US4798199A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Arterial wrist support
Assignee: Kimberly Clark Worldwide Inc
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Filing: 1986-01-21
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Granted: 1989-01-17
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Expires: 2006-01-21
Abstract
Abstract An arterial wrist support for supporting a patient's extremity for arterial or intravenous care includes a substantial rigid, unitary molded body (12) adapted to matingly engage the patient's hand, wrist and at least a portion of the patient's forearm. Body (12) is anatomically shaped to accommodate the contours of the patient's arm and to position the patient's wrist at the proper angle to expose the radial artery for accurate, efficient handling of the arterial puncture. A removable pad (34) dimensioned to be positioned beneath the patient's wrist is provided and may be used to increase the angle of orientation of the patient's wrist to receive and start the arterial line. Wide resilient straps (20, 22) hold the patient's arm in position on body (12). Releasable contact fastening members (24) are fixed along the underside of body (12) for securing straps (20, 22) thereto.
Inventors
- 👤 Vance M. Hubbard
- 👤 Welton K. Brunson
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 20:03
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61F; A61F5/00; A61F5/01; A61F5/04; A61F5/05; A61F5/058; A61F5/05841; A61F5/05858; A61F5/05866; A61M; A61M25/00; A61M25/01; A61M25/02; A61M2025/0213
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
327 words
Apparatus for supporting a patient's hand, wrist, and at least a portion of the forearm in order to expose the radial artery to receive an arterial line, comprising: a substantially rigid, unitary body adapted to underlie the posterior of the patient's hand, wrist and forearm, said body including: a substantially concave, spoon-shaped forward portion for mating engagement with the posterior surface of the hand, between the wrist and the distal ends of the fingers, said concave shape extending upwards around the medial and lateral sides of the hand towards the anterior side thereof to prevent rotation of the hand about the wrist joint, and a substantially concave forearm support portion being integrally connected to the end of said forward portion proximate the wrist for receiving the patient's forearm, said forearm portion having a traversely arcuate channel formed therein and extending along said forearm portion from said forward portion at the wrist towards the elbow for receiving the portion of the patient's forearm cooperating with the wrist, the transverse shape of said forearm portion being concave for preventing rotation of the forearm about the wrist, said forward portion and said forearm portion being of unitary construction, said forward portion being oriented at an angle relative to said rear portion so that the patient's wrist is supported at an obtuse angle such that the hand is rotated about the wrist away from the anterior side to expose the radial artery to receive an arterial puncture; and releasable fastening means for attaching said body to the hand and forearm to provide immobilizing support to the wrist and the arterial line, said fastening means comprising means for securing the palm of the hand below the thumb to said forward portion and means securing the forearm substantially above the wrist to said forearm support portion, a wrist region between said means for securing the palm and said means for securing the forearm remaining free for the insertion of said arterial line thereat.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
327 words
Apparatus for supporting a patient's hand, wrist, and at least a portion of the forearm in order to expose the radial artery to receive an arterial line, comprising: a substantially rigid, unitary body adapted to underlie the posterior of the patient's hand, wrist and forearm, said body including: a substantially concave, spoon-shaped forward portion for mating engagement with the posterior surface of the hand, between the wrist and the distal ends of the fingers, said concave shape extending upwards around the medial and lateral sides of the hand towards the anterior side thereof to prevent rotation of the hand about the wrist joint, and a substantially concave forearm support portion being integrally connected to the end of said forward portion proximate the wrist for receiving the patient's forearm, said forearm portion having a traversely arcuate channel formed therein and extending along said forearm portion from said forward portion at the wrist towards the elbow for receiving the portion of the patient's forearm cooperating with the wrist, the transverse shape of said forearm portion being concave for preventing rotation of the forearm about the wrist, said forward portion and said forearm portion being of unitary construction, said forward portion being oriented at an angle relative to said rear portion so that the patient's wrist is supported at an obtuse angle such that the hand is rotated about the wrist away from the anterior side to expose the radial artery to receive an arterial puncture; and releasable fastening means for attaching said body to the hand and forearm to provide immobilizing support to the wrist and the arterial line, said fastening means comprising means for securing the palm of the hand below the thumb to said forward portion and means securing the forearm substantially above the wrist to said forearm support portion, a wrist region between said means for securing the palm and said means for securing the forearm remaining free for the insertion of said arterial line thereat.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
106 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said fastening means comprises contact engaging means for both the hand and the forearm, said engaging means having first and second engaging portions, the first portion being fixedly secured to the underside of said body and the second portion including at least one strap having first and second ends for being secured to said first portion, said strap being attached to said body by wrapping said strap around the respective hand or forearm and securing said first and second ends to said first portion, said first portion allowing said second portion to be disposed an adjustable distance from the wrist.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
34 words
The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a pad lining affixed to the upper surface of said body and extending along the length of said body to cushion the patient's hand, wrist and forearm.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
13 words
The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said pad lining comprises foam rubber material.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
51 words
The apparatus of claim 1 and further comprising a removable pad dimensioned to be removably positioned on the upper surface of said body beneath the patient's wrist to decrease said obtuse angle to further rotate the hand about the wrist away from the anterior side thereof to receive an arterial puncture.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
