The SHOWER SHIRT™ Mastectomy Garment Designed By Breast Cancer Patient Receives Patent from the United States Patent and Trademark Office

The SHOWER SHIRT™ Co. announced today,  The SHOWER SHIRT™  has been awarded full patent status by the United States Patent and Trademark Office, and now recognized as US Patent 8,516,613.

After a three year process, The SHOWER SHIRT™ will now be the only patented shower shirt garment for mastectomy patients on the United States market.  The product, designed to protect patients post-surgery was invented by a Central Florida breast-cancer survivor; introduced to the US market in 2011, and now being sold internationally in Canada, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Japan and Israel.

Lisa F. Crites, a former Health/Medical television reporter, created the mastectomy garment after undergoing a bilateral mastectomy in May 2009.  The inspiration behind the product, which helps protect against the risk of post-surgical infections, came after Crites was told she could not shower for three weeks after mastectomy surgery, and before her surgical drains were removed.

“I began looking for a water-resistant garment to protect myself.  Nothing existed so I utilized a trash bag for protection,” said Crites, The SHOWER SHIRT CO., LLC, Principal/Inventor.

Crites said that was the defining factor to design, patent, and manufacture a water-resistant product to protect breast cancer/mastectomy patients after surgery. Two-years after going on the market, The SHOWER SHIRT™ is a Class 1 Medical Device registered with the FDA; and awarded complete patent status for both ‘product,’ and ‘method of use.’ The garment is being sold online with Walmart.com medical device division, Health Products for You, Cure Diva, Amazon, and multiple mastectomy boutiques and hospital-based retail locations across the United States.

“Its important mastectomy drain sites don’t get wet post-surgery. Taking a shower without protection can be problematic as water is laden with bacteria which in turn can increase the chances of infection for the patient. The Shower Shirt protects patients from water intrusion to the drain sites,” said Emran Imami, MD, FACS, FAPWCA, and TEPAS Breast Center Medical Director. 

“My goal is to make other women feel better after the physical trauma of having their breasts amputated,” Crites added. 

The product is also being used for hemodialysis patients, bariatric and transplant patients; hernia, external defibrillator, rotator cuff surgery patients and also patients needing wound vacs, infusion pumps and central lines protected while showering.  For additional information on The SHOWER SHIRT™, go to www.theshowershirt.com.

Additional Details:

http://www.theshowershirt.com/FAQs.html - Shower Shirt, Frequently Asked Questions, Tab

http://www.theshowershirt.com/ShowerShirt137255Brochure.pdf - Shower Shirt Brochure

http://www.theshowershirt.com/blog - Shower Shirt Blog

About The Shower Shirt Co LLC:

The Shower Shirt Co. was founded by a breast cancer patient who underwent a bi-lateral mastectomy. Frustrated with the prohibition of showering until her surgical drains were removed, she created a Shower Shirt. A product designed to restrict water from coming into the surgical drain sites. The company is located in Cocoa Beach FL USA.  For further information please contact: