Orthopaedic body-aid device.

p0001The invention makes orthopedic body auxiliary devices available with a flat, flexible, pressure-stable ventilation layer material according to claim. 1

p0002One often comes directly or indirectly with atmungsinaktiven or breathable weak materials in contact, resulting in the corresponding part of the body for the formation of perspiration moisture.

p0003As a first example, a limb prosthesis, such as artificial leg, considered. Such prostheses are generally made of a plastic material or wood. On a footprint of the skin of the prosthesis wearer comes with the plastic material or wood of the prosthesis in contact. In the case of a leg prosthesis, this is a part of the leg stump, on which the leg prosthesis is attached. The wood or plastic material of the prosthesis is smooth and impermeable. therefore particular in warm ambient temperature there is perspiration on the footprint. This is uncomfortable for the denture wearer and can also result in significant skin irritation.

p0004As a second example plaster splints are considered, for example, in shell form. The to be splinted body part, such as a forearm, splinted with the splint or plaster cast. The skin of the patient is practically the entire rail surface of the splint or plaster cast in contact. Again, it comes at the interface between skin and splint or plaster cast again in the formation of body moisture, which can hardly escape or not. This makes wearing such plaster splints or plaster cast unpleasant and often leads to skin irritation as itching.

p0005Another example are inflatable air bars, which are placed around the rail ends to part of the body and then inflated. Such air bars generally have a plastic skin, which bears against the skin of the seemed part of the body. This is generally a particularly intimate connection between the body skin of the patient and the outer skin of the air rail, so that the formation and accumulation of perspiration moisture are especially strong.

p0006By contrast, this can be remedied by at least partial lining of orthopedic body auxiliary device with the ventilation layer material according to the invention. The fact that this ventilation layer material up to at least one surface-reaching air ducts longitudinally conducting air ducts and related Verbidung and transversely, air can get at all lined with the ventilation layer material region. This allows perspiration moisture will evaporate and discharged. The ventilation effect is in general increased by the fact that the provided with the ventilation layer material object, be it a prosthesis, a splint, a gypsum shell, an air bar or the like, is often moved during its use, which results in the ventilation layer material to a pumping action by which is the ventilation increases behave.

p0007The orientation of the ventilation layer material in orthopedic body auxiliary device is expediently such that the longitudinal air ducts are directed to an open end of the auxiliary device body, while the Querluftleitkanäle are directed towards the body surface of the patient.

p0008The ventilation layer material may be entirely different structure, for example, porous, like ribs, knobbed, provided with webs, mesh-like three-dimensional, or the like. The important thing is that there arise out Längsluftleitkanäle and with these related Querluftleitkanäle up to at least one surface.

p0009In addition to the ventilation effect has the ventilation layer material used in the invention further advantages. Such an advantage is the cushioning effect that can be very pleasant, for example in the case of plaster splints.

p0010The ventilation layer material should be stable under pressure to some extent. That is, it is at the pressure loads occurring during normal use of the provided with the ventilation layer material body auxiliary device not lose its ventilation function. That is, in such a normal load pressure, the air ducts are ready yet retain their shape that they can still derive sufficient ventilation air.

p0011The ventilation layer material may be made of a suitable plastic. Examples include polyamide, polypropylene and polyester, in monofilament or in Multifilamentform, woven or rustled, or in the form of reticulated foam of such material.

p0012An advantageous development of the invention is to connect to the Längsluftleitkanäle the ventilation layer material, a ventilation air pump, which is operated either electrically or by mechanical drive utilizing a body movement of the patient, in the case of a leg prosthesis of knee movement, z. B. in the knee bending movement pressure on a bellows is applied.

p0013The ventilation layer material, optionally together with an inner lining of the ventilating material, is preferably formed as a removable insert from the prosthesis. This facilitates the washing of these materials

p0014Advantageous developments of the invention are specified in claims 2 to 10th Articles in which the use of the ventilation layer material is particularly suitable and advantageous are given in claims 2 to eleventh

p0015The invention will now be explained in more detail based on embodiments. In the drawings:<ul><li>Fig. 1 shows an embodiment of a ventilation layer material of the invention;</li><li>Figure 2 shows a schematic representation of a section of a body prosthesis, which is provided with an inventive ventilation layer material.</li><li>FIG. 3 is a schematic representation of a portion of a leg prosthesis with a layer structure according to FIG. 2; and</li><li>Fig. 4 is a schematic representation of an inflatable air bar with inventive ventilation layer material.</li></ul>

