Method and Means for Measuring Systolic Blood Pressure in the Ankle
First Claim
1. A method for measuring systolic blood pressure in the ankle of a subject, comprisingproviding an assembly including an ankle cuff, a flexible measuring pad comprising two pairs or more of light emitting diodes and photo detectors, and an electronic control unit in communication with the pad, the pad being optionally fixed at the cuff;
- positioning the pad or, if the pad is fixed at the cuff, the combination of pad and cuff in contact with the skin of the ankle region of the subject so as to dispose one pair in proximity of the anterior tibial artery and substantially parallel with it and the other pair in proximity of the posterior tibial artery and substantially parallel with it and, if the pad and cuff are separate, positioning the cuff around the pad that is in contact with the skin of the ankle region;
inflating the cuff to a pressure sufficient for stopping blood flow through the anterior and posterior tibial arteries;
deflating the cuff while making the diodes emit light;
recording the light reflected from the tissue by the photo detectors during deflation;
recording the cuff pressure during deflation;
analysing the recorded light signal to identify the cuff pressure at which of blood flow in the anterior and/or posterior tibial arteries is resumed.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A flexible pad for measuring systolic ankle blood pressure comprises two or more pairs of light emitting diodes and photo detectors. The pairs are disposed in parallel. The detectors are adapted for detecting light emitted by the respective diode into tissue and reflected from there. The pad further comprises conductor means for providing power to the light emitting diodes from a power source and means selected from conducting means and wireless means for putting the detectors in communication with electronic equipment for detector signal analysis. Also disclosed is the combination of the pad and an inflatable cuff, and a method for measuring systolic ankle blood pressure.
25 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A method for measuring systolic blood pressure in the ankle of a subject, comprising
providing an assembly including an ankle cuff, a flexible measuring pad comprising two pairs or more of light emitting diodes and photo detectors, and an electronic control unit in communication with the pad, the pad being optionally fixed at the cuff; -
positioning the pad or, if the pad is fixed at the cuff, the combination of pad and cuff in contact with the skin of the ankle region of the subject so as to dispose one pair in proximity of the anterior tibial artery and substantially parallel with it and the other pair in proximity of the posterior tibial artery and substantially parallel with it and, if the pad and cuff are separate, positioning the cuff around the pad that is in contact with the skin of the ankle region; inflating the cuff to a pressure sufficient for stopping blood flow through the anterior and posterior tibial arteries; deflating the cuff while making the diodes emit light; recording the light reflected from the tissue by the photo detectors during deflation; recording the cuff pressure during deflation; analysing the recorded light signal to identify the cuff pressure at which of blood flow in the anterior and/or posterior tibial arteries is resumed. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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- 4. A flexible pad for measuring systolic ankle blood pressure, comprising two or more pairs of light emitting diodes and photo detectors, said pairs being disposed in parallel, the detectors being adapted for detecting light emitted by the respective diode into tissue and reflected from there, the pad further comprising conductor means for providing power to the light emitting diodes from a power source and for putting the detectors in communication with electronic equipment for detector signal analysis.
Specification