A personalized adaptive head and neck support system for posterior fossa and a method for constructing the same
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- 王梦亚
- Filing Date
- 2026-05-09
- Publication Date
- 2026-06-05
AI Technical Summary
In existing technologies, head and neck positioning management devices for patients after posterior fossa surgery are difficult to achieve surgical area avoidance, bilateral support and stability, continuous neck pillow transition, drainage tube guidance and modular height adjustment, and the correspondence between individualized construction process and device structure is unclear.
A personalized adaptive head and neck support system for the posterior fossa is designed, including a central avoidance zone, bilateral support zones, a neck pillow transition zone, a drainage tube avoidance channel, and a height adjustment zone. A flexible 3D printed elastic lattice structure is adopted, and parametric modeling and manufacturing are carried out by collecting individual data to achieve regional differentiated support.
It achieves decompression and avoidance in the posterior fossa surgical area, continuous and stable support for the head and neck, smooth exit of the drainage tube, and flexible adjustment of the overall height and angle, improving the adaptability and remanufacturability of the device, and enhancing patient comfort and safety.
Smart Images
Figure CN122140466A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This invention relates to the fields of medical and nursing assistive devices, personalized support devices, and additive manufacturing technology, specifically to a personalized adaptive head and neck support system for posterior fossa surgery patients, suitable for head and neck positioning management, surgical area decompression and avoidance, drainage tube avoidance and guidance, and personalized support, as well as its construction method. Background Technology
[0002] After posterior fossa surgery, patients often need to maintain a relatively stable head and neck position in a supine, semi-recumbent, or head-elevated position. Because the surgical area is located in the posterior occipital region or the occipitocervical junction, ordinary pillows, general-purpose foam pads, simple U-shaped pillows, or pillows with a single opening are prone to the following problems in clinical use: First, the surgical area, dressing area, or bone window area of the posterior fossa is in direct contact with the supporting surface, resulting in significant local pressure; second, drainage tubes are easily compressed, bent, or displaced by the pillow; third, the support at the head and neck transition area is discontinuous, easily leading to suspension, hyperextension, or tilting; fourth, general-purpose pillows cannot simultaneously accommodate differences in head circumference, cervical curvature, dressing thickness, and drainage path. Existing technologies include decompression pillows for posterior fossa surgery, postoperative pillows with placement holes and drainage channels, suspended nursing pillows for head and neck postoperative care, and ordinary 3D-printed lattice pillows. However, they generally suffer from the following shortcomings: First, they fail to integrate central surgical area avoidance, bilateral support and stability, continuous transition of the neck pillow, lateral drainage tube exit, and modular height adjustment into one unit; second, they fail to directly correspond the regional differences in the flexible 3D-printed lattice to the postoperative support zones of the posterior fossa; and third, the correspondence between the individualized construction process and the device structure is unclear, making it difficult for the device to be quickly adapted to the patient's anatomical shape, surgical area, and tubing path. Summary of the Invention
[0003] The technical problem to be solved by this invention is to provide an individualized adaptive head and neck support system for the posterior fossa and its construction method, so that the system can simultaneously achieve pressure avoidance in the surgical area of the posterior fossa, stable support of both sides of the head, continuous support of the posterior neck, guidance and avoidance of drainage tubes, overall height and angle adjustment, and rapid data-driven construction based on individual differences.
