Method and apparatus for positioning a patient
AssigneeThe OR Group, Inc.
InventorKip Van Steenburg
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and apparatus for positioning a patient for a medical procedure. The apparatus includes an air-impervious casing having a plurality of sections adapted to position and support the torso and limbs of a patient. A plurality of compartments containing beads are disposed in the sections. A plurality of connection ports are provided through which air may be evacuated from the compartments to form vacuums therein. When air is evacuated from the compartments, the beads compact together, thereby making the sections rigid.
Claims33
A positioning apparatus for positioning a patient for a medical procedure, said positioning apparatus comprising:
- an air-impervious casing having a plurality of sections with compartments formed therein, said compartments being sealed from each other to prevent air flow therebetween;
- a plurality of beads disposed in the compartments;
- and
- a plurality of connection ports through which air can be evacuated from the compartments to form vacuums therein;
- and
- wherein when the compartments are not at a vacuum, the beads in the compartments are free to move relative to each other, and when the compartments are at a vacuum, the beads in the compartments are compacted together.
A positioning apparatus for positioning a patient for a medical procedure, said positioning apparatus comprising:
- an air-impervious casing having a pair of limb sections adapted to position a pair of limbs of the patient said casing having a pair of independent interior compartments;
- a plurality of beads disposed inside the casing, said independent interior compartments containing at least a portion of the beads;
- and
- a connection port;
- a second connection port;
- and
- wherein the connection port and the second connection port permit air to be respectively evacuated from the interior compartments to form vacuums therein, and when a vacuum is not formed inside the casing, the beads are free to move relative to each other, thereby making the limb sections flexible and movable relative to each other, and when a vacuum is formed inside the casing, at least a portion of the beads are compacted together, thereby making at least one of the limb sections of the casing rigid.
A positioning apparatus for positioning a patient for a medical procedure, said positioning apparatus comprising:
- an air-impervious casing having a plurality of sections with compartments formed therein;
- a plurality of beads disposed in the compartments;
- a plurality of connection ports through which air can be evacuated from the compartments to form vacuums therein;
- a vacuum source for evacuating air from the compartments;
- a pressure source for supplying air to the compartments;
- and
- a plurality of valves respectively connected to the connection ports, each of said valves being operable to selectively close an associated one of the connection ports, connect the associated one of the connection ports to the vacuum source, and connect the associated one of the connection ports to the pressure source;
- and
- wherein when the compartments are not at a vacuum, the beads in the compartments are free to move relative to each other, thereby making the sections flexible, and when the compartments are at a vacuum, the beads in the compartments are compacted together, thereby making the sections rigid.
A positioning apparatus for positioning a patient for a medical procedure, said positioning apparatus comprising:
- an air-impervious casing having a torso section, and a limb section adapted to position a limb of the patient, said sections each containing a compartment, said compartments being sealed from each other to prevent air flow therebetween;
- a torso stiffener secured to the torso section;
- a limb stiffener secured to the limb section and movably connected to the torso stiffener;
- a plurality of beads disposed inside the casing;
- and
- a connection port through which air can be evacuated from inside the casing to form a vacuum therein;
- and
- wherein when a vacuum is not formed inside the casing, the beads are free to move relative to each other, and when a vacuum is formed inside the casing, at least a portion of the beads are compacted together.
A method of positioning a patient for a medical procedure, said method comprising the steps of:
- providing a positioning apparatus comprising an air-impervious casing having at least first and second sections, said casing having a plurality of beads disposed therein;
- securing the first section of the casing to a first portion of the patient;
- securing the second section of the casing to a second portion of the patient;
- moving the first and second sections relative to each other;
- and
- removing air from inside the casing to form a vacuum therein, said vacuum causing at least a portion of the beads inside the casing to compact together, thereby making at least one of the first and second sections of the casing rigid.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.