Portable Leg Positioning Apparatus for Patient Immobilization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Urinary catheterization procedures are often hindered by patient movement, particularly in cases involving dementia, obesity, or medication-induced bladder dysfunction, requiring significant personnel and time to restrain patients, posing safety and efficiency challenges for healthcare professionals.
Innovation Solution
A portable positioning apparatus with a support structure and retention elements that can be raised to immobilize a patient's legs, allowing the retention elements to move from a receiving to a retention position, thereby stabilizing the patient during procedures like urinary catheterization without the need for restraining straps.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If restraining straps are used to immobilize violent or uncontrollable patients, then patient stability during procedure is improved, but device complexity and time consumption increase due to needing doctor's orders and organizing personnel
Solution Approach 1:
The positioning apparatus enables self-service by allowing patients to position their own limbs using the device's adjustable components, eliminating the need for complex restraining procedures and doctor's orders while maintaining stability during medical procedures
Solution Approach 2:
The device incorporates dynamic, adjustable positioning components that can be modified during the procedure to accommodate patient movement needs while maintaining stability, replacing static restraining straps with adaptable mechanical support
2Stability of the object's composition
If multiple personnel are used to restrain struggling patients, then patient control is improved, but productivity decreases due to time consumption and resource expenditure
Solution Approach 1:
The apparatus allows patients to self-position their limbs using the device's mechanical components, eliminating the need for multiple personnel to manually restrain patients, thereby significantly improving procedure efficiency while maintaining patient control
Solution Approach 2:
The positioning apparatus acts as an intermediary device between the patient and the medical procedure, providing mechanical control and stabilization that replaces the need for multiple human operators, thus improving productivity
3Stability of the object's composition
If restraining straps and multiple personnel are deployed, then patient immobilization is improved, but loss of time increases due to organizing personnel and obtaining doctor's orders
Solution Approach 1:
The positioning apparatus is pre-configured with adjustable components that can be quickly deployed without requiring doctor's orders or organizing multiple personnel, enabling rapid patient immobilization and reducing procedure preparation time
Solution Approach 2:
The device enables quick deployment through self-service positioning mechanisms that do not require complex authorization procedures or coordination of multiple staff members, significantly reducing the time lost in procedure preparation
Data Source
AI summary
Apparatus and methods for positioning a body part of a patient. An apparatus can comprise a portable support structure configured to be placed on a patient support surface under a body part of a patient and retention elements attached to the support structure. At least a portion of the support structure is configured to move from lowered position to a raised position above the lowered position. The retention elements are configured to receive the body part. Each retention element has a holding portion and an open region, and each retention element faces at least partially sideways in a retention position.