John Albert Gerhardt

US Patent:

51561620, Oct 20, 1992

Filed:

Aug 29, 1991

Appl. No.:

7/751920

Inventors:

John J. Gerhardt - Milwaukie OR

International Classification:

A61B 5103

US Classification:

128781

Abstract:

A scoliosis measurement instrument includes the elongated scale bar and fixed and adjustable legs of a universal caliper, an inclinometer mounted on the adjustable leg, and a scoliosis midline rod located at the center mark of a bi-directional distance scale on the scale bar. The fixed leg is movable along the scale bar for positioning its skin contact tip over either the highest point of the rib hump or lumbar bulge or the opposite valley of a subject being examined, and the adjustable leg is movable along the scale bar for positioning at the same but opposite distance from the center mark of the bi-directional scale. The adjustable leg also is movable normal to the scale bar to distances of its skin contact tip from the scale bar greater or less than the distance of the fixed leg tip from the scale bar, to measure the distance between the highest prominence and opposite valley. An inclinometer is mounted on the base of the adjustable leg for measuring the rotational deformities of the spine by setting the adjustable leg over the left and the fixed leg over the right posterior/superior iliac spine while holding the tip of the scoliosis midline rod over the midline. This sets the lateral distances of the caliper legs for measuring rotation of the thoracic spine.