Patient lifter having interlocking design with intraoperative controlled temperature air delivery system

Abstract

A combination patient-transfer air-inflated pad and intraoperative heater device has first and second interlocking chambers laterally fused together. The air-inflated pad has a top surface and a bottom surface formed by way of the first and second interlocking chambers. The first interlocking chamber is formed as a comb-type structure having a main spine with two or more prongs alternately separated by valleys. The second interlocking chamber is a mirror comb-type structure to the first interlocking chamber. The device is fabricated from two thin layers of plastic material, selectively configured and fused. With this construction, the bulk of the device, as well as the cost of manufacture, are reduced. The device is affordable for single use, obviating the difficulty and possible incompleteness of sterilization between uses. The first interlocking chamber has an inlet appointed to be supplied with regulated, controlled low pressure and controlled temperature heated or cooled air. The second interlocking chamber has a plurality of air venting apertures in said bottom surface of said air-inflated pad. The second interlocking chamber has an inlet appointed to be supplied with ambient air at a regulated, controlled pressure to facilitate lifting and lateral displacement during patient transfer. The device may be easily re-employed when the patient is transferred from one location to another and may function as an alternating pressure mattress if needed.