GB2133289A - Adjustable abduction splint - Google Patents

Abstract

An adjustable abduction splint is for the use in the treatment particularly of children with congenital dislocation of the hips and comprises a splint having telescopically engaged and lengthwise adjustable parts, with a shoe at each end pivoted to the splint and clampable in position by means of a nut and bolt. Figure 1 shows the device in elevation. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Adjustable abduction splint This invention is concerned with a device for use in the treatment of children with congenital dislocation of the hips. The bast majority of these children are those who are not discovered to suffer from this complaint during the first few weeks of life, but in whom abnormality is discovered when they start to walk or even later. The conventional treatment is to fix the legs in a widely abducted position by means of Plaster of Paris using a broomstick as-a spacer. By widely abducted is meant an angle of say 900. In young children, the problem of keeping this plaster clean and hygienic is extreme; and in practice very frequent replacement of this plaster is necessary which is expensive in material and time consuming on hospital staff.

According to the invention an adjustable abduction splint comprises a strut which is adjustable for length, a shoe pivoted to each end of the strut, and a plate substantially conforming or conformable to the patient's leg shape and curvature attached to each of the shoes.

By these means, the plates can be bandaged in position without needing Plaster of Paris, and the splint can be adjusted for length and angle to suit the requirements of each patient.

A presently preferred embodiment is more particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:~ Figure 1 is an elevation of the device; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same; Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary and sectional elevation; Figure 4 is an enlarged exploded view of one end; and Figure 5 is a fragmentary perspective rear view of part shown in Figure 4.

As shown in the drawings, the strut comprises three telescoped parts, namely a centre and larger diameter tube 10 and a pair of end and smaller diameter tubes 12, 14, each of which extends from a different end of said centre tube. These strut parts may be made adjustable in length by providing a system of pins and holes. For example, the centre tube may have pairs of diametrically located holes pitched apart at say 25 mm intervals along the length of the tube, and each of the inner tubes may have a pair of spring loaded pins 16 to engage in a particular selected pair of holes, to set the arrangement to the length required. The free ends of the outer tube may each have a grommet 18 such as a rubber or plastic sleeve to prevent rattle.

Each of the outer ends of the inner tube can be provided with a plug fixed in position and having an outwardly projecting flange forming a pivotal mounting for the corresponding shoe, or as shown, the extreme end can be flattened at 20 to form the flange.

As best seen in Figure 4, a shoe 22 is fixed to each end of the device. The shoes 22 are intended to be affixed in turn to a leg piece made for example of a plastics material of a kind which can be moulded about the patient's leg with gentle heat which will not be uncomfortable to the patient. When so conformed, the leg piece is to be secured to the corresponding shoe for example by rivets passed through the 24 in opposite ends of the shoe, and a padded orfoamed plastics lining can be disposed inside the leg piece, and the complete leg piece and shoe can be secured in place by bandaging.Alternatively if desired, Plaster of Paris can be used taking care that this extends over the end portion 26 of each shoe but not over the central portion 28 thereof so that as and when the abduction angle requires to be adjusted, it is unnecessary to replace the plaster for that purpose.

Each shoe 22 is pivoted on the corresponding flange 20 by means of a central bolt 30, and means are provided for locking the shoes 22 in desired angles relative to the length of the splint, and conveniently these means consist of a series of radial ribs 32 formed on a shallow conical face of the central area 28 surrounding a central aperture therein, and complementary recesses formed in the longer limb 34 of a L-shaped member, of which the shorter limb is arranged to lie adjacent one or other of the lateral edges 36 of the flange 20. Washers 38 are interposed and nut 40 clamps the assembly in any desired angular position, the engagement of the short limb of the L-shaped part with the lateral edge of the flange preventing the shoe turning on the flange.

The shallow cone may be formed on the shoe by a press tool which sinks a hexagonal recess in the opposite side of the shoe from that formed with the radial ribs, as seen in Figure 5, and the hexagon is complementary to the head of the bolt 30 and prevents the bolt turning when the nut 40 is tightened.

It will be appreciated that the shoes 22 lie generally along the length of the patient's legs, and their angle depends upon the angle of abduction. Shortening or lengthening the strut varies the angle of abduction and requires different angular positions of the shoes.

Claims (5)

1. An adjustable abduction splint comprising a strut which is adjustable for length, a shoe pivoted to each end of the strut, and a plate substantially conforming or conformable to the patient's leg shape and curvature attached to each of the shoes.

2. A splint as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the strut comprises telescopically engaged tubes and means for holding the telescopically engaged parts in an adjusted length.

3. A splint as claimed in Claim 2 comprising an outer tube and two inner and end tubes.

4. A splint as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein means are provided for locking the shoes in any of a range of pivoted positions at each end of the strut.

5. An adjustable abduction splint substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings.