EP3177238A1

EP3177238A1 - Wrist splint

Info

Publication number: EP3177238A1
Application number: EP15750137.0A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Kálmán BOLLA
Original assignee: Chrisofix AG
Current assignee: Chrisofix AG
Priority date: 2014-08-05
Filing date: 2015-08-05
Publication date: 2017-06-14
Also published as: AU2015298357A1; CH709959A1; WO2016020857A1; CH709959B1

Abstract

A wrist splint (10) is disclosed, comprising a splint body (11) having a first elongated splint portion (14) formed to substantially fit to a patient's forearm (22) and hand (23) in the region of the ulna and the metacarpal bone of the little finger (29); a second elongate splint portion (15) formed to substantially fit to a patient's forearm (22) and hand (23) in the region of the radius (33) and the metacarpal bone of the indexing finger (26); at least two interconnecting members (16, 17) between the first and second elongate splint portions (14, 15), the interconnecting members (16, 17) being formed to substantially fit to the dorsal side of the forearm (22) or the hand (23); and a laterally projecting tab (12) formed as an integral part of the first splint portion (14) at its one end, said tab (12) being formed to substantially fit to a patient's hand (23) in the region of the hypothenar. The wrist splint (10) further comprises at least one non-stretchable releasable fastening member (30, 31, 32) for securing the splint body (11) to a patient's forearm (23) and hand (22). The splint body is made of a substantially rigid but permanently deformable material.

Description

Wrist splint

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a wrist splint, in particular to a wrist splint for the prevention or the treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome.

STATE OF THE ART

A commonly used type of wrist splints the so-called carpal tunnel orthosis, which is described, for example, in the document EP 0916325 A1. The so-called carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) occurs due to nerve entrapment in the wrist area to tingling, numbness and pain of the thumb, the index finger and the middle finger of the affected hand. One possible therapy to treat CTS is the immobilization of the wrist with a special splint, a so-called carpal tunnel orthosis as it is described, for example, in the document EP 0916325 A1. Such splints or orthoses are fixed by means of flexible straps around the forearm and the hand. Such straps may include rigid pre-bent or bendable straps, and/or fasteners comprising plastic and/or metal inserts, and/or straps made from a textile material which can be usually secured by means of Velcro (hook and loop) fasteners. The above document EP 0916325 A1 discloses an orthesis for and/or treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome, comprising a substantially rigid hand fixation brace extending immediately over the dorsal part of the hand, which brace has two ends, one of which is provided with a part to be fastened to the wrist and underarm while the other is provided with a finger coupling part.

The document DE 43 26 751 A1 discloses a hand and wrist orthosis that comprises a supporting body enclosing the wrist joint and the hand in a sleeve-like fashion, and a spoon- shaped rigid splint disposed on the inner wall area of the supporting body, which supports the hollow hand and makes it possible for the tip of the fingers to grip, wherein within the region of the phalanges and the metacarpal bones, the splint has three splint sections bent at predetermined angular positions relative to each other.

The document US 6,328,706 discloses a wrist support device for allowing limited extension and flexion of the wrist, while substantially limiting movement of the wrist in all other directions and further substantially limiting pressure from being placed on the wrist. This wrist support device includes a first elongated channel-shaped rigid member for aligning with the longitudinal axis of the user's forearm for abutting against the posterior aspect of the forearm and a second small rigid substantially flat member independent from the first member for aligning with the longitudinal axis of the user's forearm and abutting against the anterior aspect of the forearm. The two members are attached together and secured to the user's forearm by a plurality of releasable fastening members, such that when tightened, the wrist support device limits extension and flexion of the wrist and substantially limits pressure being placed on the wrist. The main drawback of this wrist support device is that the rigid supporting member cannot be precisely fitted to the shape of the hand, while the inner cushioning layer beneath the rigid supporting member still allows some movement of the wrist. Neither this device provides enough support for the palm against the movement of the wrist downwards.

The wrist splints known in prior art are very complicated in terms of structure, or have a highly simplified construction that leads to an insufficient immobilization of the wrist, or have a configuration that is uncomfortable to wear.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a wrist splint, which avoids the disadvantages of known wrist splints, has a simple structure, easy application and good adaptability, and at the same time provides immobilization of the wrist in all directions with high wearing comfort.

