Cervical thoracic orthosis

In a cervical thoracic orthosis comprising a chest plate for overlying a patient's chest, and a back plate for overlying a patient's back, an occipital support rigidly secured to the back plate for supporting the occipital and neck region of the patient, a chin support secured to the chest plate for supporting the chin and lower jaw region of the patient's head, and fasteners for securing the chest plate and the back plate in a fixed position around the patient's upper torso for holding the occipital support and the chin support in fixed positions, the improvement comprising axially rigid but bendable lateral support bars fastened between and cooperating with the occipital support and the chin support to form a rigid frame structure surrounding the sides of the patient's neck region and the patient's jaw, and a flexible forehead strap secured to the occipital support and adjustable for fastening around the patient's forehead to provide sufficient support to preclude movement of the patient's head, the forehead strap made from a skin adhesion material to enhance frictional contact with the patient's head and prevent slippage sufficiently for resisting movement of the patient's head even in the temporary absence of the chin support, in which the chin support member includes a front central recess, in which the chin support comprises a flexible pressure-relieving chin support suspended inside a rigid chin support member to apply supporting pressure to the sides of the patient's jaw while the flexible chin support provides the sole means of support for the chin above a recessed region of the chin support member.

In a cervical thoracic orthosis comprising a chest plate for overlying a patient's chest, and a back plate for overlying a patient's back, an occipital support rigidly secured to the back plate for supporting the occipital and neck region of the patient, a chin support secured to the chest plate for supporting the chin and lower jaw region of the patient's head, and fastened for securing the chest plate and the back plate in a fixed position around the patient's upper torso for holding the occipital support and the chin support in fixed positions, the improvement comprising axially rigid but bendable lateral support bars fastened between and cooperating with the occipital support and the chin support to form a rigid frame structure surrounding the sides of the patient's neck region and the patient's jaw, and a flexible forehead strap secured to the occipital support and adjustable for fastening around the patient's forehead to provide sufficient support to preclude movement of the patient's head, in which the chin support comprises a flexible pressure-relieving chin support pad releasably suspended inside a rigid chin support member which includes rigid side portions and a front central recess between the side portions and projecting downwardly below the side portions, in which the flexible chin support pad is releasably secured to the rigid side portions, with a lower central portion of the chin support pad spaced above the front central recess, the chin support pad thereby suspended so as to apply supporting pressure to the sides of the patient's jaw while the lower central portion of the flexible chin support pad provides the sole means of support for the chin spaced above the recessed region of the chin support member.