US 5,108,455 A · Lower limb prosthesis having removable rigid amputation stump dressing

Abstract

A lower limb prosthesis assembly is provided for immediate post-operative applications which includes a weight-bearing prosthetic device in conjunction with a removable, size-adjustable rigid dressing for placement around a patient's amputation stump. The weight-bearing prosthetic device includes a foot-ankle assembly attached to an adjustable endoskeletal shank having adjustment means, medial and lateral uprights extending upwardly from the endoskeletal shank, and an open ended quadrilateral thigh socket attached to and located between the medial and lateral uprights. The thigh socket includes a proximal ischial weight-bearing shelf for supporting the patient without contacting the open wound of the amputation stump. The rigid dressing includes a substantially stump-shaped rigid cast portion for placement around the stump which is open-ended at the top and shaped to enclose and secure around the stump at its bottom to apply mild compression for suppressing edema of the stump. The cast portion has (a) two vertical half shells wherein each half shell has two vertically-separatable overlapping sections which are slidably adjustable for adaption to different size stumps, (b) sizing means on the cast portion for adjusting it in size circumferentially and for holding the overlapping sections together, and (c) locking means for securing the two half shells together around the amputation stump. The invention is intended to be used immediately after an amputation, as early as the first post-operative day. This provides a prosthetic device which is prefabricated, adjustable, economical and easy to use without creating any problems in the healing of the terminal surgical wound.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A lower limb prosthesis assembly for immediate post operative amputation applications, comprising:

(A) a weight-bearing prosthetic device including
(i) a foot-ankle assembly;
(ii) an adjustable endoskeletal shank attached to the foot-ankle assembly including vertical and horizontal adjustment means for adapting said weight-bearing prosthetic device to a particular patient;
(iii) medial and lateral uprights extending upwardly from the endoskeletal shank for supporting the patient, said uprights having upper and lower sections connected by a knee joint;
(iv) an open ended quadrilateral thigh socket attached to and located between the medial and lateral uprights, said thigh socket having an ischial weight-bearing shelf for supporting the patient without contact to the wound;
(v) a suspension means for supporting said weight-bearing prosthetic device on the patient, said suspension means being attachable around the torso of the patient;
and
(B) an independent removable, size-adjustable rigid dressing for placement around the patient's amputation stump below said quadrilateral thigh socket, said rigid dressing including
(i) a substantially stump shaped rigid cast portion for placement around said stump, said cast portion being open-ended at the top and shaped to enclose and secure around the stump at its bottom to apply mild compression for suppressing edema of the stump, said cast portion having four interconnecting separatable shell sections with vertical separations extending from one end of the cast portion to the other end of the cast portion wherein said vertical separations are substantially located at 0.degree., 90.degree., 180.degree., and 270.degree. of the circumference of said cast portion, said cast portion having
(a) locking means at two of the opposing vertical separations so that said cast portion can be separated into two pieces for removal and inspection of the physiological status of the stump and rejoined and locked onto the patient's stump, and
(b) sizing means between the other two opposing vertical separations so that said cast portion can be adjusted in size circumferentially.

8 more elements

In a lower limb prosthetic assembly for immediate post-operative amputation applications having a weight-bearing prosthetic device which includes a foot-ankle assembly;

an adjustable endoskeletal shank attached to said foot-ankle assembly including vertical and horizontal adjustment means for adapting said weight-bearing prosthetic device to a particular patient;
medial and lateral uprights extending upwardly from said endoskeletal shank for supporting the patient, said uprights having upper and lower sections connected by a knee joint;
an open ended quadrilateral thigh socket attached to and located between the medial and lateral uprights, said thigh socket having an ischial weight-bearing shelf for supporting the patient without contact to the wound;
and a suspension means for supporting said prosthetic device on the patient, said suspension means being attachable around the torso of the patient, wherein the improvement comprises:
an independent removable, size-adjustable rigid dressing for placement around the patient's amputation stump below said quadrilateral thigh socket, said rigid dressing including
a substantially stump-shaped rigid cast portion for placement around said stump, said cast portion being open-ended at the top and shaped to enclose and secure around the stump at its bottom to apply mild compression for suppressing edema of the stump, said cast portion having
(a) two separatable vertical half shells wherein each half shell has two vertically-separatable overlapping sections including an outside overlapping section and an inside overlapping section, said overlapping sections slidably adjustable for adaptation to different size stumps,
(b) sizing means on said cast portion for adjusting said cast portion in size circumferentially and for holding said overlapping sections together, and
(c) locking means for securing said two half shells together around the amputation stump.

