Perry wedge pillow
OwnerEric S. Perryinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A wedge pillow that is placed under the patient to reduce the risk of hypoxia or aspiration associated with endotracheal intubation. The wedge pillow raises the angle of the thoracic spine and provides a platform and pressure point relief for the back of the head. This allows excessive and redundant tissue to fall away from the head and neck, thereby allowing excellent positioning, easy access to the oropharynx, and perfect sniffing position for direct visualization of the glottic opening. An extended arm cushion is also provided that may be used in conjunction with the wedge pillow to prevent or minimizes the amount of hyperextension of the arm at the shoulder joint during surgery. The arm cushion also provides pressure point relief to the arms keeps the arm from becoming malpositioned during surgery.
Claims20
A wedge pillow used to support and provide pressure point relief to a head and neck of a patient during surgery comprising:
- a bottom portion;
- a platform portion spaced apart from said bottom portion having a recessed inner region and a pair of outer raised regions;
- and
- a spinal portion having an upper spinal surface sloping from said platform portion towards said bottom portion at a first angle, said first angle measured between a horizontal plane defined by an upper surface of said recessed inner region and said upper spinal surface, wherein said first angle of said spinal portion supports the patient in a thoracic spine position that aligns an oral, laryngeal, and pharyngeal axes in a proper sniffing angle.
A support structure for use in general anesthesia surgery comprising:
- a wedge pillow used to support and to provide pressure point relief of the head and neck of a patient and to reduce the risk of hypoxia and aspiration associated with endotracheal intubation;
- and
- a pair of armrest cushions, each of said pair of armrest cushions used to support and to provide pressure point relief and position a respective arm of said patient, wherein the height of said pair of armrest cushions substantially matches the height of said wedge pillow to prevent hyperextension of said respective arms at the shoulder joint.
A method for properly aligning a patient during surgery to receive endotracheal intubation comprising:
- providing a wedge shaped pillow having a bottom portion, a platform portion and a spinal portion, said platform portion spaced apart from said bottom portion, said spinal portion having an upper spinal surface sloping from said platform portion towards said bottom portion at a first angle measured between a horizontal plane defined by an upper surface of said recessed inner region and said upper spinal surface, wherein said first angle of said spinal portion supports the patient in a thoracic spine position that aligns an oral, laryngeal, and pharyngeal axes in a proper sniffing angle;
- placing said wedge shaped pillow on an operating table such that said bottom portion lies flat against said operating table;
- placing said patient in a supine position onto said operating table such that the head and neck of said patient are positioned on said platform portion and such that the back of said patient is closely coupled with said upper spinal surface of said spinal portion.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.