TRADEMARK NOTICE

Trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The subject disclosure relates to a Peritoneal Undergarment for alleviating irritation and distress while dialyzing. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a novel undergarment that provides an ideal experience for users who have to periodically receive such treatments.

BACKGROUND

Conventional peritoneal undergarments are considered items of underwear worn by a user for purposes of receiving critical dialysis treatment. Traditionally, this experience can be painful and often irritating due to the various types of equipment that may come in contact with a person's skin during treatment or during normal wear. Peritoneal undergarments prior to PD-Uwear, have been inconvenient and an uncomfortable ordeal for those who have to live with such treatments. Not only do users have to move around from day-to-day with the undergarments but often they have to sleep with such undergarments which can be excruciating due to the attachments that accompany dialysis treatment.

Users have dealt with traditional peritoneal undergarments but are eager to embrace a novel option to the conventional brand of such undergarments in the marketplace. Although the use of peritoneal undergarments is necessary for those who have to live with dialysis treatments but it does not have to be a painful or inconvenient experience for a user. PD-Uwear is comfortable because users do not have to resort to using tape to hold the transfer tubing in place, they are sanitary because they can be washed in regular laundry, they are convenient due to their unique construction, and lastly, they are safe as a result of how the garment holds the transfer set in place without dangling.

BRIEF SUMMARY

The proposed invention is a peritoneal undergarment as outlined which allows users to benefit from a broader range of comfort while dialyzing which protects the user from the pain and irritation associated with wearing bulky equipment while sleep or carrying on daily activities. The present invention is configured using specially placed pockets and guides to provide comfort and prevents the user from suffering skin irritation from external devices associated with a transfer set is the focus of the present embodiment. The user has the option to purchase a garment that has a single pocket on the outer surface or pockets that are symmetrically placed for the purpose of concealing the transfer tubing in the open end of the pocket that is located along the inner surface. The current method of receiving dialysis treatment for many who have to wear such undergarments day and night can be an excruciating ordeal in those are that do not have adequate coverage to protect from such irritation. To further elaborate, the current embodiment maximizes coverage for the transfer set that provides comfort at points that would otherwise increase the level of irritation that a user would experience. The present undergarment can be worn as ordinary underwear that can be washed with regular laundry detergent. PD-Uwear is an invention that will offer users a safe, comfortable, convenient, and sanitary solution to the conventional method of wearing peritoneal underwear while receiving dialysis treatment.

Balancing the need for undergarments that provide versatility with the need to be able to carry on daily activities has led to changes in peritoneal design. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,202,222 to Robbins sets forth a garment having a front, back, crotch panels, waist, leg bands for accommodating an ostomy appliance that is worn by patients having undergone an ileostomy, colostomy, or the like. However, the Robbins garment is intended for merely securing an ostomy appliance, the prior invention does not address the comfort, safety, and convenience the current invention addresses. In this application for dialysis patients but rather the prior art in the Robbins disclosure focuses on primarily a method of concealing an ostomy appliance within a pouch.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,126,639 to Sutherland et al. describes a peritoneal dialysis catheter support undergarment which includes an undergarment that can be worn under clothing to hold a catheter tube within a pocket. The construction discloses durable straps to hold the undergarment around the user and allows for a secure fit in order to hold the catheter tube in place against the user's body while not dialyzing. However, this embodiment does not solve the problem of providing increased comfort for the user since as presented will expose the user's skin to a greater area of irritation thus resulting in infections since the portion of the tube that is not inserted into the pocket is free to move and cause skin irritation for the user due to constant skin contact.

The subject matter of each of the above U.S. patents is herein incorporated by reference.

It is an object of the present invention to overcome the deficiencies of the prior art by providing an undergarment which is manufactured to carefully select soft material for convenience and to eliminate skin irritation that can cause distress among users.

Therefore, there exists a need in the art for an undergarment which protects a greater portion of a user's skin while at the same time securing the transfer tubing in a way that will not allow the tubing to freely move or dangle in a manner to increase the risk of sanitation concerns, particularly a portion of a user's abdomen and groin area while in movement.

