Temporary cervical traction maintenance

A method of temporarily maintaining cervical traction on a patient during movement of the patient from a stationary cervical traction position, including a traction cable and traction device, to another position, utilizing a portable cervical traction device including shoulder supports, a structure upstanding from the shoulder supports, a traction cable grasping structure releasably attached to said upstanding support, and means for releasably attaching the shoulder supports to the patient's body with the shoulder supports in contact with the patient's shoulders, comprising the steps of:

• (a) while the patient is maintained in traction at the stationary traction station, placing the shoulder supports, with upstanding structure, into operative contact with the patient's shoulders, and attaching the shoulder supports to the patient's body with the attachment means;
• (b) moving the traction cable grasping structure into operative association with the traction cable at the stationary traction station;
• (c) applying suitable traction force to the shoulder supports and grasping the traction cable at a position thereof maintaining the force applied;
• (d) releasing the traction cable from attachment to the traction device at the stationary traction station;
• and
• (e) transporting the patient, with portable cervical traction device applied, from the traction station to another station.

A portable cervical traction device comprising:

• a pair of shoulder support structures;
• a plate of radiolucent material operatively attached to said shoulder support structures and adapted to engage a patient's back;
• strap means operatively attached to said plate for strapping said plate onto a patient's body with said shoulder support structures in contact with the patient's shoulders;
• a traction support member operatively attached to said plate and extending upwardly therefrom, said traction support member comprising:
• a lower cross bar;
• an upper cross bar;
• means for attaching said lower cross bar to said plate;
• and two sets of telescoping components operatively attached to said upper and lower cross bars, with biasing means associated with said telescoping components of each set for providing a biasing force tending to separate said lower and upper cross bars, but allowing said lower and upper cross bars to be moved toward each other against said biasing force, with said biasing force gradually increasing as said upper and lower cross bars are moved toward each other;
• and
• traction cable grasping means operatively attached to said upper cross bar.