Method and apparatus for treating lymphedema

An lymphedema treatment apparatus comprising:

• a lymphedema treatment sleeve configured to be positioned on and fit around a body extremity, said body extremity having a proximal end and a distal end, the sleeve having a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end of the sleeve configured to be positioned at the distal end of the body extremity, the sleeve comprising a plurality of individually inflatable contiguous chambers sequentially arranged from the proximal end to the distal end of the sleeve;
• a pump in fluid communication with the sleeve and adapted, upon command, to inflate each of the sleeve chambers to a respective prescribed pressure;
• a deflation valve in fluid communication with the sleeve and adapted, upon command, to deflate selected chambers;
• a processor arranged to execute a lymphedema treatment protocol for providing lymphedema therapy comprising the steps of:
• (a) issuing commands to the pump to inflate the chamber at the proximal end of the sleeve to a respective prescribed chamber pressure to thereby commence compression therapy on said body extremity;
• (b) subsequent to a predetermined time interval, issuing a command to the pump to inflate the next chamber in the sequence to a respective prescribed chamber pressure;
• (c) repeating step (b) until all the chambers in the sequence are inflated;
• and
• (d) subsequent to a predetermined delay interval, issuing a command to the deflation valve to deflate all the chambers except the proximal end chamber.

A method of treating lymphedema using compression therapy comprising the steps of:

• (a) positioning on a body extremity to be treated, a lymphedema treatment sleeve configured to fit around said body extremity, said body extremity having a proximal end and a distal end, the sleeve having a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end of the sleeve being located at the distal end of the body extremity, the sleeve comprising a plurality of contiguous individually inflatable chambers sequentially arranged from the proximal end to the distal end of the sleeve;
• (b) inflating the chamber at the proximal end of the sleeve to a respective prescribed chamber pressure within a prescribed tolerance value to thereby commence compression therapy on said body extremity;
• (c) subsequent to a predetermined time interval, inflating the next chamber in the sequence to a respective prescribed chamber pressure within a prescribed tolerance value;
• (d) monitoring the pressure in each one of the inflated chambers and adjusting the pressure in any of the monitored inflated chambers to its prescribed chamber pressure when its corresponding monitored chamber pressure falls outside the prescribed tolerance value;
• (e) repeating steps (c) and (d) until all the chambers in the sequence are inflated;
• and
• (f) subsequent to a predetermined delay interval, deflating all the chambers except the proximal end chamber.