Surgery: splint – brace – or bandage – Orthopedic bandage – Splint or brace
Reexamination Certificate
1997-12-17
2001-07-17
Apley, Richard J. (Department: 3764)
Surgery: splint, brace, or bandage
Orthopedic bandage
Splint or brace
C602S022000, C602S012000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06261253
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to orthopedic appliances and in particular to deformable splints for application to the elbow, hand or knee of a human patient to achieve a gradual, controlled extension of the limb to which it is applied.
2. State of the Prior Art
Persons debilitated by old age or chronic illness, particularly those bound to a wheelchair or bedridden, develop a tendency to retract their limbs to a persistently contracted condition. The arm, leg and hand are all susceptible to this affliction.
An accepted treatment for this condition is for a physical therapist to exercise the affected limb by flexing the pertinent joint through the range of motion possible under the circumstances, and applying light force to extend the limb slightly beyond the existing range of motion. The exercised limb is then fixed at the maximum achieved extension by means of an orthosis, or splint, which bridges the joint being exercised and prevents its retraction. This procedure is repeated during successive therapy sessions, over a period of weeks, to achieve a progressive extension of the limb. The orthosis is adjusted following each session to prevent the limb from retracting beyond the maximum extension gained during the particular session.
The nearest pertinent prior art is believed to be described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,248,292 issued to Holland, which discloses a static orthosis for use similar to the orthosis of this invention. Briefly, the Holland orthosis consists of a deformable unitary body having two pads connected by a spine. The unitary body is made up of an aluminum endoskeleton which is deformable by means of sufficient manual force and retains a desired shape when so deformed. The endoskeleton is molded in a closed cell polyethylene foam matrix. A unitary cover has pockets connected by a spine strap. Each pocket receives one of the end pads of the unitary body. A number of straps on the cover serve to attach the cover and the unitary body to the limb of the patient.
The Holland device suffers from a number of shortcomings. The removable cover does not entirely enclose the deformable unitary body, leaving exposed portions of the unitary body including edges which can press into the skin and tissues of the patient. This requires that the foam matrix around the aluminum endoskeleton provide cushioning. The exposed unitary body comes into contact with the patient and therefore must be periodically washed and cleaned, since the splint is worn for extended periods of time, often several weeks. The straps used to secure the splint to the patient's limb are attached directly to the unitary body, and are separate from the cover. Removal and reinstallation of the straps is needed for washing, adding complexity to the use of the device and exposing the straps to possible misplacement and loss.
Improved deformable static orthoses are needed featuring greater comfort and ease of use and maintenance.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention addresses the aforementioned need by providing an improved orthosis for application to a joint of an anatomical limb. The improved orthosis has an insert with a semi-rigid stiffener deformable by application of manual force, the stiffener having first and second end plates joined to each other by a narrower intermediate strip, and opposing sheets of pliable material bonded to each other and defining a contour of the insert, such that the stiffener is completely contained between the opposing sheets. A removable cover of launderable fiber material is generally fitted to the contour of the insert. The cover has an interior accessible through a zippered opening for receiving the insert, so that the insert is fully enclosed and covered by the removable cover. A number of retaining straps are spaced apart on the cover and extend transversely to the intermediate strip of the insert for encircling the limb to which the orthosis is applied.
The stiffener is preferably metallic, such as of a soft steel, and the end plates are more readily deformable than the intermediate strip. The end plates may be of sheet metal such as a mild steel and the intermediate strip is desirably of thicker metal than the end plates. The end plates may be portions of a single metallic sheet which integrally includes a narrower mid-portion defining the intermediate strip, and the intermediate strip includes a reinforcing strip secured for increasing the stiffness of the mid-portion. The reinforcing strip may be narrower than the mid-portion, and the reinforcing strip may be welded to the mid-portion with welding material applied to define a tapered transition in thickness between the combined thickness of the reinforcing strip and the midportion, and the thickness of midportion alone. Alternatively, the end plates may be discrete metallic plates and the intermediate strip a metallic strip of greater stiffness than the discrete metallic plates.
The opposing sheets of the insert are desirably adhered directly to the metallic stiffener, and the opposing sheets may be of uniform thickness and foamed synthetic material. The outer covering is preferably made of terry-cloth material, which can be provided with compressible padding extending over at least one side of the insert, so that the opposing sheet do not need to provide significant cushioning. The covering may have two opposite sides, the zippered opening being on one of the opposite sides, and the other of the opposite sides being padded with cushioning material. The zippered opening preferably extends substantially the entire length of the cover in the direction of the intermediate strip. The insert preferably has a longitudinal axis along the intermediate strip and each of the end plates and the contour defined by the opposing sheets is symmetrical about the longitudinal axis, such that the orthosis is ambidextrous for application to either a right hand or a left hand limb.
Each of the retaining straps may have hook and loop fasteners for securing each of the straps in encircling relationship with the limb to which the orthosis is applied. Each of said retaining straps may have an outer covering and an interior strip of compressible but non-stretchable padding material.
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Katzin Josephine F.
Katzin Leonard
Apley Richard J.
Beehler & Pavitt
Epstein Natan
Katzin Josephine F.
Lenjoy Engineering, Inc.
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