Surgery: splint – brace – or bandage – Orthopedic bandage – Splint or brace
Reexamination Certificate
1998-10-13
2001-06-12
Donnelly, Jerome W. (Department: 3764)
Surgery: splint, brace, or bandage
Orthopedic bandage
Splint or brace
C602S016000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06245034
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention concerns orthopedic splints for application to the anatomical joint of a patient's limb for the purpose of limiting flexing of the joint during a period of medical rehabilitation, and in particular is directed to a torque splint which is spring loaded for extending the limb to which it is applied and offers an adjustable resistance to flexing of the joint for therapeutic purposes.
2. State of the Prior Art
Orthopedic torque splints have a variety of therapeutic applications. A primary application is to help long-term bedridden patients such as comatose individuals. Long term inactivity results in contraction of the muscles and consequent rigid retraction of the limbs. Properly applied torque splints are useful in resisting and reversing such retraction. A steady torque applied by the splint gradually pulls on the contracted muscles and extends the patient's limbs.
Existing torque splints suffer from a number of deficiencies which limit their usefulness and increase the cost of physical therapy. Among other shortcomings, presently available devices are typically restricted in the angular range settings, i.e. the arc of rotation permitted to the patient's joint, thus requiring more than one splint model or unit to satisfy all requirements. Furthermore, the actual torque resistance acting against retraction of the joint, for a given resistance setting of the device, typically varies over the arc of movement of the splint and therefore the true torque resistance acting at a given angular position of the splint cannot be readily determined. Commercially available torque splints using a cam action are an example of devices having actual torque values inconsistent with scale readings. Still further, presently available devices provide either no angle limiting feature or can be limited only in specific angular increments rather than continuously.
A continuing need exists for improved torque or resistance orthopedic splints which overcome these and other shortcomings of the prior art.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides an adjustable resistance orthopedic splint which addresses the aforementioned shortcomings of the prior art. The improved splint has first and second arms hinged to each other for movement about a hinge axis between an extended position and a flexed or retracted position. A tensioning assembly contained in the arms of the splint applies an adjustable torque urging the splint arms towards an extended position. A goniometer assembly associated with the hinge of the splint may have continuously adjustable stops for limiting movement of the arms to any arbitrary lesser arc contained between maximally extended and maximally retracted positions of the splint.
In a presently preferred form of the invention, the splint arms are rigid tubular segments connected end-to-end by a hinge. The tensioning assembly includes a spring and cable assembly connected in tension between the two arms. Flexing of the splint arms wraps the cable around a hinge circumference arranged such that the tension on the cable tends to return the arms towards an extended position. The spring may be a coil spring with a coil axis transverse to the hinge axis and contained in one tubular arm segment, and connected by a cable to a tensioning block contained in the other tubular arm segment. The tensioning mechanism may include a screw adjustment in one of the arms for increasing or decreasing tension of the spring on the cable. A visual display indicative of the torque acting on the splint arms may be provided, such as a slot in the arm segment containing the compression block. The position of the compression block may then be read against a fixed scale on the arm segment. The spring and cable tensioning arrangement provides a consistently repeatable torque at any given scale reading regardless of the angle of the splint arms. This feature allows the torque to be accurately set by a therapist.
In the presently preferred form of the invention, the tensioning assembly includes a coil spring axially contained in a first of the tubular segments, a compression block longitudinally displaceable in the first of the tubular segments, a screw threaded for longitudinally displacing a tensioning block in a second of the tubular segments, and a cable connecting the tensioning block to the compression block, the first and second of the tubular segments being respectively on the first and second arms of the splint, such that tension on the cable acting to return the arms to an extended position can be adjusted by turning the screw.
One tubular segment in each hinged pair may be fixed for rotation with a hinge shaft and the other tubular segment in the pair may be rotatable about the shaft. The goniometer assembly on the shaft may include first and second stops individually rotatable about the shaft and a lock for fixing the stops at selected angular positions on the hinged shaft. Each of the stops may have a stop tab in angular interference with a detent mounted on the rotatable tubular segment, so that movement of the arms in extension and retraction can be limited to an arbitrary continuously adjustable arc by selective angular positioning of the stops.
In the basic or single sided splint each arm has one tubular segment, and suitable cuffs and/or retaining straps are provided for securing the splint arms to the upper and lower portions of a patient's limb.
A pair of single sided torque splints may be joined in side-by-side parallel relationship by means of pads elements so that the hinge axes of the joined splints are in approximately co-linear alignment with each other. First and second application pads may be provided on the arms of the joined splints, at least one of the two pads being slidably repositionable towards and away from the hinge axis of the splint. A swiveled handle may be attached across the joined splints to facilitate handling of the appliance by a therapist.
These and other advantages, features and improvements will be better appreciated and understood by reference to the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
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Bennett John
Bradley Willis C.
Beehler & Pavitt
Donnelly Jerome W.
Epstein Natan
Lenjoy Engineering, Inc.
Pothier Denise
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