Patent ID: 7537577
Filing Date: 2009-05-26
Classification: A61F,A63B

Abstract:
1. An orthotic splint for treating radial or peripheral nerve damage, comprising: a dorsal metacarpal element, where the dorsal metacarpal element covers at least a portion of a user's hand, a ventral palmar element, where the ventral palmar element covers less than a majority of the user's palm, a flexible thumb strap that keeps the thumb properly positioned, where the thumb strap is easy to secure and comfortable to the user, a means of attachment by which the dorsal metacarpal element and the ventral palmer element are attached to each other, at least one resilient digit extensor extending from the dorsal metacarpal element past the Metacarpophalangeal joint and stopping before the distal interphalangeal joint, at least one encasing structure or channel capable of accepting a stay, where each encasing structure comprises a top, a bottom, a closed end and an open end, where the top and bottom are attached to each other on the sides and on the bottom of the top and bottom sections, such that the encasing structure functions as a closed-ended channel into which the stay can be inserted, where the at least one resilient digit extensor comprises the combination of an encasing structure and a stay, and where the at least one resilient digit extensor is removably attached to the orthotic splint, and where the at least one resilient digit extensor has a means of attachment to the dorsal metacarpal section, and where the means of attachment is hook and loop fasteners in the form of mated pairs of hook and loop fasteners, and where the at least one resilient digit extensor is adjusted by removing it from the orthotic splint and reattaching it to a different location on the orthotic splint, such that a medical practitioner can adjust the angle and position of each resilient digit extensor to correct for problems common to recovering radial nerve injuries such as bent fingers and nerves that recover in irregular patterns causing irregular control by a patient of his/her fingers, where the mated pairs of hook and loop fasteners comprises one section hook fastener and one section of loop fastener, and where the one section of hook fastener and the one section of loop fastener can be removably attached to each other, where, the splint functions by keeping the patient's hand in an “open” position, such that the flexor muscles can close the hand to grasp objects and perform many daily, routine activities, and that the resilient digit extensors of the splint will then push the fingers and thumb of the hand back into the “open” position once the grasping action is no longer desired, and, where the splint has no outriggers, loops, wires, or other projections sticking out of it more than ¼ inch above the surface of the glove, where the exposed skin on a user's hand and at least one digit provides the user of the invention with tactile sensation and direct sensory feedback, thereby allowing the user to easily feel and grasp objects in the user's hand as well as to recover faster from a radial never injury, as the direct contact between the ventral portion of the user's hand allows the user and a medical professional overseeing the user's treatment to determine progress in the user's ability to grasp various objects and modify the splint to accelerate the user's recovery.