Negative/positive pressure, thermal energy therapy device

• US 20080249593A1
• Filed: 04/05/2007
• Published: 10/09/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/05/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Stryker Corporation
• Original Assignee: Stryker Corporation
• Inventors: Stewart, Thomas P., Cazzini, Karl H.
• Granted Patent: US 8,460,355 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/111
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2007/0045 Foot
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2007/0054 with a closed fluid circuit, e.g. hot water
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2007/0071 using a resistor, e.g. near the spot to be heated
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 7/02 Compresses or poultices for effecting heating or cooling
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2205/106 for the lower legs
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 9/005 Pneumatic massage
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 9/0057 Suction suction kneading A61H7/008

Abstract

A negative/positive pressure, thermal energy therapy device is described in this application. The present invention uses a conventional negative pressure, thermal energy device and/or an alternative embodiment thereof and adds a significant modification. The modification is that positive pressure, not just ambient pressure, is at least occasionally applied to the patient'"'"'s body contained in the negative pressure, thermal energy device.

Claims

1. A disposable negative/positive pressure, compression, thermal energy therapy device comprising:

A) a modified heel care boot having

(i) an inflatable member forming a pressure chamber and within the pressure chamber is a fluid, the inflatable member having an exterior surface, an interior surface, an upper portion for partially enclosing a patient'"'"'s leg above the ankle, an intermediate portion for partially enclosing the patient'"'"'s ankle and heel area, and a lower portion for partially enclosing a the patient'"'"'s venous plexus area on the foot;

(ii) a fastening device for releasably securing the modified heel care boot to the patient; and

(iii) a thermal energy contacting element positioned to apply thermal energy to the patient'"'"'s venous plexus area,

B) a disposable pressure bag having an opening that receives the patient'"'"'s foot and modified heel care boot;

C) a vacuum system generates a modulatable negative pressure in the disposable pressure bag, the negative pressure in the disposable pressure bag is sufficient to cause the patient'"'"'s veins to vasodilate and the negative pressure modulates to cause the fluid in the modified heel care boot to (a) expand when the negative pressure is decreased and (b) contracts when the negative pressure is increased which causes the modified heel care boot to provide compression therapy to the patient;

D) a seal positioned at the disposable pressure bag'"'"'s opening to maintain the pressure in the bag;

E) a thermal energy system interconnected to the thermal energy contacting element wherein the patient'"'"'s venous plexus area of the foot receives thermal therapy from the thermal energy contacting element; and

F) a positive pressure system generates a positive pressure in the disposable pressure bag, the positive pressure in the disposable pressure bag is sufficient to (i) decrease the chance of a patient having edema, (ii) prevent the patient from having edema, and/or (iii) reverse the patient'"'"'s edema, when the positive pressure is hyperbaric pressure the positive pressure is applied before, after, in-between, or combinations thereof of applications of negative pressure; and

when the positive pressure is atmospheric pressure the positive pressure is applied in-between the applications of negative pressure.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the seal is a soft seal.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein the fluid in the pressure chamber is air.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein the fluid in the pressure chamber is water.

5. The device of claim 1 wherein the thermal energy contacting element is selected from the group consisting of a light source that radiates heat, a cold source that radiates coldness, a symmetric conductive design, conductive polymeric material, a convective fitting object positioned near the patient'"'"'s venous plexus area, conductive beads extending from and interconnected to a conductive plate, warming or cooling blankets like an electric blanket and/or a conductive blanket, warm or cool water immersion elements, warming or cooling gas elements, a curved metal plate or a metal tube.

6. The device of claim 5 wherein the thermal energy transferred from the thermal energy contacting element is through a fluid system.

7. The device of claim 5 wherein the thermal energy transferred from the thermal energy contacting element is through a resistor system.

8. The device of claim 1 wherein the vacuum system and the positive pressure system are the same.

9. A negative pressure, thermal energy therapy device comprising:

an enclosure having an opening to receive a portion of a patient'"'"'s body that contains a venous plexus area;

a vacuum system that creates a negative pressure in the enclosure, the negative pressure in the enclosure is sufficient to cause the patient'"'"'s veins to vasodilate;

a positive pressure system that creates a positive pressure in the enclosure, the positive pressure in the disposable pressure bag is sufficient to (i) decrease the chance of a patient having edema, (ii) prevent the patient from having edema, and/or (iii) reverse the patient'"'"'s edema, when the positive pressure is hyperbaric pressure the positive pressure is applied before, after, in-between, or combinations thereof of applications of negative pressure; and

when the positive pressure is atmospheric pressure the positive pressure is applied in-between the applications of negative pressure;

a seal positioned at the enclosure'"'"'s opening to retain the pressure in the enclosure; and

a thermal energy system having a thermal energy contacting element wherein the patient'"'"'s venous plexus area contacts the thermal energy contacting element.

10. The device of claim 9 wherein the seal is a soft seal.

11. The device of claim 9 wherein the enclosure receives a fluid and the fluid is air.

12. The device of claim 9 wherein the negative pressure modulates.

13. The device of claim 9 wherein the thermal energy contacting element is selected from the group consisting of a light source that radiates heat, a cold source that radiates coldness, a symmetric conductive design, conductive polymeric material, a convective fitting object positioned near the patient'"'"'s venous plexus area, conductive beads extending from and interconnected to a conductive plate, warming or cooling blankets like an electric blanket and/or a conductive blanket, warm or cool water immersion elements, warming or cooling gas elements, a curved metal plate or a metal tube.

14. The device of claim 13 wherein the thermal energy transferred from the thermal energy contacting element is through a fluid system.

15. The device of claim 13 wherein the thermal energy transferred from the thermal energy contacting element is through a resistor system.

16. The device of claim 9 wherein the vacuum system and the positive pressure system are the same.