Head positioner

• US 4,256,112 A
• Filed: 02/12/1979
• Issued: 03/17/1981
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/1979
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: David Kopf Instruments
• Original Assignee: David Kopf Instruments
• Inventors: Kopf, J. David, Kaufman, Howard H., Seiler, William Jr., Palecki, Gerald S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Michell, Robert W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SHEDD, CHARLES W
• Application Number:
  US06/011,712
• Time in Patent Office: 764 Days
• Field of Search: 128/303 B, 128/752, 128/753, 128/754, 128/653, 128/777, 128/84 C, 128/87 B, 128/87 C, 128/97, 33/174 D, 250/456, 250/491, 269/328
• US Class Current: 606/130
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/101 for stereotaxic radiosurgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/501 for diagnosis of the head, e.g. neuroimaging or craniography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/14 Fixators for body parts, e.g. skull clamps; Constructional details of fixators, e.g. pins

Abstract

A head positioner for radiologic and other medical procedures and a method for forming the head positioner are disclosed. A plastic rear component engages the backside of the patient'"'"'s head, left and right plastic components engage each auditory meatus of the patient and a front component engages the nasion of the patient. Pressure is applied at the points of engagement and the components are secured to form a unitary headband structure. The headband is capable of repeated and periodic use in positioning the cranium of a human skull in precisely the same position relative to radiologic or other medical equipment. Apparatus for forming the headband structure is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A headband for use in repeatably positioning a patient'"'"'s cranium in precisely the same position relative to medical equipment, said headband comprising:

a front component having a contact for engaging the nasion of a patient with localized pressure, a rear component engageable with the back side of the head,

means including left and right components interconnecting said front and rear components, and means removably supported in said right and left components for engaging the left and right external auditory meatus of the patient with localized pressure,

wherein said left and right components are disc-shaped hubs with interrupted threads on their center bores and wherein said means removably supported in each of said right and left components comprise;

a bolt with interrupted helical threads and a cylindrical recess extending along its longitudinal center, and

an ear bar slidably carried by said recess having a tapered tip for engaging the external auditory meatus.

2. A headband for use in repeatably positioning a patient'"'"'s cranium in precisely the same position relative to medical equipment, said headband comprising:

a front component having a contact for engaging the nasion of a patient with localized pressure, a rear component engageable with the back side of the head,

means including left and right components interconnecting said front and rear components, and means removably supported in said right and left components for engaging the left and right external auditory meatus of the patient with localized pressure,

wherein said front component comprises an upper support band extending across the front of the patient'"'"'s head and having a rectangular recess formed therein above the patient'"'"'s nasion and wherein said contact for engaging the nasion comprises two wedge-shaped components removably carried by said rectangular recess.

3. A headband for use in repeatably positioning a patient'"'"'s cranium in precisely the same position relative to medical equipment, said headband comprising:

a front component having a contact for engaging the nasion of a patient with localized pressure, a rear component engageable with the back side of the head,

means including left and right components interconnecting said front and rear components, and means removably supported in said right and left components for engaging the left and right external auditory meatus of the patient with localized pressure,

wherein said front component slidably engages said rear component to facilitate adhesive cementing of the components.

4. The headband described in claim 8 further comprising in combination an apparatus for initially forming said headband, which apparatus is capable of repeated use for positioning said headband and thereby the cranium of a human skull in precisely the same position relative to medical equipment, said comprising:

a frame,

a vertically adjustable carriage carried by said frame,

right and left ear engagement means removably carried on said carriage,

adjustable lower support means for raising or lowering the head of the patient so that the patient'"'"'s ear canals are aligned with said ear engagement means,

a lower head support band removably carried by said lower support means,

an upper support band extending across the front of the patient'"'"'s face,

nasion engagement means carried by said upper support band,

nasion alignment means for aligning the patient'"'"'s nasion with said nasion engagement means,

pressure application means for applying a predetermined force to said ear engagement and nasion engagement means, and

means for securing said engagement means under pressure to form a unitary headband.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 further comprising:

mounting means carried by said medical equipment, and;

alignment means for precisely and repeatably aligning said ear engagement means in said mounting means.