APPARATUS, SYSTEMS, AND METHODS FOR AUGMENTING THE FLOW OF FLUID WITHIN BODY VESSELS
First Claim
1. A network sized and configured to be fitted to the musculature of a limb for distributing pneumatic fluid pressure to compress the musculature and augment blood flow velocity toward the heart, the network comprisingtwo or more zones of individual pneumatic cells comprising, for each zone, a core cell and a plurality of branch cells, distinct from the core cell, that communicate with the core cell and with each other, the plurality of branch cells extending laterally from the respective core cell along at least one of a lateral right and left branch axis from a most-medial branch cell to a most-lateral branch cell, the core cells of the two or more zones being generally mutually aligned along a common medial axis that, when the network is fitted to the musculature of the limb, is generally aligned with a longitudinal axis of the limb, the at least one of the lateral left and right branch axis diverging from the medial axis by a branch angle that is less than 90°
- so that, when the network is fitted to the musculature of the limb, the at least one left and right branch axis is not substantially aligned with the longitudinal axis of the limb, each zone further including an intra-zone channel extending from at least one of the most-lateral branch cells of the respective zone to the core cell of the next proximal zone to convey pneumatic pressure between the zones, the network, when fitted to the musculature of the limb, distributing pneumatic pressure through the zones to provide compression to the musculature of the limb that progresses laterally within each zone as well as proximally between the zones from distal limb to proximal limb, to thereby augment blood flow velocity in the limb toward the heart.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatus, systems, and methods are sized and configured to effectively and efficiently augment the flow of fluid within body vessels, not only during conditions in which a patient is bedbound and immobile, but also in conditions when the individual is out of bed, and completely mobile and ambulatory.
51 Citations
34 Claims
-
1. A network sized and configured to be fitted to the musculature of a limb for distributing pneumatic fluid pressure to compress the musculature and augment blood flow velocity toward the heart, the network comprising
two or more zones of individual pneumatic cells comprising, for each zone, a core cell and a plurality of branch cells, distinct from the core cell, that communicate with the core cell and with each other, the plurality of branch cells extending laterally from the respective core cell along at least one of a lateral right and left branch axis from a most-medial branch cell to a most-lateral branch cell, the core cells of the two or more zones being generally mutually aligned along a common medial axis that, when the network is fitted to the musculature of the limb, is generally aligned with a longitudinal axis of the limb, the at least one of the lateral left and right branch axis diverging from the medial axis by a branch angle that is less than 90° - so that, when the network is fitted to the musculature of the limb, the at least one left and right branch axis is not substantially aligned with the longitudinal axis of the limb, each zone further including an intra-zone channel extending from at least one of the most-lateral branch cells of the respective zone to the core cell of the next proximal zone to convey pneumatic pressure between the zones, the network, when fitted to the musculature of the limb, distributing pneumatic pressure through the zones to provide compression to the musculature of the limb that progresses laterally within each zone as well as proximally between the zones from distal limb to proximal limb, to thereby augment blood flow velocity in the limb toward the heart.
- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
- 9. A network sized and configured to be fitted to the musculature of a limb for distributing pneumatic fluid pressure to compress the musculature and augment blood flow velocity toward the heart, the network comprising a total active fluid volume fitted to the musculature (AFV, expressed in ml) to apply an average compressive force to the musculature (ACF, expressed in mmHg), the network having a volume-to-compressive force ratio comprising AFV/ACF being equal to or less than 8 ml/mmHg.
