Clamp Device to Aid in Placement of Tunnel Pins of Bilateral Amputee with Cineplastic Operated Prosthesis
Muriel E. Zimmerman, OTR *
Townsend M. Hicks *
Complete independence in the use of any prosthesis is the ultimate goal. This means not only the use of the arm itself for performing various functions, but also the ability to put on and remove the prosthesis.
The device shown (
Fig. 1
) and described in this article was designed for this purpose. The patient is a bilateral amputee. Prostheses were provided for both arms, in which part of the function was activated by a pectoral cineplastic tunnel. The patient could put on and remove the arms themselves, but he could not place the curved pins in the pectoral tunnel.
A mechanism was needed to hold the tunnel pin. It was constructed as follows:
A spring clamp ( Fig. 2 ) opened and closed by means of a chin-operated handle or lever ( Fig. 3 ), which raises and lowers a slide ring ( Fig. 4 ) over the curved portions of the spring clamp. The clamp is provided with special ends ( Fig. 5 ), shaped to hold the round tunnel pin in a secure grasp: these are covered with plastisol. The chin lever is padded for comfort. The whole mechanism is mounted on to the wall or wherever the device is convenient for use.
An added feature, found helpful in placing pin in proper position to go into tunnel, was the provision of the screw portion of the device. By grasping the ends of the clamp in the mouth, the clamp could be rotated to desired angle.
The device is operated as follows:
The tunnel pin is picked up by the mouth and placed into the clamp. Clamp is tightened by pushing lever up and away from self. By maneuvering the body, the tunnel opening is brought to the pin and pushed over it into position. When pin is in place, then (damp is unlocked by bringing the lever forward. (See
Fig. 2
,
Fig. 3
,
Fig. 4
, and
Fig. 5
.) Pin is removed by reverse process (See
Fig. 6
,
Fig. 7
,
Fig. 8
, and
Fig. 9
.).
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