Low-cost contour cuff for surgical tourniquet systems

• US 20070219580A1
• Filed: 03/20/2006
• Published: 09/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Allen Upward, James Mcewen, Kenneth Glinz, Michael Jameson
• Original Assignee: Allen Upward, James Mcewen, Kenneth Glinz, Michael Jameson
• Inventors: Jameson, Michael, McEwen, James, Glinz, Kenneth, Upward, Allen
• Granted Patent: US 7,758,607 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/202
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/135 inflatable for measuring blood pressure A61B5/022; inflatable pressure pads A61F5/34

Abstract

A low-cost contour cuff for surgical tourniquet systems comprises: a sheath containing an inflatable bladder, the sheath having an arcuate shape, an outer surface and a centerline equidistant between first and second side edges; a securing strap non-releasably attached to the outer surface and formed of substantially inextensible material having a shape that is predetermined and substantially flat, wherein the strap includes a bending portion near a first strap end and a fastening portion near a second strap end, and wherein the bending portion is adapted to allow twisting of the bending portion out of the substantially flat shape to facilitate positioning of the fastening portion into any of a plurality of positions in the substantially flat shape; and fastening means for releasably attaching the fastening portion of the securing strap to the outer surface whenever the sheath is curved into a position for surrounding a limb.

Claims

1. A low-cost contour cuff for surgical tourniquet systems, comprising:

a sheath containing an inflatable bladder, the sheath having an arcuate shape, an outer surface and a centerline equidistant between first and second side edges;

a securing strap non-releasably attached to the outer surface and formed of substantially inextensible material having a shape that is predetermined and substantially flat, wherein the strap includes a bending portion near a first strap end and a fastening portion near a second strap end, and wherein the bending portion is adapted to allow twisting of the bending portion out of the substantially flat shape to facilitate positioning of the fastening portion into any of a plurality of positions in the substantially flat shape; and

fastening means for releasably attaching the fastening portion of the securing strap to the outer surface whenever the sheath is curved into a position for surrounding a limb.

2. The apparatus as described in claim 1 wherein the securing strap is formed of flexible and substantially inextensible material, wherein the fastening portion has a predetermined fastening width dimension and wherein the bending portion has a predetermined bending width dimension less than the fastening width dimension.

3. The apparatus as described in claim 1 wherein the securing strap is formed by a bending member having a first predetermined flexibility that is immovably joined to a fastening member having a second predetermined flexibility, wherein the first predetermined flexibility is greater than the second predetermined flexibility.

4. The apparatus as described in claim 1 wherein the fastening portion of the securing strap carries a first predetermined color contrasting with a second predetermined color carried on the outer surface, thereby facilitating visual determination of complete attachment of the fastening portion to the outer surface within the first and second side edges.

5. The apparatus as described in claim 1 wherein the sheath has a width dimension between the first and second side edges along the centerline and including port means communicating pneumatically with the inflatable bladder, wherein the port means includes flexible thermoplastic tubing having a length at least equal to the maximum width of the sheath, and wherein the port means is releasably connectable to a tourniquet instrument for supplying the bladder with pressurized gas.

6. The apparatus as described in claim 5, wherein the sheath, the securing strap, the fastening means and the port means are sterile.

7. The apparatus as described in claim 5 and including the tourniquet instrument for supplying the bladder with pressurized gas.

8. The apparatus as described in claim 5 and including a port mask, wherein the bladder includes first and second bladder sheets, wherein the port means communicates with the bladder through a port inlet welded to a first bladder sheet, and wherein the port mask is interposed between the port inlet and the second bladder sheet.

9. The apparatus as described in claim 1 wherein the sheath has a predetermined flexibility sufficient for surrounding the limb, and including stiffening means formed of a sheet having a predetermined flexibility less than the flexibility of the sheath and contained within the bladder.

10. The apparatus as described in claim 1 wherein the sheath has a predetermined flexibility sufficient for surrounding the limb, and including stiffening means formed of a sheet having a predetermined flexibility less than the flexibility of the sheath and contained within the sheath between the outer surface and the bladder.

11. The apparatus as described in claim 1 wherein the sheath has an inner surface and first and second sheath ends, wherein the cuff includes secondary securing means attached to the inner surface of the sheath near the first sheath end, and wherein the secondary securing means is adapted for releasable attachment to the outer surface whenever the sheath surrounds the limb and overlaps upon itself so that the secondary securing means contacts the outer surface.

12. The apparatus as described in claim 11 and including label means covering the outer surface of the sheath near the second sheath end, wherein the label means forms a barrier preventing attachment of the secondary securing means to the outer surface of the sheath.

13. A low-cost contour cuff for surgical tourniquet systems, comprising:

a sheath containing an inflatable bladder, the sheath having an arcuate shape, an outer surface and a centerline equidistant between first and second side edges;

a first securing strap having a bending portion immovably adjoining a fastening portion, wherein the first securing strap is non-releasably attached within the bending portion to the outer surface at an attachment location between the first side edge and the centerline, and wherein the bending portion has a predetermined flexibility sufficient for facilitating positioning of the fastening portion away from a predetermined alignment between the fastening portion and the attachment location;

a second securing strap having a second strap bending portion immovably adjoining a second strap fastening portion, wherein the second securing strap is non-releasably attached within the second strap bending portion to the outer surface at a second attachment location between the centerline and the second side edge, and wherein the second strap bending portion has a predetermined flexibility sufficient for facilitating positioning of the second strap fastening portion away from a predetermined alignment between the second fastening portion and the second attachment location; and

fastening means for releasably attaching the fastening portion of the securing strap to the outer surface between the side edges whenever the sheath is curved into a position for surrounding a limb.

14. A low-cost contour cuff for surgical tourniquet systems, comprising:

an inflatable bladder having an arcuate shape;

an inner surface and an outer surface enclosing the bladder; and

a securing strap non-releasably attached to the outer surface near a first strap end and segmented into a bending portion near the first strap end and a fastening portion near a second strap end, wherein the fastening portion is adapted for releasable attachment to the outer surface, and wherein the bending portion has a predetermined flexibility sufficient for bending the fastening portion to releasably attach substantially all of fastening portion to the outer surface when the bladder surrounds the limb.

15. The apparatus as described in claim 14 wherein the inflatable bladder is formed by outer and inner sheets of flexible thermoplastic material welded together along bladder side edges and bladder end edges, wherein the bladder includes a plurality of flute welds located between the side edges and end edges, each flute weld defining a non-inflatable region of the bladder having a predetermined length, width, shape and location relative to the bladder side edges and bladder end edges.

16. The apparatus as described in claim 14 wherein the securing strap is formed of flexible and substantially inextensible material, wherein the fastening portion has a predetermined fastening width dimension and wherein the bending portion has a predetermined bending width dimension less than the fastening width dimension.

17. The apparatus as described in claim 14 wherein the fastening portion of the securing strap carries a first predetermined color contrasting with a second predetermined color carried on the outer surface, thereby facilitating visual determination of complete attachment of the fastening portion to the outer surface.