The above and other objects are achieved by providing a wrist splint comprising

- a splint body having

- a first elongated splint portion formed to substantially fit to a patient's forearm and hand in the region of the ulna and the metacarpal bone of the little finger;

- a second elongate splint portion formed to substantially fit to a patient's forearm and hand in the region of the radius and the metacarpal bone of the indexing finger;

- at least two interconnecting members between the first and second elongate splint portions, the interconnecting members being formed to substantially fit to the dorsal side of the forearm or the hand;

- a laterally projecting tab formed as an integral part of the first splint portion at its one end, said tab being formed to substantially fit to a patient's hand in the region of the hypothenar; and

- at least one deformable, non-stretchable releasable fastening member for securing the splint body to a patient's forearm and hand; wherein the splint body is made of a substantially rigid but permanently deformable material.

The splint body may be made of a longitudinally corrugated thin metal, for example, aluminium, plate or a thermoplastic material.

Preferably, the splint body comprises a plurality of through-holes uniformly distributed over its entire area.

It also preferred that the splint body is formed as a multilayer structure of a substantially rigid but permanently deformable splint core, a first covering layer on one face of the splint core and a second covering layer on the opposite face of the splint core, said covering layers being made from an elastic material. The splint core may comprise a plurality of through- holes uniformly distributed over its entire area, and the first and second covering layers may also comprise a plurality of through-holes in alignment with the through-holes of the splint core.

It is particularly preferred that each of the at least one fastening member comprises Velcro fasteners at least at its ends. Furthermore, the first covering layer may be made of a Velcro- compatible material and adapted for attaching to the Velcro fasteners of a fastening member of the wrist splint.

The above objects are further achieved by providing a wrist splint body, comprising

- a first elongated splint portion dimensioned and shaped to be capable of partially covering, upon its bending, a patient's forearm and hand in the region of the ulna and the metacarpal bone of the little finger;

- a second elongate splint portion spaced apart from the first splint portion and extending slightly inclined with respect to said first splint portion, said second splint portion being dimensioned and shaped to be capable of partially covering, upon its bending, a patient's forearm and hand in the region of the radius and the metacarpal bone of the indexing finger;

- at least two interconnecting members between the first and second elongate splint portions, the interconnecting members being shaped to be capable of substantially fitting, upon its bending, to the dorsal side of the forearm or the hand of a patient; and

- a laterally projecting tab formed as an integral part of the first splint portion at its one end, said tab being dimensioned and shaped to be capable of substantially covering, upon its bending, a patient's hand in the region of the hypothenar; wherein the splint body is made of a substantially rigid, permanently deformable material.

The wrist splint body may be made of a longitudinally corrugated metal, for example, aluminium, plate or a thermoplastic material.

The wrist splint body may further comprise a plurality of through-holes uniformly distributed over its entire area.

Preferably, the wrist splint body is formed as a multilayer structure of a substantially rigid but permanently deformable splint core, a first covering layer on one face of the splint core and a second covering layer on the opposite face of the splint core, said covering layers being made from an elastic material. The wrist splint body may further comprise a plurality of through-holes uniformly distributed over its entire area.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

The invention will be explained in more detail with reference to the embodiments in conjunction with the drawings, in which: Figures 1a and 1 b show the splint body of a preferred embodiment of the wrist splint according to the invention in a flattened state, in plan view and in cross-sectional view taken along the line B-B shown in Fig. 1a, respectively;

Figure 2 is a top perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the wrist splint according to the invention when applied on a patient's wrist; Figure 3 is a bottom perspective view of the same wrist splint as shown in Fig. 2;

Figure 4 is a plan view of a flattened splint body of the wrist splint according to the invention; and

Figure 5 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the wrist splint according to the invention in a spatially formed, ready-to-use state. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

With reference to the drawings, there is provided a wrist splint 10 to substantially prevent movement (i.e. to immobilize) of the wrist in any direction.

The wrist splint 10 comprises a splint body 11 , which in its initial state (i.e. in a state before its bending to form a splint body ready for use) is shown in Fig. 4. The splint body 1 1 comprises a first elongated splint portion 14 dimensioned and shaped to be capable of partially covering, upon its bending, a patient's forearm and hand in the region of the ulna and the metacarpal bone of the little finger, and a second elongate splint portion 15 spaced apart from the first splint portion 14 and extending slightly inclined with respect to said first splint portion 14. The second elongate splint portion 15 is dimensioned and shaped to be capable of partially covering, upon its bending, a patient's forearm and hand in the region of the radius and the metacarpal bone of the indexing finger.

