GB2110542A - Spine board system - Google Patents

Abstract

A spine board system 10 comprises a elongate spine board 12 a vest 14 having a pocket 16 in which the lower part 12.1 of the spine board is received, and a head pad 18 for location between the upper part 12.2 of the spine board and a patient's head. The vest 14 has various straps 22.1, 22.2, 24.1, 24.2, 26.1, 26.2 for securing the spine board to the patient's torso. The head pad 18 has a resiliently stretchable pad strap 20 for keeping the head pad in position on the spine board. Loops 30 for use in manipulating the spine board system before or after it has been fastened to the patient are attached to the vest 14. Each longitudinal edge of the upper part 12.2 of the spine board has a number of longitudinally spaced notches 34.1, 34.2, 34.3 therein for longitudinally locating a bandage or strap 40 used to strap the patient's head to the spine board. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Spine board system This invention relates to a spine board system.

A spine board system is a device which is used to immobilise the head, neck and spine of a person who has received neck or spinal injuries. It generally comprises an elongate board, referred to as a spine board, having an upper part and a lower part, the lower part being provided with fastening means enabling the board to be fastened to a patient's torso while the upper part extends beyond the patient's shoulders and behind the patient's head. The patient's head can then be secured to the upper part of the board by means of a strap or bandage.

According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a spine board system which comprises: an elongate spine board having an upper part and a lower part, the lower part being provided with fastening means for enabling the spine board to be fastened to a patient's torso while the upper part extends beyond the patient's shoulders and behind the patient's head; and a head pad adapted to be located between the upper part and the patient's head, the head pad having a pad strap adapted to pass behind the upper part and being attached at opposite ends thereof to the pad, thereby removably to locate the pad on the upper part.

The pad strap may be resiliently stretchable.

Attachment of the pad strap to the head pad is preferably such that, when the pad is in position on the upper part, a portion of the pad strap extends around each opposite longitudinal edge of the spine board and from there, between the front of the spine board and the pad, in the direction of the other longitudinal edge of the spine board.

The head pad may have a concave front surface whereby the pad is adapted, when in position between the upper part and the patient's head, to restrain lateral displacement of the patient's head relative to the spine board.

The spine board system may further comprise one or more handles for use in manipulating the spine board system before or after it has been fastened to the patient.

According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a spine board system which comprises: an elongate spine board having an upper part and a lower part, the lower part being provided with fastening means for enabling the spine board to be fastened to a patient's torso while the upper part extends beyond the patient's shoulders and behind the patient's head; and one or more handles for use in manipulating the spine board system before or after it has been fastened to the patient.

The fastening means may be in the form of a number of straps forming part of a vest, the vest having a pocket in which the lower part of the spine board is received, and the handle, or each handle, being attached to the vest.

The handle, or each handle, may be in the form of a loop.

The loop, or each loop, may comprise a length of flexible material having a loop length of about 30 cm.

Preferably, there are four of said loops, two on each side of the spine board, one of the loops on each side of the spine board being near the bottom end of the lower part, and the other of the loops on each side of the spine board being at a position in which it will, in use, be at about the height of the shoulders of the patient to whom the spine board system is fastened.

Each longitudinal edge of the upper part of the spine board may have a plurality of longitudinally spaced notches therein for longitudinally locating a bandage or strap used to strap the patient's head to the spine board.

There may be at least three of said longitudinally spaced notches in each said longitudinal edge.

According to yet another aspect of the invention there is provided a spine board system which comprises an elongate spine board having an upper part and a lower part, the lower part being provided with fastening means for enabling the spine board to be fastened to a patient's torso while the upper part extends beyond the patient's shoulders and behind the patient's head, and each longitudinal edge of the upper part having at least three longitudinally spaced notches therein for longitudinally locating a bandage or strap used to strap the patient's head to the spine board.

The invention will now be described in more detail, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a rear view of a spine board system in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 is a cross-section taken on line Il-Il ir Figure 1; Figure 3 is an oblique front view of the spline board system; Figure 4 shows the spine board system in its operative condition, fastened to the body of a patient; Figure 5 is a top view of the head pad, shown in position on the spine board of the system; and Figure 6 is a cross-section similar to that shown in Figure 2, but illustrating an alternative construction.

Referring now to Figures1 to 4 of the drawings, reference numeral 10 generally indicates a spine board system which comprises an elongate plywood spine board 12 having a lower part 12.1 and an upper part 12.2, a vest 14 (shown partly cut away) having a pocket 16 in which the lower part 12.1 of the spine board fits snugly, and a head pad 18, the head pad having a pad strap 20 of a resiliently stretchable material. Instead of being of plywood, the spine board 12 may be of a suitably rigid, laminated plastics material, or any other suitable material.

The vest 14 has a pair of opposed waist strap portions 22.1 and 22.2, and two pairs of opposed chest strap portions 24.1 and 24.2, and 26.1 and 26.2. Each of the pairs of opposed waist and chest strap portions are provided with complementary pile and hook fastener means, such as that available under the proprietary name 'Velcro', indicated respectively by reference numerals 28.1 and 28.2. The pieces 28.1 may, for example, comprise the pile formations, and the pieces 28.2 the hook formations of the fastener means.

At the rear of the vest 14, four loops 30 are provided. Each loop 30 comprises a 2,5 cm strip of flexible webbing which is formed into a loop having a loop length of about 30 cm, the meeting ends being sewn to the vest. The purpose of these loops will be explained later in this specification.

As will be seen in Figure 5, when the head pad is in position on the upper part 12.2, end portions of the pad strap 20 extend around each longitudinal edge of the spine board and, from there, in the direction of the other longitudinal edge, and are secured to the head pad at 20.1 and 20.2 respectively. This ensures sufficient frictional engagement between the strap and the spine board so as to prevent unwanted sliding of the head pad upwardly or downwardly along the upper part 12.2. Nevertheless, provided sufficient force is exerted, the head pad can be slid up or down or be removed entirely from the spine board.

