System and method for providing spinal alignment in surgical and non-medical environments

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a mattress system that provides proper spinal alignment when a person is in the lateral decubitis position for long periods of time, such as when a person is undergoing surgical procedures. Thus the present invention is configured to work within the confines of standard surgical tables. By allowing a section of a mattress under the arm and shoulder of the patient to be easily removed, damaging pressures on the patient's shoulder and pressure injuries in the lateral decubitus position are greatly diminished.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0001]Proper spinal alignment is important for preventing lower back and neck pain. This is particularly true if one is supine for long periods of time as may occur if a person is suffering from illness or requires surgery. As reported in Kamel et al., the lateral decubitus position and the prone superman position are significantly more likely to cause irritating pressure on the nerves of the upper extremity when compared with other positions. See I R Kamel et al. The Use Of Somatosensory Evoked Potentials To Determine The Relationship Between Patient Positioning And Impending Upper Extremity Nerve Injury During Spine Surgery: A Retrospective Analysis 102 Anesth. Analg. 1538-1542 (2006). The lateral decubitus position is commonly used for hip replacement surgery, hip and pelvis fracture surgery, shoulder and hip arthroscopy, thoracotomy, splenectomy, neurosurgery and kidney surgery. This position often leads to post-operative maladies for anesthetized pati...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present invention is a mattress system that helps align a person's spine when they are in a lateral decubitis position, such as during surgery. Additionally, the mattress system has a removable shoulder pad that reduces harmful pressure.

Problems solved by technology

This position often leads to post-operative maladies for anesthetized patients from general discomfort to the more serious pressure lesions, nerve injury, visual loss, rhabdomylysis and others.

Anesthetized patients are at particular risk for pressure sore formation during operative procedures.

The risks of pressure sore formation are a result of the type of mattress used, the patient's own weight, any pressure or motion exerted by the surgeon, and any intraoperative positioning device.

Each of these devices has drawbacks.

All of these devices do not allow proper spinal alignment of the patient during preoperative preparation, the procedure, and subsequent recovery.

Depending on the patients underlying spinal condition and the length of the case this can cause discomfort of the lower back and neck post-operatively.

This in addition to friction from movement during the case can create a pressure lesion on the skin at the chest wall.

Additionally, these devices are prone to positioning error, particularly when time elements and care-giver experience are at play.

Thus, these devices may shift during surgery and, therefore, not function as intended.

Pneumatic patient positioners are single use per patient and may be prohibitively expensive to many hospitals and surgery centers.

Additionally, each of these devices have questionable efficacy for the morbidly obese patient.

The mattress cover does not provide the patient with proper orthopaedic support in the lateral decubitus position and does not facilitate ease of patient positioning nor does it provide ease of removal when necessary.

However these references do not disclose ease of patient positioning in surgical. environments.

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