14 words
The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said removable pad comprises resilient foam rubber material.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
17 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said body includes edge channels turned to further rigidify the body.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
177 words
A device for supporting a patient's hand, wrist and the portion of the forearm proximate the wrist to receive an arterial line in the arteries proximate the wrist, comprising: means for supporting the hand disposed on the posterior side of the hand; means for supporting the patient's forearm and for being disposed on the posterior side thereof; means for interconnecting said hand support means and said forearm support means at an obtuse angle proximate the wrist joint such that the hand is rotated about the wrist away from the anterior side thereof such that access to the arteries associated with the anterior side of the wrist are made more accessible to a medical technician requiring access thereto; means for immobilizing the hand to prevent rotation about the wrist, said means applied to the hand below the thumb; and means for immobilizing the forearm substantially above the wrist to prevent rotation about the wrist joint, said means for immobilizing the hand and said means for immobilizing the forearm leaving the wrist free for receiving said arterial line thereat.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
177 words
A device for supporting a patient's hand, wrist and the portion of the forearm proximate the wrist to receive an arterial line in the arteries proximate the wrist, comprising: means for supporting the hand disposed on the posterior side of the hand; means for supporting the patient's forearm and for being disposed on the posterior side thereof; means for interconnecting said hand support means and said forearm support means at an obtuse angle proximate the wrist joint such that the hand is rotated about the wrist away from the anterior side thereof such that access to the arteries associated with the anterior side of the wrist are made more accessible to a medical technician requiring access thereto; means for immobilizing the hand to prevent rotation about the wrist, said means applied to the hand below the thumb; and means for immobilizing the forearm substantially above the wrist to prevent rotation about the wrist joint, said means for immobilizing the hand and said means for immobilizing the forearm leaving the wrist free for receiving said arterial line thereat.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
59 words
The apparatus of claim 8 and further comprising removable means for temporarily decreasing the obtuse angle that the hand makes with the forearm such that the hand is further rotated about the wrist away from the anterior side thereof to further increase access to the arteries in the wrist, said removable means removable after the arterial line is inserted.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
175 words
A method for supporting a patient's hand, wrist and forearm for receiving an arterial line, comprising: supporting the posterior side of the hand with a first rigid member with respect to the wrist joint to prevent rotation thereof about the wrist joint; supporting the forearm proximate the wrist joint with a second rigid platform, the rigid platform being shaped to prevent rotation of the forearm about the wrist joint when the forearm is disposed thereon; and maintaining an obtuse angle between the first rigid platform and the second rigid platform such that the hand is rotated about the wrist away from the anterior side thereof to allow access to the arteries of the wrist for insertion of an arterial line, the obtuse angle maintained while the arterial line is in place; securing the hand on the first rigid platform below the thumb to prevent rotation thereof about the wrist; and securing the forearm to the second rigid platform substantially above the wrist to prevent rotation thereof about the wrist joint with respect to the hand.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
175 words
A method for supporting a patient's hand, wrist and forearm for receiving an arterial line, comprising: supporting the posterior side of the hand with a first rigid member with respect to the wrist joint to prevent rotation thereof about the wrist joint; supporting the forearm proximate the wrist joint with a second rigid platform, the rigid platform being shaped to prevent rotation of the forearm about the wrist joint when the forearm is disposed thereon; and maintaining an obtuse angle between the first rigid platform and the second rigid platform such that the hand is rotated about the wrist away from the anterior side thereof to allow access to the arteries of the wrist for insertion of an arterial line, the obtuse angle maintained while the arterial line is in place; securing the hand on the first rigid platform below the thumb to prevent rotation thereof about the wrist; and securing the forearm to the second rigid platform substantially above the wrist to prevent rotation thereof about the wrist joint with respect to the hand.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
149 words
The method of claim 10 wherein the step of securing the hand and the wrist comprises: disposing a strap having first and second free ends about the anterior surface of the forearm with the free ends thereof contacting the underside of the second rigid platform; removably securing the free ends of the forearm strap on the underside of the second rigid platform; disposing a strap having a first and second free ends about the anterior surface of the hand and extending around to the underside of the first rigid platform such that the free ends contact the underside thereof; and removably securing the free ends of the hand strap to the underside of the first rigid platform; the hand strap and wrist strap removably secured to the undersides of the first and second rigid platforms, respectively, such that the distance between the respective straps and the wrist is adjustable.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
55 words
The method of claim 10 and further comprising: temporarily decreasing the obtuse angle and rotating the hand about the wrist away from the anterior side thereof to increase access to the arteries in the wrist for insertion of the arterial line, the angle returned to the normal obtuse angle after insertion of the catheter line.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
58 words
The method of claim 12 wherein the forearm support and the hand support form a continual surface underneath the wrist wherein the step of temporarily decreasing the obtuse angle comprises inserting a pad between the portion of the forearm support proximate the wrist to decrease the obtuse angle, the pad being removed after insertion of the arterial line.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1992-01-17 | 1992-07-18 | 1993-01-17 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1996-01-17 | 1996-07-18 | 1997-01-17 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2000-01-17 | 2000-07-18 | 2001-01-17 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |