Leg pulling device

Abstract

A leg pulling device has a traction device and a supporting device. At least one force or at least one pressure which is exerted on a patient by the supporting device upon the actuation of the traction device can be measured.

Claims

1. A leg pulling device, comprising: a traction device for exerting a pulling force on a leg of a patient; a supporting device arranged relative to said traction device such that said supporting device supports a patient counter to a pulling force exerted by said traction device; said supporting device and/or said traction device having at least one sensor configured to measure a force or a pressure exerted on the patient by said supporting device upon an actuation of said traction device can be measured; and a lying surface, said supporting device having at least two of said sensors configured to measure two mutually perpendicular force components in a direction parallel to said lying surface; and two mutually perpendicular guide carriages supporting said supporting device on the lying surface, said two mutually perpendicular guide carriages being oriented in mutually perpendicular direction in which the force components can be measured by the force sensors.

2. The leg pulling device according to claim 1, wherein said at least one sensor is mounted to said supporting device.

3. The leg pulling device according to claim 1, wherein said at least one sensor has or is a pressure measuring film arranged on a surface of said supporting device pressing on the patient upon the actuation of said traction device.

4. The leg pulling device according to claim 1, comprising a lying surface for supporting the patient, and wherein said supporting device has a supporting roller, which is upright on said lying surface and arranged to be located between the patient's femurs when a pulling force is exerted on a leg of the patient by said traction device, and wherein said supporting device supports the patient counter to the pulling force.

5. The leg pulling device according to claim 1, wherein said traction device comprises a fixing device for fixing a foot of the patient and an inclination sensor mounted to said fixing device and configured to measure a position of said fixing device about at least one axis.

6. The leg pulling device according to claim 5, wherein said inclination sensor is configured to measure a position about three axes.

7. The leg pulling device according to claim 1, wherein said traction device includes a traction spindle configured to adjust a pulling force on the leg of the patient.

8. The leg pulling device according to claim 1, further comprising a microcontroller unit configured to evaluate measurements generated by said at least one sensor, and to generate an alarm signal when critical threshold values for the force or pressure measured by said at least one sensor are exceeded.

9. The leg pulling device according to claim 8, wherein said micro-controller unit is further configured to evaluate measurements generated by a plurality of force sensors and pressure sensors, and an inclination sensor.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

(1) In the figures:

(2) FIG. 1 shows an exemplary configuration of a leg pulling device according to the invention,

(3) FIG. 2 shows an exemplary mounting of a supporting device, and

(4) FIG. 3 shows a further exemplary configuration of a leg pulling device according to the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(5) FIG. 1 shows a first exemplary configuration of a leg pulling device according to the invention in the application to a patient 1. The leg pulling device has a traction device 5, here a traction spindle, and a supporting device 11, here a supporting roller. The supporting roller of the supporting device 11 is arranged relative to the traction device 5 such that the supporting device 11 supports the patient 1 counter to the pulling force exerted by the traction device 5.

(6) The patient 1 lies on a lying surface 2, here the surface of an operating table. The patient lies on his back and the supporting device is arranged between his thighs. The right-hand foot of the patient is fixed in an extension shoe 4 which is connected to the traction device 5. In this way, a pulling force can be exerted by the traction device 5 on the extension shoe 4 and therefore on the leg of the patient 1 in a longitudinal direction of the traction device 5.

(7) In the example shown, the supporting device 11 has two force sensors 13, 14, with which force components F.sub.X and F.sub.y can be measured, so that a resultant force F.sub.RES can be calculated from the force components. Since the traction device 5 is configured here as a threaded spindle, the force exerted by the traction device 5 is adjustable by means of a crank 6, which is rotatable about the longitudinal axis of the traction device 5.

(8) Arranged on the extension shoe 4 in the example shown is an inclination sensor 12, with which an inclination of the extension shoe 4 and therefore of the leg of the patient 1 about one, two or three axes can be determined. The device shown additionally has a microcontroller unit 15, with which the measurements from the force sensors 13, 14 and inclination sensors 12 can be evaluated.

