A traction apparatus develops a pull force through some or all the compressed joints of the ankles, the knees, the hips and the vertebrae of an individual, after the individual attaches to the ankles, or the waist, or the shoulders, a harness connected to suspended weights, and then positions self to rest supine over an inclinable, full length frictionless surface of full-width idler rollers, and inserts self's head's occipital portion into a crescent shaped hollow head restrainer which arrests the body's pull by the weights.

An example cervical traction device is used in conjunction with a therapy table and is made up of: a traction assembly configured to cyclically apply a traction force to the cervical spine at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the cervical spine to bend the cervical spine; a frame configured to support the traction assembly, the frame includes an upright mast; and a curved orthosis adapted to rest directly on the therapy table and for being positioned under the cervical spine of a patient during treatment. The traction assembly includes a first pulley device connected to the upright mast of the frame, the first pulley device is adjustable along a length of the upright mast. The traction assembly is configured to bend the cervical spine about the curved orthosis while exerting the traction force.

An example cervical traction device includes a traction assembly configured to cyclically apply a traction force to a patient's cervical spine at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the cervical spine to bend the cervical spine. The traction assembly is made up of an electric motor operably connected to a headgear by a traction line capable of transferring traction force generated by the electric motor to the headgear. The electric motor is operably connected to the traction line by a linkage and a linear actuator rod. Together, the linkage and the linear actuator rod are configured to convert torque generated by the electric motor into back-and-forth linear motion used to cyclically apply traction force to the traction line and thereby the headgear. The linear actuator rod is supported by two posts, each of the two posts includes an eyelet through which the linear actuator rod reciprocates.

A patient positioning system for positioning a patient in preparation for an anterior cervical spinal procedure includes a base section, an upper body support attachable to a superior portion of the base section and a lower body support attachable to an inferior portion of the base section. The upper body support is configured to support the head and upper torso of the patient in a manner that aids in opening cervical spine disk space. The lower body support is configured to comfortably lift and support the legs of the patient. A traction strap assembly is attachable to the base section and configured to extend from the base section up around the shoulders of the patient and along the anterior side of the patient to a lower terminal end to enable intermittent traction of the patient's shoulders.

An infection control bedding product such as a pillow, duvet, mattress, cushion or such like having a sealed cover, a resiliently deformable filling material, and a vent means in the cover, the vent means including a filter medium including a filter membrane for the removal of particles of microbial size, a strengthening layer of material for providing mechanical strength to the filter medium, and an adhesive layer, wherein the filter medium allows air flow therethrough but is substantially impermeable to liquid while maintaining a barrier to particles of microbial size; optionally, wherein the adhesive layer is formed from a plurality of dots of adhesive applied to the strengthening layer.

The present disclosure provides a patient positioning device and methods of using such a device that allows for the easy securing of the device to the operating room table or hospital bed, a comfortable surface for patients to rest on during their diagnostic, therapeutic or surgical procedure, that helps reduce the likelihood of developing pressure ulcers, protects the patient by providing an infectious barrier, helps protects the patient from electrical injury by creating a non-conductive barrier between the patient the metal operating table, and protects the operating room table and equipment with an integrated, impermeable barrier to prevent blood, other bodily fluids and other fluids such as intravenous fluids, blood products and irrigation from soiling the operating or procedure table and nearby equipment. The device overcomes several challenges that exist with current devices and methods and is simple, disposable, and cost-effective. It allows for easier, faster and safer patient positioning, improved infection control, lower risk of electrical injury, improved protection from pressure ulcer formation, less waste compared to current options in a single, one-package solution. Additionally, a leg portion of the device can include an inflatable member which serves as a Sequential Compression Device which can be repeatedly inflated/deflated to facilitate circulation and prevent formation of blood clots.

A limb support apparatus and corresponding methods for making same are disclosed. The limb support can comprise a shell for supporting a patient's limb during treatment, examination, and/or recovery. The shell can comprise at least one padding configured to protect the patient's limb. The padding can be secured to the shell using one or more mounting structures included in the padding. The mounting structures are configured such that they are received by corresponding mounting openings and/or features in the shell. An interference fit between the mounting structures and mounting openings/features secures the padding against the shell, thereby preventing the padding from inadvertently moving or sliding on the shell. Embodiments disclosed herein eliminate the need for traditionally used fasteners that are often difficult to clean and sterilize, thereby improving the quality of patient care and facilitating cleaning of patient and/or operating rooms.

A shoulder hold-down is provided for use in securing at least a shoulder of a patient in position relative to a surgical frame. The shoulder hold-down includes a locking mechanism that is adjustable to afford positioning of a shoulder engaging portion for contacting the patient. The locking mechanism facilitates at least four (4) modes of adjustment to position the shoulder engaging portion relative to the patient.

A patient securing overlay includes a sheet of fabric configured to support a patient's torso on a surgical table. The sheet of fabric includes friction enhancing elements applied to at least a portion of an upper surface. The sheet of fabric is attached near its side edges to two or more side flaps that extend laterally outward from the side edges of the sheet of fabric. Each of the side flaps is attached to the surgical table at two or more attachment points. A distance between adjacent attachment points is greater than a distance between an attachment point and the sheet of fabric in order to naturally create a favorable retaining force vector angle of less than 45° between the attachment point and the sheet of fabric.

During orthopedic surgeries, body parts are moved in different ways to cause different anatomic features (e.g. muscles or the trochanters) to tighten or loosen, or become more or less prominent during the intended surgical incisions, which can result in easier surgical procedures. Body parts can be moved using a variety of different structures. The exemplary structures described herein can allow for: (1) a person's leg and foot to be rotated about the axis of the leg (i.e., femur/tibia axis); (2) a person's leg can be pivoted generally about the hip/femoral head/acetabulum to vary the angle between the axis of the leg and a median sagittal plane; (3) a person's leg can be moved in a direction parallel to the leg axis; and/or a person's leg can be pivoted in a generally vertical plane, about the femoral head/acetabulum while the axis of the leg and the median sagittal plane remaining substantially parallel.