, a medical material positioned in the container in substantially moisture-free conditions and sealed therein against entry of moisture, and a dispensing carton within which the container and medical material positioned therein is contained. The dispensing carton includes an opening in the carton through which the medical material is removed through an opening in the container, and an S-shaped sealing member carried by the carton adjacent the opening for receiving across the opening in the carton a length of the container devoid of medical material A tab bears against the length of the container devoid of medical material to form a doubled thickness of the container having a sealing fold therein to form a seal that is resistant to moisture intrusion into the container.

Abstract: A medical bandaging product fabricated of a rib-knitted fabric constructed of synthetic yarns selected from the group of acrylic, polyester and polypropylene yarns. An elastic yarn provides elasticity to the fabric, and an effective amount of a water repelling treatment is applied to the fabric for imparting water-repellent characteristics. The fabric may be used as a cast liner or as a protective wrapping of a splint product.

Abstract: A medical bandaging product, including a sleeve formed of moisture-impervious material and sealable to prevent entry of moisture, and a medical material positioned in the sleeve and sealed therein against entry of moisture until use. The medical material is a substrate having two marginal areas of relatively lower modulus yarns and/or a more open knitted structure to provide reduced abrasion against the skin. A reactive system on the substrate remains stable when maintained in substantially moisture-free conditions and hardens upon exposure to sufficient moisture to form a rigid, self supporting structure. A soft, flexible protective material covers at least one of the major faces of the substrate along its length to provide a cushioning barrier between the substrate and the skin of a patient when the material is in use.

Abstract: A medical bandaging product, including a non-woven, fibrous, flexible medical material adapted for being applied and conformed to a body part to be supported, and a reactive system impregnated into or coated onto the medical material. The system remains stable when maintained in a non-activated condition in the absence of an activating agent, such as water, and hardens upon activation by exposure to the activating agent to form a rigid, self supporting structure. An enclosure is provided within which the medical material is maintained against exposure to the activating agent until use. The product may be in pre-cut shapes or in roll-form for cutting off a desired length for a given use.

Abstract: A knee immobilizer (10) including an elongate frame (12) having opposed convex and concave major surfaces for being positioned along a longitudinal axis of a dorsal aspect of a leg from above to below the knee, and a plurality of outwardly-extending retainers (12A-12D, 12E-12G) cooperating with the frame (12) for retaining the frame (12) on the leg. A lining (16) is provided forbeing positioned between the frame (12) and the leg when in use to cushion and protect the leg against direct contact with the frame (12). A spine (18) is provided for being positioned on the frame (12) substantially along an elongate axis of the frame (12) from above to below the knee and formed in an angle for maintaining the frame (12) in a predetermined rigid medical treatment extension position on the leg.

Abstract: A foot splint for the prevention and rehabilitation of plantar fasciitis by maintaining a wearer's foot and, hence, his plantar fascia in a pre-selected amount of dorsiflexion. The foot splint includes a footplate for supporting the wearer's foot, a bracket integrally attached to the footplate near the heel region, where the bracket has at least one ankle angle preset, a strut (either medial, lateral, or both sides) extending along the lower leg of the wearer, a strut sleeve removably enveloping the strut. The sleeve has an upper end and a lower end, and the strut protrudes from the lower end of the sleeves. There is an adjustable leg strap attached to the strut sleeve at the upper end. The strap secures the upper end to the leg of a wearer during operation. A padded insole may be provided to cushion the wearer's foot from the footplate. The foot splint provides a comfortable “slipper-like” feel for the wearer.

Abstract: A medical bandage is disclosed including a knitted spacer fabric cover or padding positioned in surrounding relation on a moisture-hardenable substrate. A reactive system is applied to and into the thickness of the substrate. The reactive system having a first state wherein the substrate remains in a flexible, conformable condition and a second state wherein the reactive system hardens, simultaneously hardening the substrate into a desired conformation.

Abstract: A method of dispensing and resealing a moisture curable medical material against moisture intrusion is provided. The method includes the steps of providing a moisture-impervious product container comprising an elongate sleeve sealable to prevent entry of moisture, providing an elongate medical material positioned in the sleeve, sealing the medical material in the sleeve against entry of moisture until use, providing a dispensing carton within which the sleeve and medical material positioned therein is contained, and bearing a tab against the length of the sleeve devoid of medical material and into a laterally-extending opening in the sealing member to form a doubled thickness of the sleeve having a sealing fold therein to form a seal that is resistant to moisture intrusion into the sleeve.

Abstract: A water-resistant orthopedic undercast sleeve that includes a tubular sheet material formed of extruded filaments having water-resistant properties and a thickness sufficient to provide both cushioning and moisture transport in a single layer between a cast and a limb onto which the sleeve is applied. The water resistant properties are achieved by at least one process, including a water-resistant filler, finish or coating applied to the filaments during extrusion, applying a water resistant finish to the finish during extrusion, applying a water resistant finish to the filaments during a subsequent spinning process, or coating the filaments with a water-resistant finish in a separate process. Moisture egress channels are formed in the sheet material for transporting moisture away from the limb, longitudinally along the length of the sleeve, and out of the space between the sleeve and cast.

Abstract: A medical bandaging product that includes a container formed of moisture-impervious material, a medical material positioned in the container in substantially moisture-free conditions and sealed therein against entry of moisture, and a dispensing carton within which the container and medical material positioned therein is contained. The dispensing carton includes an opening in the carton through which the medical material is removed through an opening in the container, and an S-shaped sealing member carried by the carton adjacent the opening for receiving across the opening in the carton a length of the container devoid of medical material A tab bears against the length of the container devoid of medical material to form a doubled thickness of the container having a sealing fold therein to form a seal that is resistant to moisture intrusion into the container.