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How the GStirrup is Making Medical History

Wondering what makes the GStirrup so revolutionary?

This new invention is making medical history by making patients more comfortable and safe in the lithotomy position. This allows for procedures to be faster, safer, and easier. Doctors can perform more valuable services in a day with this equipment on hand.

In this guide, we’ll show you everything you need to know about why the GStirrup is special. Keep reading to learn more!

Why the GStirrup Matters

Doctors need to be able to put their patients in a lithotomy position that’s safe and effective.

Many procedures that were once done in hospitals are now done in offices, and equipment like the GStirrup helps make this possible. Procedures like hysteroscopy, cystoscopy, and LEEP are all easy to do in the office when the patient can easily be put into the correct position.

Modern medicine, such as painkillers and local anesthetics, make these procedures even easier. The one challenge some offices still face is that it can be hard to put a patient’s legs in a position that’s both comfortable and stable, while allowing the doctor to do the necessary work.

Let’s take a look at why the lithotomy position is so important, and where the need for a new kind of stirrup comes from.

The Lithotomy Position

This is a position typically used in surgeries and procedures that involve the lower abdomen and pelvis. It’s also frequently used during childbirth.

In this position, the feet have to be placed at or above the level of the hips.

This position has been used in medicine for centuries: in fact, it’s referred to in some of the oldest medical documents in existence. Ancient texts of the Hippocratic oath include references to the lithotomy position. The name comes from an old surgical method for removing bladder or kidney stones.

In this position, stirrups are necessary to keep the legs separated and in place. This way, the doctor can easily see and reach the areas that they need to. From basic pelvic exams to major surgeries, this position has many different uses in modern medicine.

However, there are certain issues with maintaining this position for a long time. Many stirrups don’t offer support, so the patient’s legs may start to weaken, shake, or collapse after enough time has passed.

Uses for Medical Stirrups

Now, let’s take a closer look at some of the common medical procedures that use stirrups, and how the GStirrup can help.

Office Hysteroscopy

This procedure, although not too invasive, is very accurate for diagnosing issues with the endocervical canal and endometrial cavity. This can help treat issues like abnormal uterine bleeding, as highlighted in this post from Contemporary Ob/Gyn.

This is one of the many procedures that can make life easier for both doctors and patients when done in an office setting.

Pelvic Exams

Pelvic exams commonly use medical stirrups. When someone gets a pelvic exam, a nurse or doctor examines their vulva, as well as the reproductive organs like the cervix, vagina, ovaries, and uterus.

This exam involves looking at both internal and external organs to rule out any disease or other issues. Many people get these exams on a regular basis as a part of preventative medicine.

During the exam, a doctor takes a small sample from the cervix and gives it a Pap test, which is how doctors look for signs of cervical cancer. Sometimes, STD testing is also done during these exams.

Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia

Medical stirrups are also used to treat BPH, also known as prostate enlargement. This condition often happens in older men, and can cause issues with the urinary tract and bladder.

Although this enlargement is benign, doctors still treat it to relieve these uncomfortable symptoms.

Urologic Prostate Exam

Prostate exams also often use the lithotomy position, although they don’t always. During these exams, a doctor will look for the signs of prostate cancer.

Ureteroscopy

During this procedure, a doctor inserts a scope into the bladder, in order to diagnose urinary tract issues.

For example, if you have stones, this allows the doctor to see them and remove them effectively.

Incontinence Procedures

Sometimes, stirrups are used during procedures to combat incontinence. These surgeries help support the urethra so it can stay closed when it’s supposed to.

Prostate or Bladder Resection

During these procedures, the effects of an enlarged prostate are treated, in order to prevent urinary problems and other issues.

Stirrups are also used during many other surgeries on the reproductive system, urinary tract, and other areas.

However, conventional stirrups also come with plenty of problems.

What’s Wrong With Medical Stirrups?

Metal medical stirrups can have many dangerous side effects, even during simple procedures.

Padding is needed on any places of contact between the patient and the stirrup. Otherwise, nerve compression can lead to injury, especially during long procedures.

Acute Compartment Syndrome

Acute Compartment Syndrome, or ACS, is one of the common complications that results from traditional stirrups and the lithotomy position. This occurs due to increased pressure on one part of the body.

This pressure can hinder or halt blood flow to certain body parts, which can damage nearby tissues. Having raised legs combined with potential points of unpadded contact makes ACS more likely in traditional stirrups.

This problem is more likely to occur in surgeries over four hours long, but still, medical offices should always take precautions against ACS. The right kind of leg support, like the GStirrup, can be used to decrease this dangerous compartment pressure.

Nerve Injury

Poor positioning in stirrups can also injure the nerves. Nerves in the lower leg, thigh, and lower back are most likely to be affected.

Without padding and support, nerve injuries are more likely.

Lack of Foot and Leg Support

Traditional stirrups only support the patient’s heel. This lack of support can result in a patient’s foot slipping out of the stirrup causing a dangerous jerking motion while having a procedure done. The traditional stirrups cause a challenge for patients particularly when they lack the leg strength to support themselves in stirrups.

In fact the American with Disabilities Association (ADA) states that:
M305.4 “The MDE Advisory Committee agreed that, for procedures that use stirrups and require the leg to be stable, there must be a method to support the patient’s legs. The Committee referenced ANSI/AAMI HE75 which recommends that ‘[f]or patients with limited leg strength and control, instead of stirrups that support only the foot and require active user leg strength, leg supports that support both the foot and the leg should be used to assist patients in keeping their legs in the appropriate position.”

How the GStirrup Helps

The GStirrup offers a set of cushioned boots to hold a patient’s legs in place, rather than a pair of unsupported metal stirrups.

These boots are more comfortable for patients since they don’t need to support the weight of their legs on their own. Because they’re secure and padded, these boots also reduce or eliminate the risk of nerve injury and ACS, even over longer procedures.

They are portable, easy to set up, and easy to clean, making them ideal for all sorts of medical offices. With this equipment, the well-known risks of the lithotomy position are no longer a threat.

Is the GStirrup Right for You?

If you want your patients to be safer and more comfortable during any procedure, this is the equipment you should invest in. Modernize your office and show how much you care about your patients with the GStirrup.

For more about what this equipment can do for your practice, contact us today.

April 10, 2018 Office Procedures ,