[0004] To address the aforementioned technical problems, this invention provides a personalized adaptive head and neck support system for the posterior fossa, comprising a support body 1, a central avoidance zone 2, a left support zone 3a, a right support zone 3b, a neck-pillow transition zone 4, a height adjustment zone 5, a peripheral stabilizing edge 6, a drainage tube avoidance channel 7, a head 8, and a flexible 3D-printed elastic lattice structure 9. The central avoidance zone 2 is positioned on the support body 1 corresponding to the surgical area of the posterior fossa, forming an avoidance or low-pressure contact area for the posterior fossa incision, bone window area, dressing coverage area, and / or tube exit area. The left support zone 3a and right support zone 3b are located on the left and right sides of the central avoidance zone 2, supporting the non-surgical areas on both sides of the patient's head and providing lateral restraint for the head in the supine position. Preferably, in the use state, the patient's head is embedded within the support contour formed by the central avoidance zone 2, the left support zone 3a, and the right support zone 3b, with the contours of the head conforming to or approximately conforming to the inner walls or inner support surfaces of the left and right support zones. The neck pillow transition zone 4 is located below the central relief zone 2 and forms a continuous transition surface with the left support zone 3a and the right support zone 3b. It is used to support the back of the neck and reduce the unsupported, overextended, or locally concentrated pressure at the neck-pillow junction. The drainage tube relief channel 7 is connected to or adjacent to the central relief zone 2 and leads to the side edge of the support body 1, allowing the drainage tube to be led out along the side of the support body 1, reducing the risk of the drainage tube being compressed, bent, or displaced by the head or pillow. The height adjustment zone 5 is located at the bottom, inside, or in a structural part connected to the support body 1, and is used to adjust the overall height, head height angle, and / or left and right tilt angle of the support body 1 to adapt to different head and neck shapes, headboard elevation angles, and dressing thickness requirements. The support body 1 is at least partially composed of an elastic lattice structure 9 formed by flexible 3D printing, and the central avoidance area 2, the left support area 3a, the right support area 3b, and the neck-pillow transition area 4 each adopt different apertures, wall thicknesses, lattice densities, and / or lattice unit types to form a regionally differentiated gradient support distribution. This invention also provides a method for constructing the above-mentioned posterior fossa individualized adaptive head and neck support system, including: collecting head and neck shape data, surgical site location information, dressing thickness information, and drainage tube path information; establishing an outer contour model of the support body; dividing the central avoidance area 2, left support area 3a, right support area 3b, neck-pillow transition area 4, drainage tube avoidance channel 7, and height adjustment area 5; assigning different lattice parameters to each area according to a preset support target; manufacturing using flexible 3D printing technology and performing post-processing and module assembly to obtain a support system adapted to the target object.
[0005] Beneficial Effects: 1. Clearly defined zones—central avoidance zone, bilateral support zone, and cervical-pillow transition zone—allow for decompression and avoidance of the posterior fossa surgical area while ensuring continuous and stable support for both sides of the head and the back of the neck. 2. The drainage tube avoidance channel extends from the vicinity of the central avoidance zone to the side edge of the support body, allowing the drainage tube to be smoothly led out along the channel, reducing pressure, bending, and displacement of the drainage tube. 3. Utilizing a flexible 3D-printed elastic lattice structure, and assigning differentiated pore size, wall thickness, and / or density parameters to different areas, regional rigidity-flexibility matching, ventilation, and pressure dispersion can be achieved within the same pillow body. 4. A height adjustment zone allows for flexible adjustment of the overall support height and angle according to patient body shape differences, headboard elevation angle, and medical requirements. 5. Through parametric modeling and individualized data-driven design, the position of the central avoidance zone, the contour of the bilateral support, the curvature of the cervical-pillow, and the drainage tube channel path can correspond to the head and neck shape, surgical area range, and tube layout, thereby improving adaptability and remanufacturability. 6. The protective cover and rounded edges facilitate cleaning, disinfection, disassembly, and improve comfort. Attached Figure Description
[0006] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the support system and the flexible 3D printed lattice structure of the present invention (schematic diagram of the overall structure of the support system and the 3D printing effect).
[0007] Figure 2 This is a top view of the support structure and preferred dimensions of the present invention.
[0008] Figure 3 This is a side view cross-section of the supporting body and a schematic diagram of the internal gradient lattice structure of the present invention (side view cross-section of the supporting body and schematic diagram of the 3D printed structure).
[0009] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram showing the usage status and dimensional relationship of the support system of the present invention.
[0010] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached drawings: 1. Support body; 2. Central clearance area; 3a. Left support area; 3b. Right support area; 4. Neck pillow transition area; 5. Height adjustment area; 6. Outer peripheral stabilizing edge; 7. Drainage tube clearance channel; 8. Head; 9. Flexible 3D printed elastic lattice structure. Detailed Implementation
[0011] Example of structural implementation in Example 1 Figures 1 to 4As shown, this embodiment provides a personalized adaptive head and neck support system for the posterior fossa, including a support body 1. A central avoidance area 2 is formed in the middle of the upper surface of the support body 1. The central avoidance area 2 can be a recessed cavity, a through hole, a low support area, or a combination thereof, used to avoid the surgical area of the posterior fossa. A left support area 3a and a right support area 3b are formed on the left and right sides of the central avoidance area 2, respectively. The left and right support areas enclose each other inward to provide support and restraint for the sides of the head in use. When the head 8 is in a supine position, it fills between the left and right support areas 3a and 3b, so that the left and right support areas participate in supporting the lateral edge of the head. A neck pillow transition area 4 is formed below the central avoidance area 2. The upper surface of the neck pillow transition area 4 transitions continuously from the head support surface to the neck support surface. Preferably, the neck pillow transition area 4 is located in... Figure 4 The drainage tube avoidance channel 7 is provided on one side of the support body 1. The drainage tube avoidance channel 7 is preferably a semi-open groove that extends from one side edge of the central avoidance area 2 or the adjacent area to the side edge of the support body 1. Figure 4 The drainage tube can be shown as extending from around the surgical area and resting within the drainage tube avoidance channel 7, and extending from the side edge of the support body 1. An outer stabilizing edge 6 can be provided on the outer periphery of the support body 1 to increase the integrity of the edge support and improve anti-collision comfort.
