Abstract:
A patient care apparatus comprises a platform carrying a mattress configured to allow the care of and facilitate the transfer of a patient from one support platform to another support platform with minimal stimulation or disruption to the patient. The patient care apparatus further comprises of a base designed to allow the platform to be used on any stationary or mobile patient support platform including a mechanism for lifting the patient.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    The present patent application is based upon Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/281,487 filed Nov. 18, 2009 and the priority to that prior Provisional patent application is hereby claimed. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    It is widely known that babies born prematurely with extremely low birth weights (ELBW) are at particular risk for intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) during their early neonatal period due to both the vulnerability of the germinal matrix and the protective cerebral autoregulation which is present in older babies has not yet developed. Any event that results in disruption of vascular autoregulation can cause IVH making the higher in ELBW infants who are transported after birth. 
         [0003]    Preliminary data for 2006 estimates 4,265,996 births occurred in the United States during the year, an increase of 3 percent from 2005, the largest single-year increase in the number of births since 1989, and the largest number of births since 1961. Preterm births (as defined before 37 weeks of gestation) have risen 21 percent since 1990 to 12.8 percent of the births during 2006. Infants born with Low Birth Weight (as defined as less than 2,500 grams) have risen 19 percent over this same period to 8.3 percent of births. The reviewed literature suggests the most vulnerable cohort of this population to be the very pre-term (less than 32 wks) and very low birth weight (less than 1,500 gms.) This suggests, at a minimum, between 63,136 and 85,319 births during 2006 in the United States were at risk for perinatal brain injury and was increased whenever they were required to be transported. 
         [0004]    The current pathway for the care of a High Risk Premature Neonate generally requires the neonate to be moved into a minimum of three separate devices. Immediately upon birth, the newborn neonate is typically placed on an open bed radiant warmer (device number one) located in the birthing area and is assessed, possibly receiving some type of intervention such as resuscitation. The neonate is then moved into a transport incubator (device number two) and transported within the same hospital to a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) where the infant is place in another thermal regulation device (device number three) where they are admitted for care. 
         [0005]    Depending on the state of the facility, the infant may remain in this device for most of its care during the period of vulnerability. However, the infant may need to be transported again to another care facility using a transport incubator if the hospital in which they were born cannot provide the level of care required. They may also be moved to another thermal device during their care for another reason such as access or to have some procedure outside of the NICU. 
         [0006]    During the past five years advances have been made in understanding perinatal brain injury and have led to an increased desire and need to monitor and image the neonate&#39;s brain. Imaging techniques include conducting Cranial Ultrasound and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) of the premature infant&#39;s brain. New thermal transport devices which are MRI compatible have also made it easier to transport the infant to and conduct the MRI by providing life support. However, clinicians are now forced to make difficult trade-offs between the value of an MRI and the added risk involved in moving a high risk premature infant. Clinicians are now challenged by how to access the neonate&#39;s head for examination, monitoring and imaging purposes with minimal disruption to the neonate. 
         [0007]    Hospital&#39;s also have significant investments in existing patient support apparatus for the care of neonates. The goal of this invention is to provide a platform which allows clinicians to examine and, if necessary, move the high risk neonate between these apparatus in a stable method thereby reducing the disruption of vascular autoregulation. However, the invention may have use in other patient populations and is not to be limited to neonatal use. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    According to the present disclosure, a patient care apparatus comprises a patient support platform with a mattress and a means to allow clinicians to examine and, if necessary, move the patient support platform and mattress from one patient care apparatus to another patient care apparatus in a stable method reducing the disruption of vascular autoregulation. The patient care apparatus furthermore comprises of base in which the patient support platform and mattress will fit allowing it to be used in any patient care apparatus. The support base may be either custom tailored to a specific patient care apparatus or it may be adjustable allowing it to be used in multiple types of patient care apparatuses. 
