Novel air bearing device and method for transferring patients

Abstract

The present invention provides a low friction device for transferring patients from one surface to another. This system allows a patient to be immobilized on one supporting surface. The immobilized patient can then be transferred laterally onto the target modality using an air bearing that is thin, homogeneously radiolucent and compatible with a variety of diagnostic imaging and treatment modalities.

1 - 11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . A patient transfer device, comprising:
 a gas bearing bladder, the gas bearing bladder including:
 a top sheet and a bottom sheet sealed to one another to form the gas bearing bladder, at least one of the top sheet and the bottom sheet being formed from a flexible material, 
 at least one of spot connections or line connections connecting the top sheet and the bottom sheet, the spot connections or line connections being located inside the outer perimeter, and wherein at least one section of the bottom sheet is gas permeable; and 
   a patient surface coupled to the gas bearing bladder, the patient surface being configured to support a patient thereon, wherein the patient surface is rigid; and   at least one gas inlet extending through the patient surface and the top sheet of the gas bearing bladder, the gas bearing bladder having an inflated condition when gas is introduced into the gas bearing bladder by passing through the at least one gas inlet.   
     
     
         13 . The patient transfer device according to  claim 12 , wherein the top sheet and the bottom sheet are constructed from at least one of a flexible polymer sheet and a polymer coated fabric. 
     
     
         14 . The patient transfer device according to  claim 12 , comprising a layer of a porous gas distribution material disposed between the top sheet and the bottom sheet. 
     
     
         15 . The patient transfer device according to  claim 14 , wherein the porous gas distribution material defines a thickness of 3 mm or less. 
     
     
         16 . The patient transfer device according to  claim 14 , wherein the at least one of spot connections or line connections is formed from the top sheet and the bottom sheet being welded directly together, and wherein the top sheet and the bottom sheet form a constant amount of material of the gas bearing bladder through which a radiation beam passes. 
     
     
         17 . The patient transfer device according to  claim 12 , wherein the at least one of spot connections or line connections between the top sheet and the bottom sheet control at least one of expansion of an inflated thickness of the gas bearing bladder and an airflow pattern through the gas bearing bladder. 
     
     
         18 . The patient transfer device according to  claim 12 , wherein the at least one of spot connections or line connections located inside the outer perimeter form one or more inflatable interior regions and one or more inflatable perimeter regions, the inflatable perimeter regions surrounding the inflatable interior regions, and wherein the at least one of spot connections or line connections form inflatable perimeter regions that are wider than the inflatable interior regions, taller than the inflatable interior regions, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         19 . The patient transfer device according to  claim 12 , wherein at least one of the top sheet and the bottom sheet is coated with a low friction coating to reduce friction and improve sliding of the gas bearing bladder relative to a supporting surface on which the patient transfer device is positioned. 
     
     
         20 . The patient transfer device according to  claim 12 , comprising one or more tabs attached to and extending around side edges of the gas bearing bladder. 
     
     
         21 . The patient transfer device according to  claim 20 , wherein the tabs attach the gas bearing bladder to the bottom of the support surface. 
     
     
         22 . The patient transfer device according to  claim 12 , wherein the gas bearing bladder exhibits an aluminum equivalence of less than 1 mm and the aluminum equivalence across a surface of the gas bladder has a variation of less than +/−0.25 mm. 
     
     
         23 . The patient transfer device according to  claim 12 , wherein the gas bearing bladder is removably attached to the patient surface by at least one of an adhesive, a touch fastener, an elastic band, and a button. 
     
     
         24 . The patient transfer device according to  claim 12 , the patient surface including a top surface, a bottom surface, and a side extending between the top surface and the bottom surface, wherein the gas bearing bladder is attached to at least one of the bottom surface and the side of the patient surface. 
     
     
         25 . The patient transfer device according to  claim 13 , wherein the top sheet and the bottom sheet are constructed from nylon fabric coated with thermoplastic polyurethane. 
     
     
         26 . The patient transfer device according to  claim 12 , wherein the patient surface is x-ray homogeneous. 
     
     
         27 . A patient transfer device for transferring a patient onto a target modality, comprising:
 a gas bearing bladder, the gas bearing bladder including a top sheet and a bottom sheet sealed to each other to form the gas bearing bladder,   a patient surface coupled to the gas bearing bladder, the patient surface configured to support a patient thereon, the patient surface being positioned relative to the gas bearing bladder such that the patient surface is interposed between a patient and the gas bearing bladder, wherein the patient surface is rigid and;   at least one gas inlet, wherein the gas bearing bladder has an inflated condition and a collapsed condition, the gas bearing bladder being configured such that in the inflated condition the outer perimeter region has a thickness equal to the sum of the thickness of the top sheet and the bottom sheet and in the collapsed condition the gas bearing bladder having a substantially constant thickness to promote x-ray homogeneity of the gas bearing bladder during imaging or treatment; and   wherein at least one of the top or bottom sheet is removably attached to an exterior of the patient surface with a fastener, the fastener being located on a surface of the patient surface when the gas bearing bladder is in an attached condition.   
     
     
         28 . The patient transfer device according to  claim 27 , wherein the gas bearing bladder is removably attached to the patient surface by at least one of an adhesive, a touch fastener, an elastic band, and a button. 
     
     
         29 . The patient transfer device according to  claim 27 , wherein the top sheet is rigid and has a top surface and a bottom surface, and the patient transfer device further comprises at least one of spot connections or line connections located within the outer perimeter region and connecting the bottom sheet to the bottom surface of the top sheet. 
     
     
         30 . The patient transfer device according to  claim 29 , wherein the top surface of the top sheet provides the patient surface. 
     
     
         31 . A patient transfer device, comprising:
 a gas bearing bladder, the gas bearing bladder including:
 a top sheet and a bottom sheet sealed to one another to form the gas bearing bladder, at least one of the top sheet and the bottom sheet being formed from a flexible material, 
 at least one of spot connections or line connections connecting the top sheet and the bottom sheet, the spot connections or line connections being located inside the outer perimeter, and 
 at least one gas inlet, 
 wherein at least one section of the bottom sheet is gas permeable, 
 wherein the gas bearing bladder is inflatable from a collapsed condition to an inflated condition when gas is introduced into the gas bearing bladder, the gas bearing bladder having a substantially constant thickness in the collapsed condition to promote x-ray homogeneity of the gas bearing bladder during imaging or treatment.