Infant Stabilizer with Adjustable Frame for Lumbar Puncture
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current infant stabilizers for lumbar punctures are ineffective in preventing movement during procedures, leading to blood contamination of CSF specimens and unsuccessful sample collection, which can result in inappropriate antibiotic administration and prolonged hospitalization, due to their cumbersome design and inability to secure infants properly.
Innovation Solution
A free-standing infant stabilizer device with an adjustable frame and strap system that secures infants in a stable, upright position, allowing for unimpeded ventilation and accommodating various sizes, thereby minimizing movement during medical procedures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If discrete pieces are used to secure the infant, then the infant can be stabilized, but the device becomes cumbersome and creates undue stress for the infant
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple discrete stabilization pieces into a single integrated stabilizer device with a unified frame structure. This merging eliminates the need for multiple separate components while maintaining effective infant stabilization during lumbar puncture procedures.
Solution Approach 2:
The stabilizer device is designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously: it secures the infant in the correct position, provides head support, allows ventilation access, and prevents movement during the procedure. This multi-functionality reduces the need for multiple separate devices.
2Reliability
If the infant is secured tightly to prevent movement, then procedural success improves, but the infant's ability to breathe freely is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The stabilizer frame is designed with differentiated zones: the torso area provides firm stabilization to prevent movement, while the head and neck areas incorporate openings and cutouts that allow unimpeded ventilation. This local variation in support quality ensures both procedural success and respiratory freedom.
Solution Approach 2:
The frame is segmented with strategic openings and cutouts rather than being a solid continuous structure. These segments allow air flow and ventilation access while the remaining frame portions provide necessary stabilization, resolving the conflict between secure positioning and breathing freedom.
3Reliability
If the stabilizer is designed for a specific size, then it provides optimal stabilization, but it cannot accommodate infants of various sizes
Solution Approach 1:
The stabilizer incorporates adjustable components including movable head supports and flexible positioning elements that can be adapted to accommodate infants of various sizes. This dynamic adjustability maintains optimal stabilization effectiveness across different patient sizes without requiring multiple fixed-size devices.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to an infant positioning device for stabilizing and maintaining an infant in a fixed position for a lumbar puncture procedure. The device consists of a frame with openings for the infant's face and abdomen to support the infant in the proper position for the procedure and allow for unimpeded ventilation, a component of the frame to secure and stabilize the infant within the frame to prevent movement during the procedure, and an attachment stand to the frame that allows the frame to be free-standing.