Extension Desubluxation Hinge Appliance

Abstract

An improved hinge appliance having a pair of thigh bar members joined at their upper ends by a band and having a pair of leg bar members joined at their lower ends by a band, said thigh bar members being connected to said leg bar members by hinge bar members having one end formed into a block form and the other end formed into a shank member extending outwardly with means for controlling the extension of the hinge appliance.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a new and improved extension desubluxation hinge appliance that permits the gradual extension of contractured knees of patients.

2. Prior Art

Applicant knows of no prior art having the particular features of this invention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The new and improved extension desubluxation hinge appliance provides for the gradual extension of contractured knees from whatever cause, in conjunction with cylindrical thigh and lower leg casts. The hinge appliance is attached at its upper end to a patient's thigh cast by a semi-circular band embedded into the cast along with the upper straight ends of the thigh bar members of the hinge appliance.

The hinge appliance is attached at its lower end by a semi-circular band embedded into the patient's leg cast along with the lower straight ends of the leg bar members of the hinge appliance.

The thigh bar members and the leg bar members of the hinge appliance are connected together and controlled by a pair of hinge bar members having a unique construction.

Each hinge bar member has one end formed into a block member and has the other end formed into a shank member which extends outwardly from the block member at an obtuse angle to the longitudinal axis of the block member. The shank member is pivotally connected to the lower offset portion of the thigh bar member of the hinge appliance and is provided with an adjustment nut which receives a set screw that is threaded into a corresponding adjustment nut mounted on the lower offset portion of the thigh bar member.

The block member portion of the hinge bar member is pivotally connected by a screw to a similar block member formed at the upper offset portion of the leg bar member of the hinge appliance. A nut is swedged on the screw between the respective block members of the leg bar member and of the hinge bar member.

Adjustment of the set screw will permit gradual extension of a contractured knee as desired, while adjustment of the screw between the block members of the leg bar member and of the hinge bar member will permit drawing of the tibia bone of a patient's leg forward. Thus, the hinge appliance permits easy adjustment of a patient's knee as desired and firm, positive knee positioning as required.

It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide a hinge appliance for the gradual extension of contractured knees of a patient.

Another object of this invention is to provide a hinge appliance which can be easily adjusted as desired.

A further object of this invention is to provide a hinge appliance that has firm and positive knee positioning.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a hinge appliance that permits a patient to walk when the hinge appliance has been applied to the patient.

These and other objects will be more readily understood by reference to the following description and claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of an embodiment of the invention in place on a patient with a contractured knee.

FIG. 2 is a view taken along line 2--2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a view taken along line 3--3 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a view taken along line 4--4 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of an embodiment of the invention in place on a patient with the knee straightened.

The hinge appliance 10 has a pair of thigh bar members 12 each having an upper straight portion 14 and a lower offset portion 16 outwardly tapered. The ends 18 of the upper straight portions 14 of the hinge appliance 10 are connected by a semi-circular band 20 pivotally mounted at each of its ends to each of the ends 18.

Each end of the offset portion 16 of the thigh bar members 12 is connected to a hinge bar member 22. The hinge bar members 22 each have one end formed into a block member 24 and the other end into a shank member 26 extending outwardly from the block member 24 at an obtuse angle to the longitudinal axis of block member 22.

Each block member 24 has a threaded opening 28 at right angles to its longitudinal axis to receive a screw 30 connecting block member 24 to the upper end of leg bar member 32, which upper end is formed into a block member 34 with a threaded opening 35. Nut 38 is swedged into position between the block member 24 of hinge bar member 22 and block member 34.

Shank member 26 is pivotally mounted at its middle portion to the lower end of thigh bar member 12 by nut 40 swedged on screw 42.

The outer end of shank member 26 has an adjustment nut 44 maintained in position on the side of shank member 26 by screw 46. Adjustment nut 44 has a threaded opening 48 in its middle portion at right angles to its vertical axis to receive one end of set screw 50. A similar adjustment nut 51 is maintained in position at the lower end of thigh bar member 12 by screw 52. Adjustment nut 51 has a threaded opening 54 in its middle portion at right angles to its vertical axis to receive the end of set screw 50.

Leg bar members 32 each have an upper offset portion 56 tapering inwardly and terminating in lower straight portions 58. The ends of lower straight portions 58 are connected by a semi-circular band 60 pivotally mounted at each of its ends to each of the ends of lower straight portion 58.

In operation, the hinge appliance 10 is placed in position between a cylindrical thigh cast 62 and a lower leg cast 64 on a patient. The upper straight portion 14 of thigh bar members 12, in conjunction with band 20, is submerged in the thigh cast 62, while the lower straight portion 58 of leg bar members 32, in conjunction with band 60, is submerged in the leg cast 64.

For extension of the contractured knee, set screw 50 is adjusted so that the hinge appliance 10 is applied with the patient's knee in maximum extension possible at the time. The patient is able to walk with the hinge appliance 10 so applied, and may adjust the set screw 50 daily to extend the knee a few degrees each day as the patient's knee improves.

Where drawing of a patient's tibia bone forward is desired, screw 30 is adjusted with an Allan wrench to the proper position.

The hinge appliance is preferably made from a lightweight rustproof metal, such as aluminum. The screws are preferably made of stainless steel.

Although I have described a preferred embodiment of my invention, it is understood that numerous modifications in construction and arrangement of parts may be made within the scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

Claims

I claim:

1. A hinge appliance for gradual extension of a contractured knee of a patient, comprising:

a pair of thigh bar members each having an upper straight portion with ends pivotally connected to a semi-circular band, and a lower outwardly tapered offset portion;

a pair of leg bar members each having an upper inwardly tapered offset portion with its upper end formed into a block member having a threaded opening therein, and a lower straight portion with ends pivotally connected to a semi-circular band;

a pair of hinge bar members each having one end formed into a block member with a threaded opening therein which receives one end of a screw, and having the other end formed into a shank member at an angle to said block member, said shank member being pivotally mounted to the lower end of said thigh bar member, and said block member being connected by said screw to the block member of said leg bar member; and

means for controlling extension of said hinge appliance, said means being mounted at the outer end of said shank member and at the upper end of said leg bar member.

2. A hinge appliance according to claim 1 in which the angle of said shank member is an obtuse angle.