There are at least two interconnecting members 16, 17 between the first and second elongate splint portions 14, 15, which are integrally connected to the first and second splint portions 14, 15 at different locations along the splint portions 14, 15, wherein the interconnecting members 16, 17 are shaped to be capable of substantially fitting, upon its bending, to the dorsal side of the forearm or the hand of a patient.

When two interconnection members 16, 17 are used, which are arranged at a front end 50 (which locates adjacent to the fingers when the wrist splint is in use) and a rear end 51 (which locates at the forearm when the wrist splint is in use), respectively, an aperture 13 is defined by the splint portions 14, 15 and the interconnection members 16, 17. It is obvious for a skilled person that in case more than two interconnection members are used to interconnect the first and second elongate splint portions, more than one apertures are defined in the splint body. As also shown in Fig. 4, a laterally projecting tab 12 is formed as an integral part of the first splint portion 14 at its front end. This tab 12 is dimensioned and shaped to be capable of substantially surrounding, upon its bending, a patient's hand in the region of the hypothenar.

The wrist splint 10 has a longitudinal splint direction 34, which is aligned substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction of the forearm when the splint is in use. Figures 1 a and 1 b illustrate another preferred embodiment of the splint body of the wrist splint according to the invention. In this embodiment the splint body 1 1 comprises a plurality of through-holes 18 uniformly distributed over its entire area as illustrated in Figure 1 a. Additionally, the splint body 11 is formed as a multilayer structure consisting of a splint core 20, a first (or outer) covering layer 21 on its outer surface, and a second (or inner) covering layer 19 on its opposite (i.e. inner) surface facing toward the skin of the patient. In this case, the splint core 20 is made of a substantially rigid but permanently deformable thin plate to provide the supporting function for the splint body. The covering layers 19, 21 are preferably made from an elastic material so that they can adapt their shapes and dimensions to the bended (or otherwise spatially formed) splint core 20. The outer covering layer 21 may, for example, be made of a foamed, preferably washable material. The inner covering layer 19 may be formed, for example, as a skin- compatible fabric or the like. However, other materials for the covering layers 19, 21 may also be readily conceivable.

As shown in Figures 1 a and 1 b, the covering layers 19, 21 and the splint core 20 each contain through-holes on their entire area in a uniformly distributed manner, wherein the through-holes of the covering layers 19, 21 are in alignment with the through-holes of the splint core 20, together forming the through-holes 18 of the entire splint body 11.

It is obvious for a person skilled in the art that the through-holes and the covering layers may be applied independently of each other, i.e. there may be an embodiment of the splint body which comprises a plurality of through-holes, but is not provided with covering layers, and it is also conceivable that in an alternative multilayer embodiment of the splint body, there are no through-holes formed on the splint core, (i.e. the splint core has a plain surface), while the splint core is covered by inner and outer covering layers (which do not contain through-holes either).

The splint body 11 (or the splint core 20 in a multilayer configuration of the splint body) is made of a substantially rigid but permanently deformable material. The splint body 1 1 (or the splint core 20) may be made of a longitudinally corrugated thin metal plate, preferably aluminium plate. The corrugated metal plate has a thickness of preferably 0,2-1 mm, more preferably about 0,6 mm. The splint body 11 (or the splint core 20) may equally be made of a thermoplastic material, which may be fitted to the shape of the wrist in a heated state, and after cooling it provides a dimensionally stable splint for the wrist. It should be note that any other materials may readily be used for the splint body (or splint core) that have self- supporting property and suitable for permanent deformation in any way, in particular by hand.

Figures 2 and 3 are top and bottom perspective views, respectively, of a preferred embodiment of the wrist splint according to the invention when applied on a patient's wrist, whereas Fig. 5 depicts the same wrist splint in a spatially formed, ready-to-use state in a perspective view. The wrist splint 10 of the invention will now be further described with reference to Figures 2, 3 and 5.