         [0009]    The patient care apparatus includes a mechanism to allow the patient support platform and mattress to be raised and, if required, lifted from the support base and moved in a level fashion from one patient care apparatus to another thereby causing minimal disruption to the patient. 
         [0010]    As further features, the patient care apparatus may include support capabilities for such items as ventilator, feeding, and I.V. tubing, as well as other cables such as electrodes and sensors so they can easily move with the patient. 
         [0011]    Further, the patient care apparatus may include the ability to transmit video and physiological data to clinicians who may be involved in the care of the high risk patient but are remotely situated to the patient. 
         [0012]    Still further, the patient care apparatus may include a mechanism to allow its use during any type of imagining including the use of X-Ray cassettes and head coils for conducing MRIs. 
         [0013]    As another feature of the present invention, the patient care apparatus can include a means to provide thermal support to the patient. 
         [0014]    The drawings supplied in this disclosure represent one or more embodiments of the invention and are not meant to limit other embodiments of the inventions disclosed herein. These and other features and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent during the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the drawings herein. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0015]      FIG. 1  is a schematic view illustrating the possible movement of an infant within a health care facility using existing patient care apparatus; 
           [0016]      FIG. 2  is an exploded view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention and  FIG. 2A  is a perspective view of a generic support base; 
           [0017]      FIG. 3  is a side view of a patient support platform of the present invention with the handles of the lifting mechanism in the upper, usable position; 
           [0018]      FIG. 4  is a side view of the patient support platform of the present invention with the handles of the lifting mechanism in the lower, at rest, position; 
           [0019]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view illustrating the use of the present invention to transfer an infant from one infant care apparatus to another infant care apparatus; 
           [0020]      FIG. 6  is an enlarged, perspective view illustrating support capabilities of the lifting mechanism of the present invention; 
           [0021]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention illustrating one end of the patient support platform in a raised position; 
           [0022]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view of an alternative exemplary embodiment of the present invention; and 
           [0023]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view of the  FIG. 8  embodiment illustrating the patient support platform in a raised, flat and level position and a removable head section. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0024]    Referring now to  FIG. 1 , there is shown a perspective view illustrating the possible movements of an infant within a patient care facility. The movements of the infant are initially shown in the direction of the arrows A. As can be seen, the infant, immediately after birth, is typically placed on an open bed radiant warmer  10  located in the birthing area where the infant is assessed, possibly receiving some type of intervention such as resuscitation. The infant may then be moved into a transport incubator  12  and transported within the same health care facility to a neonatal intensive care unit where the infant is placed in another thermal regulation device, such as a NICU warmer  14  where the infant is admitted for care. Alternatively, or in addition, the infant may be placed into a NICU incubator  16 . 
         [0025]    Depending on the state of the facility, the infant may remain in the NICU incubator  16  for most of its care during the period of vulnerability. However, the infant may need to be transported again to another care facility using a transport incubator  18  if the hospital in which they were born cannot provide the level of care required. The infant may also be moved to another thermal patient care apparatus during its care for another reason such as access or to have some procedure outside of the NICU. It is also possible that the infant may be moved by means of the transport incubator  18  to a MRI apparatus  20  for further diagnostic testing. As can be seen by the arrows B, the infant may then be returned to a prior infant care apparatus such as the NICU incubator  16  or the NICU warmer  14  by means of the transport incubator  18 . 
         [0026]    As can therefore be seen, the infant potentially can be moved in a series of moves and be contained with a plurality of infant care apparatuses during its stay in the health care facility. As stated, each move is tedious to the infant and it would be desirable to make each move with as little trauma to the infant as possible. 
         [0027]    Turning then to  FIG. 2 , there is shown an exploded view of the present invention that is designed to be used with a specific patient support system, such as an incubator or infant warmer. As such, there is a support base  22  that is dimensioned so as to fit within an existing infant care apparatus, and, in particular, any of the various infant care apparatuses illustrated in  FIG. 1 . Within the support base  22  are locating features  24  that will be explained later but, it will be seen that the locating features  24  are, in the exemplary embodiment, indentations or projections in the support base  22 . 