-
11. A method for distributing pneumatic fluid pressure to compress the musculature of a limb and augment blood flow velocity toward the heart, the method comprising
(i) fitting a fluid distribution network to the musculature of the limb, the fluid distribution network comprising a first, more distal zone and a second, more proximal zone, each first and second zones comprising a core cell and a plurality of branch cells, distinct from the core cell, that communicate with the core cell and with each other, the plurality of branch cells extending laterally from the respective core cell along at least one of a lateral right and left branch axis from a most-medial branch cell to a most-lateral branch cell, the core cells of the two or more zones being generally mutually aligned along a common medial axis that, when the network is fitted to the musculature of the limb, is generally aligned with a longitudinal axis of the limb, the at least one of the lateral left and right branch axis diverging from the medial axis by a branch angle that is less than 90° - so that, when the network is fitted to the musculature of the limb, the at least one left and right branch axis is not substantially aligned with the longitudinal axis of the limb, each zone further including an intra-zone channel extending from at least one of the most-lateral branch cells of the respective zone to the core cell of the next proximal zone to convey pneumatic pressure between the zones,
(ii) establishing communication between the fluid distribution network and a pneumatic fluid source, and (iii) operating the pneumatic fluid source to convey pneumatic pressure into the first, more distal zone to provide compression to the musculature of the limb that progresses laterally within the first, more distal zone as well as proximally toward the heart, (iv) operating the pneumatic fluid source to convey pneumatic pressure through the intra-zone channel from the first, more distal zone to the second, more proximal zone to provide compression to the musculature of the limb that progresses laterally within the second, more proximal zone as well as proximally toward the heart, and (v) venting pneumatic pressure from the first and second zones. - View Dependent Claims (12)
- so that, when the network is fitted to the musculature of the limb, the at least one left and right branch axis is not substantially aligned with the longitudinal axis of the limb, each zone further including an intra-zone channel extending from at least one of the most-lateral branch cells of the respective zone to the core cell of the next proximal zone to convey pneumatic pressure between the zones,
-
13. A pneumatic fluid distribution assembly for augmenting blood flow velocity in a limb of the body, the limb having a longitudinal axis extending from distal limb to proximal limb in the direction of the heart, the fluid distribution assembly comprising
a garment sized and configured to be fitted on the limb to overlie musculature of the limb, and a pneumatic network formed in the garment for communication with a pneumatic fluid source, the pneumatic network including two or more zones of individual pneumatic cells comprising, for each zone, a core cell and a plurality of branch cells, distinct from the core cell, that communicate with the core cell and with each other, the plurality of branch cells extending laterally from the respective core cell along at least one of a lateral right and left branch axis from a most-medial branch cell to a most-lateral branch cell, the core cells of the two or more zones being generally mutually aligned along a common medial axis that, when the garment is fitted to the musculature of the limb, is generally aligned with a longitudinal axis of the limb, the at least one of the lateral left and right branch axis diverging from the medial axis by a branch angle that is less than 90° - so that, when the garment is fitted to the musculature of the limb, the at least one left and right branch axis is not substantially aligned with the longitudinal axis of the limb, each zone further including an intra-zone channel extending from at least one of the most-lateral branch cells of the respective zone to the core cell of the next proximal zone to convey pneumatic pressure between the zones,
whereby the pneumatic fluid distribution assembly is sized and configured, when the garment is fitted to the musculature of the limb, to distribute pneumatic pressure through the zones to provide compression to the musculature of the limb that progresses laterally within each zone as well as proximally between the zones from distal limb to proximal limb, to thereby augment blood flow velocity in the limb toward the heart. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 31, 32, 33, 34)
- so that, when the garment is fitted to the musculature of the limb, the at least one left and right branch axis is not substantially aligned with the longitudinal axis of the limb, each zone further including an intra-zone channel extending from at least one of the most-lateral branch cells of the respective zone to the core cell of the next proximal zone to convey pneumatic pressure between the zones,
-
30. A pneumatic fluid distribution assembly to be fitted to the musculature of a limb for distributing pneumatic fluid pressure to compress the musculature and augment blood flow velocity toward the heart, the assembly comprising
a garment sized and configured to be fitted on the limb to overlie musculature of the limb, and a pneumatic network formed in the garment for communication with a pneumatic fluid source, the pneumatic network including a total active fluid volume fitted to the musculature (AFV, expressed in ml) to apply an average compressive force to the musculature (ACF, expressed in mmHg), the network having a volume-to-compressive force ratio comprising AFV/ACF being equal to or less than 8 ml/mmHg.
Specification