The wrist splint 10 comprises a splint body 11 as described above and at least one bendable, non-stretchable and releasable fastening member for securing the splint body 1 1 to a patient's forearm 22 and hand 23. In the embodiment of the wrist splint 10 shown in Figure 2 and 3 there are provided three elongate fastening members 30, 31 , 32 around the splint body 10, wherein a first fastening member 30 is arranged at the rear end 51 of the splint 10, a second fastening member 31 is arranged approximately at the middle of the splint 1 1 (preferably in the region of the wrist), and a third fastening member 32 is arranged at the front end 50 of the splint 11. Although in the embodiment of the wrist splint shown in Figures 2 and 3, three fastening members are used, it is also conceivable that less than three fastening members, even a single long fastening member (in the form of a long strip) may be used to appropriately secure the splint body 11 to the patient's forearm, wrist and hand. In a preferred embodiment of the wrist splint, each of the at least one fastening member may comprise Velcro fasteners at least at its ends, by means of which the fastening member can be firmly looped around the splint body, for example by attaching one end of the fastening member to its other end using the Velcro fasteners. Optionally, when the wrist splint contains an outer covering layer, this covering layer may be made of a Velcro-compatible material, and the Velcro fasteners of a fastening member may be firmly attached to this outer covering layer to secure the splint body to the patient's forearm and hand in a tight manner.

The fastening members may be separate elements, which can be releasably attached to the splint body, or alternatively, the fastening members may be integral parts of the splint body, each one extending outwards from the lateral outer edge of the first or second splint portion. As shown in Figure 5, the splint body 11 of the wrist splint 10 comprises a first elongated splint portion 14 formed to substantially fit to a patient's forearm and hand in the region of the ulna and the metacarpal bone of the little finger, and a second elongate splint portion 15 formed to substantially fit to a patient's forearm and hand in the region of the radius and the metacarpal bone of the indexing finger. Additionally, the splint body 1 1 further comprises at least two interconnecting members 16, 17 between the first and second elongate splint portions 14, 15, wherein the interconnecting members 16, 17 are formed to substantially fit to the dorsal side of the forearm or the hand. A laterally projecting tab 12 is integrally connected to the first splint portion 14 at its front end 50, wherein said tab 12 is formed to substantially fit to a patient's hand in the region of the hypothenar. It is noted that although the splint body of the wrist splint according to the invention substantially fits to the shape of the forearm and the hand of most patients, some additional subsequent adjustments of the shape of the splint body (e.g. typically slight bending or other minor deformations) may be necessary in most of the cases to perfectly adapt it to a given patient. Upon perfectly fitting the shape of the splint body to the patient's forearm and hand, the at least one fastening member is used to firmly secure the splint body to the forearm and the hand thereby preventing movement of the wrist in any direction.

In the applied state of the wrist splint according to the invention, as shown Figure 2 and 3, the orientation of the second splint portion 15 is ideal since, as depicted by the dot and dash- line in FIG. 2, the radius 33 is "extended" and is substantially "connected" with the metacarpal bone of the middle finger 27 by means of the second elongation splint portion 15 of the splint 10.

In the applied state of the splint, the outwardly projecting lateral tab 12, which preferably has an arcuate outer edge, substantially covers the hypothenar region adjacent to the little finger 29, thereby strongly supporting the of the inner side of the palm 24 and preventing the wrist from moving downwards.

Due to the above described configuration of the splint body 1 1 in use, the wrist is optimally fixed relative to the forearm 22 without restricting the mobility of the thumb 25 and the other fingers, i.e. index finger 26, middle finger 27, ring finger 28 and pinky finger 29 in any way. At the same time, the splint 10 forms a stable immobilization device that prevents the movement of the wrist in all direction. The aperture 13, which may also be covered by an air- permeable fabric layer or the like, highly increase the comfort, because only those parts of the forearm and the hand which are necessary for the immobilization of the wrist are covered by the splint 10. Additionally, the through-holes 18 distributed over the surface of the splint body 1 1 provide additional air exchange between the skin and surrounding space, further increasing the wearing comfort of the splint according to the invention.

The fastening members 30, 31 and 32 may be formed, for example, as elongated straps and may contain a material that is, similarly to the material of the wrist splint 10, rigid itself but permanently deformable, which can be easily fitted to the hand and the forearm. In this case, when the wrist splint 10 is applied and fixed, the fastening members 30, 31 and 32 form rigid rings around the forearm 22, the wrist and the hand 23, unlike the usual straps, and thus they contribute to the immobilization the wrist. To this end, the material of the elongated fastening members 30, 31 , 32 is non-stretchable in its longitudinal direction. For example, the elongate fastening members may be made of a plain aluminium sheet or a longitudinally corrugated aluminium sheet. It should be noted, however, that any other materials and configurations of the fastening members providing the required properties may equally be used for the wrist splint 10 according to the present invention.

