Surgery: splint – brace – or bandage – Orthopedic bandage – Splint or brace
Reexamination Certificate
2002-06-03
2004-04-27
Brown, Michael A. (Department: 3764)
Surgery: splint, brace, or bandage
Orthopedic bandage
Splint or brace
C602S023000, C602S032000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06726642
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a device for compression of the lower extremities for medical imaging purposes, in particular for diagnostic purposes at complementary examination using computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance tomography (MRT).
The object of the present invention is to obtain a device the use of which provides an aid for an adequate and reproducible examination of the lower extremities under load in connection with computed tomography and/or magnetic resonance tomography, in particular for the diagnosis of development of arthrosis, changes of cartilage in beginning arthrosis, luxation, sacroiliac joint changes with regard to the hip joint; diagnosis of cruciate ligaments and meniscus damages, development of cartilage, patellar luxation, subluxations, preconditions for meniscus transplantations in the knee; diagnosis of cartilage damages, changes of tendons, luxations, and osteochondritis in the ankle.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Diagnosis of the lower extremities with regard to development of arthrosis, changes of cartilage in beginning arthrosis, luxation, sacroiliac joint changes with regard to the hip joint, diagnosis of cruciate ligaments and meniscus damages, development of cartilage, patellar luxation, subluxations, preconditions for meniscus transplantations in the knee; diagnosis of cartilage damages, changes of tendons, luxations, and osteochondritis in the ankle are hard to carry out under well-defined conditions and the market does not recognise any such diagnostic tools or equipment for said purpose.
EP 95920357.1 discloses a device for compression of the lumbar spine for medical imaging purposes, and then in particular for the diagnosis of the spinal cord canal and nerve structures (spinal stenosis) present.
Further, it is previously known from U.S. Pat. No. 3,629,581 a device for positioning a patients shoulders in connection on with an X-ray examination of the spine of a patient, whereby the upper spinal column is pressed downwards towards the examination table and makes it possible to obtain good X-ray pictures of the upper vertebras. Hereby a pressure is applied over the spinal column of the lying patient via two flexible strings provided with handles for the patient which strings are arranged around a foot plate.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,202,355 discloses an X-ray grid orthometer used for measuring the leg length of individuals that may have an anatomical leg length imbalance, where the device composes a fame means mountable on a support for adjusting to the length of the legs of a patient, whereby the frame comprises two foot plates onto which the patient's feet are placed. Further the X-ray grid orthometer comprises a pair of pulleys and a flexible elongated member arranged as to be engageable at the end portion by a patient for compressing the lumbar spine and legs the patient pulling with both hands on the flexible member.
There is thus a problem to be solved, viz. to obtain an apparatus or device for the diagnosis of development of arthrosis, changes of cartilage in berg arthrosis, luxation, sacroiliac joint changes with regard to the hip joint; diagnosis of cruciate ligaments and meniscus damages, development of cartilage, patellar luxation, subluxations, preconditions for meniscus transplantations in the knee; diagnosis of cartilage damages, changes of tendons, luxations, and osteochondritis in the ankle under well-defined conditions.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
It has now surprisingly been shown possible to be able to solve this problem by the present invention which is characterized in that the device comprises
a waist arrangement to be placed around and in film contact with the hip region of a patient,
a knee arrangement to be placed in the vicinity of and in firm contact with the knee of a patient,
a foot plate comprising pressure sensors and being arranged to accommodate the feet of a patient, whereby said sensors are arranged to monitor the pressure of the respective foot on said foot plate, strings connecting said waist arrangement and said foot plate arrangement, which strings can be stretched independently of each other and comprise each a tension meter to monitor the force by which the strings are strained.
By means of the present invention a controlled load of the lower extremities can be obtained when the waist arrangement applied around a patient's hip region and the knee arrangement is placed in the vicinity of the knee and the strings are stretched to a certain load between the waist arrangement and the foot plate. Further, the load can be applied asymmetric as well whereby a single knee can be examined and diagnosed in any bent and luxated position. Thus a knee can be examined during load at different degrees of flexion and rotation or both, examined when bent at different angles, optionally at fixation of the knee at three dimensions. The diagnosis and examination is further facilitated as the foot plate in one particular embodiment is made rotatable with regard to foot blade and heel, or both.
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patent: 4202355 (1980-05-01), Loeffler
patent: 4320749 (1982-03-01), Highley
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patent: 5273520 (1993-12-01), Rebmann
patent: 5541515 (1996-07-01), Tsujita
patent: 5562094 (1996-10-01), Bonutti
patent: 5810006 (1998-09-01), Votruba et al.
patent: 5827209 (1998-10-01), Gross
Danielsson Barbro
Nicklasson Thomas
Willen Jan A. G.
Brown Michael A.
Gauthier & Connors LLP
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