Adjustable Arm Stabilizer for Elbow Exposure During Surgery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing surgical devices fail to properly secure and maintain the patient's arm during elbow surgery, limiting exposure and access to the elbow for surgeons and nurse assistants, making it difficult to perform the procedure effectively.
Innovation Solution
An adjustable arm stabilizer with a base that attaches to the operating table, featuring a T-shaped rail for mounting a support arm, a cuff for wrist support, and bicep pads that can be adjusted to securely hold the patient's arm in place, ensuring the elbow is fully exposed and accessible.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a pillow or foam pad is used to support the patient's arm, then the arm is supported, but the elbow is not properly exposed and secured in a fixed position
Solution Approach 1:
The arm support device is divided into multiple functional segments: a base portion that attaches to the operating table, a support arm with adjustable positioning, and separate cushioning elements. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function optimally while maintaining overall stability and accessibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The support arm incorporates adjustable and movable components that allow dynamic positioning of the patient's arm. The device can be adapted to different arm positions and sizes, providing both stability and ease of surgical access through its flexible configuration options.
2Reliability
If prior art devices are used to stabilize the arm, then some support is provided, but good exposure to the elbow and easy access for surgeons and nurses is not achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The device extends the support structure into three-dimensional space with the support arm projecting laterally from the base, creating multiple spatial dimensions for arm positioning. This dimensional approach allows the elbow to be exposed and accessible while maintaining stable support throughout the surgical procedure.
3Ease of operation
If the arm is placed on a pillow on the patient's chest or waist, then the arm is supported, but the extremity is not secured in a fixed position
Solution Approach 1:
The support device extracts the arm from the patient's body and positions it on a separate, dedicated support structure attached to the operating table. This separation provides both stable fixation and improved accessibility, as the arm is independently supported rather than relying on makeshift solutions like pillows on the patient's body.
Data Source
AI summary
A device for stabilizing a patient's arm during a surgical procedure including a base configured to fit on an operating table, the base having an upper side with a rail. A support arm having a foundation with a groove shaped to match and fit over the cross-sectional shape of the rail and slide along the rail is provided, the support arm has a proximal end and a distal end extending away from said rail. A cuff is mounted on the distal end of the support arm to support the wrist of a patient during the surgery. A standard having a foundation with a groove therein shaped and sized to fit over said rail is also provided. The standard is designed to slide along the rail and move relative to the support arm. Arcuate bicep pads are connected to said support arm and to said standard; the arcuate pads being positioned to fit about the bicep of a patient lying on an operating table on which the support device is placed. The support arm and standard are movable relative to each other so that the pads can be moved into engagement about the bicep of a patient. The cuff is substantially U-shaped and is positioned above and remote from the bicep pads.