Patient positioning assistance device

1. A method to facilitate endotracheal intubation of a patient with a patient positioning assistance device placed under the head of the patient in a supine position, comprising:

supporting the head of the patient on a chamber coupled to a base of said patient positioning assistance device, said chamber being inflatable to adjust the height of the head of the patient relative to the body of the patient; and

sliding said chamber along said base in a predetermined direction and inflating said chamber to adjust a tilt position of the head of the patient to facilitate insertion and proper placement of a laryngoscope blade into the mouth of the patient.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said sliding step comprises sliding said chamber along a base track disposed on an upper surface of said base.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising coupling said chamber to a supply of inflatant.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising coupling said chamber to an inflatant source associated with an anesthesia machine.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein said inflatant is selected from the group consisting of air, oxygen, and nitrogen.

6. The method of claim 1 , farther comprising coupling said chamber to a suction device operable to remove air from said chamber thereby causing said chamber to deflate.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising activating an inflatant supply to provide an inflatant to said chamber to inflate said chamber.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising disabling a suction device to allow a self-expending foam of said chamber to expand thereby causing inflation of said chamber.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising controlling an amount of said inflatant supplied to said chamber to adjust the height of the patient's head relative to the body of the patient.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein controlling an amount of said inflatant comprises receiving an actuation signal from a foot pedal.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein controlling an amount of said inflatant comprises receiving an actuation signal from a hand operated unit.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein controlling an amount of said inflatant comprises receiving an actuation signal from a voice activated unit.

13. The method of claim 1 , further comprising applying pressure on a foot pedal coupled to a bellows to supply air from said bellows to said chamber to inflate said chamber.

14. A method to facilitate proper positioning of a patient during a surgical procedure with a patient positioning assistance device placed under the upper body of the patient in a lateral position, comprising:

supporting the head of the patient on a first chamber of said patient positioning assistance device, said first chamber being inflatable to adjust the height of the head of the patient relative to the body of the patient;

independently inflating a second chamber and a third chamber of said patient positioning assistance device to adjust the relative height of the patient's right and left sides to provide access to a predetermined body portion of the patient to a surgeon performing said surgical procedure; and

independently inflating a fourth chamber disposed on said second and third chambers to prevent injury to nerves in the axilla of the patient in the lateral position.

15. A method to facilitate proper positioning of a patient during a surgical procedure with a patient positioning assistance device placed under the upper body of the patient in a lateral position, comprising:

supporting the head of the patient on a first chamber of said patient positioning assistance device, said first chamber being inflatable to adjust the height of the head of the patient relative to the body of the patient;

independently inflating a second chamber and a third chamber of said patient positioning assistance device to adjust the relative height of the patient's right and left sides to provide access to a predetermined body portion of the patient to a surgeon performing said surgical procedure; and

independently inflating a fourth chamber disposed below said second and third chambers to prevent injury to nerves in the axilla of the patient in the lateral position.

16. A method to facilitate proper positioning of a patient during a surgical procedure with a patient positioning assistance device placed under the upper body of the patient in a supine position comprising:

inflating a first chamber of said patient positioning assistance device to adjust the height of the head of said patient relative to the body of the patient;

independently inflating a second chamber of said patient positioning assistance device to adjust the relative height of a first side of the upper body of said patient for presentation of a surgical site on Said first side to a surgeon at a desired orientation, said second chamber being substantially orthogonal to said first chamber; and

inflating a third chamber of said patient positioning assistance device to adjust the relative height of a second side of the upper body of said patient for presentation of a surgical site on said second side to said surgeon at a desired orientation, said third chamber being substantially orthogonal to said first chamber and substantially parallel to said second chamber, said second and third chambers being on the same side of and in proximity to said first chamber.

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising substantially deflating said second chamber.

18. The method of claim 16 , further comprising displacing said first chamber along at least one track disposed under said first chamber to adjust the tilt position of the head of the patient.

19. A patient positioning assistance device placed under the head and shoulders of a patient in a supine position, the device comprising:

first, second and third independently inflatable and deflatable chambers;

said first chamber being inflatable to adjust the height of the head of the patient relative to the body of the patient;

said second chamber being inflatable to adjust the height of a first side of the upper body of the patient, said second chamber being substantially orthogonal to said first chamber, and

said third chamber being inflatable to adjust the height of a second side of the upper body of the patient, said third chamber being substantially orthogonal to said first chamber and substantially parallel and proximate to said second chamber, wherein said first chamber is coupled to two tracks disposed on an upper surface of a base of said patient positioning device and is operable to adjust the tilt position of the head of the patient.

20. A patient positioning assistance device placed under the head and shoulders of a patient in a lateral position, the device comprising:

a first section;

a second section substantially orthogonal to said first section;

a third section substantially orthogonal to said first section and substantially parallel to said second section;

a first platform supporting said first section and operable to adjust the height of the head of the patient relative to the body of the patient;

a second platform supporting said second section and operable to adjust the height of a first side of the upper body of the patient; and

a third platform supporting said third section and operable to adjust the height of a second side of the upper body of the patient.

21. The patient positioning assistance device of claim 20 , further comprising a fourth section being inflatable to adjust the height of the shoulders of said patient in the lateral position.

22. The patient positioning assistance device of claim 21 , wherein said fourth section is disposed on said second and third sections.

23. The patient positioning assistance device of claim 21 , wherein said fourth section is disposed below said second and third sections.

24. The patient positioning assistance device of claim 20 , further comprising a fourth section being inflatable to raise the chest of said patient in the lateral position.