[0012] Example 2: Lattice and Size Example In this example, the support body 1 is at least partially formed by a flexible 3D-printed elastic lattice structure 9. The central relief area 2, the left support area 3a, the right support area 3b, and the neck pillow transition area 4 can employ different lattice parameters. Preferably, the central relief area 2 has a characteristic aperture of 4–12 mm, a wall thickness of 0.6–2.0 mm, and a lattice density of 10%–40% to obtain lower contact support stiffness; the left support area 3a and the right support area 3b have characteristic apertures of 2–8 mm, a wall thickness of 1.0–3.0 mm, and a lattice density of 30%–75% to obtain higher support stiffness; the neck pillow transition area 4 has a characteristic aperture of 3–10 mm, a wall thickness of 0.8–2.5 mm, and a lattice density of 20%–60% to balance neck comfort and support stability. The lattice structure 9 can be a honeycomb lattice, a body-centered lattice, a TPMS lattice, a columnar array lattice, or a combination thereof. By varying the regional gradient, a continuous mechanical transition is formed between the central relief area 2 and the bilateral support areas, as well as between the bilateral support areas and the neck pillow transition area 4. In a preferred adult embodiment, the outer length of the support body 1 is approximately 520 mm and the width is approximately 420 mm; the lateral width of the central relief area 2 is approximately 180 mm and the longitudinal length is approximately 160 mm; the lateral width of the neck pillow transition area 4 is approximately 260 mm. The above dimensions are only preferred embodiments and do not constitute a limitation on the scope of protection of this invention.
[0013] Example 3: Height Adjustment Example In this example, the height adjustment area 5 is located at the bottom of the support body 1. The height adjustment area 5 can be a removable insert, a stacked pad, a wedge-shaped adjustment pad, an inflatable adjustment cavity, a replaceable base, or a combination thereof. Nursing staff can adjust the overall height, head height angle, and left / right tilt angle of the support body 1 according to the head-of-bed elevation angle, patient head and neck comfort, dressing thickness, or doctor's orders. Preferably, the adjustable height range is 5–60 mm.
[0014] Example 4: Data-Driven Individualized Construction Example This example provides a method for constructing the above-mentioned support system, including the following steps: Step A: Data Acquisition. Obtain the three-dimensional surface morphology of the head and neck of the target object, head circumference level, posterior fossa surgical area location, dressing thickness, and drainage tube path information. Data sources can include three-dimensional structured light scanning, laser scanning, photogrammetry, CT / MRI outer contour extraction, and manual marker measurement. Step B: Model Building. Based on the acquired data, establish a head and neck shape model and a matching support body outer contour model; combine the surgical area location and dressing thickness to define the central avoidance zone 2; combine the head lateral edge shape to generate the left support zone 3a and the right support zone 3b; combine the cervical curvature parameters to generate the cervical pillow transition zone 4; combine the drainage tube path to generate the drainage tube avoidance channel 7; arrange the height adjustment zone 5 according to the required height and angle adjustment strategy. Step C: Lattice Design. Based on regional load levels, empirical thresholds, pressure distribution models, or finite element analysis results, different apertures, wall thicknesses, lattice densities, and / or lattice unit types are assigned to the central avoidance zone 2, left support zone 3a, right support zone 3b, and neck pillow transition zone 4, respectively, generating a continuous gradient flexible 3D printed elastic lattice structure 9. Step D, Printing. The model is printed using fused deposition modeling, selective laser sintering, digital light processing, stereolithography, jet molding, or other additive manufacturing processes suitable for flexible materials. Step E, Post-processing and Assembly. The printed parts are desupported, cleaned, subjected to secondary curing, heat treated, and edge trimmed; if necessary, detachable height adjustment components, protective sleeves, or waterproof and antibacterial outer layers are added, followed by packaging and sterilization.
