Patient Positioning Device with Low-Friction Surface and Padded Substrates
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Solution Overview
Problem
Patients undergoing surgery often experience hypothermia due to exposure to cold operating room environments, loss of body heat during anesthesia, and inadequate heat retention measures, leading to potential complications such as core temperature reduction and impaired thermoregulation.
Innovation Solution
A patient positioning device with flexible, padded substrates and a low-friction surface that secures and elevates the patient's arms, incorporates an overlap system for additional security, and includes optional features like forced warm-air technology to maintain body temperature, along with legging and shoulder strap accessories for comprehensive protection and positioning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the patient is positioned on a hard operating table, then the patient can be securely supported, but pressure injuries and nerve damage may occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies beforehand cushioning by placing a foam pad between the patient's body and the hard operating table surface. The foam pad is positioned in advance to distribute pressure and prevent direct contact with the hard surface, thereby preventing pressure injuries and nerve damage while maintaining secure support.
Solution Approach 2:
The foam pad serves as an intermediary element between the patient and the hard operating table. It mediates the contact by providing a compliant layer that reduces pressure concentration points, eliminating the harmful direct pressure while preserving the necessary support function.
2Illumination intensity
If the patient is exposed to cold operating room environment, then surgical visibility is improved, but heat loss and hypothermia occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful cold environment into a beneficial condition by using forced warm-air technology. The system introduces warm air into the operating area, transforming the cold environment from a cause of heat loss into a controlled thermal zone that maintains patient temperature while allowing surgical visibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces passive thermal insulation with an active forced warm-air system. Instead of relying on physical barriers to retain heat, the system uses mechanical air circulation to actively maintain patient temperature, providing more effective thermal control in the cold operating room environment.
3Ease of operation
If the patient's arms are positioned on the operating table, then access for surgery is improved, but pressure injuries and nerve damage may occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies beforehand cushioning to the patient's arms by positioning foam pads beneath them before surgery begins. These pads distribute the weight and prevent direct pressure on bony prominences, thereby preventing pressure injuries and nerve damage while maintaining the necessary surgical access.
Solution Approach 2:
The foam pads serve as intermediary elements between the patient's arms and the hard operating table surface. They mediate the contact by providing pressure distribution and cushioning, eliminating the harmful direct pressure while preserving the necessary access for surgical procedures.
4Adaptability or versatility
If the patient is transferred between surfaces, then repositioning is necessary, but friction and difficulty in transfer occur
Solution Approach 1:
The foam pad acts as an intermediary layer between the patient and the operating table surface. During transfer operations, this intermediate layer reduces friction and allows for easier movement of the patient between positions and surfaces, while maintaining secure support during the transfer process.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The device effectively prevents pressure injuries, reduces heat loss, and maintains patient comfort by securely positioning the patient, protecting against nerve damage and hypothermia during surgery and transport, while facilitating easy transfer between surfaces.
Implementation Method 1
includes optional features like forced warm-air technology to maintain body temperature
Implementation Method 2
A patient positioning device with flexible, padded substrates and a low-friction surface that secures and elevates the patient's arms
Data Source
AI summary
A patient positioning device includes a planar sheet having removably connected padded substrates attached proximal to the patient's arms. The padded substrates are wrapped around the patient's respective arms to protect and elevate the arms from the underlying table or gurney. Leggings are also provided to protect the patient's legs. The padded substrates include splits to allow wires and cables to pass through without getting tangled. A secondary sheet is attachable to the device to cocoon the patient when the patient is rolled over. A shoulder strap is provided under the patients shoulders, wrapping around and over the shoulders at the trapezius and at the shoulder cuff and is secured to the padded substrates for additional protection and security. The device has a low friction bottom surface to ease transfer and positioning.