US2480849A - Surgical cast - Google Patents

Description

p M. GERSH ET AL 2,480,849

SURGICAL CAST Filed June 28, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR5- Mnr'ris EEFEH 12x Ever 5h 4L2, @W M ATTORNEYS.

Patented Sept. 6, 1949 UN I TE s TAT ES PATENT QEF I CE ISURGIGAL vCASH.

"Morris Ger'sh and Alex GershIHigIiIa'iiQ- Application June:28, 1946,-"Serial"N0. 6805302 .3Glaims. 7.1

This invention .relates to surgery and more particularly to devices for association with surgical casts.

:The removal tof surgical .cast s, such as 70f plaster-oi-Paris, is igenerally laborious :to the operator and-painful to athepatient and, after removal, the cast-.cannot-zbe reapplied.

,An .importantnobject-"of this invention is to provide a detachableeor separableuconnectionfor asurgical cast which may-beincorporated in the cast WhenIfirst .-applied, readi ly separated, without pain or discomfort .-tothe patient, when the cast is to be removed .-:&I1d which permits the cast to be. againappl-iedii, desired.

Another important object is'to .providesuch a detachable .or separable connection which, While strong, issso :constructed that it; is flexible, whereby it will-conform readily to the contours ofthe body, even when it is necessary to place a cast over parts disposed at sharp angles-such as at. theelbow of the arm.

Still another important object is to provide a connection as described which will provide a continuous groove, constructedtand. arrangedto receive a suitablecutt-ingtinstrument whichtmayt be manipulated byra lever-age action, -the-construction of the parts of .the connection being such that,-.despite this leverage action, the patient will not be. injured:nondiscomforted during-detachment or separatio the castwillnotbeidamagedas by breakingaway of the connection,-at the-sametime. I

Since the line ofsseparationof the connection is relatively far removed-from the vicinity of-the patients skin, when .itisdesired toreapply the 35 The ,castfAwhichV,embowesltherjmention may cast, there willthe noinjurytothe patient, .due to rough -or ja ed edges which maybe, formed during the. ,separationaof the connection.

Other. objects and. advantages of the. invention will be apparentduringthe following-detailed 440 closed byrthe .cast

description. of. the'invention taken in connection with. the. accompanying drawings,.,.forming= .a-rpart thereof, and in whichidrawings:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary plan vnfsatblank forming the. major portion ,of thenovel .-connection. V

,Figure 2 is a side elevation-of, this. maiorpor tion, formed into the shape shown in vertical transverse cross section in Figure3.-

.Figure 3 is,a.verticaltransverse.section of the majorpo'rtion of theconnector.

IEi'gurejiis a "fragmentary,.-p1an..of the minor orsecond portion. of Jthe, novel ..connector.

. Figure 5t isa vertical.isectionsottandili'igure I6 i s-an end elevation of a novel support for as- ..of the connection, and

(Cl. 1'28,-i91) sociation :with a-zcast \zemploying The connector. :Figure 7 r illustrates application :of ithe :devices of .Figure litoifi :to-iascast about a 1 limb.

:FigureiitS .is fan; eniargedaview; partly in'xvertical 5 longitudinalsection,sci the showing in Figure .7.

Figures is averticalzt-ransverse section-through a preferred form of the inovelr-smajor portion :of

the-connector.

Figurezlo' is-amerti'cal sectional-view'of' theitwo connector portions imbeddedswithin a cast, which latter is shown, ;only:-'as:1a3inagment thereof.

Figure illiis fa. vertical se'cti'onal view, somewhat :enlarged -over that "of Ei'gure 11 0, showing the connection separatedandlthe cast-oi Figure 1 removed from the part which it enclosed.

Figure :12 is via =-vertieal longitudinal section through :a modified fo'rm ot ithe maior portion of the connection.

Figure 1:3 is a thereof.

Figure 14* is"'a-plain v iew -of a cutting instrument which -may be employ-ed to separate the connection portions *o'f Figures 2, 3,= 8,"'9, "10, 12 and13.

In the drawings, {wherein tor; the purpose of illustration are shown a preferred and a modified form of the invention, the letter A" may designate the cast as 'a-'whole the letter B, the preferred form of the invention-comprisingypreferably, the

portions '0 and D; while amodified-form thereof comprises, *pref'era 'jly, the"portionsfD. and F; LG designates asuppo'rt fora'ssoci-ation with the cast A; and H a suitablecuttingiinstrument, employed to separate *thepin-ajor-portion -of. the, novel connector.

2 vertical 1 trails-Verse section include *a suitablehardcnedplastic l5, such as plaster-of-Paris, laid idown or. applied upon the outerifaceof a suitablemateriali'lfi, disposed, between the .east'material ..an'd",the, .part A to be .en-

wrappings 'ofgp'aper and;is..appliedvto thepart to be enclosed byitheeast ,prior .to .the application .ofithe connection"B.,or;E. .,As is well-known in the ,jart -fabric or .like .material may be tincorporated with. the .plastic I 5, ..as will ,be sub-'- sequent1y..exp1a1ned. V v

The =detachable, conneetion B iorsthetcast --A .includes the detachableportions' Grand. D.

:The w-.detachable comlection pcrtion C -.;com-

prisesasstrrp. t1 of-tseverabletniaterialwsuchas tin,

stee1,. hardened .p1astic.orntheslike. iThe qnalities oi the material arersuch asspemnit. it to be trashr-ioned. into the iOrIIl; ShQWI1: ,inrl tignrerBg to iretain this form while in use but, preferably, such that This 7 materi'a1 J6 .may vbe the form may be readily altered, as in Figure '7, to retain that form.

As may be seen in Figure l the blank 18 from which this strip I! may be formed, includes a central, longitudinally extending section i3 and a plurality of spaced-apart, like, sections 20 extending transversely thereof so that there are spaces 21 between each section 20. The sections 20 may be provided with openings 22 and 23.

This blank l8, when bent or otherwise formed, as shown in Figures 2 and 3, provides a continuous, longitudinally extending ridge portion 25, made up of the section IQ of the blank. The walls of the ridge portion 25 form a substantially V- shaped depression 26 and, extending downwardly, in substantial parallelism from opposite sides of the ridge portion 25, are a plurality of leg portions 21, whereby the ridge portion 25 with its walls, forming the V-shaped depression, and opposite leg portions 21 form substantially an M, as may be seen in Figure 3.

Extending outwardly from the lower ends of the leg portions 21 are feet portions28 which, as may be seen'in Figure 3, form substantially right angles with the adjacent leg portion 2'1. The leg and feet portions are formed from the sections 20 of the blank, with the openings 22 and 23 disposed in the feet portions.

By fashioning the strip ll, whereby the leg and feet portions on each side of the ridge portion are spaced one from the other, providing the plurality of spaces 30, corresponding with the spaces 21 of the blank [8, and making the ridge portion 25 quite narrow, the strip [1 may be readily manipulated to curve either longitudinally or transversely.

As may be seen in Figure 9, the free ends as of some of the feet portions 28 may be upturned, to form acute angles with the associated feet pertions 28, for a purpose to be subsequently detailed.

Referring to the connection portion D, this comprises a strip 3| of suitable flexible material, which may be similar to that of the connection portion C, provided with a plurality of transversely extending slots 32 preferably of a length slightly greater than the Width of a leg or foot portion 21 or 28.

The portion D may be associated with the connection portion C by extending the former almost half way, or almost wholly, around the part to be enclosed by the cast and outwardly of the material !6, until the portion C is: fairly taut and inserting the upturned free end 23 of a foot portion in the nearest slot 32 as in Figures 10 and 11.

The modified form E is much like the form B, the only material difierence being a change in the form of the connection portion F over the portion C.

This connection portion F, shown particularly in Figures 12 and 13, comprises a strip 35 which has a slightly different ridge portion 36 as compared with the ridge portion of the connection portion C of Figures 2 and ii. The ridge portion 33 is still V-shaped, but comprises an inverted V in transverse cross section, and the leg portions 31 diverge downwardly, joining feet portions 33 which are, preferably, just like the feet portions 28 and the free ends thereof may be bent upwardly, as at 39, as are the free ends 29 of form C. As is apparent, the blank it of Figure 1 may be employed to fashion the connection of form F. Form F, in conjunction with the connection D may be employed exactly as are forms C and D.

