Heat transfer cuff

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a device that provides thermal energy therapy, compression therapy and negative pressure therapy simultaneously and/or in conjunction with each therapy. The outcome of the present invention is that a patient's bodily fluids can be maintained, controlled, and/or adjusted with decreased medication dependence. Using these three therapies individually does not obtain these desired results of controlling, maintaining or adjusting the patient's bodily fluid. This combination of therapies is beneficial to the patient.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 illustrates a schematic drawing of a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 illustrates an alternative embodiment of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 illustrates a third alternative embodiment of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 illustrates a fourth alternative embodiment of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is a combination of a compression therapy, thermal therapy and pressure therapy to operate in concert with each other to treat more than just deep vein thrombosis and body core temperature. The combination is designed to move bodily fluids in the lymphatic system, secondary venous system, and artery system in a controllable manner to obtain desired results. Desired results include and are not limited to controlling and/or manipulating the patient's blood pressure and bodily fluid volume. By controlling and/or manipulating the patient's blood pressure and bodily fluid, the present invention offers more medical assistance than expected.

Applying cold thermal energy therapy causes vasoconstriction and warm thermal energy therapy causes vasodilation. Compression therapy causes vasoconstriction and moves the blood in the direction of the compression therapy—normally toward the heart. Cold thermal energy therapy and compression therapy increases the patient's blood pressure. However, cold thermal energy therapy, compression therapy and negative pressure therapy reperfuses blood (and other bodily fluids) from the third space. Obviously, too much cold thermal energy therapy, compression therapy and negative pressure therapy is not good, therefore the present invention is able to provide the opposite therapy to obtain the desired balance for the desired results. This combination of therapies have never been incorporated together to control the bodily fluids, including an not limited to cardiac output control. Instead, medication in combination with one of these therapies has been standard bearer up to today.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, the present invention can be a conventional negative pressure, thermal energy device 400 and a conventional compression therapy device 410 interconnected to a controller 420 to operate both devices simultaneously and/or in conjunction with each other to obtain the desired results. An example of the conventional negative pressure, thermal energy device 400 is manufactured by AVACore's core control device (located in Ann Arbor, Mich.). An example of the conventional compression therapy device 410 is disclosed in Gaymar's U.S. Pat. No. 4,597,389. FIG. 1 illustrates these devices 400 and 410 positioned about a patient's foot and leg, but FIG. 1 is merely being used for illustrative purposes and it is understood that these devices, individually or collectively, can also be positioned on the foot, the leg, a hand, an arm, a hand and an arm, and combinations thereof.

The thermal energy provided to the conventional negative pressure, thermal energy device 400 and the conventional compression therapy device 410 can come from the same source or different sources 415. The sources can be (a) fluid providers such as Gaymar's MEDI-THERM heating/cooling unit; Gaymar's THERMACARE device; electrical sources; and/or air or fluid pumps with coolers and/or heaters; (b) electrical providers (not applicable for the conventional compression therapy device 410); (c) irradiant heat devices like a heat lamp (not applicable for the conventional compression therapy device 410) or (d) combinations thereof.

Some of those sources can provide thermal energy at a single temperature. Other sources can provide thermal energy at various temperatures. And other sources can provide a fluid to (a) the conventional compression therapy device 410 at temperature T1 and (b) the conventional negative pressure, thermal energy device 400 at temperature T2, wherein T1 and T2 can be the same or different. Moreover, some sources can provide a fluid to (a) the conventional compression therapy device 410 at temperature T1 for a first fluid pressure member 411 and at temperature T2 for a second fluid pressure member 412 (as illustrated in FIG. 2) and (b) the conventional negative pressure, thermal energy device 400 at temperature T2, wherein T1, T2, and T3 can be the same, different, or combinations thereof.

In addition to controlling the temperature of the fluid's thermal energy that enters the conventional compression therapy device 410, the thermal energy source 415 controls the pressure of the fluid that enters the conventional compression therapy device 410 as illustrated in FIG. 1. Alternatively and as illustrated in FIG. 2, the thermal energy source 415 can provide a fluid having (a) a first pressure (P1) to the first fluid pressure member 411 and (b) a second pressure (P2) to the second fluid pressure member 412, wherein P1 and P2 can be the same or different.

The compression therapy device 410 can offer static compression therapy, sequential compression therapy, or variations thereof.

