Abstract:
A dual compression foam pad arrangement for use with surgical postioner devices is formed from a single pair of cloverleaf-shaped foam pieces. The foam piece in contact with the patient is more porous than the foam piece in contact with the positioner support plate for greater patient comfort. A solid plastic connector clip connects the pad arrangement with the surgical postioner support in press-fit relation.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Surgical postioner devices such as described within U.S. Pat. No. 6,820,621 entitled “Lateral Surgical Positioner Device” and U.S. Pat. No. 6,003,176 entitled “Universal Lateral Positioner” require foam pads arranged on the metal support plates that come in contact with the patient during hip surgery to prevent dermal abrasion. 
   The foam pads usually consist of a plurality of pieces cemented together to form a square, round or rectangular structure defining a rectangular opening at one end to receive the metal support plate and a foam pad cemented to the opposite end for contact with the patient. 
   Since the pads are held together by cement, the cement could possibly become pliable under heat and pressure causing replacement during the surgery process. 
   Accordingly, one purpose of the invention is to disclose a method of providing a foam pad for use with hip procedure positioner devices, part of which is formed from a single pair of foam pieces, without requiring supplemental cement procedures. 
   Another purpose of the invention is to provide a dual compression arrangement whereby the pad in contact with the patient is more compressive than the pad in contact with the positioner to provide greater patient comfort during contact. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   A dual compression foam pad arrangement for use with surgical postioner devices is formed from a single pair of foam pieces that are cloverleaf-shaped to provide more flexible contact with the patient. The foam piece in contact with the patient is made of a more porous polyurethane material than the foam piece in contact with the positioner support plate for greater patient comfort. A solid plastic connector clip is fixedly attached to the foam piece in contact with the surgical postioner support for press-fit connection therewith. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a top perspective view of a surgical positioner device which includes a pair of dual compression pads, depicted in phantom, in accordance with the invention; 
       FIG. 2  is a front perspective view of one of the dual compression pads of  FIG. 1  in isometric projection prior to assembly; and 
       FIG. 3  is an enlarged side view of one of the dual compression pads of  FIG. 1  attached to one of the support plates of the surgical positioner device therein. 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   The surgical postioner device described within U.S. Pat. No. 6,820,621 is depicted at  10  in  FIG. 1  in the form of a metal support plate  11  arranged for connection with a hospital bed support rail (not shown) via the side rail connector  12 . 
   The patient rear support  13  is supported on the plate  11  and retains a rear pad  14  consisting of a first layer  14 A of more porous polyurethane material than the second layer  14 B for purposes which will be described below in greater detail. 
   As described within aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 6,820,621, a front support  15  is supported on the plate  11  and retains a top arm  16  terminating in a top support plate  17  and a bottom arm  18  terminating in a bottom support plate  19 . The top and bottom dual compression pads, hereafter “pads”,  20 A,  20 B, shown in phantom are attached to the top and bottom plates  17 ,  19  in the manner to be described below. 
   The arrangement of the pads  20 A and  20 B relative to the connector clip or plate  21  is best seen by now referring to  FIG. 2 . Although only the upper pad  20 A is depicted, the lower pad  20 B of  FIG. 1  is assembled in a similar manner. The pad  20 A which comes in contact with the patient (not shown) is formed of a less dense, more porous polyurethane plastic material than the pad  20 A′ which comes in contact with the surgical postioner plate  17  of  FIG. 1  as indicated by the spacing of the openings  25  within the thickness t 1  thereof. 
   The pad  20 A′ which comes in contact with the surgical postioner plate  17  of  FIG. 1  is formed of a more dense, less porous polyurethane plastic material than the pad  20 A which comes in contact with the patient as indicated by the spacing of the openings  26  within the thickness t 2  thereof. 
   After pad  20 A is moved in the indicated direction and is attached to pad  20 B, by cementing or by means of a laser weld process, both pads  20 A,  20 B are moved into contact with the connector plate or clip  21  made of a solid plastic material, and are attached to the plate or clip by cementing or by means of a similar laser weld process. To facilitate attachment of the plate or clip  21  to the postioner plate  17  of  FIG. 1  the rectangular plastic piece  22  comprising the body of the plate or clip  21  terminates at a top U-shaped slot  23  and at a bottom U-shaped slot  24 , as indicated. 
   The attachment of the top pad  20 , consisting of pads  20 A,  20 A′ joined together and to the plate or clip  21 , to the top plate  17  at the end of the top arm  16  of surgical postioner  10  of  FIG. 1 , shown in phantom, is accomplished by pressing the plate or clip  21  against the top plate  17  and capturing the top plate via the top and bottom U-shaped slots  23 ,  24  as indicated. To prevent the clip from moving in the horizontal plane, a pair of top and bottom apertures  22 A,  22  B formed in the U-shaped slots thereby capture the top parts of top and bottom arms  16 ,  18  ( FIG. 1 ) during the attachment. 
   The bottom pad  20 B is attached to the bottom plate  19  at the end of the bottom arm  18  of the surgical postioner  10  of  FIG. 1  in a similar manner. 
   When the surgery is completed, the top and bottom pads  20 A,  20 B of  FIG. 1  are removed from the top and bottom plates  17 ,  19  by simply prying the respective U-shaped slots off the respective ends of the top and bottom plates. The rear pad  14  of  FIG. 1  containing outer pad  14 A for contact with the patient is also formed of a less dense, more porous polyurethane plastic material than the inner pad  14 B which comes in contact with the surgical postioner plate  13  for greater patient comfort and convenience. 
   An arrangement has herein been described for fabricating a pair of clover-shaped patient support plates that are removable attached to surgical positioner units via plates or clips. The provision of less dense porous plastic material for ease and comfort to the patient is an important feature of the instant invention.