Apparatus for inducing venous-return flow from the leg
AssigneeElectro-Biology, Inc.
InventorsArthur M. N. Gardner, Roger H. Fox
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Venous blood flow in a non-ambulating human leg is involuntarily promoted in a repeating cycle of successively actuated venous pumps, in imitation of the pump-actuating sequence which characterizes normal walking. Specifically, in the preferred embodiment, the proximal calf pump and the distal calf pump are operated, in that sequential order, following a given operation of the foot pump and prior to the next successive operation of the foot pump.
Claims7
A medical appliance for promoting venous-blood flow in a human leg, said appliance comprising a first acutator for application circumferentially to the foot to induce individually pulsed actuation of the foot pump of the leg, a second actuator for application circumferentially to the proximal region of the calf to induce individually pulsed actuation of the proximal calf pump of the leg, a third actuator for application circumferentially to the distal region of the calf to induce individually pulsed actuation of the distal calf pump of the leg, and cyclically operative means connected to all said actuators and operative to sequentially operate said actuators in the sequence of first-actuator pulsed operation, then second-actuator pulsed operation, then third-actuator pulsed operation, with a period of relaxation between third-actuator pulsed operation and the next cycle of said sequence, said period of relaxation being free of pulsed actuation and exceeding (a) the time between first-actuator pulsed operation and second-actuator pulsed operation, and (b) the time between second-actuator pulsed operation and third-actuator pulsed operation.
A medical appliance, comprising a first inflatable cuff having circumferential-tie means adapted to peripherally envelop essentially only and to conform generally to the instep region of a foot and to the plantar region of the foot within the span between the ball and heel of the foot, a single inflatable bag defined within said circumferential-tie means and having an active-surface portion longitudinally limited to said span and conformable to the sole of the foot within said span;
- a second inflatable cuff shaped for circumferential engagement with the upper calf of the leg;
- a third inflatable cuff shaped for circumferential engagement with the lower calf of the leg;
- and cyclically operative pneumatic means to individually and transiently inflate said cuffs in a cycling sequence of first-cuff inflation, then second-cuff inflation, then third-cuff inflation, with a period of relaxation between third-cuff actuation and the next cycle of said sequence said period of relaxation exceeding (a) the time between first-cuff inflation and second-cuff inflation and (b) the time between second-cuff inflation and third-cuff inflation.
A medical appliance comprising a first inflatable cuff having circumferential-tie means adapted to peripherally envelop essentially only and to conform generally to the instep region of a foot and to the plantar region of the foot within the span between the ball and heel of the foot, a single inflatable bag defined within said circumferential-tie means and having an active-surface portion longitudinally limited to said span and conformable to the sole of the foot within said span;
- a second inflatable cuff shaped for circumferential engagement with the upper calf of the leg;
- and cyclically operative pneumatic pulsing means to individually and only transiently inflate said cuffs in a cycling sequence comprising a peaked first-cuff inflation pulse, and then a peaked second-cuff inflation pulse, wherein the peaks of said inflation pulses are spaced in time, and wherein there is a period of relaxation between the second-cuff inflation-pulse peak and the next cycle of said sequence, said period of relaxation exceeding the time between peaks of said first-cuff and second-cuff pulses.
A medical appliance comprising a first inflatable cuff having circumferential-tie means adapted to peripherally envelop essentially only and to conform generally to the instep region of a foot and to the plantar region of the foot within the span between the ball and heel of the foot, a single inflatable bag defined within said circumferential-tie means and having an active-surface portion longitudinally limited to said span and conformable to the sole of the foot within said span;
- a second inflatable cuff shaped for circumferential engagement with the lower calf of the leg;
- and cyclically operative pneumatic pulsing means to individually and only transiently inflate said cuffs in a cycling sequence comprising a peaked first-cuff inflation pulse, then a peaked second-cuff inflation pulse, wherein the peaks of said inflation pulses are spaced in time, and wherein there is a period of relaxation between the second-cuff inflation-pulse peak and the next cycle of said sequence, said period of relaxation exceeding the time between peaks of said first-cuff and second-cuff pulses.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.