Thumb wrist splint and method

• US 6,196,985 B1
• Filed: 05/10/2000
• Issued: 03/06/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: BSN Medical Incorporated (BSN Medical International Holding GmbH & Co. KG.)
• Original Assignee: FLA Orthopedics Incorporated (BSN Medical International Holding GmbH & Co. KG.)
• Inventors: Slautterback, Ernest Gerald
• Primary Examiner(s): Brown, Michael A.
• Application Number:
  US09/567,903
• Time in Patent Office: 300 Days
• Field of Search: 602/5, 602/20, 602/21, 602/22, 602/23, 2 1/6, 2 2/1
• US Class Current: 602/20
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/05866 for wrists, hands, fingers or thumbs

Abstract

A thumb wrist splint with a main body portion which includes a plurality of straps for encircling the wrist and securing the same firmly to the wrist with desirable palmar and dorsal stays. A sewn thumb spica/splint is fabricated, and finished by normal binding around the periphery. The thumb strap loop is fixed to the splint and a removable securable anchor is also applied to the spica/splint. The spica/splint is a VOLARA® grade polyolefin closed foam material which is desirably laminated to nylon cloth on one side. The sewn thumb spica is secured to the main body portion. Thereafter, the entire blank, as just described, is positioned over an anvil intended to form a curvilinear pattern to the thus encapsulated VOLARA® so that it will conform to the upper portion of the wrist. Once secured in place on the wrist by means of the straps around the wrist portion, the thumb strap is secured. A web is applied for assistance to convert the entire splint into a sock like configuration into which the wrist and hand are inserted. The method contemplates heat softening the blank and thereafter positioning the same over an Anvil or male mold, and pressure engaging the upper portion with a mating female mold which will cause the VOLARA® to take on the shape of the male/female mold relationship and reshape to a new form.

Claims

1. For use with a thumb wrist splint in which said thumb wrist splint has a thumb spica portion, a thumb strap, a thumb strap anchor, a main body portion, at least one formable stay in the body portion, having means for rapidly engaging the main body about the wrist of the patient, a foam wrist and spica pad comprising, in combination:

said foam wrist and thumb spica pad being formed of a material which is a foamed heat formable material at a temperature under 200°

F. and having a density sufficient to stitch a thread sequentially about its periphery;

said pad having an elongated shape with a larger portion at one end;

said pad been sewn into the main body extending over a major portion thereof with the larger end portion forming the interior portion of the thumb engaging spica.

2. In the thumb wrist splint according to claim 1,

a cloth webbing laminated to one surface of said pad;

the laminated surface being positioned interiorly of the body portion to engage the skin of the patient;

whereby the major portion of the thumb is engaged by the laminated fabric in the absence of stitching, seams, and other interruptions on the surface portion thereof.

3. In the thumb wrist splint according to claim 1,

opposed pinch points formed in the larger portion of the pad to gripingly engage the thumb.