Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61F—FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS
  • A61F5/00—Orthopaedic methods or devices for non-surgical treatment of bones or joints; Nursing devices; Anti-rape devices
  • A61F5/01—Orthopaedic devices, e.g. splints, casts or braces
  • A61F5/02—Orthopaedic corsets
  • A61F5/028—Braces for providing support to the lower back, e.g. lumbo sacral supports

Definitions

• the present invention relates to an improved bridging corset of modular design.
• Bridging corsets are intended to bridge the lumbar region.
• the bridging corsets known to date are made of fabric or a combination of fabric and plastic, and they do not have any abdominal press or have only a small abdominal press.
• a bridging corset supplied by Basko R is published in issue 4/94 of "Medizinisch-orthopadischetechnik [Medical orthopaedic technique]" on the first inside cover, which bridging corset has a back part with a trunk and pelvis brace which is connected to a front pad via fabric bands engaging on the ends of the trunk and pelvis brace.
• the supporting function of this corset and of similar corsets for the spine is not optimal; moreover, the fabric bands are frequently perceived to be unpleasant by the wearer because they may cut into the body.
• bridging corsets are known in the form of completely closed plastic corsets. Although these have an abdominal press, that is to say, they offer better support to the spine than fabric corsets, they offer very little comfort on wearing owing to their closed form. Many patients consider the wearing of a complete plastic corset to be so uncomfortable that the corset is very rarely worn, if at all, despite the fact that it is medically indicated.
• a bridging corset having (A) a front part with an essentially cross-shaped baseplate of an upwardly extending thoracic web, a downwardly extending abdominal web and two lateral webs extending to both sides, a pad for lower sternum being fitted on the end of the thoracic web and an abdominal press being fitted on the end of the abdominal web and the lateral webs being provided on their outsides with closure elements, and (B) a back part with a trunk brace, a pelvis brace and a connection web lying in between these and on which two waist bands, which extend towards both sides approximately parallel to the trunk and pelvis brace, which can be connected to the front part via the closure elements on the lateral webs of the baseplate, are fitted.
• the four webs (thoracic web, abdominal web and lateral webs) of the front part or the baseplate are each bent rearwards towards the body, the two lateral webs being arranged roughly on the line of a circular arc, whereas the thoracic and abdominal webs have a curved shape and their ends are slightly bent forwards in order to facilitate fastening of the pad for lower sternum and the abdominal press thereon and to bring the latter in the correct position relative to the body of the wearer.
• the pad for lower sternum is preferably fastened on the baseplate by means of two screws which are arranged one below the other and engage in two slots arranged one below the other at the end of the thoracic web.
• the slots permit displacement of the pad for lower sternum and hence individual adjustment to the body of the user.
• the abdominal press is preferably fastened on the baseplate by means of a screw which engages in a hole at the end of the abdominal web.
• the abdominal web usually has several holes arranged one below the other, the screw selectively engaging in one of the holes for fastening of the abdominal press.
• the pad for lower sternum and the abdominal press can, of course, also be fastened on the baseplate in a different way.
• the thoracic web is usually longer than the abdominal web.
• the two lateral webs may preferably deviate from an exact cross shape of the baseplate and be slightly bent downwards and angled off towards the body in order to permit a better seat of the waist bands engaging thereon so as to suit the anatomy of the body.
• the pad for lower sternum and the abdominal press may have different forms that are generally known in orthopaedic technique.
• One closure element is provided on the outside of each of the lateral webs facing away from the body.
• the preferred closure is a ratchet lock whose function and structure is explained elsewhere.
• the back part is preferably designed such that the connection web has clear widenings approximately in the middle of its length at both sides, the waist bands being fastened on these widenings.
• the distance between the widenings and the pelvis brace is usually somewhat smaller than the distance between the widenings and the trunk brace.
• Fastening of a waist band is preferably effected by means of two screws which are arranged one beside the other and which engage in corresponding holes in the widening of the connection web.
• each of the two widenings of the connection web is preferably provided with several pairs of holes arranged one above the other, three pairs of holes having proved to be generally sufficient.
• Other possibilities than those described here as preferred are also conceivable in principle for fastening of the waist bands to the back part.
• the connection web has sufficient width and material thickness.
