Thigh restraining apparatus and method

• US 4,549,540 A
• Filed: 11/16/1983
• Issued: 10/29/1985
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/1983
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Pecision Surgical Instruents Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Precision Surgical Instruments, Inc.
• Inventors: Caspari, Richard B., Whipple, Terry L., Thimsen, James A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rosenbaum, C. Fred
• Assistant Examiner(s): Scott, Christa K.
• Application Number:
  US06/552,375
• Time in Patent Office: 713 Days
• Field of Search: 128/133, 128/132, 128/327, 128/653
• US Class Current: 128/882
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/3761 for attaching the limbs to other objects A61F5/3769 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 13/0063 specially adapted for knee surgeries
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 13/101 Clamping means for connecting accessories to the operating table supports as part of surgical instruments A61B90/50
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 13/12 Rests specially adapted therefor; Arrangements of patient-supporting surfaces rests for the surgeon A61B90/60; restraining devices A61F5/37
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 13/1245 Knees, upper or lower legs

Abstract

A thigh restraining apparatus especially useful in connection with arthroscopic knee surgery wherein the surgeon may perform the operation while viewing the knee on a television screen. A bar member extends across the operating table supported by horizontally extending rail members customarily provided on operating tables. A specially designed sphygmomanometer constitutes a tourniquet member and applies a known pressure to the thigh of the patient. A strap member envelops the thigh of the patient and is reeled out or in by a screw feed as required to accommodate the patient'"'"'s thigh. One end of the strap is secured and an intermediate portion is removably attached to the sphygmomanometer. If necessary, both knees may be operated upon sequentially without disturbing a required sterile field by positioning a pair of strap feeding devices on opposite sides of the bar member and securing each strap to an adjacent sphygmomanometer applied to each of the patient'"'"'s thighs.

Claims

1. A thigh restraining apparatus for use in conjunction with an operating table, said operating table having a pair of horizontally extending rail means on opposed sides of said operating table, said apparatus comprising:

a. bar means extending across said operating table,

b. means to secure said bar means to said rail means on opposed sides of said operating table,

c. tourniquet means applied to the thigh of a patient to be operated upon for stopping the flow of blood in the patient'"'"'s leg,

d. feed means mounted on said bar means to advance and retard one end of strap means adapted to envelop said tourniquet means,

e. and means for holding said one end of said strap means.

2. A thigh restraining apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said strap means carries means for attaching said strap means to said tourniquet means.

3. A thigh restraining apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein said means carried by said strap means for attaching said strap means to said tourniquet means includes a Velcro member.

4. A thigh restraining apparatus as defined in claim 1 including means for centralizing the feed of said strap means with respect to said tourniquet means.

5. A thigh restraining apparatus as defined in claim 1 including means to vary the lateral spacing between said means to secure said bar means to said rail means.

6. A thigh restraining apparatus as defined in claim 1 including feed means mounted on opposite ends of said bar means whereby bilateral operations may be performed on said patient without disturbing a sterile field.

7. A thigh restraining apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein said means for centralizing the feed of said strap means includes lateral restraining means at two longitudinally spaced locations along said strap means.

8. A thigh restraining apparatus as defined in claim 2 including a plate member fixedly positioned with respect to said bar means, said plate member carrying means for attaching said tourniquet means to said plate member adjacent a location on the patient'"'"'s thigh substantially opposite from the attachment of said tourniquet means to said strap means.

9. A thigh restraining apparatus as defined in claim 8 wherein said attaching means carried by said plate member is made of Velcro.

10. A method of performing bilateral operations on a patient without disturbing a sterile field, said patient being on an operating table having a pair of horizontally extending rail members on opposite sides of said operating table, said method including the steps of

a. mounting a bar member across said operating table,

b. securing said bar member to said rail members on opposite sides of said operating table,

c. mounting a pair of thigh restraining members on opposite ends of said bar member,

d. holding a tourniquet member around each of the patient'"'"'s thighs with a respective one of said thigh restraining members,

e. establishing a sterile field over both of the patient'"'"'s legs,

f. and alternately restraining and releasing the thighs of the patient while performing said bilateral operations without disturbing said sterile field.