Okayama University research: Plates and belts -- a toolkit to prevent accidental falls during invasive vascular procedures
In a study reported in
Acta Medica Okayama
, researchers at Okayama University describe an innovative plate that confines patients to their beds while undergoing vascular procedures thereby preventing unforeseen falls
Patients undergoing hemodialysis (which requires the regular withdrawal of blood) often need to undergo interventional procedures that keep the blood vessels of the forearm dilated. Percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA), the most common of these procedures, requires a surgeon to visualize microvessels within the arm using an X-ray while the patient lays supine on a motorized bed. Unfortunately, a complication that arises during PTA is the enhanced risk of falls from these elevated beds. Now, Assistant Professor OHARA Toshiaki from Okayama University and colleagues have developed a simple plate-like contraption which secures patients firmly onto their bed while providing the surgeon adequate space for the procedure.