PATIENT POSITIONING SUPPORT APPARATUS WITH VIRTUAL PIVOT-SHIFT PELVIC PADS, UPPER BODY STABILIZATION AND FAIL-SAFE TABLE ATTACHMENT MECHANISM

• US 20140109316A1
• Filed: 08/28/2013
• Published: 04/24/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/05/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Roger P. Jackson
• Original Assignee: Michael A. Herron
• Inventors: Jackson, Roger P., Guerra, Lawrence E., Herron, Michael A., Waggoner, Trevor A., Walton, Steven A.
• Granted Patent: US 9,339,430 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 5/601
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 13/0036 Orthopaedic operating tables devices for stretching fractured limbs A61F5/04
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 13/0054 specially adapted for back or spinal surgeries
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 13/04 tiltable around transverse or longitudinal axis
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 13/06 raising or lowering of the whole table surface A61G13/04 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 13/08 the table being divided into different adjustable sections
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 13/104 Adaptations for table mobility, e.g. arrangement of wheels
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 13/121 Head or neck
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 13/122 Upper body, e.g. chest
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 13/123 Lower body, e.g. pelvis, hip, buttocks
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 13/1235 Arms
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 13/1245 Knees, upper or lower legs
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2200/322 lateral
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2200/325 prone
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2200/327 supine

Abstract

A patient support apparatus for supporting a patient in a prone position during a surgical procedure includes a patient support structure incorporating an open fixed frame suspended above a floor and a pair of spaced opposed radially sliding joints cooperating with the frame, each joint including a virtual pivot point and an arc of motion spaced from the pivot point, the joints being movable along the arc providing a pivot-shift mechanism for a pair of pelvic pads attached to the joints. A base supports and suspends the patient support structure above the floor, for supporting a patient during a surgical procedure, the base including a pair of spaced opposed vertical translation subassemblies reversibly attachable to the support structure, a cross-bar, and a rotation subassembly having two degrees of rotational freedom; wherein a location of each vertical translation subassembly is substantially constant during operation of the patient support structure.

Claims

1. A base for supporting and positioning a patient support structure above a floor, comprising:

a. a pair of spaced opposed vertical translation subassemblies joined by a cross-bar, each of the vertical translation subassemblies including a rotation subassembly adapted for engaging a patient support structure;

b. a roll axis about which the rotation subassemblies are adapted to roll an engaged patient support structure;

c. a pitch axis associated with each of the vertical translation subassemblies; and

d. a yaw axis associated with each of the vertical translation subassemblies;

wherein

e. the vertical translation subassemblies are adapted for positioning the attached patient support structure in numerous rolled and non-rolled positions, wherein a plurality of said positions are non-parallel with a floor supporting the base and wherein the hips of a patient supported on the patient support structure are positionable in numerous flexed, extended and non-flexed and non-extended positions, and wherein the base is adapted for moving the patient support structure and said patient between said numerous positions.

2. The base of claim 1, wherein:

a) a surgical site is associated with the patient'"'"'s body; and

b) the base is adapted to maintain a position of the surgical site in three-dimensional space during movement of at least one of the base and the patient support structure.

3. The base of claim 1, wherein:

a) the base is lockable so as to lock the patient support structure in at least one of said numerous positions.

4. A torso support structure slidingly joined with a head-end portion of a frame of a patient support structure, the torso support structure being movable along a length of the frame head-end portion and including a driver for actuating said movement of the torso support structure along the length of the frame head-end portion, wherein actuation of said driver is synchronized with movement of a joint of the patient support structure.

5. The torso support structure according to claim 4, wherein:

a. actuation of said driver and of said joint is synchronized whereby a distance between the torso support structure and a pivot point associated with the joint is substantially constant during said movement of the joint.

6. A patient support apparatus for supporting a patient in a prone position during a surgical procedure, the apparatus comprising:

a) an open fixed frame suspended above a floor;

b) a pair of spaced opposed radially sliding joints associated with the frame, the joints including a virtual pivot point, a radius and an arc of motion spaced from the virtual pivot point, the joints being movable between a neutral position, a flexed position and an extended position with respect to the virtual pivot point, the arc of motion and the floor.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein:

a) at least one of the virtual pivot point, the radius and the arc of motion is adjustable.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein:

a) a location of the virtual pivot point with respect to the frame and the floor is adjustable.

9. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein:

a) a length of the radius is adjustable.

10. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein:

a) at least one of a shape of the arc of motion and a location of the arc of motion with respect to the virtual pivot point is adjustable.

11. The apparatus according to claim 6, the virtual pivot point including:

a) a height above the floor;

wherein

b) the height is substantially constant during movement of the joint with respect to the virtual pivot point.

12. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein:

a) the height is adjustable.

13. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein:

a) the virtual pivot point is associated with a first pivot axis.

14. The apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising:

a) a hip-thigh pad joined with one of the joints so as to be movable about the virtual pivot point and with respect to the arc of motion.

15. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein:

a) a location of the virtual pivot point is movable.

16. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein:

a) the radius extends from the virtual pivot point and defines at least a portion of the arc of motion.

17. The apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising:

a) a lower body support structure joined with the joints such that the lower body support structure is movable with respect to the virtual pivot point and between the neutral, flexed and extended positions.

18. The apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising:

a) a chest pad attachable to a head-end portion of the frame.

19. The apparatus according to claim 18, further comprising:

a) a hip-thigh pad associated with a lower-body side of the joint;

wherein

b) the chest pad is associated with an upper-body side of the joint, so as to be opposed to and spaced a distance from the hip-thigh pad.

20. The apparatus according to claim 19, wherein:

a) the distance between the chest pad and the hip-thigh pad is substantially constant during movement of the joint.

21. The apparatus according to claim 19, wherein:

a) the distance between the chest pad and the hip-thigh pad is slightly variable during movement of the joint.

22. The apparatus according to claim 19, wherein:

a) the hip-thigh pad translates a distance away from the chest pad during movement of the joint.

23. The apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising:

a) a lower body support structure joined with the joints such that the lower body support structure is movable with respect to the virtual pivot point and between the neutral, flexed and extended positions.

24. The apparatus according to claim 23, wherein:

a) the lower body support structure includes a femoral support structure and a lower leg cradle.

25. The apparatus according to claim 24, wherein:

a) the femoral support structure includes an adjustable sling.

26. The apparatus according to claim 24, wherein:

a) the femoral support structure and the lower leg cradle are pivotably connected so as to be movable between a first position and a second position; and

wherein

b) when in the first position, the femoral support structure and the lower leg cradle are in a neutral position; and

c) when in the second position, the femoral support structure and the lower leg cradle are in a flexed position.

27. The apparatus according to claim 26, wherein:

a) when the joints are in the flexed position, the femoral support structure and the lower leg cradle are in the first position; and

b) when the joints are in the neutral position, the femoral support structure and the lower leg cradle are in the second position.

28. The apparatus according to claim 24, wherein:

a) the lower leg cradle is non-incrementally adjustable with respect to the femoral support structure and between the neutral position and a maximally flexed position.

29. The apparatus according to claim 24, wherein:

a) the lower leg cradle is continuously adjustable with respect to the femoral support structure and between the neutral position and a maximally flexed position.

30. The apparatus according to claim 24, wherein:

a) the lower leg cradle is incrementally adjustable with respect to the femoral support structure.

31. The apparatus according to claim 24, wherein:

a) the femoral support structure and the lower leg cradle are joined by a pair of spaced opposed lower leg hinges.

32. The apparatus according to claim 18, wherein:

a) the chest pad is slidably adjustable with respect to a length of the frame.

33. The apparatus according to claim 32, wherein:

a) incrementally adjustable.

34. The apparatus according to claim 32, wherein:

a) non-incrementally adjustable.

35. The apparatus according to claim 18, wherein:

a) the chest pad is attachable to the frame.

36. The apparatus according to claim 18, wherein:

a) the chest pad is lockable.

37. The apparatus according to claim 18, wherein:

a) the chest pad is located adjacent to the joints.

38. The apparatus according to claim 18, wherein:

a) the chest pad includes at least two chest pads.

39. The apparatus according to claim 18, wherein:

a) the frame includes head-end portion; and

b) the chest pad is adjustable along a length of the frame head-end portion and between a maximum position associated with an outer-end of the head-end portion and a minimum position adjacent to the joints.

40. The apparatus according to claim 18, wherein:

a) the chest pad is substantially radiolucent.

41. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the hip-thigh pad includes:

a) a pair of hip-thigh pads spaced apart with respect to the frame so as to provide a space for at least a portion of a patient'"'"'s body to be positioned therebetween.

42. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein:

a) the hip-thigh pad is substantially radiolucent.

43. The apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising:

a) a base.

44. The apparatus according to claim 33, the base comprising:

a) a pair of laterally spaced vertical translator subassemblies, each vertical translator subassembly including an upper end portion; and

b) a crossbar joining the lower end portions of the vertical translator subassemblies such that the vertical translator subassemblies are spaced apart a constant distance;

wherein

c) the frame is suspended from upper end portions of the vertical translator subassemblies.

45. The apparatus according to claim 33, the base comprising:

a) a pair of connection subassemblies, each of connection subassemblies including;

b) a ladder attachment structure; and

c) a ladder attached to the ladder attachment structure.

