The present invention relates to a face masque that provides cooling therapy to patients recuperating from facial trauma such as surgery or injury. More particularly, the invention provides a face masque that is light in weight, that remains flexible at sub-zero temperatures and that remains cold over longer periods than conventional water-filled ice packs.
It is well known in the medical profession that cooling of bodily tissues immediately after physical trauma or injury is necessary to reduce swelling of such tissues. A variety of ice packs and related devices are commercially available to provide such therapy. Therapy of facial trauma, however, involves unique considerations.
Human beings are much more sensitive in the areas of the face and head in other areas of the body. An application of direct pressure to the face, particularly after surgery, can cause a patient to suffer additional discomfort beyond that incurred by the surgery. Traditional ice packs possess many characteristics that are disadvantageous when applied to patients who have suffered facial trauma.
Traditional water-filled packs are heavy. The weight of the pack increases the patient's discomfort during recuperation.
Traditional water-filled cooling packs often are frozen solid when applied to a patient's face. As such, the ice pack does not mold to the patient's features. The solid nature of the ice pack causes discomfort until the ice pack has warmed to the point where the frozen water inside the ice pack has melted. The solid ice pack also may fail to provide cooling therapy uniformly because the frozen ice pack may not contact the patient's face in the absence of undue pressure.
Water-filled cooling packs do not remain cold for prolonged periods of time. The ability of a substance to store energy is termed "specific heat." It is well known that liquid water possesses a higher specific heat that frozen water. Accordingly, a cooling therapy that maintains water as a liquid below 0.degree. C. would provide an improved cooling medium. While it is known to mix water with sodium chloride (NaCl) or ethylene glycol (an additive commonly used in automobile anti-freezes), the resultant mixtures obtained often are heavier than water. They, too, would cause increased discomfort to a patient who has suffered facial trauma. Although the solutions affect the specific heat of the water, the solutions may freeze. For example, an NaCl solution progressively freezes during cooling as the temperature of the solution approaches -21.degree. C. Thus, the known solutions do not fully address the concerns raised when one tries to provide therapeutic cooling to the face of a patient.
The disadvantages of known ice packs are so great that medical practitioners have suggested alternatives to conventional ice packs. Patients have been advise to place bags of frozen vegetables on their faces to achieve the cooling therapy effect.
Certain inventors of the present invention had previously developed a face masque that improved upon the face masques of the prior art. As disclosed in a U.S. patent application, filed Oct. 29, 1997 (08/960,041), the improved face masque materially advanced the art by providing a face masque that was light weight, that conformed readily to a patient's features and that remained cold for prolonged periods of time. Although the face masque of the prior application are improved over conventional water-filled ice packs, the inventors believed that other coolants were available that improved upon their invention.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a facial cooling pack that provides prolonged cooling therapy over ice packs. Further, there is a need for such an cooling pack that possesses reduced weight and remains malleable at sub-zero temperatures.