• the connection web is preferably provided with an elongated recess in the middle of its width and over its entire length.
• trunk and pelvis brace are bent towards the body in order to adapt them to the shape of the body.
• the pelvis brace is usually longer than the trunk brace and engages somewhat further around the body.
• the user intends to apply the bridging corset according to the invention he must merely join the front part and the back part, i.e. the waist bands, to the baseplate by means of the closure elements.
• the preferred ratchet lock comprises a flat rectangular housing whose width approximately corresponds to that of the lateral webs of the front part and which is fixed on the front of the lateral web by suitable means, e.g. rivets or screws.
• recesses start from the open back side of the housing with a width which is slightly larger than the width of the waist bands.
• the depth of the recesses is somewhat larger than the thickness of the waist bands, so that the waist bands can be pushed into the continuous slot between lateral webs and the housing.
• a mandrel which is bevelled on one side, which projects into the slot and which is arranged such that the bevelled side points to the end of the lateral web is resiliently mounted in the housing.
• the waist band provided with holes When the waist band provided with holes is inserted in the slot the mandrel engages in one of the holes.
• the bevel of the mandrel results in the waist band being pushed forward in the direction of the middle of the baseplate and at the same time pressing the mandrel upwards until it engages in the next hole.
• the bridging corset can thus be adapted to the individual waist.
• the waist band Under tension, the waist band is firmly anchored in the ratchet lock.
• the mandrel For opening of the ratchet lock the mandrel must be lifted, so that it no longer engages in the slot and hence it no longer engages in one of the holes in the waist band and the band can be drawn out of the closure again. Lifting of the mandrel takes place in that the user presses two buttons located on opposite sides of the ratchet lock into the housing. The button ends arranged in the housing engage the spring bearing of the mandrel and displace the latter.
• the material for the baseplate and the back part is preferably a metal which possesses sufficient stability, on the one hand, and is flexible, on the other hand, so that the bridging corset can be individually adapted to suit the body shape of the user.
• Aluminium is particularly suitable for the purpose.
• the aluminium sheet preferably has a thickness of about 2 mm.
• the metal used is usually coated.
• the pad for lower sternum and the abdominal press are preferably made of a thermoplastic. Suitable materials are, for example, polyurethanes, polycarbonates, polyamides, polyesters and polyolefines. The thickness of the pad for lower sternum and the abdominal press depend on the plastic material employed.
• the plastic used for the waist band is usually more elastic and more flexible than that used for the pad plates, in particular polyolefines or polytetra luoroethylene.
• the material employed determines the thickness of the waist band.
• a waist band made of polyolefins is preferably about 3 mm thick.
• Suitable materials for the ratchet lock are, for example, in ection-mouldable plastics such as polystyrene, polyamide, polyurethanes, cellulose ether and ester, polyethylene, polypropylene, polycarbonates and polymethacrylates.
• all parts of the bridging corset having direct body contact are preferably lined with a flexible cellular material, for example of polyurethane or silicone rubber.
• the lining can project laterally by 3 to 10 mm over the edge of the corset parts over the entire circumference of the lined parts in order to reduce pressure contact of edges.
• the bridging corset of the present invention is intended to immobilise the affected painful portion of the spine in pain at the thoracolumbar transition and the lumbar spine and of the lumbosacral transition.
• Specific indications are: degenerative disorders of the spine without radicular neurological symptoms, spondylarthrosis, mild cases of spondylolisthesis, painful osteoporosis, in some cases with concomitant formation of compression vertebrae, tumor metastases that cannot be treated surgically and do not jeopardise stability, and paralytic scoliosis in the lumbar region.
• the bridging corset according to the invention can also be employed in medical immediate care, for example in hospitals.
• the bridging corset engages on four regions of the human body and thus offers optimum hold to the spine. Owing to its modular design it is simultaneously comfortable to wear because the air can circulate freely. Due to the additional presence, in comparison with conventional fabric corsets, of an abdominal pad designed as an abdominal press, additional stabilisation is reached, in particular, in the case of flabby abdominal walls. The pad for lower sternum enhances the effect of the abdominal press. Another advantage of the bridging corset according to the invention is its easy handling which even permits elderly patients living on their own to put the corset on and off without any difficulty. Moreover, the materials used for the bridging corset make it possible that the corset does not have to be removed on contact with water, for example when taking a shower.
