Two new styles of positioning aid for use during scanning and surgery are to be launched by Big Dog Bed Company at this month’s Vet Festival.
The Flexi-Wedge positioning aid aims to deliver both better quality and easier to interpret imaging, and to facilitate the ideal positioning of surgical patients.
The Saddle-Sandbags address two problems – the need to hold a patient in place without loading weight to any part of the body and the tendency of existing sandbags to leak sand after a few months of manipulation to different shapes.
Dru Ross, director at Big Dog Bed Company explains: “Support wedges are obviously widely used in the veterinary field. The difference with the design of the Flexi-Wedge is that they can be held securely in the desired position and are fully adjustable, making them suitable for a wide range of patient size and shape.”
“The Saddle-Sandbag is designed for those situations when a limb needs to be held out securely without any load on it and standard sandbags are not suited to this purpose. There is no need to manipulate the sandbag to the desired shape. The weight is split between two bags joined by a broad central strap so the strap is placed round or over the limb.”
The positioning aids have come about as a result of discussions with veterinary practitioners.
Dru said: “We are really pleased with the reception given to both these new pieces of equipment and especially delighted by how well their use in CT scanning has been received.”
“I’ve never had such a straight spine when scanning a greyhound before using these supports. Every CT scanner should be sold with these,” said James Weston, Northwest Referrals.
“The weighted ends make these sandbags much easier to handle. The larger positioning aid is excellent for holding upper thoracic limb out of the way for lateral views of the elbow, for instance and the width of the flat part of the aid is perfect for wrapping around the antebrachium of the thoracic limb,” said Patrick Harte, The Sidings Veterinary Surgery.
Both the Flexi-Wedges and the Saddle-Sandbag positioning aids use waterproof, antibacterial, wipe clean fabrics in which the seams are thermally welded so no moisture can enter and no sand can escape.
The Flexi-Wedges are available in two lengths 60 cm and 90 cm. They are supplied with wipe clean straps that can be tailored to the size of table on which they are use. The Saddle-Sandbags are available in three sizes.
These new positioning aids will be available for inspection and pre-ordering at Vet Festival on the 20 to 21 May 2022.