         [0028]    As also can be seen in  FIG. 2 , there is a patient support platform  26  that fits into a similarly shaped indented area  28  in the support base  22  such that the patient support platform  26  can be firmly located within the indented area  28  in an immovable manner, that is, the patient support platform  26  does not move laterally once fitted into the indented area  28 . As shown, the indented area  28  has diagonal corners, however, the indented area  28  can be any shape that can interfit with a conforming shaped patient support platform  26 . 
         [0029]    An infant mattress  30  is fitted within the patient support platform  26  for the comfort in supporting an infant thereon. In addition, there may be receptacles  32  located at the sides of the patient support platform  26  for securing straps (not shown) that retain the infant in position atop of the mattress  30 . The securing straps may be joinable together by some affixing system such as the loop and hook system marketed under the mark Velcro. Other fastening systems can, however, be used, such as buckles, snap fasteners or the like. 
         [0030]    There is also a supply system support  34  that is used to retain the various tubes or wires that are used to support the care being given to the patient when located atop of the mattress  30 . Such tubes and wires may include wires for physiological electrodes as well as wires for sensors, IV lines, ventilation tubing, and feeding tubes. 
         [0031]    Also, there is a lifting mechanism that is used to physically lift the patient support platform  26  off of the support base  22  when it is desired to relocate the infant from one infant care apparatus to another, as illustrated in  FIG. 1 . The lifting mechanism can comprise a pair of fixed handles  36  located at both ends of the patient support platform  26  or can comprise a pair of pivotable handles  38  that can be moved between an at rest, lower position to an upper, usable position by the user. The pivotable handles  38  will be later explained with reference to  FIGS. 3 and 4 . 
         [0032]    Turning now to  FIG. 2A , there can be seen an exemplary embodiment of a generic support base  40  that can be used for any infant care apparatus since it is variable in dimensions. With this embodiment, the generic support base  40  has lateral sides  42  that are variable so as to vary the width of the generic support base  40  so as to interfit in any infant care apparatus. There are straps  43  that can be used to secure the lateral sides  42  to a center section  45  and be slidingly fitted beneath that center section  45 . As such, the width of the generic support base  40  can be varied in accordance with the particular patient care apparatus and that same type of sliding adjustment may also be used to adjust the ends of the generic support base  40 . 
         [0033]    There are also locating features  44  at the ends of the generic support base  40  for guiding the generic support  26  when using the generic patient base  40 . In addition, as can be seen, there are support location features  46  that interfit with the locating features  24  on the support base  22  so as to locate the generic support base  40  in the proper position. 
         [0034]    Turning then to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , there are shown, side views of the patient support platform  26  illustrating the use of the pivotable handles  38 . As can be seen, the pivotable handles  38  are pivotally mounted at pivot points  48  such that the pivotable handles  38  are shown in their upper, usable positions in  FIG. 3  and in their lower, at rest positions of  FIG. 4 . In the upper, usable position, the pivotable handles  38  can, of course, be used to lift and carry the patient support platform  26  and mattress  30  to relocate the infant from one infant care apparatus to another infant care apparatus. In this position, the pivotable handles  38  can also be used for a supply system support which will be later described in  FIG. 6 . 
         [0035]    Next, referring to  FIG. 5 , there is shown a perspective view illustrating the relocation of the patient support platform  60  in order to relocate an infant from an infant warmer  50  to a transport incubator  52 . As can be seen, the infant warmer  50  has a pedestal  54  with a support base  56  having an indented area  58  that is specially shaped to receiver the profile of the patient support platform  60 . The same is true of the transport incubator  52  where there is a support base  62  having an indented area  64  that is of the same shape, that is, the indented area  64  also conforms to the bottom of the patient support platform  60 . 