6 more elements

In a lower limb prosthetic assembly for immediate post-operative amputation applications having a weight-bearing prosthetic device which includes a foot-ankle assembly;

an adjustable endoskeletal shank attached to said foot-ankle assembly including vertical and horizontal adjustment means for adapting said weight-bearing prosthetic device to a particular patient;
medial and lateral uprights extending upwardly from said endoskeletal shank for supporting the patient, said uprights having upper and lower sections connected by a knee joint;
an open ended quadrilateral thigh socket attached to and located between the medial and lateral uprights, said thigh socket having an ischial weight-bearing shelf for supporting the patient without contact to the wound;
and a suspension means for supporting said prosthetic device of the patient, said suspension means being attachable around the torso of the patient, wherein the improvement comprises:
an independent removable, size-adjustable rigid dressing for placement around the patient's amputation stump below said quadrilateral thigh socket, said rigid dressing including
a substantially stump-shaped rigid cast portion for placement around said stump, said cast portion being open-ended at the top and shaped to enclose and secure around the stump at its bottom to apply mild compression for suppressing edema of the stump, said cast portion having
(a) two separatable vertical half shells wherein each half shell has two vertically-separatable overlapping sections including an outside overlapping section and an inside overlapping section, said overlapping sections slidably adjustable for adaptation to different size stumps, each of the outside overlapping sections having a horizontal slot,
(b) sizing means on said cast portion for adjusting said cast portion in size circumferentially and for holding said overlapping sections together, said sizing means including fastening adjustment means slidably extending through each of said horizontal slots for tightening said overlapping sections securely together, and
(c) locking means for securing said two half shells together around the amputation stump.

6 more elements

In a lower limb prosthetic assembly for immediate post-operable amputation applications having a weight-bearing prosthetic device which includes a foot-ankle assembly;

an adjustable endoskeletal shank attached to said foot-ankle assembly including vertical and horizontal adjustment means for adapting said weight-bearing prosthetic device to a particular patient;
medial and lateral uprights extending upwardly from said endoskeletal shank for supporting the patient, said uprights having upper and lower sections connected by a knee joint;
an open ended quadrilateral thigh socket attached to and located between the medial and lateral uprights, said thigh socket having an ischial weight-bearing shelf for supporting the patient without contact to the wound;
and a suspension means for supporting said prosthetic device to the patient, said suspension means being attachable around the torso of the patient, wherein the improvement comprises:
an independent removable, size-adjustable rigid dressing for placement around the patient's amputation stump below said quadrilateral thigh socket, said rigid dressing including
a substantially stump-shaped rigid cast portion for placement around said stump, said cast portion being open-ended at the top and shaped to enclose and secure around the stump at its bottom to apply mild compression for suppressing edema of the stump, said cast portion having
(a) two separatable vertical half shells wherein each half shell has two vertically-separatable overlapping sections including an outside overlapping section and an inside overlapping section, said overlapping sections slidably adjustable for adaptation to different size stumps,
(b) sizing means on said cast portion for adjusting said cast portion in size circumferentially and for holding said overlapping sections together,
(c) locking means for securing said two half shells together around the amputation stump, and
(d) a compressible lining for placing between the stump and said cast portion to assist in applying mild compression to the stump and maintain a close fit after stump shrinkage, said compressible lining including a flat flower-like piece of compressible material having a substantially circular middle to be placed over the end of the stump and having a plurality of petals to be overlappingly folded over the stump, wherein the thickness of each of said petals is tapered toward an adjacent petal so that when said petals are folded on the stump and overlapped the overlapped petals cover the stump with a substantially uniform thickness of compressible material.

7 more elements

A lower limb prosthetic assembly for immediate post-operative amputation applications comprising:

(A) a weight-bearing prosthetic device including
(i) a foot-ankle assembly;
(ii) an adjustable endoskeletal shank attached to said foot-ankle assembly including vertical and horizontal adjustment means for adapting said weight-bearing prosthetic device to a particular patient;
(iii) medial and lateral uprights extending upwardly from said endoskeletal shank for supporting the patient, said uprights having upper and lower sections connected by a knee joint;
(iv) an open ended quadrilateral thigh socket attached to and located between the medial and lateral uprights, said thigh socket having an ischial weight-bearing shelf for supporting the patient without contact to the wound;
(v) a suspension means for supporting said weight-bearing prosthetic device on the patient, said suspension means being attachable around the torso of the patient;
and
(B) an independent removable, size-adjustable rigid dressing for placement around the patient's amputation stump below said quadrilateral thigh socket, said rigid dressing including
(i) a substantially stump-shaped rigid cast portion for placement around said stump, said cast portion being open-ended at the top and shaped to enclose and secure around the stump at its bottom to apply mild compression for suppressing edema of the stump, said cast portion having
(a) two vertical half shells wherein each half shell has two vertically-separatable overlapping sections slidably adjustable for adaption to different size stumps,
(b) belt-like locking means for securing said two half shells together around the amputation stump, and
(c) sizing means on said cast portion for adjusting said cast portion in size circumferentially and for holding said overlapping sections together, wherein each of said outside overlapping sections has a horizontal slot, said sizing means including fastening adjustment means slidably extending through each of said horizontal slots for tightening said overlapping sections securely together, and
(ii) a foam rubber compressible lining for placing between the stump and said cast portion to assist in applying mild compression to the stump and maintain a close fit after stump shrinkage, said compressible lining including a flat flower-like piece of compressible material having a substantially circular middle to be placed over the end of the stump and a plurality of petals to be overlappingly folded over the stump, the thickness of each of said petals being tapered toward an adjacent petal so that when said petals are folded on the stump and overlapped the overlapped petals cover the stump with a substantially uniform thickness of compressible material.

10 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Lower limb prosthesis having removable rigid amputation stump dressing

Life of this patent

Lower limb prosthesis having removable rigid amputation stump dressing

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20