United States Patent Office
3,473,528 STERNAL STABILIZER Sidney Mishkin, 10 Wooley Lane, Great Neck, N.Y. 11023, and Robert E. Bidwell, 40 Florida St., Farmingdale, N.Y. 11735
Filed Apr. 20,1966, Ser. No. 543,973 Int. CI. A61f 5/04; A61b 17/08 U.S. CI. 128—84 2 Claims
The present invention relates generally to medical accessories, and more particularly to an improved traction device.
Currently known traction devices generally include support structure mounted on the bed of a patient or adjacent thereto and tie means, such as cable, cord or the like which is supported from the support structure and appropriately connected to the part of the anatomy of the patient which is to be maintained in traction. Despite improvements in individual structural features of such traction devices, even the most advanced model thereof is wholly inadequate for the treatment of many anatomical conditions which could benefit from being treated by being placed in traction. A prime example is an indented chest wall or sternum which is difficult in the first instance, to elevate or restore to a proper position and which thereafter cannot readily be maintained in traction with available traction devices. Not only is an indented sternum difficult to restore to position, but even solving this problem, the patient must be thoroughly immobilized so as to eliminate the possibility of any movement of the patient relative to the stationary support structure of conventional traction devices. In addition to an indented sternum, cheek bone fractures, and fractures of the frontal part of the skull are further examples of bone structure which could benefically be treated by being maintained in traction, and which cannot be maintained in traction with conventional traction devices.
Broadly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a traction device overcoming the foregoing and other shortcomings of the prior art. Specifically, it is an object to provide a traction device which is specifically applicable for the treatment of an indented sternum and similar bone structure which is difficult to engage and maintain in traction.
In accordance with an illustrative embodiment demonstrating objects and features of the present invention, there is provided a traction device for maintaining bone structure in traction. The device comprises a support structure adapted to be mounted on a patient and includes a support member disposed in an elevated position overlying the bond structure. Thus, sutures are capable of being supported from the support member and in engagement with the bone structure to maintain the same in traction.
The above brief description, as well as further objects, features, and advantages of the present invention, will be more fully appreciated by reference to the following detailed description of a presently preferred, but nonetheless illustrative embodiment according to the present invention, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a traction device demonstrating features of the present invention, with one end of its bridge construction being removed from its base section;
- FIG. 2 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 1 but on a smaller scale, showing the traction device completely assembled and in a straddling position over the rib cage with sutures being trained over the bridge construction; FIG. 3 is a front elevational view with portions of the
Jq bridge construction being broken away and sectioned and with the base sections being shown in broken-line view to better illustrate the adjustable features of the instant invention; and
FIG. 4 is a side elevational view with portions of the
15 bridge construction being broken away and sectioned. It should be understood that the instant invention is used for placing bone structure in traction and is capable of setting the bones of various portions of the human and animal anatomy. However, for the sake of a more clear
20 understanding of the instant invention, the traction device will be described in terms of a sternal stabilizing unit used for setting the bones of the chest.
Referring now specifically to the drawings, there is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 a traction device generally desig
25 nated by the reference numeral 10. The traction device 10 includes base members 12 having two individual platforms 14 which are capable of being mounted on the rib cage R, of a patient being operated on, as shown in FIG. 2. A bridge construction 16 is mounted on the base 12 in
30 a position spaced apart from and laterally straddling the rib cage R.
The platforms 14 include a rigid slab section 18 which is of a generally rectangular shape and attached to a relatively soft, padded footing section 20 that is coextensive
35 with the slab 18. The padded footing 20 serves to absorb the pressure imparted to the ribs of the patient when the traction device 10 is placed under traction. The platforms 14 are provided with a bearing support structure 22, which includes a pair of upright trunnions 24 that are spaced
40 apart from each other. The trunnions 24 are mounted on the slab 18 in a rigid position by means of a pair of support arms 26 that engage the upper surface of the slab 18 and the outer surface of the trunnions 24. The platforms 14 are completed by the stub shafts 28 which
45 are mounted on the inner surface of the trunnions 24 in a spaced apart and confronting position.
As best seen in FIG. 3 the bridge construction 16 includes a first support unit 30 and a second support unit 32 which are capable of being joined together and have
50 a generally L-shaped outer configuration. Since the support units 30 and 32 have an identical outer configuration, for the sake of clarity, it will suffice to describe the major components of only one such support unit in detail. Specifically, the first support unit 30 includes an up
55 right strut 34 which is integrally formed with a cantilever arm 36 that laterally extends from the strut 34 at an angle which is substantially perpendicular thereto. The strut 34 is provided with a bearing opening 38 that communicates with a keyway slot 40 for mounting the bridge
60 construction onto the support platforms 14. The keyway slot 40 is sized to easily slip over the stub shafts 28 to facilitate the positioning of the struts 34 on the stub shafts 28. The outer diameter of stub shafts 28 are slightly smaller than the inner diameter of bearing open
65 ing 38 for journalling the struts 34 on the stub shafts 28. Accordingly, by referring to FIG. 3, it can be appreciated that the provision of the stub shafts 28 and bearing opening 38 enable the support platforms 14 to be rotated into the desired position in order to obtain proper position on
70 either side of the rib cage R of the patient.
The cantilever arm 36 of the first support unit 30 is formed with an inner housing 42 which is sized to slid3,473,
