Definitions

• the present invention relates to an instrument for measuring dilation of cervix uteri during the first stage of labor.
• This instrument has two elongated arms, two loops for introducing fingers, a scale and an indicating tip, and means for connecting the arms in the central region, so that fingers can be introduced into the loops and the arms are moved so that the fingers palpate the edge of the orifice while the indicating tip indicates the corresponding graduation mark of the scale.
• the measurements with this instrument are more accurate. It is believed that it is advisable to further improve the above described instrument.
• one feature of the present invention resides, briefly stated, in an instrument of the above mentioned type which has two arms pivotally connected with one another in their central portion, two loops arranged at one end of the arms so that fingers can extend through the loops to palpate the edge of the orifice, a scale arranged on the opposite end of one arm and a tip arranged on the opposite end of the other arm, so that when the fingers are moved by a physician and the arms are connected to one another the tip points to the corresponding graduating mark of the scale and shows the degree of dilatation of cervix uteri, wherein in accordance to the present invention means are provided for fixing the position of the tip relatively to the scale, so that in the fixed position the physician can still read the graduation mark, and the fixing means are formed as cooperating formations of the tip and the scale.
• the physician or the nurse cannot make mistakes during measurements since the tip is fixed relative to the scale at least temporarily.
• the whole tool is composed of plastic which facilitates the manufacture of the means for fixing the position of the tip as well as the manufacture of the whole instrument.
• FIG. 1 is a front view of an instrument in accordance with the present invention, in a proximal position of its arms;
• FIG. 2 is a view corresponding to the view shown in Fig. 1 but illustrating the instrument in a distal position of its arm;
• FIG. 3 is a side view of the instrument in the position shown in Fig. 1 ;
• FIG.. 4 is a view showing loops which are provided on measuring portions of the instrument, in an enlarged scale;
• FIG. 5 is a view showing another modification of the scale in accordance with the present invention.
• FIG. 6 is a view showing still a further modification of the scale and the tip in accordance with the present invention.
• FIG. 7 and 8 are views showing an additional modification of the scale and the tip in accordance with the present invention in an inoperative position and in an operative position correspondingly.
• An inventive instrument for measuring dilatation of cervix uteri has two arms which are identified as a whole by reference numerals 1 and 2.
• the arm 1 has a measuring portion 3 and an indicating portion 7.
• the arm 2 has a measuring portion 4 and an indicating portion 8.
• the arms 1 and 2 have also central portions 5 and 6, respectively, each located between a respective one of the measuring and indicating portions.
• the arms 1 and 2 are connected with one another in the region of their central portions 5 and 6 so as to perform a scissors-like movement.
• the connection may be formed by a screw 11 which is known per se in the chart.
• the indicating portion 8 of the arm 2 is formed by a sector with rounded edges which is provided with a scale including a plurality of graduation marks.
• the indicating portion 7 of the arm 1 is formed by an indicating tip adapted to point to the graduation marks of the both a physician and a patient.
• the measuring portions 3 and 4 of the arms are curved in a direction which is transverse to the direction of elongation.
• the curvature of these portions is so selected as to correspond to the curvature of a physician's palm when his or her fingers are inserted in the birth canal to perform measurements.
• the arms 1 and 2 have lowers 13 which are flat so as to provide smooth abutment of the instrument against the physician's palm.
• the arms 1 and 2 are formed by flat members which also have flat upper surfaces so as to prevent injury of a patient by the instrument.
• the measuring portions 3 and 4 of the arms have ends which are spaced from the respective central portions 5 and 7 and are provided with loops 9 and 10, respectively.
• the loop 9 is spaced from the central portions or from the screw 11 by a distance which is greater than the distance by which the loops is spaced from the same.
• the loops 10 and 9 are located one after the other and they are coaxial with each other.
• the loops are flattened.
• the measuring portions 3 and 4 have sections 3' and 4' located adjacent to the loops 9 and 10, and sections 3" and 4" located adjacent to the central positions 5 and 6, respectively.
• the measuring portions 3 and 4 are further so curved that the sections 3' and 3" of the measuring portion 3 are located at opposite sides of a longitudinal axis of the instrument.
• the section 3' is located opposite to the section 4', whereas the section 3" is located opposite to the section 4".
• a method of measuring in accordance with the present invention is performed with the sue of the above-described instrument in the following manner.
• the arms 1 and 2 are moved toward one another to the initial or proximal positionnn which is shown in Fig. 1.
• the loops are located one after the other and coaxial with each other.
