Claims
- 1. An apparatus for the alleviation of operative and post operative deep venous thrombosis comprising a flexible pad formed for external enwrappment about a mammalian limb, said pad comprising: a first plurality of relatively large, individual fluid receiving cells, said first cells being formed to receive and hold sufficient fluid to exert pressure upon said limb for a given period of time and to subsequently release said fluid; a second plurality of relatively smaller cells arrayed alternately with said first plurality of cells, said second plurality of cells being formed to receive and continuously release a supply of ventilating fluid; and means for supplying said fluid to said cells.
- 2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein each of said first plurality of individual cells has a given width and a length greater than said width, the length of said cells wrapping circumferentially about the circumference of said limb.
- 3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said length of each of said first plurality of cells is different, said differences being formed to at least approximately accommodate the various circumferences of said mammalian limb.
- 4. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein each of said cells of said first plurality of cells has a first end formed to receive said fluid pressure.
- 5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said cells are physically connected together for about one half their length.
- 6. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said means for supplying said fluid pressure to said first plurality of individual cells of said pad does so in a predetermined sequence.
- 7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said means for supplying said fluid pressure includes means for exhausting said fluid pressure.
- 8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said means for exhausting said fluid pressure includes means for directing said exhausted fluid pressure to said second plurality of cells.
- 9. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said predetermined sequence comprises sequentially filling said first plurality of individual cells substantially one at a time beginning with the distal cell thereof and exhausting said cells simultaneously.
- 10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said pad is formed from two overlying sheets of fluid impervious material.
- 11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said individual cells are formed in said sheets by means of dielectric welds.
- 12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said pad is provided with a plurality of fastening means for retaining said pad in said wrapped position on said mammalian limb.
- 13. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said fluid is a pressurized gas and said exhausted fluid is fed to the area between said limb and said pad by means of said second plurality of cells whereby ventilation is provided.
- 14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the side of said second plurality of cells facing said limb is provided with a multiplicity of pin hole apertures.
- 15. A device for applying compressive pressures against a patient's limb from a source of pressurized fluid, comprising:
- an elongated pressure sleeve for enclosing a length of the patient's limb, said sleeve having a plurality of laterally extending separate fluid pressure chambers progressively arranged longitudinally along the sleeve from a lower portion of the limb to an upper portion of the limb proximal the patient's heart relative to said lower portion, and ventilation means comprising a plurality of laterally extending ventilation channels having a width substantially less than the width of said chambers, with said ventilation channels having opening means for facing the patient's limb, and with said ventilation channels being located intermediate different pairs of adjoining pressure chambers, and said ventilation means having a connecting channel extending along the side of said pressure chambers and communicating with said ventilation channels; and
- control means for intermittently inflating and deflating said pressure chambers and for passing air into the ventilation means to ventilate the patient's limb through said opening means.
- 16. The device of claim 1 wherein said control means inflates said compression chambers during periodic compression cycles and deflates the chambers during periodic decompression cycles between said compression cycles.
- 17. The device of claim 2 wherein the control means passes air into the ventilation means during the decompression cycles.
- 18. The device of claim 1 wherein the control means includes means for selectively permitting and preventing passage of air into the ventilation means.
- 19. The device of claim 1 wherein said ventilation chambers are spaced along a substantial distance of the patient's limb.
- 20. An elongated sleeve for applying compressive pressures against a patient's limb, comprising:
- a pair of flexible sheets of fluid impervious material;
- means for connecting said sheets together along lines defining a plurality of separate laterally extending inflatable pressure chambers progressively arranged longitudinally along the sleeve from a lower portion of the limb to an upper portion of the limb proximal the patient's heart relative to said lower portion and defining a plurality of laterally extending ventilation channels having a width substantially less than the width of said chambers, and a connecting channel communicating with the ventilation channels, with said ventilation channels being located between different pairs of adjoining pressure chambers and having opening means for facing the patient's limb, and with said connecting channel extending along the side of the inflatable pressure chambers; and
- means for releasably securing the sleeve about the patient's limb with said pressure chambers and ventilation channels encircling the limb.
Parent Case Info
This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 1,404 filed Jan. 8, 1979 now abandoned which is a continuation of Ser. No. 785,408 filed Apr. 17, 1977, now abandoned.
US Referenced Citations (4)
Continuations (2)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
1404 |
Jan 1979 |
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Parent |
785408 |
Apr 1977 |
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