Reverting to FIG. 1, the first fluid pressure member 411 is interconnected to the second fluid pressure member 412 through a conduit 413. Depending on the shape and size of the conduit 413, conduit 413 can maintain or adjust the fluid pressure that enters the second fluid pressure member 412 from the first fluid pressure member 411. For example, if the conduit 413 tapers from the first fluid pressure member 411 to the second fluid pressure member 412 then the fluid pressure is greater in the second fluid pressure member 412 than the first fluid pressure member 411. If the conduit 413 tapers in the opposite direction, then the fluid pressure in the first fluid pressure member 411 is greater than the fluid pressure in the second fluid pressure member 412.

The negative pressure created in the conventional negative pressure, thermal energy device 400 is provided by a conventional negative pressure providing device 402. The conventional negative pressure providing device 402 can be any system that creates negative pressure within the enclosure of the conventional negative pressure, thermal energy device 400. The negative pressure is created in the enclosure of the conventional negative pressure, thermal energy device 400 at area 403.

The controller 420 has an input system that allows a user to program (a) when to operate the thermal energy source(s) 415 and negative pressure providing device 402, (b) how much (i) thermal energy is directed from the thermal energy source 415 to the conventional negative pressure, thermal energy device 400 and the conventional compression therapy device 410 and (ii) negative pressure to create in the conventional negative pressure, thermal energy device 400, and (c) the temperature of the thermal energy directed to the conventional negative pressure, thermal energy device 400 and the conventional compression therapy device 410. The controller 420 can be electrically interconnected to the conventional negative pressure, thermal energy device 400 and the conventional compression therapy device 410, or alternatively, the user could manually operate each device separately. The former embodiment is preferred because it provides the opportunity to control the devices simultaneously and in conjunction with each other to obtain the desired results.

FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrated that the conventional negative pressure, thermal energy device 400 and the conventional compression therapy device 410 are separate devices. FIG. 3 illustrates that the conventional negative pressure, thermal energy device 400 and the conventional compression therapy device 410 can be combined together to form a single unit device 500.

The single unit device 500 encloses the patient's body part (hand, arm, hand and arm, leg, foot, or leg and foot). The single unit device 500 has a proximal end 503 and a distal end 504. The distal end 504 is sealed. The proximal end 503 has an opening that allows a patient's body part to enter into the single unit device 500. The proximal end 503 has a leaky seal 506.

The leaky seal 506 allows the area 403 to have and maintain a negative pressure environment without creating a tourniquet effect to the patient. Area 403 is positioned between fluid pressure members 411, 412 and 417 and the patient's skin.

Third fluid pressure member 417 operates in the same way as fluid pressure members 411 and 412 as described above. That means fluid pressure member 417 receives a fluid from thermal energy source 415 at temperature T4 wherein T1, T2, T3 and T4 can be the same, different, or combinations thereof. Likewise, the fluid pressure in the third fluid pressure member 417 can be P3, wherein P1, P2 and P3 can be same, different or combinations thereof.

The thermal energy therapy is provided to the patient through the fluid pressure members 411, 412, and 417. Simultaneously or not, fluid pressure members 411, 412, and 417 can be providing compression therapy to the patient.

Alternatively, the seal 506 can be positioned anywhere within fluid pressure members 411, 412 and 417, not just at the proximal end 503, as illustrated in FIG. 4.

Alternative Embodiments

The compression therapy unit 410 or the single unit device 500 can use a fluid recirculation system, a receiving system, or, a low air-loss system (only with a gaseous fluid).

As illustrated in FIG. 2, the thermal energy source 415 provides a first fluid having T1 and P1 to the first fluid pressure member 411 through conduit 555 and a second fluid (the second fluid and the first fluid can be the same fluid or different fluids) having T3 and P2 to the second fluid pressure member 412 through conduit 557. Conduits 555 and 557 interconnect to the respective member 411, 412 and the fluid source 415 through a quick disconnect interconnection system (for example a Colder quick disconnect unit) 559a-d. A quick disconnect interconnection system allows a user to disconnect the conduits from either the respective member 411, 412 and the fluid source 415 and connect the conduits to different members or different outlets of the fluid source. In other words, the older interconnection system or equivalent thereof allows the member 411 to originally have the first fluid, then the second fluid and then the first fluid again.

In another embodiment illustrated in FIG. 4, the first fluid pressure member 411 overlies at least a portion of the second fluid pressure member 412. In each member 411, 412, the pressure may or may not be the same. The temperature in each member 411, 412 can be the same or different. The fluid that enters each member 411, 412 can also be the same or different. This embodiment ensures that the desired pressure is applied and in some cases increased at the transition point between the fluid pressure members 411, 412.