[0015] Regarding the protected object, it should be noted that this invention pertains to medical and nursing assistive devices and their construction methods, and the protected object is the structural composition, regional relationships, parameter configuration, and manufacturing process of the support system. The descriptions in the specification such as "operative area decompression," "pain relief," and "recovery support" are only used to describe the expected function and application scenarios of the support system at the physical support level, and do not include disease diagnosis or treatment methods performed on living human bodies as the protected object.
Claims
1. A personalized adaptive head and neck support device for the posterior cranial fossa, characterized in that, include: Support body (1); a central relief area (2) is provided on the upper surface of the support body (1), the central relief area (2) is used to form a decompression relief space corresponding to the posterior fossa surgical area, incision area, dressing coverage area and / or tube exit area; a left support area (3a) and a right support area (3b) are respectively provided on the left and right sides of the central relief area (2), the left support area (3a) and the right support area (3b) are used to provide support and lateral restraint for the non-surgical areas on both sides of the head; located below the central relief area (2) and adjacent to the left support A neck pillow transition area (4) that continuously transitions between the support area (3a) and the right support area (3b), the neck pillow transition area (4) being used to support the back of the neck and maintain the head and neck transition curvature; a drainage tube avoidance channel (7) communicating with the central avoidance area (2) and leading to the side edge of the support body (1), the drainage tube avoidance channel (7) being used to accommodate, guide or avoid the drainage tube, so that the drainage tube is led out along the side of the support body (1); a height adjustment area (5) provided at the bottom, inside or at the connecting part of the support body (1), the height The adjustment area (5) is used to adjust the overall support height, head height angle, and / or left and right tilt angle of the support body (1); wherein, the support body (1) is at least partially composed of an elastic lattice structure (9) formed by flexible 3D printing, and the elastic lattice structure (9) has regionally differentiated aperture parameters and / or wall thickness parameters and / or lattice density parameters in the central avoidance area (2), the left support area (3a), the right support area (3b), and the neck pillow transition area (4) to form a transition from the central avoidance area (2) to the left support area (3a). a) The support stiffness of the right support area (3b) gradually increases, and the neck pillow transition area (4) is located in between, so that the head is embedded in the support contour defined by the central avoidance area (2), the left support area (3a), and the right support area (3b) when in supine use; the spatial position relationship of the central avoidance area (2), the left support area (3a), the right support area (3b), the neck pillow transition area (4), and the drainage tube avoidance channel (7) is set based on preset head and neck anatomy parameters and / or user head and neck individual data.
2. The posterior fossa individualized adaptive head and neck support device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The central avoidance area (2) is a recessed cavity, a through hole, a low support area, a suspended area or a combination thereof; the left support area (3a) and the right support area (3b) extend around at least a portion of the outer periphery of the central avoidance area (2) and form a continuous smooth transition surface with the neck pillow transition area (4).
3. The posterior fossa individualized adaptive head and neck support device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The drainage tube avoidance channel (7) is a semi-open groove, notched groove, through groove or snap-fit channel. The entrance of the drainage tube avoidance channel (7) is located at or near the edge of the central avoidance area (2), and the exit is located at the side edge of the support body (1). The width of the drainage tube avoidance channel (7) is 4 to 20 mm, the depth is 3 to 15 mm, or its width is 1.1 to 3.0 times the outer diameter of the drainage tube it accommodates.
4. The posterior fossa individualized adaptive head and neck support device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The height adjustment area (5) includes a detachable insert, a stacked pad, a wedge-shaped adjustment pad, an inflatable adjustment cavity, a replaceable base or a combination thereof; the adjustable height range of the height adjustment area (5) is 5 to 60 mm, and / or allows the support body (1) to form a head height angle of 0 to 25°, and / or a left and right tilt angle of 0 to 10°.
5. The posterior fossa individualized adaptive head and neck support device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The elastic lattice structure (9) includes a honeycomb lattice, a rhombic lattice, a grid lattice, a columnar array lattice, a three-period minimal surface lattice, a body-centered lattice, or a combination thereof; wherein the characteristic aperture of the central clearance region (2) is larger than the characteristic aperture of the left support region (3a) and the right support region (3b), and / or the wall thickness of the central clearance region (2) is smaller than the wall thickness of the left support region (3a) and the right support region (3b), and / or the lattice density of the central clearance region (2) is lower than the lattice density of the left support region (3a) and the right support region (3b), and the corresponding parameters of the neck pillow transition region (4) are between the central clearance region (2) and the left support region (3a) and the right support region (3b).
