Some aspect of the emergency stretcher

Accordingly, the emergency stretcher of the present invention provides a dampening system that at least reduces the impact loads on some of the components of the ambulance stretcher . Further, the stretcher of the present invention includes a support frame with the handling capability of prior support frames but with increased stiffness via additional frame structure to reduce the side-to-side tilting of the litter surface that may occur on prior ambulance stretchers.
In one form of the medical beds, a stretcher includes a patient support, a base, a plurality of support members supporting the patient support relative to the base, which are adapted and arranged to raise or lower the base relative to the patient support, and a locking mechanism. Further, the locking mechanism is configured to provide a stop so that when the locking mechanism is in its unlocked position and the support members are released, the locking mechanism absorbs energy from the support members when the support members engage the stop.
In one aspect, the locking mechanism defines a plurality of locked positions. For example, the locking hospital bed may include a plurality of notches which define the plurality of locked positions.
In another aspect, the locking mechanism comprises a pair of elongate members pivotally mounted at one end to the patient support and movable at their opposed ends between a first position wherein the elongate members lock the position of the support members and a second position wherein the support members are released from their locked position.
In a further aspect, each of the elongate members has a high slenderness ratio and thus exhibits spring force properties to thereby further absorb energy when the locking mechanism is in its unlocked position and the support members engage the stop. For example, each of the elongate members may comprise an elongate rectangular bar.
In yet other aspects, one or more of the support members comprises an adjustable length support member, with a first pair of the support members being connected together at a generally medial portion thereof by a pivot connection, and a second pair of the support members being connected together at a emergency stretcher thereof by another pivot connection. When the elongate members of the locking mechanism are moved to their second positions, the transverse member is released for longitudinal movement relative to the elongate members so that the height of the stretcher may be adjusted.

emergency stretcher ambulance stretcher medical beds hospital bed

To learn more about this article, kick here: http://carenovogroup.livejournal.com/

Vibration-proof emergency stretcher for treatment

A vibration-proof emergency stretcher is usable for facilitating safe emergency treatment of a patient lying on the stretcher. The stretcher includes a chassis having wheels provided with tires; a bed frame provided on the chassis; a net frame provided inside the bed frame; net springs tightly anchored inside and to the net frame and constituting a net.

The present ambulance stretcher relates to a vibration-proof stretcher for carrying an emergency patient to a nearby emergency hospital in an ambulance in which can be used to facilitate safe emergency treatment such as cardiopulmonary resuscitation and securing of the air passage of a patient lying on the stretcher.
There are different types of ambulancw stretchers used in an ambulance, such as stretchers a and b shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. Each of the stretchers a and b includes a chassis d having casters g provided with tires c, a bed frame e provided on the chassis divided into upper and lower portions for suporting the upper and lower parts of a patient lying on the stretcher .

The present medical bed was made in order to solve the above-mentioned problems of the conventional stretchers. Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a vibration-proof stretcher which is effective and appropriate to solve such problems and which is usable to facilitate safe emergency treatment of a patient lying on the stretcher.
The vibration-proof stretcher is characterized by a chassis having wheels provided with tires; a hospital bed frame provided on the chassis; a net frame provided inside the bed frame; net springs tightly anchored inside and to the net frame and constituting a net, the net springs and the additional springs being arranged in a position to correspond to the position of the lower part of the body of the patient.

The back plate and the fluid-filled mat can be operated well enough to secure the air passage of the patient, since his body is in an ideal posture so that his affected part is moved less and his body is kept safer than with a emergency stretcher, particularly when he is suffering from skull fracture or cervical vertebra damage. If the patient is in the ideal posture on the stretcher, the contents of his stomach are unlikely to flow back into his air passage and he can be directly carried to an intensive care unit.

emergency stretcher ambulancw stretchers medical bed hospital bed

To learn more about this article, kick here: http://carenovogroup.livejournal.com/

Emergency stretcher pad and method of use thereof

An improved emergency stretcher pad and method of use thereof, wherein the improved emergency stretcher pad comprises a cushioned pad with wing members extending therefrom, and wherein the wing members comprise pockets dimensioned to receive the side rails of a emergency stretcher or gurney. Once inserted into the wing members, a side rail can be folded to form a bridge support between the ambulance stretcher and/or gurney and a hospital bed or other surface upon which the patient reposes. A removable, adjustable pillow is also included.