p0016In Fig. 1 an exemplary embodiment of an inventively suitable ventilation layer material is shown in schematic, greatly enlarged manner. Thereby forming three delta shaped bundled longitudinal webs l3 a spacer 11. A plurality of substantially parallel and spaced from each other arranged spacer 11 is on its underside by means of a plurality of with respect to the spacer 11 transversely extending, spaced apart and substantially parallel to each other extending transverse webs 17. The spaces between two adjacent spacers 11 form Längsluftleitkanäle 19. In order to communicate Querluftleitkanäle 21, 23 wherein the Querluftleitkanäle 23 also formed by the gaps between the spacers 11 and flowing through the Längsluftleitkanäle 19 air to the in FIG. 1 above the conduct spacers 11 located level. The Querluftleitkanäle 21 are formed by the spaces between the transverse webs 17 and pass through the Längsluftleitkanäle 19 air flowing to the bottom in Fig. 1 side of the ventilation layer material. Moisture which is formed below or above the ventilation layer material may on the Querluftleitkanäle 21 or 23 and the Längsluftleitkanläle 19 are discharged.

p0017FIG. 2 shows a schematic representation of a detail from the cross section of a body prosthesis. This has on the outside a smooth wooden or plastic layer. Its inside is lined with ventilation layer material. 3 On the inside is a lining layer 5. If the ventilation layer material 3 is sufficiently smooth and hypoallergenic on its inner surface, the inner lining can be 5 omitted. however, a ventilation layer material 3 is used with a structure that leads to the inner surface to excessive roughness of the skin, a smooth, skin-friendly inner liner layer 5 can be used, which has by perforation or other means a sufficiently high air permeability, the ventilation effect the ventilation layer material 3 not to interfere.

p0018Preferably, the ventilation layer material 3 and, optionally, the liner layer 5 are formed as removable from the prosthetic insert which can then be easily washed.

p0019In the case of a body prosthesis will be in the outer layer 1 generally to wood or plastic. In the case of a splint according to the invention is in the outer layer 1 to gypsum, on the inside of the ventilation layer material 3 is provided and, optionally, the inner lining of the fifth

p0020In the event an air bar according to the invention, which is formed in the manner of inflatable floating wings by a limited by two plastic skins inflatable air chamber, it is at the outer layer 1 to the inner plastic layer of the air chamber, on the inside of the ventilation layer material 3 and optionally arranged the inner liner 5 is.

p0021In Fig. 3, as one embodiment of the invention in a schematic representation a detail of a leg prosthesis 31 is shown, having one of the Fig. 2 structure corresponding layers. At the upper end of the leg prosthesis 31 is a receiving opening 33 for the leg stump. This receiving opening 33 is lined with ventilation layer material 3 and optionally oriented with the inner liner 5. The ventilation layer material such that the Längsluftleitkanäle 19 lead to the upper free end of the leg prosthesis 31 while the Querluftleitkanäle are 21 or 23 facing the leg stump out.

p0022The ventilation effect of the ventilation layer material 3 is increased, that is exerted by the leg movements, especially when walking, a pumping effect on the ventilation layer material 3rd Through this movement, a pump, for example, can be operated in the manner of a bellows, by means of which air is pumped into the ventilation layer material. 3

p0023Fig. 4 shows a schematic representation of an example of an air bar 41 in inflated and cross-sectionally by cut form. an air chamber 47. By means of a schematically indicated inflation valve is located between a plastic outer skin 43 and an inner plastic skin 45 49, the air chamber 47 are filled with air. The inner plastic skin 45 is lined with ventilation layer material 3, so that its Längsluftleitkanäle extend axially and whose Querluftleitkanäle in the radial direction of the tubular air bar 41st Within the ventilation layer material 3 is an interior 51 for receiving the material to splinted body part, such as an arm.

p0024For use, the tubular, two end open air bar 41 is in the non-inflated state ripped off to be splinted body part and placed on the to splinted body. Then 49, the air chamber 47 so far inflated by means of the valve, to the inner wall of the air rail 41 closely abuts the to seem part of the body. can be supplied via the ventilation layer material 3 then the surface of the rail part of the body of air for cooling and dissipation of perspiration moisture.