DEVICE FOR APPLYING A PULSATING PRESSURE TO A LOCAL REGION OF THE BODY AND THE APPLICATIONS THEREOF
First Claim
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1. A method for in situ or in transit adjustment of a core body temperature of a patient, the method comprising the steps of:
- installing a sleeve comprising an absorbent material about a limb of the patient;
wetting the sleeve with a liquid;
inserting the limb having the wetted sleeve installed thereon into a pressure chamber such that the limb is substantially sealed from external conditions, wherein the pressure chamber comprises a substantially rigid casing and a heating/cooling element within the casing, and substantially all liquid in the interior of the pressure chamber is carried by the sleeve;
activating the heating/cooling element to selectively (a) increase a temperature within the pressure chamber to a heating temperature or (b) decrease the temperature within the pressure chamber to a cooling temperature; and
alternatingly introducing a negative pressure to the pressure chamber during a negative pressure period and releasing the negative pressure from the pressure chamber to restore the pressure chamber to approximately atmospheric pressure during an atmospheric pressure period.
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Abstract
The present invention generally relates to a device for applying a pulsating pressure to a local region of the body and applications thereof. The device may be used to increase the blood flow in a local region of the body, and in preferred embodiments provides a device for regulating the core body temperature of a patient.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A method for in situ or in transit adjustment of a core body temperature of a patient, the method comprising the steps of:
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installing a sleeve comprising an absorbent material about a limb of the patient; wetting the sleeve with a liquid; inserting the limb having the wetted sleeve installed thereon into a pressure chamber such that the limb is substantially sealed from external conditions, wherein the pressure chamber comprises a substantially rigid casing and a heating/cooling element within the casing, and substantially all liquid in the interior of the pressure chamber is carried by the sleeve; activating the heating/cooling element to selectively (a) increase a temperature within the pressure chamber to a heating temperature or (b) decrease the temperature within the pressure chamber to a cooling temperature; and alternatingly introducing a negative pressure to the pressure chamber during a negative pressure period and releasing the negative pressure from the pressure chamber to restore the pressure chamber to approximately atmospheric pressure during an atmospheric pressure period. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21-67. -67. (canceled)
Specification