Transparent Hand Cage Restraint for ICU Self-Extubation Prevention

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing restraints for intubated patients in ICU fail to reliably prevent self-extubation while allowing for early mobilization and exercise, often causing anxiety, skin issues, and increased monitoring requirements for staff.

Innovation Solution

A protective and exercise hand restraint system featuring a padded transparent hand cage with ventilation holes, adjustable wrist ties, and optional resistance bands, allowing for rotational movement while preventing self-removal of medical devices, and incorporating a wireless activity sensor for monitoring patient anxiety.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If traditional restraints (mitts, wrist restraints, elbow immobilizers) are used to prevent self-extubation, then device removal is reduced, but patient range of motion is drastically restricted and anxiety increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprevention of self-extubationVSAvoidpatient range of motion

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The restraint system is segmented into modular components: a wrist strap, a hand cage, and optional resistance bands. This segmentation allows the device to prevent self-extubation through the wrist strap and hand cage structure while permitting controlled movement through the optional resistance bands, thus resolving the contradiction between reliability and ease of operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system transitions from static traditional restraints to a dynamic configuration where the hand cage can move within defined parameters. The optional resistance bands allow dynamic adjustment of movement restrictions, enabling patients to exercise while maintaining prevention of self-extubation, thereby improving range of motion without sacrificing reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Reliability

If traditional restraints are used to secure patients, then device removal is prevented, but skin trauma and pressure sores increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprevention of self-extubationVSAvoidskin trauma and pressure sores

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The hand cage is designed as a transparent protective enclosure that protects the hand without requiring tight circumferential binding. The wrist strap uses distributed pressure rather than concentrated points, and the overall structure allows skin to breathe and move freely, preventing skin trauma and pressure sores while maintaining prevention of self-extubation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Solution Approach 2:

The hand cage acts as an intermediary structure between the patient's hand and the external environment. It provides protection and prevents self-extubation without direct skin contact in harmful areas, using the wrist strap and cage structure to distribute forces away from vulnerable skin areas, thereby resolving the contradiction between reliability and skin health.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Reliability

If traditional restraints are used to prevent device removal, then patient safety is improved, but staff monitoring time and documentation duties increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprevention of self-extubationVSAvoidstaff monitoring time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The restraint system is designed to be self-regulating and automatically prevent self-extubation without requiring constant staff intervention. The wrist strap and hand cage structure inherently prevent device removal, and the optional resistance bands provide automatic movement control, freeing staff from continuous monitoring duties while maintaining high reliability in preventing self-extubation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

4Reliability

If wrist restraints are used to secure patients, then device removal is prevented, but hand edema and circulation issues occur due to compression

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprevention of self-extubationVSAvoidhand edema and circulation compression

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments the restraint function from the hand enclosure. The wrist strap provides the necessary restraint to prevent self-extubation, while the hand cage provides protection without compression. This segmentation eliminates the harmful circumferential binding at the wrist that causes edema and circulation issues, while maintaining prevention of self-extubation through the wrist strap design.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS12102552B2Protective and exercise hand restraint system and apparatus

Publication Date: 2024.10.01 PAVINI MARIE

AI summary

Embodiments disclosed herein offer protective restraint of the hand by securing it with a wrist tie to a padded transparent hard-shell hand restraint with wrist tie slots, multiple ventilation holes, a detachable flexible soft under wrap and a hinging ball-bearing style attachment point for optional attachment to a restraint arm rod and staff-directed upward displacement for enhanced access to the hand, and slots for a resistance band tie for enhanced exercise and intermediate level of restraint and a rigid tie.