US3521625A - Medical restraint - Google Patents

Description

July 28, 1970' J. A. MACKEY 3,521,625

' MEDICAL RESTRAINT Filed July 17, 1968 1' 1" l I d I I v l NVEN TOR.

United States Patent hoe 3,521,625 MEDICAL RESTRAINT John A. Mackey, 313 S. Brush St., Fremont, Ohio 43420 Filed July 17, 1968, Ser. No. 745,493 Int. Cl. A61f 13/00 U.S. Cl. 128-133 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Apparatus for restraining movement of a patients arm including a rigid assembly and means for releasably securing the upper arm portion and the forearm portion of a patients arm to the assembly to prevent relative movement between the arm portions. The assembly has an opening formed therein at an elbow section to prevent the elbow portion of the patients arm from contacting the assembly. Means are provided for supporting the elbow section of the assembly above a surface whereby the elbow portion of a patients arm is held in non-contacting relationship above the surface.

In modern medicine, intravenous treatments have become an increasingly important and widely used medical procedure. Many medications administered intravenously have proved to be life-saving on innumerable occasions.

Briefly, intravenous infusion requires a source of prescribed fluid, a needle for insertion into one of the patients veins, and a tube connecting the fluid source to the needle. The tip of the needle must be substantially immobilized and centered relative to the vein channel so as not to repeatedly strike or press against the intima or vein lining. If the needle tip is allowed to vibrate against or repeatedly prick the intima, traumatic damage results which, although slight, may set off that series of biochemical reactions which causes blood coagulation. Extension of such clotting action along the vessel toward the heart represents a danger from clot fragments which might be carried toward the heart and lungs and seriously damage those organs.

Also, if a needle tip is allowed to press against the vein lining for a suffiicent period of time, pressure can result which may serve as a focal point for possible infection, i.e., phlebitis.

Despite the undeniably favorable results of the intravenous treatment, patients recall these treatments with much distaste. They remember the ensuing misery after insertion of the needle that they have had to endure from holding their hands or arms in uncomfortable positions for many hours, and the stiffness, pain and loss of blood circulation, and numbness of the extremity which results from the arm being taped to a piece of flat wood traditionally used for this purpose which is called an arm board.

These arm boards onto which the arms or hands are strapped are long pieces to which the arm is taped tightly to immobilize the arm. Quite frequently circulation through blood vessels around the elbow region of the arm is cut off resulting in a numbness of the extremity, pain when the circuation is later restored, and possible damage from a lack of circulation in the extremity. Further, previous restraints ordinarily do not have any inclinations to accommodate the natural bent of the human limb, tending to lock the elbow region or joint in a position which further restricts blood circulation.

3,521,625 Patented July 28, 1970 Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved medical restraint.

A further object of this invention is to provide an im proved medical restraint which will not interfere with blood circulation flow, will be more comfortable for the patient, will be more stable against tipping or movement in the event of the inability of the patient to retain the restraint in a desired position, yet which will restrain relative movement of the upper arm and forearm which might cause the undesirable effects discussed hereinbefore.

In a preferred embodiment illustrated herein there is featured apparatus for immobilizing the arm of a patient during medical or surgical treatment such as during an intravenous infusion or transfusion which includes a forearm rest member, an upper arm rest member separated from the forearm rest member defining an elbow opening region therebetween allowing the elbow portion of the arm to be supported in non-contacting relationship with either arm rest member, and means connecting the rest members in the separated relationship and against movement relative to each other. Means are further provided for suspending the elbow region portion of the assembly of arm rest members and connecting means above a surface, such as a bed, to prevent contact of the elbow region with the surface. Means are provided for releasably securing the forearm and upper arm to the assembly to prevent movement of the arm portions relative to each other. The forearm and upper arm rest members are preferably inclined toward each other to prevent the elbow portion of the arm being locked in a blood circulation restricting position.

The connecting means may comprise a pair of side members. The forearm and upper arm rest members extend between and are secured to the side members in the separated relationship. The suspending means may comprise downwardly depending leg extensions of the side members. The leg extensions of the side members advantageously diverge from each other to improve the stability of the apparatus against tipping.

The releasable securing means may comprise a plurality of straps, at least one strap being located on one side of the elbow region of the apparatus and another of the straps being located on the other side of the elbow region of the apparatus. The side members may have opposing slots for each strap formed therein to receive and pass the straps below the arm rest members to prevent strap contact with the underside of the patients arm. The side members may have further opposing slots for each strap formed therein to receive and pass the straps above the arm rest members to permit positive strap engagement with the upper side of the patients arm.

Other objects, advantages and features of this invention will become apparent when the following description is taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of apparatus embodying the teachings of this invention, showing a patients arm secured in place;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the apparatus of FIG. 1 with the straps removed for clarity;

FIG. 3 is an end view of the apparatus of FIG. 2 taken from the right; and

FIG. 4 is a view in perspective of the restraint of this invention, again with the straps removed for clarity In the preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings, the device comprises an assembly generally indicated at which may preferably be of transparent plastic material to afford a clear view of all portions of the patients arm at all times. For all uses the device need not be of transparent plastic material. It may be of translucent plastic or plastics which do not permit light to pass therethrough. Examples of suitable plastic or plastic-like materials which can be employed are Lucite, Plexiglas, Fiberglas, and Durez materials. In actual embodiments of the invention a rigid transparent plastic material of about A of an inch in thickness has proved satisfactory. Light metals such as aluminum or magnesium can also be used to advantage in some instances.

