Hardenable orthopaedic supports (lobes)
View Patent ↗An orthopedic support assembly has a shape which is well-suited to be reliably positioned on a patient's anatomical structure, e.g., a limb or other extremity. Designs in accordance with certain embodiments include two or more lobes joined by one or more narrower joining region.
1. A hardenable orthopaedic support adapted to adjustably conform to an anatomical structure comprising a blank formed of a flexible material, at least part of the flexible material being impregnated with a hardenable material which will harden in the presence of an activating agent to support the anatomical structure, the blank having:
a first lobe adapted to drape about a first length of the anatomical structure;
a second lobe adapted to drape about a second length of the anatomical structure;
a third lobe adapted to drape about a third length of the anatomical structure;
a flexible first joining region disposed longitudinally between the first and second lobes and having a transverse width less than a transverse width of the first lobe and less than a transverse width of the second lobe, the first joining region being adapted to allow the first lobe to be reoriented with respect to the second lobe; and
a second joining region disposed longitudinally between the second and third lobes and having a transverse width less than the transverse width of the second lobe and less than a transverse width of the third lobe, the second joining region being adapted to allow the second lobe to be reoriented with respect to the third lobe.
2. The hardenable orthopaedic support of claim 1 wherein the first lobe is adapted to extend about a portion of a patient's hand distal of the thumb; the first joining region is adapted to receive the patient's thumb between the first and second lobes; the second lobe is adapted to extend about a portion of the patient's hand between the thumb and the patient's wrist; the second joining region is adapted to receive the patient's ulnar styloid between the second and third lobes; and the third lobe is adapted to extend about a portion of the patient's forearm.
3. The hardenable orthopaedic support of claim 1 wherein the first lobe transverse width is at least about 1.3 times the first joining region transverse width.
4. The hardenable orthopaedic support of claim 1 wherein the first lobe transverse width is at least about 1.5 times the first joining region transverse width.
5. The hardenable orthopaedic support of claim 1 wherein the transverse width of each of the first, second, and third lobes is at least about 1.3 times the width of at least one contiguous joining region.
6. The hardenable orthopaedic support of claim 1 wherein the transverse width of each of the first, second, and third lobes is at least about 1.5 times the width of at least one contiguous joining region.
7. The hardenable orthopaedic support of claim 1 further comprising a stiffening member in at least the first joining region.
8. The hardenable orthopaedic support of claim 1 further comprising an elongate stiffening member which extends longitudinally from the first lobe to the second lobe and through the joining region, the stiffening member having a transverse width less than the first lobe transverse width and less than the second lobe transverse width.
9. The hardenable orthopaedic support of claim 1 wherein the flexible material comprises a flexible blank, at least part of the blank being impregnated with a water-hardenable or a UV-hardenable material, a first layer adapted to contact a patient's skin, and a second layer, the first and second layers defining an envelope within which the blank is received.
10. A hardenable orthopaedic support adapted to adjustably conform to an anatomical structure comprising a blank formed of a flexible material, at least part of the flexible material being impregnated with a hardenable material which will harden in the presence of an activating agent to support the anatomical structure, the blank having a first lobe, a second lobe, and a joining region disposed longitudinally between the first and second lobes, wherein i) the first lobe is configured to drape over a first length of the anatomical structure and has a transverse width which is at least about 1.3 times a transverse width of the joining region, ii) the second lobe is configured to drape over a second length of the anatomical structure and has a transverse width which is at least about 1.3 times a transverse width of the joining region, iii) the joining region being configured to allow lateral movement of the first lobe with respect to the second lobe.
11. The hardenable orthopaedic support of claim 10 wherein the first lobe transverse width is at least about 1.5 times the joining region transverse width.
12. The hardenable orthopaedic support of claim 10 further comprising a stiffening member in at least the joining region.
13. The hardenable orthopaedic support of claim 10 further comprising an elongate stiffening member which extends longitudinally from the first lobe to the second lobe and through the joining region, the stiffening member having a transverse width less than the first lobe transverse width and less than the second lobe transverse width.
14. The hardenable orthopaedic support of claim 10 wherein the flexible material comprises a flexible blank, at least part of the blank being impregnated with a water-hardenable or a UV-hardenable material, a first layer adapted to contact a patient's skin, and a second layer, the first and second layers defining an envelope within which the blank is received.
15. A hardenable orthopaedic support adapted to adjustably conform to an anatomical structure comprising a blank formed of a flexible material, at least part of the flexible material being impregnated with a hardenable material which will harden in the presence of an activating agent to support the anatomical structure, the blank including a distal lobe adapted to extend about a first length of the anatomical structure, an intermediate lobe adapted to extend about a second length of the anatomical structure, and a proximal lobe adapted to extend about a third length of the anatomical structure; a first joining region contiguous to and connecting a proximal portion of the distal lobe to a distal portion of the intermediate lobe, and a second joining region contiguous to and connecting a proximal portion of the intermediate lobe to a distal portion of the proximal lobe; the distal lobe, the intermediate lobe and the proximal lobe each having a transverse width which is at least 1.3 times a transverse width of the or each joining region contiguous thereto.
16. The hardenable orthopaedic support of claim 15 wherein the transverse width of each of the distal, intermediate, and proximal lobes is at least about 1.5 times the width of at least one contiguous joining region.
17. The hardenable orthopaedic support of claim 15 wherein the first joining region is configured to allow lateral movement of the distal lobe with respect to the intermediate lobe.
18. The hardenable orthopaedic support of claim 15 wherein the first joining region is configured to allow lateral movement of the distal lobe with respect to the intermediate lobe and the second joining region is configured to allow lateral movement of the intermediate lobe with respect to the proximal lobe.
19. The hardenable orthopaedic support of claim 15 wherein the distal lobe is adapted to extend about a portion of a patient's hand distal of the thumb; the first joining region is adapted to receive the patient's thumb between the distal and intermediate lobes; the intermediate lobe is adapted to extend about a portion of the patient's hand between the thumb and the patient's wrist; the second joining region is adapted to receive the patient's ulnar styloid between the intermediate and proximal lobes; and the proximal lobe is adapted to extend about a portion of the patient's forearm.
20. The hardenable orthopaedic support of claim 15 further comprising a stiffening member in at least the joining region.
21. The hardenable orthopaedic support of claim 15 further comprising an elongate stiffening member which extends longitudinally from the distal lobe to the intermediate lobe and through the first joining region, the stiffening member having a transverse width less than the distal lobe transverse width and less than the intermediate lobe transverse width.
22. The hardenable orthopaedic support of claim 15 wherein the flexible material comprises a flexible blank, at least part of the blank being impregnated with a water-hardenable or a UV-hardenable material, a first layer adapted to contact a patient's skin, and a second layer, the first and second layers defining an envelope within which the blank is received.