• Fig. 1 is a plan view of the baseplate.
• Fig. 2 is a plan view of the abdominal press.
• Fig. 3 is a plan view of the pad for lower sternum.
• Fig. 4 is a plan view of the back part.
• Fig. 5 is a plan view of a waist band.
• Fig. 6 is a lateral view of the ratchet lock.
• Fig. 7 shows the assembled ratchet lock from below.
• Fig. 8 is a lateral view of a button of the ratchet lock.
• Fig. 9 is a lateral view of the tongue of the ratchet lock.
• Fig. 10 is the front view of the applied bridging corset.
• Fig. 11 is the rear view of the applied bridging corset.
• Fig. 12 is the lateral view of the applied bridging corset.
• the arched, cross-shaped baseplate 2 shown in Figure 1 has a thoracic web 3 that is longer than the abdominal web 4 and two equally long lateral webs 5 branching off the transition region between abdominal web and thoracic web (2a). All the webs 3, 4, 5 are arched from the transition region 2a towards the body of the wearer (not visible in the plan view), the end sections of thoracic web 3 and abdominal web 4 already being arched away slightly from the body and extending almost in parallel to the transition region 2a.
• Two slots 14 arranged one below the other for two screws are provided at the end of the thoracic web 3 for fastening of a pad for lower sternum 6.
• Three square holes 15 are provided at the end of the abdominal web 4, one of these holes 15 receiving a screw for fastening of an abdominal press 7.
• Each lateral web 5 has four smaller holes 16 arranged at the corners of a rectangle for fastening of a ratchet lock 8 in each case.
• the baseplate 2 is made of metal, preferably of aluminium, and can have a thickness of 1.5 to 2.5 mm in order to be sufficiently stiff.
• Fig. 2 shows the circumferential shape of an arched plate or so-called abdominal press 7.
• the arched shape is such that the upper and lower edge parts are arched forward so as to face away from the body of the wearer.
• a small hole 17 is located in the middle of the abdominal press 7 for reception of a screw by which the abdominal press 7 is fastened on the abdominal web 4 of the baseplate 2.
• the screw engages through the hole 17 in the abdominal press 7 and one of the holes 15 in the abdominal web 4, and is fastened with a nut arranged on the front of the abdominal press 7.
• Fig. 3 shows the form of another, slightly arched plate or so-called pad for lower sternum 8.
• the arched shape which cannot be seen in the figure, is such that the upper edge region points slightly forwards.
• Two small holes 18, through which the screws are passed by which the pad for lower sternum is fastened on the thoracic web 4 of the baseplate 2 are located in the middle of the pad for lower sternum 8.
• the pad for lower sternum 8 and the abdominal press 7 represented in Fig. 2 may be made of metal or plastic.
• the preferred material is a thermoplastic which has a material thickness of 2-3 mm and is sufficiently rigid and nevertheless elastic, so that a certain spring effect is available when pressed on to the body of the wearer.
• the back part 9 shown in Fig. 4 has a connection web 12 provided with an elongated recess 20 between a trunk brace 10 arranged at the top transversely to the connection web 12 and a pelvis brace 11 arranged at the bottom transversely to the connection web 12, trunk brace 10 and pelvis brace 11 being webs that are slightly curved towards the body of the wearer and the pelvis brace 11 being longer than the trunk brace 10 and engaging further around the body of the wearer than the trunk brace 10.
• connection web 12 is widened (19) on either side approximately in the central section in order to provide a support and a fastening means for waist bands 13, the distance of the widenings 19 from the pelvis brace 11 tending to be somewhat smaller than the distance of the widenings 19 from the trunk brace 10.
• each of the widenings 19 there are two adjacent rows each of 3 holes 21 located one below the other for reception of screws for fastening one part in each case of a waist band 13.
• the elongated recess 20 in the connection web 12 preferably extends over the entire length of the connection web 12.
• the back part 9 is made of metal, preferably of aluminium and can have a thickness of 1.5 to 2.5 mm in order to be sufficiently stiff.
• Fig. 5 shows a waist band 13 as used in conjunction with a ratchet lock 8 fastened on a lateral web 5 of the front part 1.
