METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR TREATING PLANTAR ULCERATIONS

• Main Authors: BUREK, PAUL, P, JENSEN, JEFFREY, L
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French
• Published: 13.07.2000
• Edition: 7
• Subjects: BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF,TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, E.G. STENTS; FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; FIRST-AID KITS; FOMENTATION; HUMAN NECESSITIES; HYGIENE; MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; PROSTHESES; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS

A method and apparatus for treating patients having ulcerations of the lower foot, including patients suffering from diabetic neuropathy. The brace generally includes a pair of rigid shells (12, 14), a fastening system (38) for joining the shells together and a combination of bladders (60, 70, 80) which engage the patient's leg and ankle to off-weight the plantar surface, prevent plantar flexing and minimize shearing forces to the plantar surface. The volume of the bladders may be adjusted by the addition or removal of a filler in order to maintain a uniform pressure between the bladders and the patient's leg. The filler contained in the bladders preferably does not undergo significant expansion or contraction with the changes in temperature or altitude. The brace also preferably includes a series of full-length bladders (60, 70) and an adjustable bladder (80) located within the ankle and heel region of the brace. The brace is reusable, easy to apply and fully adjustable to accommodate changes in a patient's leg size. The present invention provides methods and an apparatus for treating patients having ulcerations of the lower foot, including patients suffering from diabetic neuropathy. The brace generally includes a pair of rigid shells, a fastening system for joining the shells together to form a unified brace and a combination of bladders which engage the patient's leg and ankle to off-weight the plantar surface, prevent plantar flexing and minimize shearing forces to the plantar surface. The volume of the bladders may be adjusted by the addition or removal of a filler in order to maintain a uniform pressure between the bladders and the patient's leg. The filler contained in the bladders preferably does not undergo significant expansion or contraction in response to temperature or altitude changes. The brace also preferably includes a series of full-length bladders and a specially designed adjustable bladder located within the ankle and heel region of the brace to maximize off-weighting and to prevent the foot from moving downward toward the footbed of the brace. In addition to providing an effective means for off-weighting the plantar surface of a patient, the brace is reuseable, easy to apply and fully adjustable to accommodate changes in a patient's leg size. L'invention concerne des procédés et un appareil destinés à traiter des patients souffrant d'ulcérations du pied, y compris ceux souffrant de neuropathie diabétique. L'appareil orthopédique comprend généralement deux coques rigides, un système d'attache servant à regrouper les coques de manière à constituer un appareil orthopédique unifié, et un ensemble de vessies qui retient la jambe et la cheville du patient afin de soulager la surface plantaire, d'empêcher la flexion plantaire du pied et de minimiser les forces de cisaillement au niveau de la surface plantaire. Le volume des vessies peut être ajusté en ajoutant ou en enlevant une matière de charge en vue de maintenir une pression uniforme entre les vessies et la jambe du patient. La matière de charge contenue dans les vessies ne subit pas, de préférence, de dilatation ou de contraction importante suite aux changements de température ou d'altitude. L'appareil orthopédique comprend également un ensemble de vessies tout en longueur et une vessie ajustable spécialement conçue, située dans la région de la cheville et du talon de l'appareil afin de maximiser la réduction du poids et d'empêcher le pied de se déplacer vers le bas, vers la partie moulée de de l'appareil. S'il constitue un moyen efficace permettant de soulager la surface plantaire d'un patient, l'appareil est, en outre, réutilisable, facile à mettre et entièrement ajustable de manière à s'adapter en fonction des changements de la taille de la jambe des patients.