BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE

A person can become injured in a manner that a health care professional would immobilize a body part of the person. A splint is a device that, when applied to the injured person, immobilizes the body part to which it is applied. For example, the person might injure his arm. The proper medical treatment might be to immobilize the arm about the elbow. The splint can then be applied from the wrist of the person, over the elbow, and toward the shoulder of the person. The splint helps prevent the arm from moving about the elbow. While fracture of a bone in the arm might lead to splinting, there could be other medical events that lead to splinting, such as burns, cuts, and other wounds.

Despite being used for health care purposes, splints are not sterilized. This is disadvantageous, because splints and the packaging for splints can harbor harmful microorganisms, such as bacteria and viruses. Those microorganisms might then be transferred to the injured person. This is especially problematic if the injured person has a cut or burn and the splint is applied over or near the cut or burn. Therefore, there is a need to prevent the splint and the packaging of the splint from being a source of bacteria and viruses that could enter into the wound and cause infection. In addition, because splints contact the skin of the person, the splint has a tendency to cause odor. Therefore, there is a further need to prevent the splint from causing odor.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, a splinting system comprises: a curable splint member including layers of fiberglass cloth coated with a water curable resin, and a pad at least partially enveloping the layers of fiberglass cloth, the pad having an exterior surface and an antimicrobial coating applied to the exterior surface; and a metal foil pouch containing the curable splint member, the metal foil pouch including an exterior surface; wherein, the antimicrobial coating includes a silane quaternary ammonium ion or salt thereof.

Embodiments of the first aspect of the disclosure can include any one or a combination of the following features:the metal foil pouch further includes the antimicrobial coating applied to the exterior surface of the metal foil pouch;the splinting system further comprises a clamp configured to selectively seal or unseal the metal foil pouch, the clamp including an exterior surface and the antimicrobial coating applied to the exterior surface of the clamp;the pad comprises felted polypropylene fibers;the water curable resin includes a polyurethane resin; andthe silane quaternary ammonium ion or salt thereof is one or more of:3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyldimethyloctadecyl ammonium ion,3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyldimethyloctadecyl ammonium chloride,3-(trihydroxysilyl)propyldimethyloctadecyl ammonium ion, or3-(trihydroxysilyl)propyldimethyloctadecyl ammonium chloride.

According to a second aspect of the present disclosure, a method of manufacturing a curable splint member having antimicrobial properties comprises: applying a solution, which includes a silane quaternary ammonium ion or salt thereof and a solvent, to an exterior surface of a pad; drying the pad; and at least partially enveloping layers of fiberglass cloth, which are coated with a water curable resin, within the pad.

Embodiments of the second aspect of the disclosure can include any one or a combination of the following features:the solvent is isopropyl alcohol;the isopropyl alcohol is between 30 percent to 90 percent by weight of the solution; andthe silane quaternary ammonium ion or salt thereof is one or more of:3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyldimethyloctadecyl ammonium ion,3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyldimethyloctadecyl ammonium chloride,3-(trihydroxysilyl)propyldimethyloctadecyl ammonium ion, or3-(trihydroxysilyl)propyldimethyloctadecyl ammonium chloride.

According to a third aspect of the present disclosure, a method of manufacturing a splinting system comprises: applying a solution, which includes a silane quaternary ammonium ion or salt thereof and a solvent, to an exterior surface of a pad; drying the pad; and enveloping layers of fiberglass cloth, which are coated with a water curable resin, with the pad to form a curable splint member; applying the solution to an exterior surface of a metal foil pouch; drying the metal foil pouch; placing the curable splint member in the metal foil pouch; and sealing the metal foil pouch; wherein, the silane quaternary ammonium ion or salt thereof is between 0.1 percent and 10 percent by weight of the solution.

Embodiments of the third aspect of the disclosure can include any one or a combination of the following features:the solvent is isopropyl alcohol;the isopropyl alcohol is between 30 percent to 90 percent by weight of the solution;the silane quaternary ammonium ion or salt thereof is one or more of:3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyldimethyloctadecyl ammonium ion,3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyldimethyloctadecyl ammonium chloride,3-(trihydroxysilyl)propyldimethyloctadecyl ammonium ion, or3-(trihydroxysilyl)propyldimethyloctadecyl ammonium chloride;the method further comprises applying the solution to an exterior surface of a clamp configured to selectively seal or unseal the metal foil pouch; andthe pad comprises felted polypropylene fibers.

These and other features, advantages, and objects of the present disclosure will be further understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art by reference to the following specification, claims, and appended drawings.

