Monitoring vital parameters of a compression garment wearer

#Intermittent pneumatic compression (IPC) systems include devices used to apply pressurized fluid, such as air, to a limb of a patient or wearer. In some instances, pressurized air is applied to the lower limb of a patient at risk for the formation of a blood clot (thrombus) associated with deep vein thrombosis (DVT). An IPC system typically includes a pumping unit to manage pressurization of the fluid, a tubing set to extend the delivery of fluid beyond the pumping unit, and a compression garment which is wrapped around the patient's limb and contains the pressurized fluid. The IPC system intermittently pressurizes the garment to apply therapeutic compression to the patient's limb, moving blood from that area of the limb. Many IPC systems utilize a pressure sensor as the sole means of feedback. The pressure sensor output is used to adjust fluid delivery to the compression garment and maintain prescribed pressures, but the measurable pressure is confined to the pressure within the compression garment and tubing.

#The present disclosure is directed to systems and methods of determining a blood pressure and/or a pulse rate of a compression garment wearer.

#In one aspect, a controller for controlling inflation and deflation of at least one bladder of a garment to provide compression therapy treatment to a wearer of the garment includes a memory, one or more processors, and a non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium. The non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium includes computer-executable instructions for causing the one or more processors to receive, from a pressure sensor, a signal indicative of fluid pressure in the at least one bladder of the garment and determine whether the received signal includes oscillating amplitude as a function of time. The non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium also includes computer-executable instructions for causing the one or more processors to estimate a blood pressure of the wearer of the garment based at least in part on the determination of whether the received signal includes oscillating amplitude as a function of time.

#FIG. 1 is a perspective of a compression system including a compression garment and a controller.

#FIG. 2 is a schematic of an exemplary compression system of FIG. 1, including a schematic of a pneumatic circuit.

#FIG. 3 is a schematic of another exemplary compression system of FIG. 1, including a schematic of a pneumatic circuit.

#As used herein, the terms “proximal” and “distal” represent relative locations of components, parts and the like of a compression garment when the garment is worn. For example, a “proximal” component is disposed most adjacent to the wearer's torso, a “distal” component is disposed most distant from the wearer's torso, and an “intermediate” component is disposed generally anywhere between the proximal and distal components. Further, as used herein, the terms “wrapped” and “unwrapped” define conditions of the garment where the garment is properly applied to the wearer's limb (e.g., wrapped, worn, etc.) and where the garment is removed from the wearer's limb (e.g., unwrapped, unworn, etc.).

#Aspects of the disclosure herein are related to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/290,026, filed Oct. 11, 2016 and PCT application number PCT/US2016/056296, filed on Oct. 10, 2016, and the applications from which they claim priority: U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. Nos. 62/239,527, 62/239,493, and 62/239,566, all filed Oct. 9, 2015, and U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/329,233, filed Apr. 29, 2016. The entire contents of the above-identified applications are expressly incorporated herein by reference, including the contents and teachings of any references contained therein.

#Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a compression system 1 includes a compression garment 10 for applying sequential compression therapy to a limb or limbs of a wearer and a controller 5 having one or more processors 7 and computer executable instructions embodied on a non-transitory computer readable storage medium (e.g., memory) 33. The computer executable instructions include instructions for causing the one or more processors 7 to control operation of the compression system 1. The compression garment 10 includes a distal inflatable bladder 13a, an intermediate inflatable bladder 13b, and a proximal inflatable bladder 13c. The compression garment 10 can be fastened around the wearer's limb and, in some embodiments, is adjustable to fit limbs of different circumferences. The inflatable bladders 13a, 13b, 13c, in some embodiments, extend at least partially around a portion of the wearer's limb. For example, inflatable bladders 13a, 13b, 13c may be posterior-only bladders.