When transporting a patient from the place of his/her injury to a transport vehicle, or when moving a medical bed, a emergency stretcher or gurney is often utilized. Such emergency stretchers or gurneys are typically lightweight support devices capable of being rolled, wherein a patient is placed on top of the emergency stretcher or gurney and transported thereby.

In order to provide comfort to a patient, the hospital beds for sale or gurney typically has a pad placed on the surface thereof. The pad typically covers the entire top surface of the emergency stretcher or gurney to provide the patient with a comfortable platform while being moved.

Furthermore, because such side rails can be folded or adjusted to lay in a horizontal position and, thus, provide a bridging section between the emergency stretcher and a bed, great discomfort can occur when moving a patient across the bridging metal side rail due to a lack of padding thereover.

Another device comprises an unpadded protective cover for a gurney, wherein side portions of the cover merely drape over the raised gurney rails, thereby failing to provide any securing means to retain the protective cover in place, or any padded protection from the hard metallic rails.

Therefore, it is readily apparent that there is a need for an improved emergency stretcher pad and method of use thereof, wherein the emergency stretcher pad includes foldable side wing extensions that readily accommodate and provide padding for the side rails of the emergency stretcher without the need to secure the side wing extensions in place, and wherein the side wing extensions permit articulation of the side rails from a vertical to a horizontal position.

emergency stretcher ambulance stretcher medical bed

To learn more about this article, kick here: http://carenovogroup.livejournal.com/

Emergency stretcher with X-frame support

An emergency stretcher for emergency vehicles includes an X-frame litter support mechanism that vertically movably supports a patient litter on a wheeled base. Each of the legs of the litter support mechanism have the capability to expand and contract in length, and a fixed-length link member extends between the base and one of the legs. A releasable locking arrangement can releasably lock the patient litter in a selected vertical position, and can be released only when the patient litter is manually lifted. A gas cylinder which controls the angular position of a pivotally supported upper body support member can move into a recess in a cross member of the patient litter.

Specialized ambulance stretchers are used with emergency vehicles such as ambulances, in part to permit the medical beds to be easily loaded into different ambulances having different internal floor heights. Examples of such prior stretchers are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,097,941, 4,767,148, 4,037,871 and 3,644,944. Although these pre-existing stretchers have been generally adequate for their intended purposes, they have not been satisfactory in all respects.

For example, it is sometimes possible to disengage the releasable locking mechanism when the patient litter is not fully supported by manual lifting, resulting in a rapid drop of the patient litter with an abrupt stop in its lowermost position, which can result in patient injury. Also, prior stretchers may have a pivotally-supported upper body support section which can be maintained in a desired position by a selectively actuatable gas cylinder, but the vertical thickness of the patient litter must usually be increased beyond a desirable amount in order to provide clearance for movement of the gas cylinder with respect to transversely-extending cross members that rigidify the frame.

Although particular preferred embodiments of the emergency stretcher have been disclosed in detail for illustrative purposes, it will be recognized that variations or modifications of the disclosed embodiments, including the rearrangement of parts, lie within the scope of the present invention.

emergency stretcher hospital bed ambulance stretchers

Emergency stretcher and beauty bed

An object of the present invention is to provide a emergency stretcher. The stretcher comprises: a mattress section having a rectangular shape, the mattress section being made of a material, which is capable of absorbing air, the mattress section being capable of spreading by absorbing air and being wound from a longitudinal end when air is discharged; a cover section for accommodating the mattress section, the cover section having a rectangular shape.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a stretcher and a facial bed.

A conventional stretcher, which has a pair of shafts and a cloth section stretched between the shafts, has been well known. A man to be carried. e.g. a patient, is laid down on the cloth section, and carrier persons rip end sections of the shafts so as to lift and carry him.

However, the conventional stretcher has following disadvantages:

Firstly, the conventional stretcher is bulky, and a large accommodation space is required because the shafts are not collapsible.     Further, with such long shafts, it is difficult to go up and down stairs and to turn at a narrow entrance or on a narrow aisle.

Secondly, a plurality of carrier persons are required to manage the conventional stretcher. Therefore, it is impossible to carry a patient by one carrier person.

Thirdly, the cloth section of the ambulance stretchers have no elasticity, so a patient must be transferred from the stretcher to a mattress on a bed after the a patient is carried to a destination. To transfer the patient to the bed is troublesome, and the mattress must be previously set on the bed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present emergency stretcher is to provide a collapsible stretcher for which a smaller accommodation space is required.

