Post-operative thermal blanket

Abstract

A thermal blanket particularly suitable for post-operative treatment of body joints such as the shoulder, ankle, knee and elbow. The blanket includes a bodyside first panel composed of double layers of thermoplastic sheet material heat-sealed together to define at least one and preferably two serpentine fluid flow passages for the circulation of cooling (or warming) fluid. The blanket also includes a soft, foldable exterior second panel coplanar with the first panel, the edges of the two panels being secured together to form a unitary, easily-foldable blanket. The exterior panel is of soft loop-providing pile fabric over substantially the entire exterior surface thereof. The developed outline of the blanket provides it with a form defining two main sections, one of which is provided with an attachment patch (preferably elastic) having a bodyside-facing hook-providing fabric for releasable attachment to the loop-providing pile fabric of the exterior panel of the other main section when the blanket is wrapped about a joint area for administering thermal treatment. The blanket also includes an integral T-shaped section having a strap portion and an elongated limb-wrapping band portion. Flexible inlet and outlet tubes extend through the strap portion and terminate in a fluid coupling element adjacent and external to the band portion. When formed as a shoulder blanket, a pair of flaps are also provided, one serving as a chest flap and the other as a back flap with the two flaps being joined by a body strap extending about the wearer's body beneath the opposite shoulder. The body strap is equipped at its ends with hook-providing fabric patches for adjustably and releasably attaching the ends of the body strap to the pile fabric extending over the flap portions of the blanket.