US 6,634,045 B1 · Heel elevator support

Abstract

A heel elevating foam cushion is used to relieve heel pressure ulcers in patients confined to bed. The cushion elevates the lower legs and thereby supports the feet without any contact with the feet. Bolsters or palisades on either side of the cushion prevent the legs from falling from the bed, while allowing normal movement of the legs associated with cleaning of the patient, medical treatment of the limbs, etc. The surface of the cushion is covered by a waterproof covering. The cushion may be in a single use or multiple use configuration. A compression process is used to reduce the volume of the cushion by a factor of approximately eight, thereby allowing the convenient storage of cushions without the requirement for extensive storage facilities. The cushion finds application in treating persons with heel or foot pressure ulcers, in treatment of persons after orthopedic surgery, and in recovery from venous surgery for insufficient circulation in the lower limbs.

Claims33

Dependent claims

A heel elevator support for stimulating circulation in the lower extremities and for preventing and managing heel pressure ulcers comprising:

a rectangular cushion having a front end and a back end, a left and a right side, and a top and bottom surface, the cushion having a width from the left side to the right side approximating or less than the width of a bed, the cushion having a length from the front end to the back end approximating the length of a patient's leg from knee to Achilles tendon, the cushion having from the top surface to the bottom surface a height adequate to stimulate circulation in the lower extremities, two ramparts integral with the cushion, a first rampart located at the left side and parallel to the left side, a second rampart located at the right side and parallel to the right side, each rampart extending above the upper surface of the cushion, the top surface free of extensions above the top surface other than the ramparts, the support comprised of a foam material, and the support having a cover comprised of a water-resistant elastomer material.

A heel elevator support for stimulating circulation in the lower extremities and for preventing and managing heel pressure ulcers comprising:

a rectangular cushion having a front end and a back end, a left and a right side, and a top and bottom surface, the cushion having a width from the left side to the right side approximating or less than the width of a bed, the cushion having a length from the front end to the back end approximating the length of a patient's leg from knee to Achilles tendon, the cushion having from the top surface to the bottom surface a height adequate to stimulate circulation in the lower extremities, two ramparts integral with the cushion, a first rampart located at the left side and parallel to the left side, a second rampart located at the right side and parallel to the right side, each rampart extending above the upper surface of the cushion, the support comprised of a foam material, and the support having a cover comprised of a water-resistant elastomer material, a wedge shaped supplemental support for use in conjunction with the heel elevator support, the supplemental support comprising a secondary cushion with a cover, the supplemental support having a front end and a rear end, a left side and a right side, an upper surface and a lower surface, the supplemental support having the front end in contact with the rear end of the heel elevator support, the height of upper surface at the front end of the supplemental support approximating the height of the heel elevator support, the height of the upper surface at the rear end of the supplemental support declining to the level of the lower surface of the supplemental support, the upper surface of the supplemental support sloping from the front end to the rear end, the width of the supplemental support approximating the width of the heel elevator support, the supplemental cushion comprised of a foam material, and the supplemental cushion covered by a cover comprised of water-resistant elastomer material.

A heel elevator support for stimulating circulation in the lower extremities and for preventing and managing heel pressure ulcers comprising:

a rectangular cushion having a front end and a back end, a left and a right side, and a top and bottom surface, the cushion having a width from the left side to the right side approximating or less than the width of a bed, the cushion having a length from the front end to the back end approximating the length of a patient's leg from knee to Achilles tendon, the cushion having from the top surface to the bottom surface a height adequate to stimulate circulation in the lower extremities, two ramparts integral with the cushion, a first rampart located at the left side and parallel to the left side, a second rampart located at the right side and parallel to the right side, each rampart extending above the upper surface of the cushion, the support comprised of a foam material, and the support having a cover comprised of a water-resistant elastomer material, a wedge shaped supplemental support for use in conjunction with the heel elevator support, the supplemental support comprising a secondary cushion with a cover, the supplemental support having a front end and a rear end, a left side and a right side, an upper surface and a lower surface, the supplemental support having the front end in contact with the rear end of the heel elevator support, the height of upper surface at the front end of the supplemental support approximating the height of the heel elevator support, the height of the upper surface at the rear end of the supplemental support declining to the level of the lower surface of the supplemental support, the upper surface of the supplemental support sloping from the front end to the rear end, the width of the supplemental support approximating the width of the heel elevator support, the supplemental cushion comprised of a foam material, and the supplemental cushion covered by a cover comprised of water-resistant elastomer material, wherein the foam has the composition of the foam of the heel elevator support cushion.

A heel elevator support for stimulating circulation in the lower extremities and for preventing and managing heel pressure ulcers comprising:

a rectangular cushion having a front end and a back end, a left and a right side, and a top and bottom surface, the cushion having a width from the left side to the right side approximating or less than the width of a bed, the cushion having a length from the front end to the back end approximating the length of a patient's leg from knee to Achilles tendon, the cushion having from the top surface to the bottom surface a height adequate to stimulate circulation in the lower extremities, two ramparts integral with the cushion, a first rampart located at the left side and parallel to the left side, a second rampart located at the right side and parallel to the right side, each rampart extending above the upper surface of the cushion, the support comprised of a foam material, and the support having a cover comprised of a water-resistant elastomer material, a wedge shaped supplemental support for use in conjunction with the heel elevator support, the supplemental support comprising a secondary cushion with a cover, the supplemental support having a front end and a rear end, a left side and a right side, an upper surface and a lower surface, the supplemental support having the front end in contact with the rear end of the heel elevator support, the height of upper surface at the front end of the supplemental support approximating the height of the heel elevator support, the height of the upper surface at the rear end of the supplemental support declining to the level of the lower surface of the supplemental support, the upper surface of the supplemental support sloping from the front end to the rear end, the width of the supplemental support approximating the width of the heel elevator support, the supplemental cushion comprised of a foam material, and the supplemental cushion covered by a cover comprised of water-resistant elastomer material, wherein the cover has the composition of the heel elevator support.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Heel elevator support

Life of this patent

Heel elevator support

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims33