Compression sleeve convertible in length

A method of performing sequential compression on a limb of a body comprising the steps of:

• providing an expandable sleeve configured for disposal about a leg;
• disposing the sleeve about the limb such that the sleeve extends a length from below a knee of the leg to above the knee;
• sequentially delivering, via a tubular pathway, pressurized fluid from a source of pressurized fluid to inflatable ankle, calf and thigh portions of the sleeve to move blood lengthwise of the limb of the patient, said tubular pathway comprising first tubing extending from a connector to the inflatable thigh portion of the sleeve, second tubing extending from the connector to the inflatable calf portion of the sleeve, and third tubing extending from the connector to the inflatable ankle portion of the sleeve;
• deflating the ankle, calf and thigh portions of the sleeve;
• and
• converting the sleeve from the length extending from below the knee to above the knee, to a length extending solely below the knee by tearing the sleeve along perforations in the sleeve at a location where the first tubing crosses the perforations to completely remove the thigh portion of the sleeve extending above the knee, and by removing the first tubing from the connector while leaving the second and third tubing connected to the connector, the perforations being configured such that the calf and ankle portions of the sleeve remain intact after the thigh portion is torn away to permit sequential inflation of the calf and ankle portions after said thigh portion of the sleeve is removed and after said first tubing is removed from the connector.

A compression apparatus for carrying out sequential compression vascular therapy on a limb of a patient, comprising:

• a sleeve configured for disposal about a limb and having boundary edges,
• the sleeve including a first portion defining a first expandable chamber and a second portion defining a second expandable chamber and a third expandable chamber, the first, second and third expandable chambers being arranged with respect to each other lengthwise along the sleeve to move blood lengthwise of the limb,
• the second portion including a connector for fluidly connecting a pressurized fluid source to the first expandable chamber, the second expandable chamber and the third expandable chamber whereby fluid can be delivered from said pressurized fluid source to said chambers to carry out said vascular therapy,
• the first portion of the sleeve being completely removable from the second portion of the sleeve,
• perforations in the sleeve extending continuously across the sleeve from adjacent one boundary edge of the sleeve to adjacent an opposite boundary edge of the sleeve, said first and second portions of the sleeve being located on opposite sides of the perforation whereby the sleeve may be torn along the perforations to completely remove the first portion of the sleeve from the second portion of the sleeve while leaving the second portion of the sleeve intact for delivery of fluid from said pressurized source to said second and third expandable chambers arranged with respect to each other lengthwise along the sleeve to permit sequential compression vascular therapy on said limb after said first portion of the sleeve is removed,
• wherein the connector communicates with the chambers via a tubular pathway comprising first tubing extending from the connector and fluidly connecting to the first expandable chamber, second tubing extending from the connector and fluidly connecting to the second expandable chamber, and third tubing extending from the connector and fluidly connecting to the third expandable chamber, and
• wherein said first tubing extends from the connector across the perforations to the first expandable chamber.

A compression apparatus for carrying out sequential compression vascular therapy on a patient, comprising:

• a sleeve configured to wrap about a leg and having boundary edges,
• the sleeve including a thigh portion defining a first inflatable chamber having sub-chambers, the sleeve further including a calf portion defining a second inflatable chamber having sub-chambers and an ankle portion defining a third inflatable chamber having sub-chambers, the first, second and third inflatable chambers being arranged with respect to each other lengthwise along the sleeve to move blood lengthwise of the limb
• the ankle portion of the sleeve including a valve connector for fluidly connecting a pressurized fluid source to the chambers via a tubular pathway, the pressurized fluid is delivered from said pressurized fluid source to said chambers to carry out said vascular therapy,
• said tubular pathway comprising first tubing extending from the valve connector and fluidly connecting to the first inflatable chamber, second tubing extending from the valve connector and fluidly connecting to the second inflatable chamber, and third tubing extending from the valve connector and fluidly connecting to the third inflatable chamber,
• the thigh portion of the sleeve being removably connected to the calf portion of the sleeve via perforations in the sleeve extending continuously across the sleeve from adjacent one boundary edge of the sleeve to adjacent an opposite boundary edge of the sleeve, said thigh and calf portions of the sleeve being located on opposite sides of the perforations whereby the sleeve may be torn along the perforations to completely remove the thigh portion from the calf portion while leaving the calf and ankle portions of the sleeve intact for delivery of fluid from said pressurized source to said second and third inflatable chambers arranged with respect to each other lengthwise along the sleeve to permit sequential compression vascular therapy on said limb after said thigh portion of the sleeve is removed,
• wherein said first tubing extends from the valve connector across the perforations to the first inflatable chamber, and
• wherein the first tubing of the tubular pathway is removable from the valve connector when the thigh portion is removed from the calf portion, and the second tubing and third tubing remaining attached to the valve connector when the thigh portion is removed from the calf portion to permit sequential inflation of said second and third inflatable chambers after said thigh portion of the sleeve is removed.

