Orthopedic system for immobilizing and supporting body parts
View Patent ↗A unitized cast system for immobilizing and supporting a body part. The unitized casting system includes a first inner layer for padding and dissipating heat against the patient's skin. A second layer is formed from a thermoformable structural material such as perforated plastic. A protective third outer layer is provided to provide insulation for the second layer. These three layers are formed together to form a unitized cast system that is easily formed and applied to the patient.
1. A cast system for supporting a body part, said cast system comprising:
an inner layer for providing insulation and cushioning against the body part, said inner layer formed of flexible foam and having a first density;
a middle layer malleable for a dwell time when heated to conform about a body part and that provides rigid support for the body part when said middle layer is at room temperature, said middle layer having a second density;
an outer layer for providing insulation for said middle layer, said outer layer formed of flexible foam and having a third density; and
said inner layer, said middle layer, and said outer layer are assembled together to form a unitized cast, with an edge of said middle layer recessed from corresponding edges of said inner layer and said outer layer, and with said edges of said inner layer and said outer layer sealed together encapsulating said middle layer,
wherein said first and third densities being less than the second density of the middle layer increases the dwell time of said middle layer, and
wherein the encapsulation of the middle layer by the inner layer and the outer layer increases the dwell time of the middle layer.
2. The cast system of claim 1 , wherein said inner layer and said outer layer insulate said middle layer to maintain said middle layer at a temperature at which said middle layer is malleable for a time period sufficient to allow said middle layer to be formed about the body part.
3. The cast system of claim 1 , wherein said inner layer and said outer layer insulate and dissipate heat of said middle layer, thereby allowing, in use, said layers to be heated up to 250 Fahrenheit without causing discomfort to the body part during subsequent forming on the body.
4. The cast system of claim 1 , further including perforations in said middle layer, wherein the perforations remove twenty to sixty percent of said middle layer to allow said middle layer to better conform to the body part and be malleable at lower temperatures.
5. The cast system of claim 1 , wherein said middle layer is formed of a rigid foam material having thirty to fifty percent air bubbles in said middle layer to allow said middle layer to better conform to the body part and be malleable at lower temperatures.
6. The cast system of claim 1 , wherein said middle layer is formed of a heat formable material that is selected from the group consisting of: Amorphous Polyethylene Terephthalate, Recycled Polyethylene Terephalate, Polyvinyl Chloride (“PVC”), PVC foam, polycaprolactone, caprilactone, Polyethylene and derivates of those materials.
7. The cast system of claim 1 , wherein said middle layer is formed of a material that is heat formable at a temperature of about 250 degrees Fahrenheit or below.
8. The cast system of claim 1 , wherein said middle layer is formed of a material that is heat formable at a temperature of about 250 degrees Fahrenheit or below for a time sufficient to allow said cast system to be formed to closely fit on the body part.
9. The cast system of claim 1 , wherein said middle layer includes: multiple layers of materials that are heat formable to form about the body part while supporting the body part when said materials are cool.
10. The cast system of claim 1 , wherein said middle layer is formed with varying thicknesses through said middle layer to provide greater rigidity at thicker areas of said middle layer and greater flexibility at thinner areas of said middle layer.
11. The cast system of claim 1 , wherein said middle layer is formed of a material that is heat formable at a temperature of about 250 degrees Fahrenheit or below for a dwell time sufficient to allow said cast system to be formed to closely fit on the body part, and wherein said dwell time is controlled by selecting from the group consisting of the material choice, density of the material, the thickness of the material and the insulation properties of the inner layer and the outer layer and combinations thereof.
12. The cast system of claim 1 further including at least one additional layer adjacent to said inner layer to provide additional comfort to the body part.
13. The cast system of claim 1 , wherein the inner layer is treated with a medicine or an anti-microbial.
14. The cast system of claim 1 further including at least one additional layer adjacent to said outer layer to provide durability and aesthetics to said cast system.
15. The cast system of claim 1 , wherein the inner layer is configured to accept and dispense therapeutic chemical additives.
16. The cast system of claim 1 further including at least one ventilation hole formed through said cast system for providing ventilation to the body part through said cast system.
17. The cast system of claim 1 , wherein said outer layer includes a polymer foam layer that is moldable at temperatures above 250 degrees Fahrenheit so that features molded in said polymer foam layer are retained as said cast is heat formed about the body part.
18. The cast system of claim 1 , wherein said inner layer, said middle layer, and said outer layer are assembled and molded together to form a unitized cast.
19. The cast system of claim 1 , wherein said inner layer, said middle layer, and said outer layer are assembled and compression molded together to form a unitized cast.
20. The cast system of claim 1 , wherein said inner layer, said middle layer, and said outer layer are laminated together to form a unitized cast.
21. The cast system of claim 1 , further including an attachment mechanism assembled on said cast system for securing said cast system around the body part.
22. The cast system of claim 1 , further including an attachment mechanism that allows the side edges of said laminated layers to overlap one another from ten to twenty-five percent of the circumference of said casting system to allow said casting system to accommodate different sizes of body parts.
23. The cast system of claim 1 , further an attachment mechanism that allows the side edges of said laminated layers to overlap one another from ten to twenty-five percent of the circumference of said casting system to allow said casting system to be adjustable around the body part.
24. The cast system of claim 1 further including a closure system that mechanically allows a doctor or technician to set said closure system on said cast system; and a doctor or technician's tool for setting said closure system of said cast system.
25. The cast system of claim 1 further including a dry heat source for heating said cast system for shaping around the body part.
26. A cast system that is formable about a body part to support the body part, the cast system comprising:
a material having a first density that is rigid at temperatures below about 140 degrees Fahrenheit and is heat malleable at a temperature of about 200 degrees Fahrenheit for a dwell time sufficient to allow said cast system to be formed to fit on the body part wherein said dwell time is controlled by selecting from the group consisting of the material choice, density of the material, the thickness of the material and the insulation properties of an inner layer and an outer layer and combinations thereof,
said material is assembled with said inner and said outer layer into a unitized cast, with an edge of said middle layer recessed from corresponding edges of said inner and outer layers, and with said edges of said inner and outer layers sealed together encapsulating said middle layer; and
said inner layer having a second density less than said first density, said outer layer having a third density less than said first density, and said dwell time is increased by said second and third densities being less than said first density and by said sealed edges of said inner and outer layers encapsulating said middle layer.
27. A cast system that is formable about a body part to support the body part, the cast system comprising:
a multi density single material that includes a center portion and two outer portions, said center portion having a higher density than said two outer portions and that is rigid at temperatures below about 140 degrees Fahrenheit and is heat malleable at a temperature of about 200 degrees Fahrenheit, where said two outer portions have a lower density to provide insulation and cushioning around said center portion and to insulate said center portion for a dwell time sufficient to allow said heated cast system to be formed to the body part,
wherein said material is configured for assembly into a unitized cast.