The present study investigates the feasibility of a support pillow for use after spinal surgical procedures, and more particularly, to protect the midline region of the back following spinal surgery.
Existing cushioning pillows do not accommodate the anatomy of the human back nor the requirements of isolating a vertical spinal incision. For example, donut-style or ring-shaped pillows are designed for entirely different purposes, such as hemorrhoidal relief, and cannot provide the desired spinal relief. As a result, there is no suitable, dedicated support structure that allows a patient to rest on their back while eliminating pressure on the surgical site. Accordingly, there is a need for a device that permits postoperative spinal surgery patients to sit or lie in a supine or reclined position without the surgical incision contacting or being compressed by any supporting surface.