Cervical-Thoracic Notch Restraint for Trendelenburg Sliding Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing patient restraints for surgery tables in the Trendelenburg position fail to effectively prevent patient sliding during robotic-assisted laparoscopic surgery, leading to potential severe injuries due to the lack of precise positioning and increased risk of nerve damage from traditional restraints like shoulder braces.
Innovation Solution
A patient positioning device with a rigid support frame and cervical-thoracic notch restraint, combined with deformable materials and adjustable fasteners, securely fixes the patient to the table, inhibiting movement along the longitudinal axis and providing sufficient support to prevent sliding, even in extreme Trendelenburg positions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If fixed shoulder braces are used to restrain patients, then patient sliding is prevented, but serious nerve damage occurs due to brachial plexus compression
Solution Approach 1:
The invention removes the harmful shoulder brace component from the restraint system and replaces it with a cervical-thoracic notch restraint that engages a different anatomical location (the cervical-thoracic notch between the neck and shoulders) to prevent sliding without compressing the brachial plexus nerves
Solution Approach 2:
The cervical-thoracic notch restraint acts as an intermediary structure that transfers the restraining force from the patient's body to the support frame, engaging the cervical-thoracic notch as an intermediate anatomical landmark that does not contain vulnerable nerves like the shoulder area
2Object-affected harmful factors
If tape and foam restraints are used, then nerve injury risk is reduced, but patient sliding still occurs during robotic surgery
Solution Approach 1:
The cervical-thoracic notch restraint is designed with a curved shape that conforms to the natural curvature of the cervical-thoracic notch anatomical concavity, providing secure engagement and stable positioning that prevents sliding while maintaining patient safety
Solution Approach 2:
The restraint system combines a rigid support frame structure with a deformable cervical-thoracic notch restraint material, creating a composite system that provides both structural stability and anatomical conformity for effective restraint
3Ease of operation
If extreme Trendelenburg positions (30°-45°) are used for robotic surgery, then visualization and access to pelvic anatomy is improved, but patient sliding risk increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The support frame with legs secured to the table provides a counterbalancing structure that resists the gravitational force pulling the patient downward, creating a stable restraint system that maintains positioning even at extreme 30°-45° Trendelenburg angles
Data Source
AI summary
A patient positioning device is provided for restraining movement of a body lying over a top surface of a table and includes a rigid support frame extending transversely over the top surface of the table. A cervical-thoracic notch restraint is securely fixed to the upper support surface of the support frame, via a repositionable fastener, to thereby inhibit movement of the cervical-thoracic notch restraint along the longitudinal axis of the table. The repositionable fastener comprises a holding strength per unit of surface area that is sufficient to support the weight of the body on the table when in an inclined position relative to a ground surface. In one example, a head stabilizer is used to inhibit lateral movement of the head. In another example, a lateral stabilizing pillow is used to inhibit torsional movement of the body.