US2199479A - Anesthesia pillow - Google Patents

Description

y 7, 1940- J. T. CAPPEL 2.199.479

ANESTHESIA PILLOW Filed April 6, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Inventor [fa 2,061 v Attorneys May 7, 1940. CAPPEL 2,199,479

ANESTHESIA PILLOW Filed April 6, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor Patented May 7, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT' OFFICE 2 Claims.

This invention relates to pillows, and an object of the invention is to provide a pillow designed particularly for assisting the anesthetist, making it possible for him to be relieved of the duty of using one of his hands in holding the patients head in the correct position during the administration of an anesthetic.

The invention together with its objects and advantages will be best understood from a study of the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings; wherein:-

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a pillow of a size and shape to accommodate a youth.

Figure 2 is a front elevational view of the pillow.

Figure 3 is a side elevational view thereof.

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view through the pillow.

Figure 5 is a longitudinal sectional view through the pillow taken at right angles to Figure 4, and

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure l but showing a pillow of a size and shape to accommodate an adult person.

Referring more in detail to the drawings it will be seen that in accordance with the present invention the pillow comprises an outer casing 5 and a filler 6 of kapok or other suitable material.

The outer covering 5 is formed of leather or other suitable material and embodies a top wall or sheet I, a bottom wall or sheet 8, and a perripheral wall 9.

The walls I and 8 are stitched to the wall 9 as at [0.

As will be clear from a study of Figure 3, the wall 9 at opposite sides of the pillow tapers conformably from the rear to the front of the pillow and the pillow hasa recess ll therein for receiving the neck and head of a patient, the small part of the recess opening out through the front edge of the pillow and the bottom of the recess is formed by the portions of the top and bottom sheets I and 8 being connected together so that the bottom of the recess does not have any filling between the walls thereof.

The recess II at its inner end is enlarged and gradually reduces in size as it approaches the front edge of the pillow being open at the front edge of the pillow as at l2.

The recess II and opening l2 thereof is of a size and shape to accommodate the head and neck of the patient.

In Figure l the recess II and opening l2 are shown as of a size and shape to accommodate the head and neck of a youth and may be referred to as a junior size pillow, while in Figure 6 the recess Hand opening I! arelarger and of a slightly different shape from that shown in Figure 1 and are provided to accommodate the head and neck of an adult person and may 5 be therefore referred to as an adult size pillow,

It will also be understood that in actual practice the envelope or casing may be made air tight and hollow and instead of using a filler such as shown at 6, said envelope or casing of the pil- 10 low may be inflated if found desirable.

In actual practice it will be found that the pillow will relieve the anesthetist of holding the patients head in the correct position during the administration of the anesthetic so that, having thus been relieved, the anesthetist has one hand available to manipulate the anesthetist mask and the other hand to operate the machine.

As shown more particularly in Figures 2, 4 and 5 the top of the pillow is formed with slightly rounded portions at the sides of the recess, each of these portions curving from the center downwardly toward the side of the pillow and toward the recess and in rear of the recess a concavity is formed for receiving the neck of the patient when his head is placed in the large part. of the recess with the pillow turned to have his neck passed over that part of the pillow between the recess and the rear edge of the pillow.

When the patients head is in the large part of the recess and his neck is in the narrow front portion of the recess his head is held rigid and perfectly straight by the pillow.

When the pillow is to be used in mastoid operations it is turned at an angle of ninety degrees 35,

with the patients head in the large part of the recess and his neck and portions of the body passing across a side part of the pillow. This arrangement permits a vent or space, whereby the mask of the anesthetic can be used with greater 4o facility.

In using the'pillow for tonsilectomies it will be found that by rotating the pillow 180 the patients head is placed in a state of hyperflexion and retained in this position without further assistance from the anesthetist.

It is thought that a clear understanding of the' construction, utility and advantages of a pillow of this character will be had without a more detailed description.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new is:

1. As a new article of manufacture, an anesthesia pillow of substantially rectangular shape and gradually decreasing in thickness from its 55 rear edge to itsifront edge, said pillow having a centrally arranged recess therein for receiving the head and neck of a person, said recess having an enlarged inner portion for receiving the head and a narrow front portion for receiving the neck, said front portion passing through the front edgeof the pillow and the rear wall oi! the recess being spaced from the rear edge of the pillow for leaving a ridge between the recess and said rear edge of the pillow for forming a rest for the neck of a patient when his head is placed in the large part of the recess with the patients neck extending over the ridge at the rear of the pillow.

2. As a new article of manufacture, an anesthesia pillow oi. substantially rectangular shape and gradually decreasing in thickness from its rear edge to its front edge, said pillow having a' said front portion passing throughthe front edge of the pillow and the rear wall of the recess being spaced from the rear edge of the pillow iorleaving a ridge between the recess and said rear edge of the pillow for forming a rest for the neck of a patient when his head is placed in the large part 01' the recess with the patients neck extending over the ridge tom of the recess being unpadded and that part of the pillow between the large part oi the recess and a side edge 01' the pillow acting to support parts of the body, when the head is placed in the recess, in position for certain operations.

. JACK T. CAPPEI...

at the rear of the pillow, the bot-

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