Another object is to provide a stretcher, which can be managed by one carrier person.

Further object is to provide a stretcher, which can be used as a mattress.

Namely, a stretcher of the present hospital bed comprises:

a mattress section having a rectangular shape, the mattress section being made of a material, which is capable of absorbing air, the mattress section being capable of spreading by absorbing air and being wound from a longitudinal end when air is discharged: a cover section for accommodating the mattress section, the cover section having a rectangular shape.

emergency stretcher ambulance stretchers hospital bed facial bed

Summary of the emergency stretcher

Accordingly, the emergency stretcher of the present invention includes a support frame with the handling capability of prior support frames, but with increased stiffness in the raised position to reduce wobbling or play of the litter surface that may occur on prior ambulance stretchers. Further, when it its compact, folded configuration, the patient support is locked relative to the base, which eliminates “base sag”, which can facilitate loading of the cot into the patient compartment of an emergency vehicle. Further, the cot may incorporate a dampening system to reduce the impact forces on the stretcher components when the base is released and dropped relative to the patient support or raised quickly relative to the patient support. Additionally, the cot may incorporate an adjustable load height feature.

In one form of the invention, a stretcher includes a patient support, a beauty bed,a plurality of support members supporting the patient support relative to the medical beds, which are adapted and arranged to raise or lower the base relative to the patient support, and a lockable link. Further, the lockable link is provided between the patient support and a point at or near the base when the base is raised to the patient support to thereby eliminate the base sagging or dropping relative to the patient stretcher, for example when the stretcher is being loaded into or unloaded from a transport vehicle. Further, the coupling of the litter to the base improves the retention of the stretcher in the event of a crash by providing restraints in all directions so that the cot does not have a tendency to “accordion” open.

In one aspect, the lockable link comprises a pivotal locking member, for example a pivotal hook, which forms the lockable link.

In further aspects, the emergency stretcher includes an engagement surface at the base, and the pivotal locking member engages the engagement surface to thereby lock the patient support at the base. For example, the engagement surface may be formed by a recess, such as in a loop member, wherein the pivotal locking member is extendable into the recess and engageable with the loop member to thereby lock the patient support at the base.

In addition, the stretcher may include a biasing member, such as a spring, to urge the pivotal locking member into engagement with the engagement surface when the base is raised relative to the patient support.

emergency stretcher ambulance stretchers beauty bed medical beds

Rapid viral diagnosis tests for respiratory diseases in children who arrive in emergency departments (EDs) have the potential to reduce pressures on health systems by enabling doctors to reach a quicker diagnosis, according to a new study.
Researchers at the British Columbia Children’s Hospital conducted a Review of studies that included data from four trials, which together included 1,588 children, to determine the effect of rapid viral testing in the ED on the rate of precautionary testing, antibiotic use, and ED length of visit. The researchers found that in fact, rapid viral testing did not reduce antibiotic use in the ED significantly, neither clinically nor statistically. The researchers did find lower rates of chest radiography in the rapid viral testing group, but no effect on length of ED visits, blood or urine testing. The researchers suggest that further, sufficiently large studies could reveal the true impact of faster tests.
The study was published in the October 2009 issue of Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews.
“The existing evidence is not strong enough to prove that these tests help to reduce pressure on health systems, but it certainly does look promising,” said lead researcher, Quynh Doan, M.D. Children who are admitted to Eds with cold or flu symptoms as well as fever undergo various diagnostic tests and they are often prescribed antibiotics as a precautionary measure, even though viruses, which are often the cause, do not respond to antibiotics. The burden on health systems is huge, not only financially, but also in terms of the time and staff required to reach a diagnosis. Rapid viral diagnosis methods could help deliver fast, accurate diagnoses, and enable a much more appropriate use of antibiotics.

