Arm restraint for iv site stability

Abstract

The invention relates to an upper extremity restraint which uses moveable non-adhesive restraint strappings and a reversible rigid platform, which enables a caregiver to ensure the patient's secure upper limb positioning for intravenous site maintenance. The present invention also includes an upper extremity restraint which uses parallel openings in the backbone restraint, which enable the immobilization of the upper limb through use of tie down restraining to prevent formation of hematomas or other types of patient injury caused by IV catheter site interruption or displacement.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD[0001]The present invention relates to an upper extremity restraint which may be worn by a patient while receiving treatment provided by a healthcare practitioner. More specifically, it relates to an upper extremity restraint useful for providing stability for intravenous (IV) sites on the patient's distal upper extremity and also for decreasing upper extremity movements.[0002]When a medical practitioner administers treatment to a patient, she oftentimes must stabilize the patient's upper limb in order to successfully complete certain prescribed procedures. One such procedure is the maintenance of an IV needle insertion site on the patient's distal upper extremity. For example, medical practitioners typically insert the IV needle into the dorsum of the patient's hand or the patient's antecubital area. Maintenance of the IV needle insertion site is necessary for continuous and uninterrupted transfer of IV fluids including, but not limited to, crystalloids, colloids, bl...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The invention is a device that solves the problem of difficulty in maintaining the position of IV sites on a patient's body. It uses a reversible rigid platform that can adjust to different upper limb configurations. The device also has non-adhesive strappings that can be adjusted to different positions. This system allows for versatility in positioning the IV site and can prevent patient injury caused by IV catheter site interruption or displacement.

Problems solved by technology

A patient's upper extremity movement, however, often causes IV catheter dislodgement and possible patient injury, thereby interrupting patient IV therapy.

Movements unchecked may cause the development of unwanted hematomas in the patient or other types of patient injury caused by IV catheter site interruption or displacement.

Such restraints are limited in that they may cover the patient's antecubital area and prevent IV catheter insertions at this location.

If such conventional restraints allow for sufficient exposure of a patient's antecubital area, the restraint may still not prevent a patient's elbow movements, thereby causing IV catheter dislodgement and possible injurious effects.

These strappings, unfortunately, have led to patient injuries, including the loss of hair and tearing of skin at locations where the tape adhered directly to the patient's skin.

This unintended severe trauma to distal portions of digits occurs most frequently when adhesive strappings obscure the location of a pediatric patient's fingers.

Adhesive tape or strapping is also deficient for use in securing upper extremity restraints because it is not easily removable and, consequently, does not allow the practitioner to readily detect the formation of edema or discoloration in a patient's extremity.

These strappings, moreover, do not allow the practitioner to easily remove the upper extremity restraint for regular cleaning of the patient's extremity and regular cleaning of the restraint itself.

TJC, however, has mandated that it will no longer allow such netting, kurlex, gauze or other forms of wrapping over the arm and hand as a result of the described incidence of severed digits.

However, the product's non-adhesive strappings are moveable on only one end of each strapping's two ends.

Thus, options are limited for adjusting the arm strapping for optimal patient comfort and IV catheter stability.

Additionally, this product utilizes a semi-rigid cardboard constructed with a solid piece of crepe material with fine hooked ends used to secure the arm strappings, however, they cannot fully control the movement of the patient.

Moreover, the armboard has a high degree of flexibility such that the patient can easily remove his arm through the proximal end of the armboard, thereby endangering the integrity of the IV catheter site on the distal portion of the limb.

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