Patient Positioning Aid

1
Patient Positioning Aid

• E. Vargas, M. Britan, E. Kordieh
• Department of Biomedical Engineering
• Stony Brook University

2
Outline

• Background / Design Criteria
• Engineering Analysis
• Design Solution
• Answer question why?
• Acknowledgements

3
Background

• National Science Foundation RERC 2005-2006
• Aim Versatile, low-cost, easy-to-adjust patient
  positioning aid that works with a range of
  examination tablesand meets the customer needs
  below.
• Fictional Patients

4
Current Methods

• Extremely basic crude
• Not patient specific.
• System fails movement of patient
  re-administering the imaging technology

5
Engineering Analysis

• Design Criteria
• Material Selection

6
Engineering Analysis Air

• Star ROHO Cushion

Major problem not fixed positioning
7
Engineering Analysis Foam

• Foam Selection Types of Foams
• Open cellular
• interconnected pores or cells and are suitable
  for filtration applications
• Closed cellular
• Closed cellular foams do not have interconnected
  pores or cells, but are useful for buoyancy or
  flotation applications
• Flexible
• Flexible foams can bend, flex or absorb impacts
  without cracking or delaminating
• Rigid
• Rigid foams feature a matrix with very little or
  no flexibility
• Reticular
• Reticular foams have a very open structure with a
  matrix consisting of an interconnecting network
  of thin material strands
• Syntactic
• Syntactic foams consist of rigid microspheres or
  glass micro-balloons held together by a plastic
  or resin matrix

8
Engineering Analysis (contd)

• Foam Selection

9
Engineering Analysis Coverings

• Naugahyde
• A vinyl-coated, waterproof and durable fabric.
• Nylon / Sailcloth
• Also known as para-pak. A smooth, silky nylon
  material.
• Knit
• A stretchy woven materialóused.
• Lycra / Neoprene / Rubatex
• Similar to double-knit material however, it has
  a laminated rubber backing similar to wetsuit
  material.
• Shelterite
• A vinyl-coated fabric, waterproof and durable
  similar to naugahyde except that it has a ridge
  texture.
• Cordura
• A woven-like nylon material with breathability.
• Darlex / Dartex / Darflex
• A four way stretch fabric that is water resistant
  and breathable.

10
Design Solution

• Final Solution
• A patient specific positioning aid that
  incorporates the engineering principles of
  encapsulating laminar foam in a controlled air
  inflow/outflow environment.
• Four major components
• Laminar foam, polyurethane encapsulation, air
  inflow/outflow mechanism, and rubatex covering.

11
Design Solution

• How does it work?
• Air valves are open (allowing air in the system)
• Patient positions oneself on top causing air to
  escape.
• Open cell foam contours close air valves when no
  additional air is escaping.
• Foam maintains contour patient specific.
• Patient is done patient gets up open air
  valves.
• Air enters the system open cell foam goes back
  to original shape.
• Ready for next patient.

12
Reasoning

• Butwhy?
• NSF RERC 2005-2006
• Fictional Patients
• Is there marketability ?
• The prototype is smallthe concept is broad.
• Material is environmentally friendly for all
  imaging technologies
• High level of flexibility in the dimensions
• High level of flexibility in the material
  selection

13
Is there marketability?

• Think about it
• Have you ever felt pain, or discomfort from
  sitting down in a certain position for an
  extended period of time?
• Have you ever woken up in the morning with pain
  because you didnt sleep right?
• Which one is more comfortable?

14
Thank You.

• Any questions?