A team of researchers hope that tests utilizing functional and high-resolution structural brain imaging will reveal new insights into early Parkinson’s disease (PD).
Parkinson’s disease, a debilitating movement disorder, is typically managed by using drugs that compensate for a lack of the neurotransmitter dopamine. PD patients have a deficit of this important chemical because of degeneration in an area of the brain stem where it is made – the substantia nigra.
“What’s not well understood is how the structure and function of the basal ganglia, or other parts of the brain, are affected early on in the disease,” said Dr. Vaillancourt.
He and his colleagues will recruit 25 subjects with early signs of PD who have not yet begun taking drugs to control the disease. Their study will compare findings to a control group matched for age, gender, and handedness – because all subjects will perform motor tasks with their hands while their brain is being imaged.
The study will be the first into early PD to use brain functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) during gripping tasks designed to simulate everyday activities such as buttoning a shirt or blouse, or holding a cup. “Individuals will undergo a brain scan while they exert force using their hands against a device that measures how hard and how fast they squeeze,” said Dr. Vaillancourt. “Functional brain imaging will be targeted at the basal ganglia, which is the part of the brain that underlies symptoms of Parkinson’s disease.” Dr. Vaillancourt’s group is investigating what is occurring before PD patients begin treatment with drugs such as levodopa that can change the way the brain functions.
Pretreatment brain scans may be useful to develop markers for screening and diagnosis. Those with PD will be imaged as soon as possible after volunteering and will begin treatment with anti-Parkinson’s drugs afterward.
“With Parkinson’s, the brain must change over time, because it’s a neuro-degenerative disease,” Dr. Vaillancourt said. “This study will serve as the basis for trying to understand how the disease progresses.”

A new study has revealed a blood marker for patients with functional iron deficiencies, which are at higher risk for developing severe anemia and subsequently requiring a blood transfusion in the intensive care unit (ICU).
Researchers at Hospital Sant Joan de Deu (Manresa, Spain) and Hospital de Sabadell (Spain), conducted a prospective cohort study of 62 patients, after excluding those patients transfused on or before ICU admission. The researchers recorded age, diagnosis, reticulocyte hemoglobin content (CHr), severity score, presence of sepsis, ICU complications, ICU treatments, ICU and hospital outcomes, and transfusion-free interval. The threshold for low CHr was determined at 29 picograms.
The results showed that 23 out of the 65 patients (37%) presented with low CHr on ICU admission, and tended to be sicker and more likely to have sepsis than those with normal CHr. They were also more prone to complications, particularly acute renal failure, and ICU-acquired infection. The overall transfusion rate was 22.6%, being higher in low-CHr patients (39.1%) than in normal-CHr patients (12.8%). After adjusting for severity of illness, age, trauma, and hemoglobin level, low CHr remained significantly associated with transfusion, with a hazard ratio of 3.6; median ICU stay was also longer in patients with low CHr. The study was published in the May 2010 issue of Anesthesiology.
“The fact that iron deficiency was associated with a higher need for a transfusion and higher likelihood of mortality in this group should reinforce the impact iron levels can have on surgical outcomes,” said lead author Rafael Fernandez, M.D., Ph.D., of the ICU at Hospital Sant Joan de Deu. “Whenever possible, iron levels should be well-managed prior to admission.”
Because reticulocytes are the earliest erythrocytes released into blood, circulating for only one to two days, CHr provides a ready measure of iron available to red cells recently produced by the bone marrow. Low CHr figures indicate a possible lack of vitamin B12, folic acid, or iron in the diet, or an illness affecting the bone marrow. CHr has also been shown to be an early indicator of iron-restricted erythropoiesis in patients receiving erythropoietin therapy, and is a strong predictor of iron deficiency in children.

Anovel class of synthetic small, bifunctional molecules has been shown to have excellent potential for treatment of such diverse diseases as prostate cancer and HIV infection.

In general the compounds are called “antibody-recruiting molecules (ARM)” with an additional identifier (H for HIV or P for prostate cancer) to indicate specificity. The molecules have the ability to bind simultaneously to anti-2,4-dinitrophenyl (DNP) antibodies that are already present in the human bloodstream and to a specific epitope on the target. In the case of HIV, the target is gp120, a component of the Env surface viral glycoprotein (found on the surface of both HIV and virus-infected cells), while on prostate cancer cells the target is prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA).

The drugs work by coating the target cells with a layer of anti-DNP molecules.The antibody coating triggers an immune response that results in destruction of the target. In HIV, the treatment has the further benefit that the blocking of gp 120 prevents the HIV virus from infecting host cells.Details of these studies were published in the October 9, 2009, and November 4, 2009, online editions of the Journal of the American Chemical Society (JACS).

“This is an entirely new approach to treating these two diseases, which are extraordinarily important in terms of their impact on human health,” said senior author Dr. David Spiegel, assistant professor of chemistry at Yale University (New Haven, CT, USA; www.yale.edu). “Instead of trying to kill the pathogens directly, these molecules manipulate our immune system to do something it would not ordinarily do.”