(9) With the configuration of the leg pulling device according to the invention shown in FIG. 1, the pulling force and the position of the affected extremity in space can be determined. The force vector F.sub.RES can be determined by means of the microcontroller unit 15. The microcontroller unit 15 measures the values and can give a surgeon a warning signal when critical threshold values are reached. In a corresponding way, the control unit 15 can also give a warning signal to the surgeon when a setting angle determined by means of the inclination sensor 12 results in a position of the extremity that is impermissible from an anatomical point of view.

(10) Advantageously, a library in the form of a database can be stored in the microcontroller unit 15, containing information about the critical values for different groups of persons such as children, adults, men and women, and for different body conditions. The microcontroller unit 15 can additionally permit monitoring of a period of action of the pulling forces, which is likewise of great relevance for the surgical intervention.

(11) FIG. 2 shows, by way of example, a supporting device 11 as can be used in the leg pulling device according to the invention. Here, the supporting device 11 is configured as a supporting roller and, in FIG. 2, is shown from three different perspectives, which are each indicated by the coordinate system marked.

(12) The left-hand partial image here shows a section through the supporting device 11 in the xz plane in front view. The central partial image shows a section in the yz plane in side view, and the right-hand partial image shows a section in the xy plane in plan view.

(13) The supporting roller of the supporting device 11 shown in FIG. 2 has a core rod 8, which is surrounded by a foam cushion 7. The foam cushion 7 therefore forms a cylinder, of which the cylinder axis coincides with the longitudinal axis of the rod 8. The supporting roller is supported on the lying surface 2 via two guide carriages 9 and 10. Here, the lower, second guide carriage 10 in the example shown is movable in the y direction, and the upper, first guide carriage 9 in the x direction. Together, the guide carriages 9 and 10 permit mobility of the supporting roller of the supporting device 11 in the xy plane.

(14) Arranged in the first guide carriage 9 is a first force sensor 13, with which a force acting on the supporting roller of the supporting device 11 in the x direction can be measured. In addition, the second guide carriage 10 has a force sensor 14, with which a force in the y direction can be measured.

(15) FIG. 3 shows, by way of example, a further possible configuration of a leg pulling device according to the invention. Once more, a patient 1 lies on a lying surface 2, wherein the supporting device 11 is arranged between his thighs. The right-hand foot of the patient 1 is held by an extension shoe 4 which, as shown in FIG. 1, has an inclination sensor 12. On the extension shoe 4, by means of the traction device 5, a pulling force can be exerted on the leg of the patient 1 by rotating a crank 6. To this extent, the device shown in FIG. 3 corresponds to the device shown in FIG. 1.

(16) In the example shown in FIG. 3, the supporting roller of the supporting device 11 has on its lateral cylindrical surface a pressure measuring film 18, with which a force exerted on the supporting roller by the patient 1 can be measured in a location-dependent manner. The pressure measuring film 18 can be provided in addition to or as an alternative to the force measurement shown in FIG. 2.

(17) In the example shown in FIG. 3, the traction device 5 additionally has a pulling force sensor 16, with which the pulling force exerted on the extension shoe 4 by the traction device 5 can be measured directly. The pulling force sensor 16 can advantageously be provided on the supporting roller as an alternative to the force measurement shown in FIG. 2. The pulling force sensor 16 can additionally also be used in addition to or as an alternative to the pressure measuring film 18.

(18) Furthermore, the traction device 5 shown in FIG. 3 has a torque sensor 17, with which a torque on the traction spindle of the traction device 5 can be detected and can be converted into the pulling force applied. In this way, too, conclusions can be drawn about the supporting force acting on the patient 1.

(19) It should be pointed out that the form of the force measurement, the pressure measuring film 18, the pulling force sensor 16 and the torque sensor 17 shown in FIG. 2 represent advantageous alternatives. Although these sensors 16, 17, 18 can be combined with one another, according to the invention in principle one of these measuring devices is sufficient, however.