Inflatable positioning aids for operating room

• US 6,327,724 B1
• Filed: 02/01/2000
• Issued: 12/11/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: NEXT Medical Products LLC
• Original Assignee: O. R. Comfort, LLC
• Inventors: Urmey, William F., Marguet, L. Henri, Sharrock, Nigel E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Santos, Robert G.
• Application Number:
  US09/495,596
• Time in Patent Office: 679 Days
• Field of Search: 563/0, 563/1, 565/2, 565/21, 565/22, 565/4, 565/53, 548/4, 561/5, 571/5, 5 8/11.T
• US Class Current: 5/630
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 13/0054 specially adapted for back or spinal surgeries
• 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 13/121 Head or neck
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 13/122 Upper body, e.g. chest
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 13/1225 Back
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 13/123 Lower body, e.g. pelvis, hip, buttocks
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 13/1265 having inflatable chambers
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2200/32 lying
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2200/325 prone
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/07 for the head or torso, e.g. special back-rests pillows in general A47G9/10
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/1021 Inflatable cushions

Abstract

An inflatable positioning device is provided. The device includes a pump, a tube extending from the pump, a valve intermediate the length of the tube and non-rectangular inflatable pillow connected to the end of the tube remote from the pump. The non-rectangular inflatable pillow is dimensioned for positioning portions of a patient'"'"'s body during surgery.

Claims

1. An inflatable positioning assembly comprising an inflatable pillow consisting of a top panel and a bottom panel, said top and bottom panels having peripheral regions secured in face-to-face engagement with one another to define an inflatable portion therebetween, at least one of said top and bottom panels extending from the inflatable and defining at least one non-inflatable flap and means for selectively directing air into and out of said inflatable portion of said inflatable positioning assembly, the means for directing air into the inflatable portion comprising a tube extending from the inflatable portion, a valve connected to the tube, the valve having an outlet and a valving member for selectively opening and closing the outlet, a tubular adaptor having a first end with a threaded nut releasably connectable to the outlet of the valve for placing the tubular adaptor in communication with the outlet of the valve, the tubular adaptor further having a second end releasably connectable to a supply of compressed air.

2. The inflatable positioning assembly of claim 1, wherein the inflatable pillow is dimensioned relative to the non-inflatable flap to elevate one side of a patient relative to an opposed side of the patient at an angle of 20°

-40°

.

3. The inflatable positioning assembly of claim 1, wherein the inflatable pillow is substantially U-shaped, and includes an inflatable connecting portion and a pair of inflatable legs extending from and communicating with the inflatable connecting portion, a non-inflatable connecting strap extending between the inflatable legs for maintaining the inflatable legs in a selected spaced relationship relative to one another, the inflatable legs being configured to define a space therebetween for receiving at least the nose and mouth of a prone patient, the non-inflatable flap extending from at least one said inflatable leg.

4. The inflatable positioning assembly of claim 3, wherein inflatable legs are configured such that the space therebetween is substantially T-shaped, the T-shaped space including a pair of arms dimensioned and configured for registering with eyes of a patient when the nose and mouth of the patient are positioned in remaining portions of the T-shaped space.

5. The inflatable positioning assembly of claim 1, wherein the inflatable pillow comprises a toroidal portion and a bar-shaped portion aligned substantially tangentially to the toroidal portion.

6. The inflatable positioning assembly of claim 1, wherein said inflatable portion is substantially V-shaped with an inflatable connecting portion and a pair of inflatable arms diverging from said inflatable connecting portion, a non-inflatable strap extending between and connecting said inflatable arms at locations spaced from said inflatable connecting portion, and said non-inflatable flap extending from the inflatable connecting portion.

7. The inflatable positioning assembly of claim 1, wherein the inflatable portion is substantially U-shaped and comprises an inflatable connecting portion and a pair of substantially rectangular inflatable arms extending parallel to one another from said inflatable connecting portion, a non-inflatable connecting portion extending substantially continuously from the inflatable connection portion and between the inflatable arms.

8. The inflatable positioning assembly of claim 7, wherein the at least one non-inflatable flap comprises a first flap extending from portions of the inflatable positioning assembly adjacent the inflatable connecting portion and a second flap extending from portions of the inflatable arms remote from the inflatable connecting portion.

9. A method for positioning a patient during surgery, the patient having opposite first and second lateral sides, the method comprising:

providing an inflatable positioning aid consisting of a top panel and a bottom panel, said top and bottom panels having peripheral regions secured in face-to-face engagement with one another to define an inflatable portion and a non-inflatable flap extending from the inflatable portion therebetween;

placing the positioning aid under portions of the patient to be positioned, such that the non-inflatable flap is under a portion of the first lateral side only and such that at least part of the inflatable portion of the positioning aid is under a portion of the patient adjacent the second lateral side but not under the first lateral side; and

directing compressed air into the inflatable portion of the inflatable positioning aid to elevate portions of the patient adjacent the second lateral side while portions of the patient supported on the non-inflatable flap are not elevated and limit movement of the inflatable positioning aid.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of directing compressed air into the inflatable positioning aid comprises over-inflating the inflatable positioning aid, terminating the flow of compressed air into the inflatable positioning aid, and selectively releasing compressed air from the inflatable positioning aid until a desired inflation level is achieved.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of directing compressed air into the inflatable portion comprises directing a sufficient volume of compressed air into the inflatable portion for elevating the second lateral sides of the patient to an angle of 20°

-40°

relative to the first lateral side of the patient.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the inflatable positioning aid comprises a seam between the inflatable portion and the non-inflatable flap, and wherein the step of placing the positioning aid under portions of the patient to be positioned comprises aligning the seam substantially parallel to a lateral side of the patient.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of placing the positioning aid under portions of the patient comprises placing the positioning aid under portions of the patient substantially aligned with the patient'"'"'s hips.

14. The method of claim 9, further comprising connecting the inflatable positioning aid to a supply of compressed air.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the inflatable positioning aid comprises a fitting permanently connected to the inflatable portion, a tube extending from the fitting and a valve connected to the tube, the valve having an outlet and a valving member for selectively opening and closing the outlet, the method further comprising the step of providing a tubular adaptor having a first end with a threaded nut configured for releasable connection to the outlet of the valve and a second end configured for releasable connection to a supply of compressed air, the method comprising threadedly connecting the first end of the tubular adaptor to the outlet of the valve and releasably connecting the second end of the tubular adaptor to the supply of compressed air prior to the step of directing compressed air into the inflatable portion.

16. An inflatable positioning assembly comprising an inflatable pillow having a top panel and a bottom panel, the top and bottom panels each comprise a sheet of nylon fabric having a thickness in the range of 70-400 denier, each of the top and bottom panels having an inwardly facing surface and an outwardly facing surface, the inwardly facing surface of each of said top and bottom panels having a coating of liquid and air impervious urethane with a thickness of approximately 3.5 mils, the outwardly facing surface of each of said top and bottom panels having a kiss coating of urethane thereon for resisting moisture, said top and bottom panels having peripheral regions with the inwardly facing surfaces adjacent the peripheral regions being secured in face-to-face engagement with one another to define an inflatable portion therebetween, at least one of said top and bottom panels extending from the inflatable portion and defining at least one non-inflatable flap, and means for selectively directing air into and out of said inflatable portion of said inflatable positioning assembly.