• the loops are expandable, for example, they may be constructed of an expandable material, or may be constructed of a springy material and slits as shown in Fig. 4.
• the loops Preferably, the loops have a diameter equal to substantially 1 , 2 cm which corresponds to the smallest thickness of a second and third finger of a physician's hand.
• a synthetic plastic material may be utilized as an expandable material, and metal can be utilized as springy material of the loops.
• the physician puts his or her one finger of hand simultaneously into two loops in the coaxial position of the latter, and introduces the instrument into the birth canal.
• the finger is so inserted into the loops that it extends outwardly beyond the latter.
• the thus-extended finger palpates the edge of the orifice of cervix uteri in an initial stage of dilatation. If the one finger and thereby the loops 9 and 10 in the coaxial position contact the edge, the indicating tip 7 will point to the graduation mark corresponding to 1.2 cm.
• the measuring portions 3 and 4 are moved apart from one another until the two physicians fingers inserted into two spaced loops (Fig. 2) palpate the edge of the dilated cervix uteri, since the fingers extend outwardly beyond the loops.
• the loops 9 and 10 are brought into contact with the edges by such movement, and the indicating tip 7 points to a respective one of the graduation marks which corresponds to an instant degree of dilatation of cervix uteri.
• the loops 9 and 10 are conical in correspondence with the conical shape of the second and the hand fingers. Other fingers hold the instrument.
• a physician can palpate the edge of the cervix uteri by his or her hand fingers, and, on the other hand, the accurate results appear on the scale of the instrument.
• the loops are expansible, the second and third fingers of various physicians having differing thickness can be inserted into and extend outwardly beyond the loops so as to palpate the edges of the orifice of cervix uteri.
• the indicating tip 7 and scale are provided on the upper surfaces of the arms which face away from the physician pal in operational position, whereas the loops extend from the lower surface of the arm in a direction away from the latter and at a certain angle relative to the arms.
• means are provided for fixing the position of the indicating tip 7 relative to the graduation marks of the scale 8, so that when a physician achieves the final position of his or her fingers which corresponds to the measured dilatation, the position of the indicating tip 7 is fixed relative to the corresponding graduating mark.
• the indicating portion or scale 8 on its surface 14 which faces the indicating portion or tip 7 is provided with a plurality of projections extending in a substantially radial direction and spaced from one another in circumferential direction of the scale, substantially coextensive with the scale but on a smaller radius.
• the projections 14 are arranged with such distances from one another that when the tip points to the corresponding mark, it extends between two adjacent projections.
• the position of the indicating tip with respect to the corresponding graduation mark when the physician archieves the final position of his or her fingers is fixed at least temporarily, the tip does ont deviate to the left or to the right on the scale, and the physician can glance on the scale to see the corresponding graduation mark towards which the tip points and to determine the degree of dilatation.
• the fixing means of inventive instrument in accordance with another embodiment are shown in Fig. 6.
• the surfaces of the scale 8 and the indicating tip 7 facing toward one another are provided with a roughening 15.
• the roughening 15 can be formed in many different ways, for example by forming substantially radially extending grooves on these surfaces, by applying a friction-increasing coating to these surfaces, by providing a plurality of teeth facing one another are provided with a roughening 15.
• the roughening 15 can be formed in many different ways, for example by forming substantially radially extending grooves on these surfaces, by applying a friction-increasing coating to these surfaces, by applying a friction-increasing coating to these surfaces, by providing a plurality of teeth facing one another in a circumferential direction about the pivot axis, by providing circular holes on one surface and circular projections engaging the holes on another surface, etc.
• the fixing means are formed so that the position of the indicating tip 7 relative to the graduation mark of the scale 8 is fixed even after the physician changes the position of his or her fingers in order to withdraw the instrument from a patient.
• the scale 8 is provided with a plurality of grooves or holes 16, while the indicating tip 7 is provided with a tooth 17 engageable in the holes 16.
• Each of the holes 16 and the tooth 17 are conical for the purpose which will be explained herein below.
• the portions of the arms, at least in the area close to the loops, are substantially yieldable in a transverse direction.

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Citations (3)

• 1997
  • 1997-08-06 CA CA002297752A patent/CA2297752A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 1997-08-06 EP EP97935114A patent/EP1001712A4/de not_active Withdrawn

Patent Citations (3)

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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