The conduit 413 can also be an orifice between two fluid pressure members. For example, the orifice can be an opening within heat sealed members that allows fluid to flow between the members. The orifice and the conduit 413 can also have check valves or membrane valves, not shown, that prevent the fluid from re-entering a particular fluid pressure member. Examples of membrane valves include and are not limited to tricuspids designs, bicuspids designs, poppet styles or flap designs.

Alternatively, the conduit 413 can have a thermal energy adjuster 558. The thermal energy adjuster 558 has the capability to alter the temperature of the fluid going between two fluid pressure members. The thermal energy adjuster 558 is any conventional device that can alter a fluid's temperature. An example of a thermal energy adjuster 558 is thermal coil in, exterior to, or combinations thereof to the conduit 558. Another example is a thermal blanket on the exterior surface of the conduit 558.

The present invention is positioned on a patient and a medical person monitors the patient's blood pressure, body core temperature, heart rate, and heart rhythms. Depending on the patient's presentation, the medical person (or persons) alters the present invention's therapies (compression, thermal energy and negative pressure) to obtain the desired result. It has been confirmed this invention can control and/or manipulate the flow of the patient's blood (and other bodily fluids) without medication. Obviously, the present invention solves a problem by potentially decreasing the quantity of patient medication.

It is appreciated that various modifications to the inventive concepts described herein may be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope of the present invention as defined by the herein appended claims.

Claims

1. A compression, thermal energy and negative pressure therapies device comprising: a compression therapy device having first chamber and a second chamber, the compression therapy device encloses a first portion of a patient to provide compression therapy to the patient, the first chamber receives a first fluid;a first fluid source that provides the first fluid having a first pressure and a first temperature to provide a first thermal therapy to the patient;a negative pressure zone encompassing a second portion of the patient and a negative pressure provider device that creates a negative pressure atmosphere in the negative pressure zone to provide negative pressure therapy to the patient to promote vasodilation or vasoconstriction;wherein the compression therapy, the thermal energy therapy and the negative pressure therapy are used simultaneously and/or in conjunction with each other to control and/or manipulate the flow of the patient's blood.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the first portion of the patient and the second portion of the patient are the same areas wherein the negative pressure zone is positioned between at least a portion of the compression therapy device and the patient.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein the first portion of the patient and the second portion of the patient are different areas, and the second portion of the patient is subject to a second thermal energy therapy.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein the second thermal energy therapy is provided by a device selected from the group consisting of the first fluid source, a second fluid source that provides a second fluid having a second temperature and a second pressure, an electrical thermal device, an irradiant heat device, or combinations thereof.

5. The device of claim 1 wherein the second chamber receives the first fluid from the first chamber.

6. The device of claim 5 wherein the first fluid in the second chamber has a different temperature than the first fluid in the first chamber.

7. The device of claim 5 wherein the first fluid in the second chamber has a different pressure than the first fluid in the first chamber.

8. The device of claim 1 wherein the second chamber receives a third fluid.

9. The device of claim 8 wherein the third fluid comes from the first fluid source.

10. The device of claim 9 wherein the third fluid has a different temperature than the first fluid.

11. The device of claim 9 wherein the third fluid has the same temperature as the first fluid.

12. The device of claim 9 wherein the third fluid has a different pressure than the first fluid.

13. The device of claim 9 wherein the third fluid has the same pressure as the first fluid.

14. The device of claim 8 wherein the third fluid is the same as the first fluid.

15. The device of claim 1 wherein the compression therapy device provides sequential compression therapy.

16. The device of claim 1 wherein the first chamber is positioned over a portion of the second chamber.

17. The device of claim 1 wherein the second portion of the patient has a venous plexus area.

18. The device of claim 1 further comprising a controller to operate and maintain the first fluid source and the negative pressure provider device.

19. The device of claim 1 wherein the first fluid is selected from the group consisting of air, water, aqueous liquids, non-aqueous liquids and combinations thereof.

20. The device of claim 1 wherein when the first chamber or the second chamber is filled or in the process of being filled with the fluid, the other chamber is empty or emptying the fluid from the chamber.

21. The device of claim 5 wherein the first fluid enters the second chamber through an orifice, a valve, a conduit, or combinations thereof.

22. The device of claim 1 wherein the first fluid is below the patient's core temperature.

23. The device of claim 1 wherein the first fluid is above the patient's core temperature.

24. The device of claim 1 wherein the first fluid is the patient's core temperature.

25. The device of claim 1 wherein patient's blood pressure is altered by adjusting or maintaining the volume in the third space.