A compression apparatus for carrying out sequential compression vascular therapy on a patient, comprising:

• an expandable sleeve configured for disposal about a leg, said sleeve having boundary edges, the sleeve extending a length from below a knee of the leg to above the knee, wherein the sleeve is convertible from the length extending from below the knee to above the knee, to a length extending solely below the knee by tearing an inflatable thigh portion of the sleeve completely away from inflatable calf and ankle portions of the sleeve along perforations in the sleeve extending continuously across the sleeve from adjacent one boundary edge of the sleeve to adjacent an opposite boundary edge of the sleeve, the perforations being configured such that the calf and ankle portions of the sleeve remains intact after the thigh portion is torn away to permit sequential inflation of the calf and ankle portions whereby sequential compression vascular therapy on said patient can be carried out after said thigh portion of the sleeve is removed, and
• a connector on the calf or ankle portion of the sleeve communicating with the thigh, calf and ankle portions of the sleeve via a tubular pathway comprising first tubing extending from the connector and fluidly connecting to the inflatable thigh portion of the sleeve, second tubing extending from the connector and fluidly connecting to the inflatable calf portion of the sleeve, and third tubing extending from the connector and fluidly connecting to the inflatable ankle portion of the sleeve, and
• wherein said first tubing extends from the connector across the perforations to the inflatable thigh portion of the sleeve.

A compression apparatus adapted for inflation and deflation by a pressurized fluid source for carrying out sequential compression vascular therapy on a patient, comprising:

• a sleeve configured for disposal about a limb and having boundary edges,
• the sleeve including a first portion defining a first expandable chamber and a second portion defining a second expandable chamber and a third expandable chamber, the first, second and third expandable chambers being arranged with respect to each other lengthwise along the sleeve to move blood lengthwise of the limb,
• the second portion including a connector for fluidly connecting said pressurized fluid source to the first expandable chamber, the second expandable chamber and the third expandable chamber, the fluid being delivered from said pressurized fluid source to said chambers to carry out said vascular therapy,
• perforations in the sleeve extending continuously across the sleeve from adjacent one boundary edge of the sleeve to adjacent an opposite boundary edge of the sleeve, said first and second portions of the sleeve being located on opposite sides of the perforations, the sleeve is torn along the perforations to completely remove the first portion of the sleeve from the second portion of the sleeve while leaving the second portion of the sleeve intact for delivery of fluid from said pressurized source to said second and third expandable chambers arranged with respect to each other lengthwise along the sleeve to permit sequential compression vascular therapy on said limb after said first portion of the sleeve is removed,
• first tubing extending from the connector across the perforations and fluidly connecting to the first expandable chamber,
• second tubing extending from the connector and fluidly connecting to the second expandable chamber,
• third tubing extending from the connector and fluidly connecting to the third expandable chamber,
• said first tubing comprising a quick disconnect port communicating with a fluid port in said connector permitting easy removal of the first tubing from a downstream side of the connector when the first portion of the sleeve is completely removed from the second portion of the sleeve, said second tubing and said third tubing remaining attached to the connector when the first portion of the sleeve is removed from the second portion of the sleeve, and
• said connector comprising a valve for partially closing said fluid port when the first tubing is removed from said connector, the fluid continues to flow from the fluid port and said inflation and deflation by said pressurized fluid source is able to continue without interruption.