Preferably, the material, regardless of its nature, should be such as to be capable of withstanding sterilizing temperatures without deformation or other injury thereto. The materials should also be able to withstand cold chemical sterilization.

The assembly 10 comprises an upper arm rest member 11, separated from a forearm rest member 12 to provide an elbow opening region 16 between the two rest members, permitting a non-contact positioning of the back portion of the patients elbow area.

The rest members 11, 12 are supported in the separated or spaced relationship shown by side members 13 and 14. The side members 13 and 14 are of rigid material and do not permit the movement of the upper arm rest member 11 relative to the lower or forearm rest member 12.

It will be noted in FIG. 1 that as the side members 13, 14 proced from left to right they diverge so that the distance between the side members 13, 14 is greater at the left than it is at the right. This provides additional stability to the restraint and assist in blocking a tipping movement of the entire restraining assembly, particularly when the patient is in an unconscious or delirious state.

As best seen in FIGS. 2 and 3 the upper arm mem ber 11 and the forearm member 12 are inclined toward each other to provide a support closely approximating the natural bent of the arm of the patient in a relaxed position, to prevent a flat or distended or extended position of the arm which may restrict blood flow through vessels in a locked position of the elbow region of the arm.

The side members 13 and 14 have downwardly depending leg portions 13a and 14a which assist the side members 13, 14 in suspending or supporting the arm rest members 11 and 12 above a surface on which the lower edges of the leg extensions 13a, 14a are resting. This prevents any pressure from being exerted on the back of the elbow joint or region of the patients arm which may cause restriction of the blood flow therethrough.

Means for releasably securing the patients arm to the restraint are shown in FIG. 1 as straps 20, 21, 22. The straps may have buckle arrangements to release and restrain arms in the apparatus or, preferably, may have at the ends thereof the press type fastener on the end regions a, 21a, 22a of the straps which function to hold the straps in a fastened position merely by pressing the tufted regions against each other.

As is noted a plurality of straps are utilized, at least one strap being located on one side of the elbow region of the apparatus and another of the straps being located on the other side of the elbow region of the apparatus.

region of the patients arm during surgery and recovery thereafter, or during extended therapy. It can further be seen that the inclination of the arm rest members toward each other permits the disposition of the patients arm in a more natural inclination between the upper arm and the forearm to prevent a locking of the elbow joint or region and resultant blood flow restriction.

There has thus been described apparatus for restraining movement of a patients arm which comprises a rigid assembly 10 and strap means 20, 21, 22 for releasably securing the upper arm portion and the forearm portion of a patients arm to the assembly '10 to prevent relative movement between the arm portions. The assembly has an elbow opening 16 formed therein at an elbow section of the assembly to prevent the elbow portion of the patients arm from contacting the assembly. Leg means 13a, 14a support the elbow section of the assembly above a surface whereby the elbow portion of the patients arm is held in a non-contacting relationship above the surface.

In summary, it is to be noted that it is apparent within the scope of this invention to provide modifications and different arrangements other than herein disclosed. The present disclosure, therefore, is illustrative only, the invention comprehending all variations thereof.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for immobilizing the arm of a patient during medical or surgical treatment such as during an intravenous infusion or transfusion comprising a forearm rest member, an upper arm rest member separated from said forearm rest member and defining an elbow region allowing the elbow portion of the arm to be supported therebetween in non-contacting relationship with either arm rest member, means connecting said rest members in said separated relationship and against movement relative to each other, means for suspending the elbow region portion of the assembly of arm rest members and connecting means above a surface to prevent contact of the elbow region with said surface, and means for releasably securing the forearm and upper arm to said assembly to prevent movement of the arm portions relative to each other.

2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 in which said forearm and upper arm rest members are inclined toward each other to prevent the elbow portion of the arm being locked in a blood circulation restricting position.

3. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 in which said connecting means comprises a pair of side members, said forearm and upper arm rest members extending between and being secured to said side members in said separated relationship.

4. Apparatus as defined in claim 3 in which said suspending means comprises downwardly depending extensions of said side members.

5. Apparatus as defined in claim 4 in which said extensions of said side members diverge from each other to improve the stability of said apparatus against tipping.

6. Apparatus as defined in claim 3 in which said releasable securing means comprises a plurality of straps, at least one strap being located on one side of the elbow region of the apparatus and another of said straps being located on the other side of the elbow region of the apparatus.

7. Apparatus as defined in claim 6 in which said side members have opposing apertures formed therein to receive and retain said straps.

8. Apparatus as defined in claim 6 in which said side members have opposing slots for each strap formed therein to receive and pass said straps below said arm rest members to prevent strap contact with the under side of the patients arm.

9. Apparatus as defined in claim 8 in which said side members have further opposing slots for each strap formed therein to receive and pass said straps above said arm rest members to permit positive strap engagement with the upper side of the patients arm.

5 10. Apparatus for restraining movement of a patients References Cited $31 ifi ffi fi :rS n?p cij r f nd tilz zof ar$ 222 3 UNITED STATES PATENTS o r P r of a patients arm to said assembly to prevent relative 2,693,794 1/1954 Nevlue 128 2-05 movement between the arm portions, said assembly hav- 5 3,256,880 CaYPmar 128' 133 ing an opening formed therein at an elbow section to pre- 312951518 967 Hazlewood et a1 128-433 vent the elbow portion of the patients arm from contacting said assembly, and means for supporting the elbow ADELE EAGER Pnmary Exammer section of said assembly above a surface whereby the US Cl XR elbow portion of a patients arm is held in non-contacting 10 128*214 relationship above said surface.

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