Blood flow assisting portable arm support

Abstract

A portable arm support can be secured to an arm of a patient, for instance during a medical procedure (e.g., filtration of blood of the patient). The arm support can inhibit movement of the arm of the patient in one or more degrees of freedom (e.g., elevation, abduction, adduction, flexion, or the like). In some examples, the arm support includes a cuff and abase. In another example, the arm support includes an elongated member. In yet another example, the arm support includes a constricting band. The arm support can help maintain blood flow in the arm of the patient, and can help protect a catheter inserted into the arm of the patient (or protect other medical equipment proximate to the patient).

1 - 36 . (canceled) 
     
     
         37 . A portable arm support configured to limit a range of motion of an arm of a patient when the portable arm support is secured to the patient, comprising:
 a rigid shell sized and shaped for securing to the arm of the patient, wherein the rigid shell inhibits flexion of the arm of the patient when the portable arm support is secured to the arm of the patient, the rigid shell including:
 a first shell segment; 
 a second shell segment; 
 a hinge interconnecting the first shell segment with the second shell segment and facilitating relative motion between the first shell segment and the second shell segment; and 
 wherein the portable arm support is configured to limit the relative motion between the first shell segment and the second shell segment; 
   a removeable cover configured for selective coupling with the rigid shell; and   a window extending through the rigid shell and the removeable cover, wherein the window provides access to vasculature of the patient when the arm support is secured to the patient.   
     
     
         38 . The portable arm support of  claim 37 , wherein the arm support is configured to engage with a catheter in communication with the vasculature of the patient to maintain a location of the catheter with respect to the vasculature of the patient. 
     
     
         39 . The portable arm support of  claim 37 , wherein the first shell segment is configured for securing above an elbow of the patient, and the second shell segment is configured for securing below the elbow of the patient. 
     
     
         40 . The portable arm support of  claim 37 , further comprising a stop included in at least one of the first shell segment or the second shell segment, wherein the stop is configured to limit the relative motion between the first segment and the second segment. 
     
     
         41 . The portable arm support of  claim 40 , wherein the stop is configured to limit the relative motion between the first segment and the second segment to inhibit flexion of the arm when the arm support is secured to the arm of the patient. 
     
     
         42 . The portable arm support of  claim 40 , wherein the stop is a first stop, and further comprising a second stop that inhibits extension of the arm when the arm support is secured to the arm of the patient. 
     
     
         43 . The portable arm support of  claim 40 , wherein:
 the stop projects from the second shell segment and is located proximate to the hinge, and   the stop is configured to engage with a portion of the first shell segment to limit the relative motion between the first segment and the second segment.   
     
     
         44 . The portable arm support of  claim 37 , wherein the portable arm support is a constricting band, the first shell segment includes a first flap, the second shell segment includes a second flap, and the portable arm support includes an arm recess configured to receive the arm of the patient. 
     
     
         45 . The portable arm support of  claim 44 , further comprising:
 a biasing member coupled between the first flap and the second flap; and   wherein the biasing member is configured to bias the first flap toward the second flap when a first end of the arm support is displaced relative to a second end of the portable arm support.   
     
     
         46 . The portable arm support of  claim 37 , wherein the removeable cover includes a textile material. 
     
     
         47 . The portable arm support of  claim 37 , wherein the rigid shell includes a polymeric material. 
     
     
         48 . The portable arm support of  claim 37 , wherein the removeable cover includes a pocket configured to receive a portion of the shell to couple the cover with the shell. 
     
     
         49 . The portable arm support of  claim 37 , further comprising one or more straps configured to constrict the arm support to secure the arm support to the arm of the patient. 
     
     
         50 . The portable arm support of  claim 37 , further comprising a biasing member configured to bias the arm support toward an extended configuration. 
     
     
         51 . The portable arm support of  claim 37 , further comprising a feedback device that provides a sound or vibration notification to the patient when the patient moves its arm away from a specified orientation.