Patent Publication Number: US-4584730-A

Title: Device for stabilizing the pelvis of a patient lying on his side

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to a device for stabilizing the pelvis of a lying patient in a preselected angular position relative to a conventional flat bed. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Handicapped children with e.g. brain damage which occurred before, during or just after birth do not have full control over their body functions, and often have a limited ability to move and have some characteristic patterns of movement and resting positions. In particular the resting positions are often incorrect and in the long run cause thrust loads in the lumbar region, hip joint luxations and gradual damage to the ability to sit. Also, with elderly people, who are forced to stay in bed permanently or for long periods of time there are risks of damage of such type and also risks for bedsores. 
     There is already a device on the market, consisting of a rest, somewhat shorter than the patient, and mainly designed like a seat with a back rest. Belonging to this there is a cushion intended to be placed between the patient&#39;s legs and one or more straps to keep the patient lying on his side with his back turned to the back rest. 
     However, the known device has a number of disadvantages. It is comparatively big and it is cumbersome to turn the patient from one side to the other. The cushion intended for leg support is completely loose and easily moves into positions where it does not serve any purpose. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A purpose of this invention is to provide a device of such type which does not have these disadvantages. For example it preferably leaves some space for moving the extremities and provides support for the lumbar region of the patient on one side and on the other side for the patients hip bone, whereby the pelvis is stabilized at a right angle to the bed. 
     This is achieved according to the invention by providing a device which includes a body which from a general point of view is disc shaped with two basically parallel planar surfaces, is intended to be placed between the lower extremities of the patient and is designed with a cavity, which extends from one edge of the body toward its center and which conforms to and is somewhat bigger than the contour of the patient&#39;s pelvis as seen from the side. Projecting outwardly from the planar surface are protruding parts, preferably arranged in pairs on opposite sides of the body and arranged to keep the body up far enough from the bed so that there is room for one of the patients extremities between the bed and the planar surface facing the bed while the other extremity rests on the opposite planar surface, whereby there is a certain moving space for the extremities between the protruding parts and at the cavity the supporting surfaces are arranged to support the lumbar region of the patient on one and on the other side the hip bone of the patient. 
     According to a special characteristic of the invention the distance between said the planar surfaces is big enough for the lower extremities of the patient to rest mutually parallel and in line with the spine when using the device, one extremity on the bed and the other on the planar surface facing away from the bed. Thus the tension on the hip joint decreases, which gives relief to already injured hip joints and delays and possibly prevents hip joint luxation. 
     A according to another special characteristic of the invention at least one of the protruding parts serves as a support for the hip bones of the patient, is completely displaceable toward and away from the cavity and is detachable from the disc shaped body, so that device can be used while a young patient grows and the best possible lying position can always be achieved by adjusting the protruding parts. 
     According to a suitable design the protruding part or parts which support the back of the patient extend further out from the disc shaped body than the part which supports the hip bones of the patient in order to support the lumbar part of the patient. 
     It is desirable that such back parts are comparatively thin in a direction normal to the surface thereon supporting the patient and are preferably of a thickness which generally coincides with the distance that the back part or the back parts protrude from the respective planar surfaces of the disc. By designing the back part to be or back parts thin, turning of a patient lying in the device is facilitated. 
     According to further special characteristics of the invention the device includes support surfaces for the front of the patient&#39;s thighs to prevent abnormal knee upheaval, which is common amongst handicapped children and contributes to the problems discussed in the introduction. Furthermore the body which is the main part of the device, the parts protruding from the planar surfaces of the body and the supporting surfaces are manufactured from a soft, springing, non-rigid material such as foamed plastic to prevent pressure injuries on the patient. Alternatively the body comprises a rigid frame on which pads of e.g. foamed plastic are fixed. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The invention will be explained further below with reference the enclosed where FIG. 1 shows a design of a device according to the invention in perspective, FIG. 2 shows the device according to FIG. 1 in a top view , and FIG. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of the device of FIG. 1. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The device according to the invention is a support which includes a body 1 which from a general point of view is disc shaped with two basically parallel planar surfaces 2, 3. The body is designed with a cavity 4 which extends from one edge of the body toward its center. The cavity 4 is intended for the patient&#39;s pelvis such that the patient&#39;s lower extremities 5, 6 are placed on either side of the body 1, and the contour of the cavity conforms to and is somewhat bigger than the contour of the pelvis as seen from the side. The parts 7-10 protrude from the planar surfaces 2, 3 of the body 1, and are arranged in pairs on opposite sides of the body 1. On the drawing the parts protruding from the surface 2 have been marked with an a and similarly the parts protruding from the planar surface 3 have been marked with a b. The parts 7-10 have basically two objects. First they are arranged to support the disc shaped body far enough from the bed to make room for one of the patient&#39;s lower extremities or legs between the bed and the planar surface 2 and second they define the moving space or leg recess 11 for the patient&#39;s extremities. The distance between the surfaces 2, 3, i.e. the thickness of the body 1, is such that the extremities 5, 6 when using the device are mutually parallel and in line with the patient&#39;s spine. Thus the lower 6 of the lower extremities rests on the bed while the upper 5 of the lower extremities is resting on the planar surface 3. 
     To stabilize the patient&#39;s pelvis in the way the invention intends, supporting surfaces 12, 13 are arranged at the cavity 4. The supporting surface 12 is arranged to support the lumbar region of the patient while the supporting surface 13 has two parts respectively provided on the parts 10a and 10b and is arranged to support the hip bones of the patient. The supporting surface 12 is preferably integrated with the protruding part 9. In the same way the supporting surface 13 is integrated with the protruding parts 10a and 10b. To be able to adapt the device to a certain extent according to the size of the patient, the parts 10a and 10b are adjustable toward and away from the cavity. This is achieved because the parts 10a and 10b are completely adjustable toward and away from the cavity 4. To facilitate placing the patient in the device the parts 10a and 10b are detachable. 
     The part 9 to support the patient&#39;s back is designed in one piece and extends sufficiently from the disc shaped body to support the lumbar part of the patient. 
     As shown in the drawing the part 9 is comparatively thin so that turning the patient around the back part can take place easily and without much effort. The parts 8 protruding from both sides of the disc serve as foot rests for the patient and in FIG. 3 are displaceable on the disc so as to be adjustable into a desired position. 
     According to the invention the device includes supporting surfaces 14a, 14b for the patients thighs to prevent abnormal knee upheaval. These supporting surfaces are also integrated with the parts 10a, 10b and are preferably adjustable to limit the knee upheaval suitably according to the size of the patient. 
     Furthermore the parts 8a and 8b are preferably placed to stop the patient from bending his/hers knees too much. 
     The device is manufactured from a soft, springing, non-rigid material such as foamed plastic but as shown in FIG. 3 can also consist of a rigid frame 1A with pads 1B of e.g. foamed plastic, fixed to it, and is in both cases covered by a protective material, as shown at 1C in FIG. 3. 
     The invention is not restricted to the above described design but a number of modifications are possible within the scope of possible demands. The parts 10a and 10b for example can be designed in one piece so that the whole front part creating the U-shaped cavity is detachable and adjustable toward and away from the patient&#39;s hip bones.