Vacuum splint apparatus for accommodating the chin of a patient and method for using the same

A method for forming an immobilizing patient-specific mold comprising:

• wrapping a neck brace around the neck and chin of a patient, the neck brace comprising a front panel and a back panel and having an interior volume defined therebetween, where the internal volume is filled with a plurality of compressible particles;
• actuating a detachable pump assembly removably coupled to the front panel of the neck brace;
• and
• removing air from the internal volume of the neck brace to compress the neck brace and forming a unique rigid mold about the neck and chin of the patient,
• where actuating the detachable pump assembly comprises:
• removably coupling a pump unit to a vacuum line communicated to the internal volume of the neck brace;
• actuating a plunger disposed within a chamber of the pump unit;
• and
• removing air from the internal volume of the neck brace through the vacuum line.

A method for preventing the distraction of the neck of a patient when immobilizing the patient's neck comprising:

• disposing a neck brace about the neck of a patient while the neck of the patient is in an injured position;
• and
• actuating the neck brace to form a unique rigid mold about the injured region of the patient's neck,
• wherein the formed unique rigid mold is configured to maintain the neck of the patient within its original injured position for the duration that the neck brace is disposed about the neck of the patient, and
• where actuating the neck brace to form a unique rigid mold about the injured region of the patient's neck comprises:
• removably coupling a pump unit to a vacuum line communicated to an internal volume of the neck brace;
• actuating a plunger disposed within a chamber of the pump unit;
• and
• removing air from the internal volume of the neck brace through the vacuum line.