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US 5,855,589 AGranted
Physiologic tourniquet for intravenous regional anesthesia
OwnerJames A. McEwen, Michael Jamesoninventors
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Abstract
A physiologic tourniquet includes a safety interlock system for detecting any potentially hazardous attempt to change tourniquet cuff pressure during a procedure involving the use of two cuffs for intravenous regional anesthesia. The attempt to change pressure is prevented until the operator provides a timely and separate confirmation action.
Claims24
Safety apparatus for dual cuff tourniquet system, comprising:
- an inflatable and deflatable first cuff;
- an inflatable and deflatable second cuff;
- monitoring means for monitoring pressure in the first and second cuffs;
- control means for permitting an operator to initiate inflation of the first and second cuffs above a minimum pressure level, and for permitting an operator to initiate deflation of the first and second cuffs;
- and
- safety means connected to the monitoring means and to the control means for detecting the operator's attempt to initiate deflation of the second cuff while the pressure level in the first cuff is beneath the minimum pressure level.
3 more elements
A method for safely deflating cuffs in a dual cuff tourniquet apparatus that can be manipulated by an operator to separately initiate inflation and deflation of both of the cuffs, comprising the step of:
- monitoring pressure levels in the first and second cuffs;
- detecting the operator's attempt to initiate deflation of the second cuff while the pressure level in the first cuff is beneath a minimum pressure level;
- and
- preventing deflation of the second cuff in the absence of the operator's manipulation of the apparatus to confirm the detected attempt to initiate deflation of the second cuff while the pressure level in the first cuff is beneath the minimum pressure level.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.