Reconfigurable Upper Leg Support for Spinal Torsion Prevention
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing surgical frames do not adequately accommodate patients of different sizes and fail to prevent unwanted torsion of the spine during reconfiguration, compromising surgical access and patient safety.
Innovation Solution
A reconfigurable upper leg support system that adjusts the position of the upper legs relative to a rotatable main beam, using telescoping shafts and arm portions to align with the lumbar spine, preventing torsion and enhancing surgical access.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the upper leg support is made reconfigurable to accommodate patients of different sizes, then adaptability is improved, but the risk of causing unwanted torsion of the patient's spine increases
Solution Approach 1:
The upper leg support employs dynamic components including telescoping shafts that can extend and retract, and arm portions that can articulate through multiple degrees of freedom. This allows the support structure to adapt its configuration to different patient sizes while maintaining proper spinal alignment through controlled movement rather than fixed rigid positioning.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes geometric parameters of the support structure by extending/retracting telescoping shafts and articulating arm portions to different angles. These parameter changes allow the support to accommodate varying patient anatomies while the coordinated control ensures the center of rotation remains aligned with the lumbar spine, preventing torsion.
2Ease of operation
If the upper leg support is reconfigured to facilitate surgical access, then ease of operation is improved, but spinal integrity may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The upper leg support acts as an intermediary mechanism between the surgical frame and the patient's body. It provides the necessary flexibility for surgical access while mediating the forces and movements to ensure they are transmitted in a way that preserves spinal integrity through proper alignment with the lumbar spine's center of rotation.
Solution Approach 2:
The dynamic articulation of arm portions and telescoping shafts allows the support to move and reconfigure during surgery to facilitate different surgical approaches and access points, while maintaining controlled movement that protects spinal integrity through coordinated adjustment of all support components.
3Adaptability or versatility
If telescoping shafts and arm portions are used to adjust platform position, then adaptability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The upper leg support is divided into multiple independent segments including telescoping shafts and articulated arm portions. Each segment can be adjusted independently to achieve the desired platform position, providing fine-grained control over the support configuration while distributing the complexity across modular components that can be controlled systematically.
Data Source
AI summary
A surgical frame and method for use thereof is provided. The surgical frame is capable of reconfiguration before, during, or after surgery. The surgical frame includes a main beam that can be rotated, raised/lowered, and tilted upwardly/downwardly to afford positioning and repositioning of a patient supported thereon. The surgical frame also includes a reconfigurable upper leg support for supporting portions of the upper legs, the hips, and the lower back of the patient to facilitate positioning and repositioning there during surgery. The upper leg support via reconfiguration thereof can accommodate patients of different sizes, can provide flexure of the patient's lumbar spine to facilitate surgical access thereto, and can prevent unwanted torsion of a patient's spine during such reconfiguration.