Pelvic Cradle Structure for Sacral-Free Obstetric Positioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing patient positioning methods during obstetric and gynecologic procedures often result in perineal trauma, difficult deliveries, and increased cesarean sections due to inadequate support and suboptimal positioning, leading to substandard maternal and neonatal outcomes.
Innovation Solution
A pelvic cradle designed to elevate the pelvis, allowing for sacral-free positioning that facilitates nutation and counter-nutation, with a wedge form and recess to accommodate the pelvic inlet, providing ergonomic support and enhancing cervical visibility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional patient positioning methods (no device, towels, rolls) are used, then device complexity is minimized, but patient safety and delivery outcomes deteriorate due to perineal trauma and increased cesarean sections
Solution Approach 1:
The pelvic cradle is divided into distinct functional segments: a pelvic support portion for elevating the pelvis, first and second arms for lateral support, and a recess for accommodating the pelvic inlet. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function optimally while maintaining overall device effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The cradle incorporates a wedge form with the distal end having greater height than the proximal end, creating localized elevation at the pelvic region. This local quality change enables selective pelvic elevation without affecting the entire patient body, facilitating nutation and counter-nutation while maintaining comfort.
2Ease of operation
If the pelvis is elevated using a wedge-shaped cradle, then pelvic mobility and cervical access are improved, but patient comfort may deteriorate due to pressure distribution issues
Solution Approach 1:
The cradle's upper surface is configured with a curved, anatomically-contoured design that matches the natural curvature of the patient's body. This curvature distributes pressure evenly across contact points, preventing pressure sores and enhancing patient comfort during prolonged positioning.
Solution Approach 2:
The cradle incorporates a foam material layer that provides flexible, conforming support. This flexible material adapts to the patient's body shape while maintaining the wedge elevation, ensuring both pelvic mobility and comfort are achieved simultaneously.
3Reliability
If a recess is formed to accommodate the pelvic inlet, then anatomical support is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The recess is pre-formed into the cradle structure during manufacturing, creating the anatomical accommodation feature before the device is assembled or deployed. This preliminary formation ensures precise anatomical fit while simplifying the final assembly process, as the recess is already integrated into the main body.
Data Source
AI summary
A pelvic cradle that include a patient positioning device designed to optimize pelvic tilt during obstetric and gynecologic procedures. The pelvic cradle enhances patient safety and outcomes by increasing the anterior-posterior diameter of the pelvis, facilitating better access and visualization during gynecologic exams, and supporting optimal fetal head expulsion during vaginal deliveries. The pelvic cradle may comprise a pelvic portion increasing in height from a proximal portion distally and may further comprise first and second arms extending distally therefrom to a distal end. A recess, configured in width and size to accommodate the sacral diameter of a standard anatomical woman, may be disposed between the first and second arms. The pelvic cradle may also comprise ergonomic channels, indicators for precise alignment, and a customized barrier cover, providing a simple, dignified, and effective solution for obstetric and gynecological practices.