US 4,144,880 AGranted

Orthopedic table

OwnerE. Robert Danielsinventor

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Abstract

An orthopedic table for applying controlled flexion and traction to a patient's body includes a table divided at its mid-region into upper and lower platforms. A patient lying on the table is harnessed at the opposite ends of the table, and pelvic straps on the lower platform secure the patient's pelvic region to the lower platform. The platforms pivot simultaneously to periodically lower the central region of the table and separate the inner edges of the platforms. The support provided by the pelvic straps enables the lowered platforms to periodically force the patient's lower back into flexion in the separation space between the platforms. The remote end of the lower platform is adjustable in elevation to control the pull on the patient's hamstrings which, in turn, controls the amount of flexion exerted on the patient's lower back. The patient's head or arms can be selectively harnessed at the head of the upper platform to place the patient's upper body in traction during lowering of the platforms. A harness for the patient's head is secured to a vertically adjustable support for controlling the amount of flexion applied to a patient's neck during lowering of the table. A harness for the patient's arms also has a vertically adjustable support to control the amount of flexion applied to the patient's shoulders. The amount of traction applied by either harness is adjustable, and the head harness is rotatable to either side during lowering of the platforms to increase rotational freedom of the patient's neck.

Claims28

Dependent claims

An orthopedic table for applying controlled flexion to the lower back of a patient comprising:

(a) a table divided in a mid-region of its length to form an upper platform for supporting the back of a patient and a lower platform for supporting the legs of a patient, the platforms having respective inner edges extending across the divided mid-region;
(b) means for tilting the upper and lower platforms about corresponding longitudinally spaced apart pivot axes to increase the mid-region separation between the inner edges of the platforms;
(c) means for holding a lower portion of the patient's body in a fixed position on the lower platform;
(d) pelvic strap means secured to the lower platform and extendible under a rear pelvic region of the patient's body and extendible over a front pelvic region of the patient's body to hold the patient's pelvic region in a fixed position on the lower platform, and means for securing the pelvic strap means tightly around the pelvic region of the patient to force the patient's lower back into flexion in the separation space between the platforms in response to increased pressure on the front pelvic region of the patient from the pelvic strap means during separation of the platforms;
(e) means for holding an upper portion of the patient's body to apply traction to the patient's body during separation of the platforms;
and
(f) means for releasably securing the lower platform in a desired angle of inclination to selectively control the amount of flexion applied to the patient's lower back during separation of the platforms;
(g) the means for tilting the lower platform including means for moving the inner edge of the lower platform along a substantially straight path during separation of the platforms to produce substantially constant traction on the patient's lower back and hamstrings.

5 more elements

An orthopedic table for applying controlled flexion to the body of a patient comprising:

(a) a table divided in a mid-region of its length to form an upper platform for supporting the back of a patient and a lower platform for supporting the legs of a patient, the platforms having respective inner edges extending across the divided mid-region and having respective outer edges spaced longitudinally from the inner edges thereof;
(b) means for tilting the upper and lower platforms about corresponding longitudinally spaced apart pivot axes to increase the mid-region separation between the inner edges of the platforms;
(c) means for holding a lower portion of the patient's body in a fixed position on the lower platform;
(d) means for holding an upper portion of the patient's body to apply traction to the patient's body during mid-region separation of the platforms, a support for supporting said upper holding means, and means for selectively adjusting the angle of inclination of said upper holding means, between said support member and the upper holding means' point of attachment to the patient's upper body, for controlling the amount of flexion applied to the patient's upper body during separation of the platforms;
(e) pelvic strap means secured to the lower platform and extendible under a rear pelvic region of the patient's body and extendible over a front pelvic region of the patient to hold the patient's pelvic region in a fixed position on the lower platform, and means for securing the pelvic strap means tightly around the pelvic region of the patient to force the patient's lower back into flexion in the separation space between the platforms and in response to increased pressure on the front pelvic region of the patient from said pelvic strap means during mid-region separation of the platforms;
and
(f) means for releasably securing the lower platform in a desired angle of inclination to selectively control the amount of flexion applied to the patient's lower back during separation of the platforms;
(g) the means for tilting the lower platform including means for moving the inner edge of the lower platform along a substantially straight path during mid-region separation of the platforms to produce substantially constant traction on the patient's lower back and hamstrings.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.