Segmented Surgical Support for Supine Multi-Side Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing surgical procedures that require access to posterior, anterior, and/or lateral sides of the patient's body often necessitate prone or lateral positioning, which can lead to complications such as increased pressure, bleeding, nerve palsies, and prolonged procedure times, and transitioning between positions poses risks and inconveniences for patients and healthcare workers.
Innovation Solution
A patient support device comprising multiple regions that can be adjusted to support a patient in a supine position, allowing surgical access to any body side without requiring repositioning, through inflation/deflation, removal, or lowering of intermediate regions to create surgical space, and incorporating sensors, pumps, and heating/cooling components for optimal patient comfort and procedural access.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a patient is placed in a prone or lateral position to access posterior or lateral body structures, then surgical access is improved, but patient safety and comfort deteriorate due to complications such as increased pressure, bleeding, nerve palsies, and other adverse effects
Solution Approach 1:
The patient support device is divided into multiple independently controllable regions (head region, upper torso region, lower torso region, leg regions) that can be selectively inflated or deflated. This segmentation allows surgical access to specific body areas while maintaining support and safety in other regions, eliminating the need for prone positioning and its associated risks.
Solution Approach 2:
The support device uses dynamically adjustable inflatable and deflatable regions that can change their support characteristics in real-time. During surgery, specific regions can be deflated to create access space while other regions maintain patient support, allowing anterior access to posterior structures without positioning the patient in a harmful prone position.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a patient is transitioned between supine, prone, and lateral positions to access different body sides, then comprehensive surgical access is improved, but procedure time and operational complexity worsen due to repeated repositioning
Solution Approach 1:
The support device divides the patient body into multiple independently controllable regions that can be selectively adjusted. This allows surgical teams to access anterior, lateral, and even posterior structures by deflating specific regions while the patient remains in a single supine position, eliminating time-consuming repositioning between prone and lateral positions.
Solution Approach 2:
The support device provides universal positioning capability by allowing access to all body sides (anterior, posterior, lateral) through selective deflation of different regions while maintaining the patient in a supine position. This multi-functional approach replaces the need for multiple traditional positioning configurations.
3Ease of operation
If a patient is transitioned between positions during surgery, then access to different body structures is improved, but operational risk and complexity worsen due to displacement of endotracheal tube, changes in cuff pressure, and improper transfer injuries
Solution Approach 1:
The support device uses dynamic inflation and deflation of regional support zones to create surgical access space without changing the patient's overall supine position. This eliminates the harmful effects of position transitions, including endotracheal tube displacement, cuff pressure changes, and transfer-related injuries, while still providing access to various body structures.
4Reliability
If the patient support device uses multiple inflatable and deflatable regions to enable surgical access without repositioning, then patient safety and procedural efficiency are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The support device is segmented into distinct inflatable regions (head, upper torso, lower torso, legs) that can be independently controlled. This segmentation enables targeted deflation for surgical access while maintaining support elsewhere, achieving patient safety and procedural efficiency. The modular segmented design manages complexity by organizing functions into discrete controllable units.
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
Facilitates surgical procedures by minimizing patient repositioning, reducing complications, and enhancing procedural efficiency while maintaining patient comfort and safety, enabling access to all body sides without prone or lateral positioning.
Implementation Method 1
the second (e.g., intermediate) region is deflatable, wherein the second (e.g., intermediate) region is transitioned to the lowered position by deflating the second (e.g., intermediate) region
Implementation Method 2
the support comprises one or more sensors to assess and report on the position or status of the support regions (e.g., fluid (e.g., air) pressure where one or more of the support regions is inflatable or deflatable)
Implementation Method 3
the support or a system associated with the support comprises pumps that pump fluid (e.g., air) into or out of one or more of the support regions
Implementation Method 4
the support comprises a heating or cooling component that allows the support, or one or more of the regions of the support, to be maintained at a desired temperature prior to, during, or following a procedure
Data Source
AI summary
Provided herein are systems, devices, and methods for supporting a patient undergoing a medical procedure that involves treatment of any or all sides of the body (e.g., posterior, anterior, and/or lateral sides of the patient's body or body parts). For example, the systems, devices, and methods facilitate surgical procedures without requiring placing a patient in a prone or lateral position and/or minimizing or avoiding transitioning a patient between supine, prone, and/or lateral positions.