Segmented Head Support for Surgical Frame Patient Transfer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Transferring a patient from a table or gurney to a surgical frame is difficult due to the challenge of lifting and positioning the patient relative to the support components, necessitating a lift and head support system that facilitates easy alignment with the surgical frame.
Innovation Solution
A helmet-like head support system with hinged portions that can be assembled around the patient's head, allowing access to the nasal and oral cavities, and a torso-lift mechanism with adjustable components to position the patient relative to the surgical frame.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a surgical frame is used to position and reposition patients during surgery, then the patient can be manipulated into various positions for surgical access, but transferring the patient from a table or gurney to the surgical frame becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
A head support device serves as an intermediary component between the patient and the surgical frame. The device includes a support surface that contacts the patient's head and neck, with attachment mechanisms that connect to the surgical frame, facilitating patient transfer and positioning without requiring direct manual handling of the patient's body
Solution Approach 2:
The head support device is divided into multiple segments including a posterior portion, lateral portions, and an anterior portion. These segmented components can be independently positioned and adjusted, allowing the device to adapt to different patient head sizes and shapes while maintaining secure support during transfer operations
2Reliability
If the head support covers the entire head for protection, then head support is maximized, but access to the nasal and oral cavities is blocked
Solution Approach 1:
The anterior portion of the head support device is designed with an opening that extracts or removes the obstruction in front of the patient's face. This opening provides unobstructed access to the nasal and oral cavities while the rest of the device continues to provide comprehensive head and neck support
Solution Approach 2:
The head support device has different structural qualities in different regions: the posterior and lateral portions provide solid coverage and support, while the anterior portion features an opening for cavity access. This local variation in structure allows the device to simultaneously provide maximum support and maintain surgical access capability
Data Source
AI summary
A lift, a head support, and methods for use thereof for use with a surgical frame are provided. The lift and the head support can be used with the surgical frame that is capable of reconfiguration before, during, or after surgery. The surgical frame can include a main beam that can be rotated, raised/lowered, and tilted upwardly/downwardly to afford positioning and repositioning of a patient supported thereon, and the lift and the head support can be used in lifting the patient from a table/gurney and positioning the patient with respect to the main beam.