Claims

1. A wrist splint (10) comprising

- a splint body (1 1) having - a first elongated splint portion (14) formed to substantially fit to a patient's forearm and hand in the region of the ulna and the metacarpal bone of the little finger;

- a second elongate splint portion (15) formed to substantially fit to a patient's forearm and hand in the region of the radius and the metacarpal bone of the indexing finger;

- at least two interconnecting members (16, 17) between the first and second elongate splint portions (14, 15), the interconnecting members (16, 17) being formed to substantially fit to the dorsal side of the forearm or the hand;

- a laterally projecting tab (12) formed as an integral part of the first splint portion (14) at its one end, said tab (12) being formed to substantially fit to a patient's hand in the region of the hypothenar; and - at least one non-stretchable releasable fastening member (30, 31 , 32) for securing the splint body (11) to a patient's forearm and hand; wherein the splint body is made of a substantially rigid but permanently deformable material.

2. The wrist splint according to claim 1 , wherein the splint body is made of a longitudinally corrugated thin metal plate.

3. The wrist splint according to claim 2, wherein the corrugated metal sheet is made of aluminium.

4. The wrist splint according to claim 1 , wherein the splint body is made of a thermoplastic material.

5. The wrist splint according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the splint body comprises a plurality of through-holes (18) uniformly distributed over its entire area.

6. The wrist splint according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the splint body (11) is formed as a multilayer structure of a substantially rigid but permanently deformable splint core (20), a first covering layer (21) on one face of the splint core (20) and a second covering layer (19) on the opposite face of the splint core (20); said covering layers (19, 21) being made from an elastic material.

7. The wrist splint according to claim 6, wherein the splint core (20) comprises a plurality of through-holes uniformly distributed over its entire area, and the first and second covering layers (19, 21) comprise a plurality of through-holes in alignment with the through-holes of the splint core (20).

8. The wrist splint according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein each of the at least one fastening member (30, 31 , 32) comprises Velcro fasteners at least at its ends.

9. The wrist splint according any one of claims 6 to 8, wherein the first covering layer (21) is made of a Velcro-compatible material and adapted for attaching to the Velcro fasteners of a fastening member (30, 31 , 32) of the wrist splint.

10. A wrist splint body, comprising

- a first elongated splint portion (14) dimensioned and shaped to be capable of partially covering, upon its bending, a patient's forearm and hand in the region of the ulna and the metacarpal bone of the little finger;

- a second elongate splint portion (15) spaced apart from the first splint portion (14) and extending slightly inclined with respect to said first splint portion (14), said second splint portion (15) being dimensioned and shaped to be capable of partially covering, upon its bending, a patient's forearm and hand in the region of the radius and the metacarpal bone of the indexing finger;

- at least two interconnecting members (16, 17) between the first and second elongate splint portions (14, 15), the interconnecting members (16, 17) being shaped to be capable of substantially fitting, upon its bending, to the dorsal side of the forearm or the hand of a patient; and

- a laterally projecting tab (12) formed as an integral part of the first splint portion (14) at its one end, said tab (12) being dimensioned and shaped to be capable of substantially covering, upon its bending, a patient's hand in the region of the hypothenar; wherein the splint body (11) is made of a substantially rigid, permanently deformable material.

1 1. The wrist splint body according to claim 10, wherein it is made of a longitudinally corrugated metal plate.

12. The wrist splint body according to claim 11 , wherein the corrugated metal plate is made of aluminium.

13. The wrist splint body according to claim 10, wherein it is made of a thermoplastic material.

14. The wrist splint body according to any one of claims 10 to 13, further comprising a plurality of through-holes (18) uniformly distributed over its entire area.

15. The wrist splint body according to any one of claims 10 to 13, wherein it is formed as a multilayer structure of a substantially rigid but permanently deformable splint core (20), a first covering layer (21) on one face of the splint core (20) and a second covering layer (19) on the opposite face of the splint core (20); said covering layers (19, 21) being made from an elastic material.

16. The wrist splint body according to claim 10, further comprising a plurality of through-holes (18) uniformly distributed over its entire area.