Method of Securing a Patient onto an Operating Table when the Patient is in the Trendelenburg Position and Apparatus Therefor Including a Kit

Abstract

A method of securing a patient onto an operating table when the patient is in the Trendelenburg position and apparatus therefor including a kit. A viscoelastic pad is used to support and hold a patient on a medical procedure table during a medical procedure performed while the table, and thus the patient lying thereon, is in an inclined position, such as the Trendelenburg position. The viscoelastic pad has characteristics which promote a minimization of pressure forces on the patient's body, as well as promote a secure cushioning and holding of the patient in a desired position on the table, in order to minimize injury to the patient.

The invention claimed is: 
     
         1 . A patient support arrangement comprising:
 a pad manufactured from a viscoelastic polyurethane foam and comprising: a first side in contact with a patient's skin; a second side in contact with a tiltable medical procedure table; and a thickness of about 0.75 inches to about 3.00 inches;   wherein the viscoelastic polyurethane foam comprises: a rate of recovery of about 10 seconds to about 35 seconds for about 100 percent recovery after deformation caused by placing a torso of a patient on the pad.   
     
     
         2 . The patient support arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein the rate of recovery of the pad is configured to maintain a depression in the pad for a period of time upon a change in a depression-generating force on the pad. 
     
     
         3 . The patient support arrangement according to  claim 1 , wherein the viscoelastic polyurethane foam comprises: a coefficient of static friction of about 0.2 to about 1.0. 
     
     
         4 . The patient support arrangement according to  claim 1 , wherein the viscoelastic polyurethane foam comprises: a density of about 75 kilograms per cubic meter to about 110 kilograms per cubic meter. 
     
     
         5 . The patient support arrangement according to  claim 1 , wherein the viscoelastic polyurethane foam is configured to be deformable by a torso of a patient to form a depression in the pad such that the depression provides a substantial portion of holding forces which hold the patient generally in a desired position on the pad upon the medical procedure table being tilted at an angle and thus the torso of the patient being tilted at an angle with respect to the horizontal. 
     
     
         6 . The patient support arrangement according to  claim 1 , wherein the pad is configured to distribute pressure forces across a substantial portion of the torso of the patient that is in contact with the pad to minimize injuries generated by concentration of pressure forces on at least one portion of the torso of the patient that is in contact with the pad during a medical procedure. 
     
     
         7 . The patient support arrangement according to  claim 1 , wherein the first side of the pad is in direct contact with the patient's skin and the second side is in direct contact with the tiltable medical procedure table. 
     
     
         8 . The patient support arrangement according to  claim 1 , wherein the viscoelastic polyurethane foam is made by mixing polyhydroxy polyol with toluene di-isocyanate. 
     
     
         9 . The patient support arrangement according to  claim 1 , wherein the viscoelastic polyurethane foam is made by combining toluene di-isocyanate with polyester polyols and polyether. 
     
     
         10 . The patient support arrangement according to  claim 1 , wherein the viscoelastic polyurethane foam has a ball rebound in a range of about 0.1 percent to about 1.9 percent. 
     
     
         11 . The patient support arrangement according to  claim 1 , wherein the viscoelastic polyurethane foam has an air flow in a range of about 0.1 to about 3.0 cubic foot per minute. 
     
     
         12 . The patient support arrangement according to  claim 1 , wherein the viscoelastic polyurethane foam has an indentation force deflection in a range of about 7 to about 18 pounds. 
     
     
         13 . The patient support arrangement according to  claim 1 , wherein the viscoelastic polyurethane foam has a tensile strength in a range of about 5 pounds per square inch to about 15 pounds per square inch. 
     
     
         14 . The patient support arrangement according to  claim 1 , wherein the viscoelastic polyurethane foam is configured to assist in holding the patient on the medical procedure table when the medical procedure table is tilted at an angle. 
     
     
         15 . The patient support arrangement according to  claim 1  further comprising at least one strap having a first end attached to the pad and a second end comprising a fastener arrangement configured to be attached to the medical procedure table. 
     
     
         16 . A method of positioning a patient on a medical procedure table comprising:
 providing a pad manufactured from a viscoelastic polyurethane foam and comprising: a first side in contact with a patient's skin; a second side in contact with a tiltable medical procedure table; and a thickness of about 0.75 inches to about 3.00 inches, wherein the viscoelastic polyurethane foam comprises: a rate of recovery of about 10 seconds to about 35 seconds for about 100 percent recovery after deformation caused by placing a torso of the patient on the pad;   positioning the pad on the medical procedure table such that the second side is in contact with an upper surface of the medical procedure table;   positioning at least a torso of the patient on the pad such that the patient's skin is in contact with the first side of the pad;   tilting the medical procedure table at an angle, and thus positioning the torso of said patient at an angle with respect to the horizontal; and   holding the patient generally in a desired position on the pad on the medical procedure table during a medical procedure.   
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the viscoelastic polyurethane foam comprises: a coefficient of static friction of about 0.2 to about 1.0. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the viscoelastic polyurethane foam comprises and a density of about 75 kilograms per cubic meter to about 110 kilograms per cubic meter 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the pad is configured to distribute pressure forces across a substantial portion of the torso of the patient that is in contact with the pad to minimize injuries generated by concentration of pressure forces on at least one portion of the torso of the patient that is in contact with the pad during a medical procedure. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the first side of the pad is in direct contact with the patient's skin and the second side is in direct contact with the tiltable medical procedure table. 
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the viscoelastic polyurethane foam is made by mixing polyhydroxy polyol with toluene di-isocyanate. 
     
     
         22 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the viscoelastic polyurethane foam is made by combining toluene di-isocyanate with polyester polyols and polyether. 
     
     
         23 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the viscoelastic polyurethane foam has a ball rebound in a range of about 0.1 percent to about 1.9 percent. 
     
     
         24 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the viscoelastic polyurethane foam has an air flow in a range of about 0.1 to about 3.0 cubic foot per minute. 
     
     
         25 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the viscoelastic polyurethane foam has an indentation force deflection in a range of about 7 to about 18 pounds. 
     
     
         26 . A patient support arrangement comprising:
 a viscoelastic polyurethane foam pad having a first side positioned directly in contact with a patient's skin and a second side directly in contact with a tiltable medical procedure table.   
     
     
         27 . The patient support arrangement of  claim 26 , wherein the viscoelastic polyurethane foam pad has a coefficient of static friction of about 0.2 to about 1.0 such that the pad assists in holding a patient generally in a desired position on the medical procedure table when the medical procedure table is tilted at an angle. 
     
     
         28 . A patient support arrangement comprising:
 a viscoelastic polyurethane foam pad having a top surface positioned directly in contact with a patient's skin and a bottom surface positioned directly in contact with a tiltable medical procedure table; and   at least one fastener extending from a portion of the foam pad and configured to secure the foam pad to the medical procedure table.   
     
     
         29 . The patient support arrangement of  claim 28 , wherein the at least one fastener is at least one of welded, adhesively fastened, and hook and loop fastened to the portion of the foam pad. 
     
     
         30 . The patient support arrangement of  claim 28 , wherein the at least one fastener includes a hook portion and a loop portion configured to interact to secure the foam pad to the medical procedure table.