Lumbar puncture assist tool
AssigneeEdward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine
InventorHanna Samaan Sahhar
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Abstract
The present invention provides a tool and method for performing a lumbar puncture. The tool may include a first arm and a second arm and may form a T-shape. The first arm may be longer than the second arm. Also included is a projection extending from one of the arms. The projection has a downward angle and a passageway that is sized to accommodate a needle. The tool is configured to maintain the perpendicular placement of a needle between vertebrae and a preferred angle of insertion of about 15° during a procedure.
Claims19
A lumbar puncture device comprising:
- a first arm and a second arm forming a T-shape, said first arm having a surface defined by an upper edge, a lower edge, and opposing side edges;
- said first arm longer than said second arm;
- a projection having a first face and a second face, said faces separated by an elongated body;
- said first face adapted to engage said first arm and said projection extends from said first arm;
- a passageway having an entrance and exit, said passageway extends through said projection;
- said projection has a downward angle with respect to said first arm, said downward angle formed by locating said exit closer to said upper edge than said entrance;
- and
- said projection is permanently attached to said first arm and extends downwardly from said first arm and said downward angle of said projection is in a vertical plane that is perpendicular to said lower edge.
A method of accessing the spinal interspace between a L4 and L5 vertebra and a second spinal interspace between the L3 and L4 vertebra of a patient comprising the steps of:
- providing a planar lumbar puncture device having a T-shape formed by a longer arm and a shorter arm;
- locating said puncture device directly on the back of a patient;
- said longer arm having an upper edge and a lower edge, said upper edge used to locate said device into position by using iliac crests as landmarks to permit a needle to access the spinal interspace between the L4 and L5 vertebrae;
- and
- said lower edge used to locate said device into position by using iliac crests as landmarks to permit a needle to access the spinal interspace between the L3 and L4 vertebrae.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.