         [0036]    Accordingly, as can be seen, the caregiver  66  can simply lift the patient support platform  60  upwardly to remove it from the indented area  58  of the infant warmer  60  to transport the infant to the indented area  64  of the transport incubator  52  easily and securely since the infant is retained in its position on the mattress  68  and secured therein by the straps  70 . The transfer of the infant from one infant care apparatus to another infant care apparatus is thus is carried out with a minimum of disruption and trauma to the infant. 
         [0037]    Turning next to  FIG. 6 , there is shown a perspective view of a portion of the present invention to illustrate a typical supply system support  72  that is incorporated into a handle  74  of the patient support platform  76 . With the present supply system support  72 , there are a plurality of U-shaped openings  78  in the handle  74  such that a supply device  80  and associate or other tubing  82  can be removable connected thereto such that as the patient support platform  76  is moved from one infant care apparatus to another infant care apparatus, the supply device  80  will be carried therealong and there is no need to disconnect many of the supply devices and tubing and then reconnect the devices when the infant has been relocated. 
         [0038]    Turning then to  FIG. 7 , there is shown a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment which is adapted to be emplaced into an infant care apparatus as previously described. In this embodiment, the support base  84  can be seen and which has an indented area  86  that, again, conforms to the outer shape of the patient support platform  88 . In this embodiment, however, the upper surface has a plurality of stops  90  formed thereon. The stops  90  can be molded into the indented area  86  and be depressions or protrusions that interact with the handle  92  so as to secure the distal end of the handle  92  according to a selected stop  90 . 
         [0039]    As can thus be seen, therefore, an end of the patient support platform  88  can be raised or lowered by selecting the particular stop  90  to retain the handle  92  at the desired location for the particular tilt angle. While the stops  90  are shown in  FIG. 7  at one end of the support base  84 , they are normally located at both ends such that the infant can be raised to a head up orientation (Fowler) or a head down orientation (Trendelenberg) while resting on the contoured infant mattress  94 . The stops  90  can also be used to raise both ends of the support base  84  to a fully, level raised position to facilitate access to an infant. 
         [0040]    In  FIG. 7 , there can be seen the safety strap receptacle or tie down  96  used to secure the safety straps to retain the infant safely in place on the patient support platform  88 . The corresponding safety strap tie down oppositely located along the other lateral side of the patient support platform is not shown in  FIG. 7 . 
         [0041]    As such, therefore, the handle  92  or handles  92  can be used both for lifting the patient support platform  88  from the infant care apparatus as well as to position the infant in a plurality of tilt angles or raised levels desired by the caregiver for a number of reasons such as Trendelenberg or Fowler positions or for easier access in conducting examination of the infant. 
         [0042]    Turning then to  FIGS. 8 and 9 , there is shown perspective views of a further exemplary embodiment of the present invention and wherein the patient support platform  98  has a removable head section  100  that can be removed for better access to the infant&#39;s head for cranial ultrasound imaging and other neurological procedures. The removable head section  100  has a V-shape facing the head of the infant and has an outer contour complementary to the normal shape of the patient support platform  98  so as to fit within the indented area of the support base  84 . Furthermore,  FIG. 9  illustrates the patient support platform  98  raised and level and with the head section  100  removed allowing better access to the patient&#39;s head. 
         [0043]    The materials for construction of the patient support platform of the present invention can be those that are non-magnetic or compatible with all imaging devices such as MRI and X-ray apparatus and the patient support platform can accommodate a coil for a MRI apparatus. Types of compatibility include combined EM fields (static magnetic, gradient magnetic, and/or radio frequency) and attachment of head coils or use of X-ray trays. 
         [0044]    Those skilled in the art will readily recognize numerous adaptations and modifications which can be made to the infant care apparatus of the present invention which will result in an improved infant carrying structure and infant care apparatus utilizing the same, yet all of which will fall within the scope and spirit of the present invention as defined in the following claims. Accordingly, the invention is to be limited only by the following claims and their equivalents.