As may be seen in Figures 10 and 11, the cast material l5 isapplied until the feet portions are 7 5 from op osit ides of said ridge portign,

imbedded therein and the outer faces of the leg portions are also in adhesion therewith, with the material i5 fillin the openings 22 and 23, whereby the connections C or F are firmly anchored to the material l5.

It should be noted that the slots 32 in the connection portion D have dual functions. They accommodate the upstanding free ends 29 or 39 and those not so employed accommodate some of the material 15.

Preferably, there are two separate strips I! or 35 employed in an average cast, as may be seen in Figure '7. However, more than two may be employed. They are, preferably, spaced apart an equal distance and so disposed that when the connections are separated, as will be described, the cast sections may be easily removed.

As may be seen in Figures 10 and 11, the material l5 preferably extends outwardly nearly to the ridge but does not cover the ridge, whereby the latter is in sight and provides a guide for subsequent severance of the connection. Obviously the ends of the strips H or 35 extend to the ends of the casts.

The cutting instrument H may be any suitable one. In Figure 14 is shown one having a narrow blade portion 40 and handle portion 41. The blade portion has a short cutting edge Q2 extending transversely of the blade portion and inwardly of its outer edge section 43 and, facing this edge, is 2. lug 44. The section 43 is adapted to extend partly into the slot or continuous opening 45 in the connections C or F with the cutting edge 2 in engagement with the ridge portion 25 or 35, as the case may be so that the in strument H may be drawn longitudinally of the connection C or F and thus sever the connection at its ridge portion. In Figure 11 is shown a ridge portion 25 so severed. When severing such a ridge portion, the lug 44 is drawn along the depression 26.

It is now clear that, when so severed, the cast A may be readily removed, without breaking it up. It may be reapplied if desired, adhesive tape,

'3 or the like, being employed to temporarily bind the sections of the cast together with the severed sections of the ridge portions in contact.

The cast herein described and illustrated is so practical that if conditions are otherwise satisfactory and the injury, resulting in the application of the cast, was to a leg, the patient may walk about while the cast is still in place. For convenience the support G shown in Figures 5, 6 and 7 may be employed. This includes a pair of straps of metal or other rigid material having screw threaded sockets or openings at their lower ends 5|. The upper ends of the straps may be imbedded in the cast A, so that the lower ends 5| extend outwardly thereof, as in Figure '7, and a substantially U-shaped portion 52 attached to these ends, as by screws 53 with the bight section 54 of the portion 52 extending below the cast A and this bight section 56 may carry, on its lower face, a resilient pad 55 as of rubber, to contact a walking surface.

Various changes may be made to the form or the invention herein shown and described without departing from the spirit of the invention or scope of the claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a detachable connection for a surgical cast, a strip provided with a continuous ridge portion of severable material, a plurality of spaced-apart leg portions extending downwardly audafoot portion extending outwardly from the lower ends of at least some of said leg portions, the feet portions being constructed and arranged to be imbedded in said cast with said ridge portion extending to the outer surface of said cast,

2. In a detachable connection for a surgical cast, a strip provided with a continuous ridge portion of severable material, a plurality of leg portions extending downwardly from opposite upper ends of said ridge portion, and a foot portion extending outwardly from the lower ends of at least some of said leg portions, said ridge portion and leg portions together being substantially M-shaped in transverse cross section, the feet portions being constructed and arranged to be imbedded in said cast with said ridge portion extending to the outer surface of said cast.

3. In combination, a detachable connection for a surgical cast, a strip provided with a con tinuous ridge portion of severable material, a plurality of leg portions extending downwardly from opposite sides of said ridge portion, and a foot portion extending outwardly from the lower ends of at least some of said leg portions, the free ends of at least some of said feet portions being upturned, the feet portions being constructed and. arranged to be imbedded in said REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 817,946 Williams Apr. 17, 1906 2,206,339 Ulman July 2, 1940 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 463,068 Great Britain Mar. 22, 1937 587,069 Germany Oct. 28, 1933

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