PRESSURIZED MEDICAL DEVICE

• US 20070249977A1
• Filed: 01/23/2007
• Published: 10/25/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Swelling Solutions, Inc. (Tactile Systems Technology, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bristol-Myers Squibb Company
• Inventors: Fernandez, Arsenio, Larsson, Roland, Landahl, Henrik, Bonnefin, Wayne, Rowley, Duncan
• Granted Patent: US 7,947,003 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 602/13
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/0119 Support for the device
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/0134 Cushion or similar support
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/0146 Mattresses
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/1628 Pelvis
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/1635 Hand or arm, e.g. handle hand-held, A61H2201/0153; fore-arm support, A61H2003/006
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/164 Feet or leg, e.g. pedal
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/165 Wearable interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5002 Means for controlling a set of similar massage devices acting in sequence at different locations on a patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5007 computer controlled
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2205/10 Leg
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2205/12 Feet
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2209/00 Devices for avoiding blood stagnation, e.g. Deep Vein Thrombosis [DVT] devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 9/0078 with intermittent or alternately inflated bladders or cuffs mattresses for preventing bed-sores with alternated pressurized chambers A61G7/05776

Abstract

A pressurized medical device comprising an inflatable element arranged to contact a part of a patient; a fluid connector attached to the element and arranged to deliver fluid to the element; a control system arranged to control flow of fluid in the device; a first element pressure sensor arranged to measure the pressure exerted by the element on the part of the patient; and detection means arranged to detect malfunctioning of the first element pressure sensor.

Claims

1. A pressurized medical device comprising:

a. an inflatable element arranged to contact a part of a patient;

b. a fluid connector attached to the element and arranged to deliver fluid to the element;

c. a control system arranged to control flow of fluid in the device;

d. a first element pressure sensor arranged to measure the pressure exerted by the element on the part of the patient; and

e. a detection means arranged to detect malfunctioning of the first element pressure sensor.

2. The pressurized medical device of claim 1, wherein the detection means is arranged to detect whether the first element pressure sensor is malfunctioning by detecting whether it is functioning accurately to within a predetermined degree of accuracy.

3. The pressurized medical device of claim 1, wherein the detection means comprises a reference pressure sensor arranged to independently measure the pressure exerted by the element on the part of the patient.

4. The pressurized medical device of claim 3, wherein the first element pressure sensor is arranged to measure pressure in a fluid line comprising the fluid connector and the reference pressure sensor measures pressure independently in the same fluid line.

5. The pressurized medical device of claim 3, wherein detection means is arranged to detect malfunctioning by measuring pressure difference between values read by the first element and reference pressure sensors and comparing them to a known relative pressure difference value for a non-malfunctioning first element pressure sensor.

6. The pressurized medical device of claim 5, wherein the relative pressure difference is substantially zero.

7. The pressurized medical device of claim 1, wherein the control system is arranged to control fluid flow dependent upon the pressure measured by the first element pressure sensor.

8. The pressurized medical device of claim 7, wherein the control system is arranged to control the fluid flow to reduce pressure if the detection means detects that the first element pressure sensor is malfunctioning.

9. The pressurized medical device of claim 8, wherein the control system is arranged to reduce pressure to substantially zero if the detection means detects that the first element pressure sensor is malfunctioning.

10. The pressurized medical device of claim 1, wherein the control system comprises a pump and a controller unit.

11. The pressurized medical device of claim 1, comprising a compression device for a limb of a patient wherein

a. the inflatable element comprises an inflatable sleeve arranged to surround the limb and exert a pressure on the limb;

b. the fluid connector comprises a conduit attached to the sleeve and arranged to deliver fluid to the sleeve; and

c. the first element pressure sensor comprises a first sleeve pressure sensor arranged to measure the pressure exerted by the sleeve on the limb.

12. The pressurized medical device of claim 11, wherein the inflatable element comprises one or more individually inflatable cells.

13. The pressurized medical device of claim 12, wherein each cell has an associated element pressure sensor arranged to determine the pressure exerted by the cell.

14. The pressurized medical device of claim 13, wherein separate fluid connectors are attached to each cell and are arranged to deliver fluid to each cell and each associated element pressure sensor is located in each fluid connector.

15. The pressurized medical device of claim 14, wherein the control system is arranged to control fluid flow to reduce pressure in cells which have associated element pressure sensors which have been determined as malfunctioning.

16. The pressurized medical device of claim 14, wherein a valve arrangement is arranged to selectively allow or prevent fluid flow through each fluid connector and the control system is arranged to control the valve arrangement such that more than one cell can not be inflated or deflated simultaneously.

17. The pressurized medical device of claim 14, wherein a valve arrangement is arranged to selectively allow or prevent fluid flow through each conduit and the control system is arranged to control the valve arrangement such that more than one cell can be inflated or deflated simultaneously.

18. The pressurized medical device of claim 13, wherein the or each pressure sensor comprises a fluid pressure sensor arranged to measure fluid pressure.

19. The pressurized medical device of claim 13, wherein the or each pressure sensor comprises a contact pressure sensor arranged to measure contact pressure.

20. The pressurized medical device of claim 11 for the limb of a mobile patient.

21. The pressurized medical device of claim 19 for the limb of a mobile patient.

22. The pressurized medical device of claim 13, wherein the detection means is arranged to check for malfunctioning of the or each element pressure sensor periodically, continuously, from time to time at preset or random intervals, every time the device is used or at any other suitable time when the device is used.

23. The pressurized medical device of claim 13, wherein the control system is arranged to control the fluid flow to reduce the exerted pressure to substantially zero if the or each element pressure sensor detects a pressure exceeding a first predefined amount.

24. The pressurized medical device of claim 3, wherein the control system is arranged to control the fluid flow to reduce the exerted pressure to substantially zero if the reference pressure sensor detects a pressure exceeding a second predefined amount.

25. The pressurized medical device of claim 23, wherein the control system is arranged to control the fluid flow to reduce the exerted pressure to substantially zero if the reference pressure sensor detects a pressure exceeding a second predefined amount.

26. The pressurized medical device of claim 25, wherein the second predefined amount is greater than the first predefined amount.

27. The pressurized medical device of claim 26, wherein the control system comprises a first processor arranged to determine whether the pressure exceeds the first predefined amount and a second processor, distinct from the control system, arranged to determine whether the pressure exceeds the second predefined amount.

28. The pressurized medical device of claim 26, wherein the control system comprises a first processor arranged to determine whether the pressure exceeds the first pre-defined amount and a hardware unit, distinct from the control system, is arranged to determine whether the pressure exceeds the second pre-defined amount.