Disposable digital tourniquets and related methods of providing occlusion pressures to a single digit during surgical procedures

• US 20060089668A1
• Filed: 09/09/2005
• Published: 04/27/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Piper Medical Inc.
• Original Assignee: Piper Medical Inc.
• Inventors: Warburton, Mark Joseph
• Granted Patent: US 8,486,106 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/203
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/132 Tourniquets sphygmomanometer A61B5/022
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1322 comprising a flexible encircling member A61B17/135 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1327 Tensioning clamps

Abstract

A single-use disposable digital tourniquet includes a generally rigid support body comprising first and second spaced apart cuff channels sized and configured to receive a cuff therethrough.

Claims

1. A single-use disposable digital tourniquet, comprising:

a generally rigid support body comprising first and second spaced apart cuff channels sized and configured to receive a cuff therethrough.

2. A digital tourniquet according to claim 1, wherein the support body comprises opposing first and second surfaces with the first channel extending through the support body between the first and second surfaces, the first surface defining a digit contact surface.

3. A digital tourniquet according to claim 2, wherein the first surface has a curvilinear profile.

4. A digital tourniquet according to claim 3, wherein, in use, the first surface defines a digit support surface that includes a generally medial support region disposed intermediate the first and second cuff channels.

5. A digital tourniquet according to claim 4, wherein the curvilinear profile has a generally arcuate profile that generally corresponds to a minor portion of a digit profile.

6. A digital tourniquet according to claim 4, wherein the curvilinear profile is sized and configured to receive a minor portion of a digit therein and to hold a major portion of the digit above the support body.

7. A digital tourniquet according to claim 1, further comprising an anchoring member configured to hold a first end portion of a cuff in the support body first channel and a clamping member configured to hold a spaced apart portion of the cuff proximate the second channel, wherein, in operation, the anchoring and clamping members cooperate with the support body to provide a cuff with a nearly closed loop figure at a desired tension over a digit held on the support body.

8. A digital tourniquet according to claim 7, further comprising a deformable member configured to operatively communicate with the cuff, the deformable member configured to automatically yield or break when the cuff is tensioned above a target amount to provide a tactile and/or audible alert to a clinician that a target occlusion pressure has been achieved.

9. A digital tourniquet according to claim 1, the first channel comprising spaced apart first and second cuff retaining shoulders configured to hold a rod in position across the first channel, the rod configured to hold an end portion of a non-inflatable planar cuff in position in the channel.

10. A digital tourniquet according to claim 9, the first channel further comprises a deformable projection arm extending across a portion of the first channel in advance of the first and/or second cuff retaining shoulder.

11. A digital tourniquet according to claim 1, wherein the support body comprises a polymer material.

12. A digital tourniquet according to claim 1, wherein the support body comprises a first surface that, in position, contacts a target digit, the tourniquet further comprising a planar non-inflatable elastomeric cuff that is slidably insertable through the first and second channels of the support body so as to extend through the first channel away from the first surface and into the second channel to provide a cuff with a cuff intermediate portion that extends outward from the support body first surface and two opposing cuff side portions that extend through respective first and second channels of the support body.

13. A digital tourniquet according to claim 12, the support body comprising a second surface opposing the first surface, wherein the cuff comprises opposing first and second end portions, the first end portion comprising a rod channel extending thereacross, the rod channel configured to receive a rod therethrough and hold the cuff in the first channel.

14. A digital tourniquet according to claim 13, wherein the support body has opposing first and second surfaces, the first surface having a shallow curvilinear profile, and the second surface being generally planar, and wherein the first and second channels have a width that is wider than the width of the cuff.

15. A digital tourniquet comprising:

a generally rigid support body comprising first and second spaced apart cuff channels, wherein the support body comprises a first surface that, in position, contacts a target digit; and

a planar non-inflatable elastomeric cuff that is slidably insertable through the first and second channels of the support body so as to extend through the first channel away from the first surface and into the second channel to provide a cuff with a curvilinear portion that extends outward from the support body first surface.

16. A digital tourniquet according to claim 15, wherein the support body comprises a second generally planar surface opposing the first surface, and wherein the first and second channels extend generally orthogonal to a plane extending through the planar portion of the second surface.

17. A digital tourniquet according to claim 15, wherein the first surface comprises a curvilinear profile with a generally medial closed outer surface portion that separates the first and second channels.

18. A digital tourniquet according to claim 15, wherein the cuff comprises opposing first and second end portions, the first end portion comprising a rod channel extending thereacross and a rod held therein with opposing end portions of the rod extending beyond the bounds of the cuff.

19. A digital tourniquet according to claim 18, further comprising spaced apart first and second rod retaining shoulders in the first channel, the rod configured to rest against the rod retaining shoulders and secure the first end portion of the cuff in the first channel proximate the second surface of the support body.

20. A digital tourniquet according to claim 15, further comprising an anchoring member configured to hold a first end portion of a cuff in the support body first channel and a clamping member configured to hold a spaced apart portion of the cuff proximate the second channel, wherein, in operation, the anchoring and clamping members cooperate with the support body to provide a cuff with a nearly closed turn portion that extends away from the support body and is held at a desired tension over a digit held on the support body.

21. A digital tourniquet according to claim 15, the support body further comprising a deformable member configured to operatively communicate with the cuff, the deformable member configured to automatically yield or break when the cuff is tensioned above a target amount to provide a tactile and/or audible alert to a clinician that a target occlusion pressure has been achieved.

22. A digital tourniquet according to claim 19, the first channel further comprises a deformable projection arm extending across a portion of the first channel in advance of the first and/or second cuff retaining shoulder, wherein, in operation, the rod is configured to press against the projection arm until the arm yields or breaks and allows the rod to rest against the retaining shoulders.

23. A digital tourniquet according to claim 15, wherein the support body comprises a molded polymer material.

24. A digital tourniquet according to claim 15, wherein the tourniquet is single-use disposable.

25. A method of applying occlusion pressure to a digit, comprising:

providing a support body having a digit contact surface and two generally parallel spaced apart cuff channels extending therethrough and a generally planar elastomeric cuff that extends through the first and second channels, the cuff having opposing first and second end portions, the first end portion being secured to the support body proximate the first channel;

placing a digit of interest on the digit contact surface of the support body inside a partially closed loop portion of the cuff;

pulling the second end portion of the elastomeric cuff to tighten the cuff snugly about at least a major portion of the digit; and

releasably securing a portion of the cuff against the support body to provide a desired occlusion pressure to the digit of interest.

26-32. -32. (canceled)

33. A kit of digital tourniquets providing for a range of different occlusion pressures, comprising:

a first digital tourniquet generally rigid support body having first and second cuff channel lengths sized to accommodate a cuff having a first width; and

a second digital tourniquet generally rigid support body having first and second cuff channel lengths sized to accommodate a cuff having a second width that is greater than the first digital tourniquet cuff first width.

34-40. -40. (canceled)

41. A kit of non-inflatable cuffs comprising a plurality of elongate non-inflatable cuffs of different widths, each cuff having an end portion with a channel configured to accept a rod thereacross.

42. (canceled)