Controller for an extremity hyperbaric device

A method of providing a treatment gas during a treatment period to a hyperbaric wound treatment device, wherein the device includes a treatment chamber formed by a collapsible bag containing a gas having an interior and an open end in communication therewith and an inflatable sleeve coupled to the chamber and positionable at least partially within the interior of the chamber adjacent the open end, the method comprising:

• arranging the sleeve at least partially within the interior of the chamber;
• after inserting a limb through the sleeve and into the interior of the chamber containing the gas, inflating the sleeve to an inflated condition by an inflation gas to an inflation pressure for creating at least a partial seal between the limb and the sleeve adjacent the open end;
• wherein the sleeve includes an outer wall defining an outer diameter of the sleeve and an inner wall defining an inner diameter of the sleeve, and wherein when the sleeve is inflated with the limb received in the sleeve, the inner wall is arranged in sealing contact with the limb, and
• wherein with the sleeve at least partially within the interior of the chamber, the outer wall is arranged within the interior of the chamber with the outer wall in contact with the treatment gas;
• after sealing the sleeve against the limb by the inflating step, evacuating at least partially the gas from within the interior of the chamber;
• supplying the treatment gas to the interior of the chamber during the treatment period following the evacuation of the gas from the interior of the chamber, wherein the treatment gas applies a positive pressure to the outer wall;
• wherein the outer wall and the inner wall of the sleeve define an interior region therebetween, wherein the inflating of the sleeve includes supplying the inflation gas under pressure to the interior region;
• supplying a gas under pressure to an inflatable passageway formed in the collapsible bag for forming the bag into a rigid state;
• setting a set maximum preset pressure of the treatment gas during the treatment period;
• setting a treatment gas pressure of the treatment gas below the set maximum preset pressure;
• controlling a pressure of the treatment gas supplied to the interior of the chamber at the treatment gas pressure and below the set maximum preset pressure during the treatment period and controlling the inflation pressure of the inflation gas supplied to the interior region of the sleeve during the treatment period to maintain the interior of the treatment chamber at a pressure exceeding the inflation pressure within the interior region of the sleeve when the sleeve is in the inflated condition during the treatment period and when the bag is in the rigid state, whereby the pressure in the interior of the treatment chamber created by the treatment gas applied to the outer wall of the sleeve being higher than the inflation pressure in the sleeve created by the inflation gas contributes to creating the seal between the inner wall of the sleeve and the limb while the sleeve is inflated during the treatment period;
• and
• exhausting the treatment gas through a control valve from the treatment chamber to a pressure of 0 mm Hg in the event the treatment gas pressure in the treatment chamber during the treatment period exceeds the set maximum preset pressure.