Surgical limb positioning apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11090213-B2
Application number	US-201816475844-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 22, 2018
Priority date	Jan 24, 2017
Publication date	Aug 17, 2021
Grant date	Aug 17, 2021

Abstract

An apparatus that controls the rotation of an operative limb during shoulder surgery is composed of three parts: 1) a mechanism that is part of the durable apparatus, and which allows the limb to be suspended from the system and traction weights applied, but is configured in such a manner that the cable or other connecting member does not rotate about its axis; 2) a sterile connector that acts as the interface between the non-sterile durable apparatus and a sterile patient-contacting disposable drape; and 3) the disposable drape which is secured to the patient's operative arm. One of the sterile connector and the disposable drape contains a feature that allows the physician to rotate and hold the limb in any desired position, without requiring that it be manually held in place.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A surgical limb positioning apparatus comprising:
an elongated, hollow boom member having a proximal end, a distal end and a longitudinal axis extending therebetween;
a carriage disposed within the boom member and moveable along the longitudinal axis;
a first flexible member attached to a first side of the carriage and exiting the boom member at a first aperture located at the proximal end of the boom member, a free end of the first flexible member configured for attachment to a weight;
a second flexible member attached to a second side of the carriage such that the flexible member cannot rotate relative to the longitudinal axis of the boom member, the second flexible member exiting the boom member at a second aperture located at the distal end of the boom member; and
a connector assembly attached to a free end of the second flexible member for forming a sterile connection to a drape assembly;
wherein one of the connector assembly and the drape assembly comprises an anti-rotation mechanism configured to maintain an operative limb of a patient in a pre-selected position.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the connector assembly comprises a receiver attached to the free end of the second flexible member and a connector for releasably coupling to the receiver.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein a first end of the connector comprises a pin, and the receiver comprises an opening for receiving the pin.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein a second end of the connector comprises a projection, and the drape assembly comprises an aperture for releasably coupling to the projection.

5. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein at least a portion of the connector is sterile.

6. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the anti-rotation mechanism is a torque insert disposed within the connector.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the boom member is a generally square tube.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the carriage is a wheeled carriage.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first flexible member is a wire rope.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second flexible member is a metal cord.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising an arcuate portion attached to the distal end of the boom member, the second flexible member being routed through a plurality of pulleys housed within the arcuate portion, the pulleys providing an additional anti-rotational resistance to the second flexible member.

12. A method of positioning a limb during surgery, comprising:
disposing an operative limb of a patient within a drape assembly of a limb positioning apparatus, the limb positioning apparatus comprising:
an elongated, hollow boom member having a proximal end, a distal end and a longitudinal axis extending therebetween;
a carriage disposed within the boom member and moveable along the longitudinal axis;
a first flexible member attached to a first side of the carriage, the first flexible member exiting the boom member at a first aperture located at the proximal end of the boom member, a free end of the first flexible member configured for attachment to a weight;
a second flexible member attached to a second side of the carriage such that the flexible member cannot rotate relative to the longitudinal axis of the boom member, the second flexible member exiting the boom member at a second aperture located at the distal end of the boom member; and
a connector assembly attached to a free end of the second flexible member, the connector assembly for forming a sterile connection to the drape assembly, one of the connector assembly and the drape assembly comprising an anti-rotation mechanism; and

rotating the operative limb of the patient to a pre-selected position;
wherein the anti-rotation mechanism is configured to maintain the operative limb of the patient in the pre-selected position.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the connector assembly comprises a receiver attached to the free end of the second flexible member and a connector for releasably coupling to the receiver.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein a first end of the connector comprises a pin, and the receiver comprises an opening for receiving the pin.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein a second end of the connector comprises a projection, and the drape assembly comprises an aperture for releasably coupling to the projection.

16. The method of claim 13 , wherein at least a portion of the connector is sterile.

17. The method of claim 13 , wherein the anti-rotation mechanism is a torque insert disposed within the connector.

Assignees

• Smith & Nephew Inc

Inventors

• Catacchio Anthony
• Zahynacz Daniel
• Obendorf William
• Smith Graham

Classifications

• A61G2200/54

  Shoulder · CPC title

• A61G13/1235

  Arms · CPC title

• A61G13/0072 Primary

  specially adapted for shoulder surgeries · CPC title

• A61F5/3761

  for attaching the limbs to other objects (A61F5/3769 takes precedence) · CPC title