6. The posterior fossa individualized adaptive head and neck support device according to claim 5, characterized in that, The central avoidance area (2) has a characteristic aperture of 4-12 mm, a wall thickness of 0.6-2.0 mm, and a lattice density of 10%-40%; the left support area (3a) and the right support area (3b) have a characteristic aperture of 2-8 mm, a wall thickness of 1.0-3.0 mm, and a lattice density of 30%-75%; the neck pillow transition area (4) has a characteristic aperture of 3-10 mm, a wall thickness of 0.8-2.5 mm, and a lattice density of 20%-60%.
7. The posterior fossa individualized adaptive head and neck support device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The supporting body (1) is made of thermoplastic polyurethane, thermoplastic elastomer, silicone rubber elastomer, polyurethane elastomer, elastic photosensitive resin or a combination thereof, preferably a flexible material with a Shore A hardness of 40 to 95.
8. The posterior fossa individualized adaptive head and neck support device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The lateral width of the central clearance area (2) is 120-240 mm and the longitudinal length is 100-220 mm. The lateral width of the neck pillow transition area (4) is 180-320 mm. In a preferred adult embodiment, the length of the support body (1) is about 520 mm and the width is about 420 mm. The lateral width of the central clearance area (2) is about 180 mm and the longitudinal length is about 160 mm. The lateral width of the neck pillow transition area (4) is about 260 mm.
9. The posterior fossa individualized adaptive head and neck support device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The outer surface of the support body (1) is provided with a removable protective cover, which is made of breathable, waterproof, antibacterial, disinfection resistant or disposable medical material; the outer periphery edge of the support body (1) is provided with a rounded corner stabilizing edge (6).
10. The posterior fossa individualized adaptive head and neck support device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The individualized data includes three-dimensional surface scan data of the head and neck, shape data formed based on image segmentation, surgical area positioning marker data, dressing thickness data, and / or drainage tube exit position path data; or the individualized data is parametric data generated based on a standard anatomical database, head circumference classification data, or regional pressure distribution model.
11. A method for constructing the posterior fossa individualized adaptive head and neck support device according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that, include: S1. Collect the user's head and neck shape data, posterior fossa surgical area location information, dressing thickness information, and drainage tube probing or exit path information; S2. Based on the information, establish the outer contour model of the support body (1) and divide it into a central avoidance area (2), a left support area (3a), a right support area (3b), a neck pillow transition area (4), a drainage tube avoidance channel (7), and a height adjustment area (5); S3. Set the lattice unit type, aperture, wall thickness, and / or density parameters for different areas to generate a flexible 3D printed lattice model with gradient support characteristics; S4. Use elastic materials to additively manufacture the lattice model, and after cleaning, curing, removing support, edge trimming, disinfection, and / or assembling height adjustment components, obtain the posterior fossa individualized adaptive head and neck support device.
12. The construction method according to claim 11, characterized in that, The head and neck shape data in step S1 are obtained through three-dimensional structured light scanning, laser scanning, photogrammetry, contact measurement, CT / MRI image contour extraction, or a combination thereof.
13. The construction method according to claim 11, characterized in that, In step S2, parametric modeling or surface reconstruction methods are used to generate the envelope support contour between the central avoidance area (2) and the left support area (3a) and the right support area (3b), and to make the neck pillow transition area (4) and the head pillow support surface form a continuous curvature transition; the drainage tube avoidance channel (7) extends from the area adjacent to the central avoidance area (2) to the side edge of the support body (1) according to the drainage tube path.
14. The construction method according to claim 11, characterized in that, In step S3, based on the pressure distribution model, finite element analysis results, standardized regional load level or empirical threshold, different stiffness targets are assigned to the central avoidance area (2), left support area (3a), right support area (3b) and neck pillow transition area (4), and the lattice unit type, characteristic aperture, wall thickness and / or density parameters of each region are calculated accordingly.
15. The construction method according to claim 11, characterized in that, The additive manufacturing process in step S4 is fused deposition modeling, selective laser sintering, digital light processing, stereolithography, spray molding, or a process suitable for flexible and elastic materials; the post-processing includes one or more of the following: surface cleaning, secondary curing, heat treatment, mounting a protective sleeve, assembling a detachable height-adjustable component, and packaging sterilization.