46. The apparatus according to claim 45, wherein:

a) the ladder is removably attached to the ladder attachment structure.

47. The apparatus according to claim 45, wherein:

a) the ladder is lockably attached to the ladder attachment structure.

48. The apparatus according to claim 45, the ladder including:

a) a set of ladders, the set of ladders including a pair of standard length ladders.

49. The apparatus according to claim 45, the ladder including:

a) at least one additional ladder selected from the group consisting of standard length ladders and extended-length ladders.

50. The apparatus according to claim 45, the apparatus further comprising:

a) a T-pin associated with at least one of a second pivot axis and a third pivot axis;

wherein

b) the T-pin joins an outer end of the frame with the base.

53. The apparatus according to claim 44, wherein:

a) at least one of the vertical translator subassembly upper end portions includes a rotation subassembly.

54. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein:

a) at least a portion of the frame is cantilevered.

55. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the frame foot-end portion includes:

a) a translation compensation subassembly.

56. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the frame includes:

a) a longitudinally extending roll axis.

57. The apparatus according to claim 56, wherein:

a) the frame is rotatable about the roll axis an amount of between about 1-degree and about 360-degrees.

58. The apparatus according to claim 57, wherein:

a) the frame is continuously adjustable with respect to the roll axis and between a non-rolled orientation and an orientation associated with rolling an amount of about 360-degrees about the roll axis.

59. The apparatus according to claim 56, wherein:

a) the frame is adapted to rotate with respect to the roll axis so as to be rolled an amount of about 180-degrees, so as to be positioned in an inverted orientation (e.g., positioned, upside-down).

60. The apparatus according to claim 56, wherein:

a) the frame is non-incrementally rotatable about the roll axis.

61. The apparatus according to claim 40, wherein:

a) the frame is lockable in a rolled position.

62. The apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising:

a) a supine patient support structure suspended above the floor.

63. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the supine patient support structure comprises:

a) an open frame articulatable at a pair of spaced opposed hinges; and

b) at least one of a set of body support pads and a closed table-top.

64. The apparatus according to claim 63, wherein:

a) the body support pads, the elongate table pad and the table-top are substantially radiolucent.

65. The apparatus according to claim 62, wherein:

a) the supine patient support structure is positionable in a decubitus position.

66. The apparatus according to claim 62, wherein:

a) the supine patient support structure is spaced from and opposed to the frame.

67. The apparatus according to claim 36, wherein:

a) at least one of the vertical translation subassemblies includes a rotation subassembly adapted to roll the frame about a longitudinally extending roll axis.

68. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the hip-thigh pad includes:

a) a hip-thigh pad mount joining the hip-thigh pad with one of the joints.

51. The apparatus according to claim 51, wherein:

a) the frame is pivotable about the T-pin with respect to a joined vertical translator subassembly in response to vertical movement of the joined vertical translator subassembly.

52. The apparatus according to claim 51, wherein:

a) the frame is positionable in a Trendelenburg position and a Reverse Trendelenburg position.

69. A method of positioning a patient on a patient support in a prone position, the method comprising the steps of:

a) placing a patient on a supine patient support suspended above a floor, such that the patient is in a substantially supine position;

b) sandwiching the patient between the supine patient support and a prone patient support suspended above the supine patient support; and

c) rolling the patient an amount of about 180-degrees with respect to a longitudinally extending roll axis, such that the patient is in a substantially prone position.

70. The method according to claim 69, including:

a) removing the supine patient support.

71. A base for supporting and suspending a patient support structure above the floor, for supporting a patient during a surgical procedure, the base comprising:

a) a pair of spaced opposed vertical translation subassemblies reversibly attachable to a patient support structure;

b) a cross-bar; and

c) a rotation subassembly having two degrees of rotational freedom;

wherein

d) a location of each vertical translation subassembly is substantially constant during operation of the patient support structure.

72. The base according to claim 71, each of the vertical translation subassemblies comprising:

a) a base portion; and

b) an off-set elevator subassembly including

i) a primary elevator; and

ii) the rotation subassembly.

73. The base according to claim 71, comprising:

a) a longitudinally extending roll axis; and

b) a pitch axis extending perpendicularly to the roll axis and parallel to the floor.

74. The base according to claim 71, each of the rotation subassemblies comprising:

a) a first rotation motor subassembly having a first shaft extending parallel to the cross-bar and adapted for releasable attachment of the patient support structure; and

b) a second rotation motor subassembly having a second shaft joining with the first rotation motor subassembly with an elevator of a respective vertical translation subassemblies, whereby the second rotation motor subassembly rotates the first rotation motor subassembly with respect to a pitch axis extending perpendicular to a roll axis and parallel with the floor.