Adjustable Patient Head Support for Surgical Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional operating room tables lack the ability to adjustably support a patient's head, limiting positioning and repositioning during and after surgery, which is necessary for optimal surgical alignment and patient comfort.
Innovation Solution
A device with a head support system comprising a base portion, upwardly-extending arm portions, attachment assemblies, and a head harness, allowing for adjustable positioning and rotation of the head support relative to the surgical table to accommodate different patient sizes and surgical needs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional operating room tables use padding or padded cradle for supporting patient's head, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the head cannot be positioned or repositioned during surgery
Solution Approach 1:
The head support device is divided into multiple independent segments: a base portion that attaches to the operating room table, upwardly-extending arm portions that provide structural support, and a head harness that directly contacts the patient's head. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently while maintaining overall simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The arm portions are designed to be moveable between inward and outward positions relative to the base, enabling dynamic adjustment of the head support position during surgery. The attachment assemblies allow the head harness to be rotated and repositioned, providing adaptability without requiring a completely complex mechanical system.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a fixed head support is used, then the device complexity is low, but the head cannot be repositioned to accommodate different patient sizes and surgical needs
Solution Approach 1:
The head support device is designed to accommodate various patient sizes and surgical requirements through its adjustable components. The same basic structure can be configured for different head positions, angles, and sizes by adjusting the arm portions and head harness, making it a universal solution for multiple surgical scenarios.
Solution Approach 2:
The device adds positioning capabilities in multiple dimensions: the arm portions can move inward and outward to adjust horizontal position, the head harness can be rotated to change angular orientation, and the overall structure can be attached at different locations on the operating room table. This multi-dimensional adjustability provides versatility without requiring overly complex mechanisms.
3Manufacturing precision
If no head support adjustment is provided, then the operating room table structure remains simple, but optimal surgical alignment cannot be achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The head support device allows for preliminary positioning and alignment adjustments to be made before surgery begins. The head can be positioned and secured in the optimal alignment for the specific surgical procedure, ensuring that precise alignment is achieved without requiring complex adjustments during the surgery itself.
Data Source
AI summary
A patient support structure for supporting a patient in a supine position for surgery and a method for use of the patient support structure is provided. The patient support structure includes at least a head support portion. The head support portion includes at least one base portion, a first arm portion, a second arm portion, and a head harness, where the first arm portion and the second arm portion are adjustable inwardly/outwardly and upwardly/downwardly, and the head harness is supported by the first arm portion and the second arm portion.