• the waist band 13 is fastened on the back part 9 via screws which engage in two round holes 22 and holes 21 in the back part 9, the other end has a multiplicity of holes 23 which are arranged one beside the other and are preferably rectangular for engagement with the resiliently mounted mandrel 24 of a ratchet lock 8.
• the free end of the waist band 13 is inserted in a slot 31 of a ratchet lock 8 fastened on the lateral webs 5 of the front part 1 until it engages in the desired position and is blocked against being pulled out.
• a resiliently mounted mandrel 24 of the ratchet lock 8 which engages in one of the holes 23.
• the free end of the waist band 13 shown in Fig. 15 is preferably bevelled on its outermost end of the top side, so that the mandrel 24 can slide more easily over the waist band 13 on insertion and the waist band 13 can initially compress the mandrel 24 until the latter engages in one of the holes 23 as will be described later on.
• the two waist bands 13 on each side of the widening 19 of the web 12 connect the back part 9 to the front part 1 and engage around the body of the wearer.
• the difference in height of the holes 21 arranged one below the other in the widenings 19 of the connection web 12 permits adaptation of the height of the engagement of the waist band 13 around the body of the wearer.
• Figs. 6 to 9 show a possible embodiment of a ratchet lock 8 or of parts of a ratchet lock 8.
• the lateral view in Fig. 6 of the ratchet lock 8 reveals that the housing 26 is open at the underside facing the surface of the lateral web 5 and has a recess 31 in each of the side walls, so that a continuous slot 31 is formed between the surface of the lateral web 5 and the housing 26 of the ratchet lock 8.
• a resiliently mounted mandrel 24 projects into the ratchet lock.
• the side walls of the housing 26 each have an opening through which a button 25 projects towards the outside.
• Fig. 7 shows the embodiment of the ratchet lock 8 from the open housing side with the parts arranged in the housing 26.
• a resilient tongue 27 is located in the housing 26, one of whose ends is fixed on the inside of the housing 26.
• One side 32 is bevelled in r order to facilitate engagement of the waist band 13 and displacement.
• the side of the mandrel 24 lying opposite this side 32 is not bevelled and under tensile load it rests against the edge of a hole 23 in the waist band 13 and blocks it against being pulled out of the ratchet lock 8.
• buttons 25 are pressed into the housing 26.
• the bevelled inner ends 34 of the buttons 25 then engage over the tongue 27 from the side and pull it towards the inner wall of the housing 26 until the mandrel 24 no longer engages in an opening 23 of the waist band 13, so that it can be pulled out of the slot 31 between housing 26 and lateral web 5.
• the buttons 25 have angled-off edges 28, so that they cannot fall out of the housing 26. In each case, they are pressed out of the housing 26 again by the resilient tongue 27 when the load is removed.
• Fig. 7 shows four holes 29 at the corners of the housing 26 through which the ratchet lock 8 is fastened on the back part 9.
• the fastening elements 30 are used to connect the tongue 27 with the housing 26.
• Fig. 8 shows, in section, a button 25 with the bevelled edge surface 34 and the projecting, angled-off edge 28.
• Fig. 9 shows the tongue 27 in a lateral view with a bolt 30 for fastening in the housing 26 and mandrel 24 with the bevelled lateral surfaces 32 and 33.
• Fig. 10 to 12 show the completely assembled bridging corset applied to a diagrammatically shown human body.
• the correctly applied corset sits such that the two waist bands 13 engage around the waist, the pad for lower sternum 6 presses upon the sternum and the abdominal press 7 presses upon the abdominal wall.
• Fig. 10 shows the appearance of the complete front part 1 with pad for lower sternum 6, abdominal press 7 and closure elements 8 fastened on the baseplate 2.
• Fig. 11 shows the back part 9 including the waist band 13 fastened thereon.
• FIG. 12 shows, in particular, how the above-described parts of the bridging corset are actually bent, the arched shapes of thoracic and abdominal web 3,4 being shown, however, in greatly simplified form and in a manner not corresponding exactly to reality and to what was described above.

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Citations (5)

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• 1994
  • 1994-09-16 DE DE4447601A patent/DE4447601A1/de not_active Ceased
• 1995
  • 1995-09-07 WO PCT/EP1995/003509 patent/WO1996008217A1/en active Application Filing

Patent Citations (5)

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