Medical appliance for intermittently pulsed compression of proximal joints and adjacent tissue of the human body

A medical appliance for intermittently pulsed compression of a human joint in treatment of a painful disorder of tissue circulation at or near the joint, said appliance comprising:

• (a) a flexible sleeve of length to circumferentially envelop limb-connecting structure that is longitudinally adjacent the joint, said sleeve having great resistance to stretching elongation in the longitudinal direction and having a resistance to circumferential stretch which is low relative to said great resistance;
• (b) at least one inflatable bag adapted to be retained between a portion of said sleeve and limited to adjacent tissue at and near the joint to which the sleeve is applied, said bag having a flexible pneumatic-supply tube of length to extend outside said sleeve, said bag having capacity to withstand periodically repeated pulsed inflation to a peak pressure amplitude of at least 75-mm Hg within one second or less, followed by relaxation of inflation pressure between pulses of inflation pressure;
• (c) a length of non-stretch tape that is long enough between its longitudinal ends to complete a circumferentially secured tie of the sleeve upon securing the tape ends to each other, with the circumferential tie in overlap with said bag;
• and
• (d) cyclically operable automatic means for delivering pulses of pressure within the bag in accordance with the following criterion:
• a pressure rise to a peak amplitude of at least 75-mm Hg within one second or less, followed by a relaxation of pressure for a period of at least 15 seconds before a repeat of the pressure rise.

A kit of components for intermittently pulsed compression of a human joint in treatment of a painful disorder of tissue circulation at or near the joint, said kit comprising:

• (a) a flexible sleeve of length to circumferentially envelop longitudinal limb structure that is distally adjacent the joint and longitudinal limb structure that is proximally adjacent the joint, said sleeve having great resistance to stretching elongation in the longitudinal direction and having a resistance to circumferential stretch action which is low relative to said great resistance;
• (b) an inflatable bag adapted to be retained between a portion of said sleeve and essentially only adjacent tissue at and near the joint to which the sleeve is applied, said bag having a flexible pneumatic-supply tube of length to extend outside the sleeve when retained by the sleeve, said tube being adapted for connection to a source of intermittently pulsed pneumatic supply to a peak pressure exceeding 75-mm Hg, and said bag having capacity to withstand periodically repeated pulsed inflation to a peak pressure amplitude of at least 75-mm Hg within one second or less, followed by relaxation of inflation pressure between pulses of inflation pressure;
• and
• (c) a length of flexible non-stretch tape that is long enough between opposite ends to complete a circumferentially secured tie of the sleeve upon securing the tape ends to each other.