Each longitudinal edge 32 of the upper part 12.2 has three longitudinally spaced notches 34.1, 34.2, and 34.3 respectively.

When not in use, the spine board 12 is separate from the vest 14, and the head pad 18 is fitted on the spine board 12, in a position well down, near the bottom of the upper part 12.2. With the head pad in this position, the spine board 12 can be used in cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (c.p.r.). In c.p.r. the spine board 12 is laid horizontal and the patient laid in a supine position on the board with the head pad 18 below the patient's neck. The head pad will then serve to keep the patient's head well back, keeping the air passages of the patient open. The speed at which c.p.r. is commenced is usually of the utmost importance and it is for this reason that the board is kept in a condition ready for use in c.p.r.

Use of the spine board system in moving a patient who has, or is suspected of having, suffered spinal injuries will now be described.

Here, speed is usually not critical and there is therefore sufficient time to carry out the various operations described. First of all the head pad 18 is removed from the board 12 and the board then inserted into the vest 14. After an extrication collar 36 has been applied to the neck of the patient 38 (see Figure 4), the spine board with the vest 14 in position is manipulated behind the back of the patient. This is conveniently done by pulling on the loops 30.

The spine board 12 is then fastened to the person's torso by fastening the waist strap portions 28.1 and 28.2 together, the chest strap portions 24.1 and 24.2 together, and the chest strap portions 26.1 and 26.2 together, making use of the fasteners 28.1 and 28.2. Thereafter, the head pad 18 is slid downwardly in position between the patient's head and the upper part 12.2 of the spine board, the strap 20 being stretched slightly so that it will fit over the upper part of the board 12.

The patient's head is then strapped to the upper part 12.2 by means of a bandage 40. The bandage 40 is passed through the notches 34.1 and 34.2, or through the notches 34.2 and 34.3, depending on whether the patient is tall or short.

As will be seen in Figure 5, the head pad 18 has a V-shaped, concave front surface which is adapted, when the pad is in position between the part 12.2 and the patient's head, to restrain lateral displacement of the patient's head relative to the spine board.

The loops 30 can be used to manoeuvre the patient 38 out of a tight spot such as in a vehicle where injury has occurred.

Referring now to Figure 6, there is shown a construction in which, instead of the loops 30, there are provided loops 30.1. Each pair of the loops 30.1 on opposite sides of the spine board 12 is formed by a single strip of flexible material.

One end of the material extends from one side of the board 12 to the other, is there formed into one of the loops 30.1, extends back to said one side of the board, is there formed into the second loop 30.1 and then again extends back to the other side of the board.

Claims (14)

1. A spine board system which comprises: an elongate spine board having an upper part and a lower part, the lower part being provided with fastening means for enabling the spine board to be fastened to a patient's torso while the upper part extends beyond the patient's shoulders and behind the patient's head; and a head pad adapted to be located between the upper part and the patient's head, the head pad having a pad strap adapted to pass behind the upper part and being attached at opposite ends thereof to the pad, thereby removably to locate the pad on the upper part.

2. A spine board system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pad strap is resiliently stretchable.

3. A spine board system as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein attachment of the pad strap to the head pad is such that, when the pad is in position on the upper part, a portion of the pad strap extends around each opposite longitudinal edge of the spine board and from there, between the front of the spine board and the pad, in the direction of the other longitudinal edge of the spine board.

4. A spine board system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the head pad has a concave front surface whereby the pad is adapted, when in position between the upper part and the patient's head, to restrain lateral displacement of the patient's head relative to the spine board.

5. A spine board system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, which further comprises one or more handles for use in manipulating the spine board system before or after it has been fastened to the patient.

6. A spine board system which comprises: an elongate spine board having an upper part and a lower part, the lower part being provided with fastening means for enabling the spine board to be fastened to a patient's torso while the upper part extends beyond the patient's shoulders and behind the patient's head; and one or more handles for use in manipulating the spine board system before or after it has been fastened to the patient.

7. A spine board system as claimed in claim 5 or claim 6, wherein the fastening means is in the form of a number of straps forming part of a vest, the vest having a pocket in which the lower part of the spine board is received, and wherein the handle, or each handle, is attached to the vest.

8. A spine board system as claimed in any one of claims 5 to 7 wherein the handle, or each handle, is in the form of a loop.

9. A spine board system as claimed in claim 8, wherein the loop, or each loop, comprises a length of flexible material having a loop length of about 30 cm.

10. A spine board system as claimed in claim 8 or claim 9, wherein there are four of said loops, two on each side of the spine board, one of the loops on each side of the spine board being near the bottom end of the lower part, and the other of the loops on each side of the spine board being at a position in which it will, in use, be at about the height of the shoulders of the patient to whom the spine board system is fastened.

11. A spine board system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein each longitudinal edge of the upper part of the spine board has a plurality of longitudinally spaced notches therein for longitudinally locating a bandage or strap used to strap the patient's head to the spine board.

12. A spine board system as claimed in claim 11, wherein there are at least three of said longitudinally spaced notches in each said longitudinal edge.

13. A spine board system which comprises an elongate spine board having an upper part and a lower part, the lower part being provided with fastening means for enabling the spine board to be fastened to a patient's torso while the upper part extends beyond the patient's shoulders and behind the patient's head, and each longitudinal edge of the upper part having at least three longitudinally spaced notches therein for longitudinally locating a bandage or strap used to strap the patient's head to the spine board.

14. A spine board system substantially as herein described and illustrated with reference to the drawings.