CONTROL APPARATUS AND CONTROL SYSTEM FOR A TOURNIQUET DEVICE

• US 20160270795A1
• Filed: 11/12/2013
• Published: 09/22/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ulrich GmbH & Co., KG (Air Liquide SA)
• Original Assignee: Ulrich GmbH & Co., KG (Air Liquide SA)
• Inventors: KRAHWINKEL, Martin, HNSLER, Armin, ERDMANN, Sven
• Granted Patent: US 10,123,806 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1322 comprising a flexible encircling member A61B17/135 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1355 Automated control means therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00544 pneumatically
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00557 inflatable A61B2017/22051 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02141 Details of apparatus construction, e.g. pump units or housings therefor, cuff pressurising systems, arrangements of fluid conduits or circuits A61B5/02233, A61B5/0235 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/90 Identification means for patients or instruments, e.g. tags

Abstract

A control apparatus for a tourniquet device, to which tourniquet device a first compression cuff and/or at least one second compression cuff can be connected, with the compression cuffs having different volumes. The tourniquet device has an inflation apparatus for inflating the connected compression cuff. In order to present a tourniquet apparatus that enables the most efficient and in particular fast inflation of the tourniquet cuff possible and at the same time the most error-free operation of the tourniquet apparatus possible, a parameter set for controlling an inflation process of the respective compression cuff is associated with each compression cuff and is stored in a data memory of the control apparatus. The parameter set associated with each compression cuff depends on the volume of the compression cuff. A method for controlling a tourniquet device and a control system for controlling a tourniquet apparatus having a tourniquet device that has an inflation apparatus and a control apparatus and having a compression cuff that can be applied to a limb and connected to the inflation apparatus.

Claims

1. Control apparatus for a tourniquet device, to which a first compression cuff and/or at least a second compression cuff can be connected, wherein the connectable compression cuffs have different volumes, and the tourniquet device comprises an inflation apparatus for the inflation of the connected compression cuff, wherein each compression cuff is correlated with a parameter set for the control of an inflation process of the individual compression cuff that is stored in a data storage unit of the control apparatus, wherein the parameter set correlated with each compression cuff is dependent on the volume of the compression cuff.

3. Control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a detection mechanism with which the volume of the compression cuff connected to the inflation apparatus is detected.

4. Control apparatus according to claim 3, wherein a pressure in the compression cuff and/or the flow rate of a pressure means into the compression cuff are measured in the detection mechanism for the detection of the volume of the connected compression cuff.

5. Control apparatus according to claim 3, wherein, during the operation of the detection mechanism, the control apparatus controls the inflation apparatus in such a way that it first inflates the compression cuff connected to the inflation apparatus over a prespecified detection period using a first parameter set that is provided for the smallest connectable compression cuff, detects the pressure in the connected compression cuff after expiration of this detection period, sends the value on to the control apparatus, and from the detected pressure, the control apparatus determines the volume of the connected compression cuff.

6. Control apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the control apparatus controls the inflation apparatus after the determination of the volume of the connected compression cuff in such a way that it inflates the connected compression cuff over a prespecified inflation period using the first parameter set if, during the operation of the detection mechanism, the detected pressure in the connected compression cuff exceeded a prespecified first minimal pressure.

7. Control apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the control apparatus controls the inflation apparatus after the detection of the volume of the connected compression cuff in such a way that it inflates the connected compression cuff over a prespecified first inflation period using a second parameter set that is provided for the second-smallest connectable compression cuff if, during the operation of the detection mechanism, the detected pressure in the connected compression cuff exceeded the prespecified first minimal pressure.

8. Control apparatus according to claim 6, wherein after the expiration of the first inflation period, the pressure in the connected compression cuff is detected and sent on to the control apparatus, and from this pressure, the control apparatus determines the volume of the connected compression cuff and controls the inflation apparatus in such a way that it inflates the connected compression cuff over a prespecified second inflation period using a third parameter set that is provided for the third-smallest connectable compression cuff if, after the expiration of the first inflation period, the detected pressure in the connected compression cuff exceeded a prespecified second minimal pressure.

10. Control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the parameter set correlated with each compression cuff defines a time-dependent inflation profile for the inflation of the compression cuff.

11. Control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the parameter set correlated with each compression cuff contains a time-dependent pressure course of an inflation or discharge process for the inflation or the emptying of the compression cuff.

12. Control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the parameter set correlated with each compression cuff contains a value for a maximum pressure, which may not be exceeded during the inflation of the compression cuff.

13. Control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the parameter set correlated with each compression cuff contains a value for a maximum period, which the compression cuff in the inflated state may not be exceed.

2. Method for the control of a tourniquet device with a control apparatus (4), wherein a first compression cuff and/or at least a second compression cuff can be connected to the tourniquet device, wherein the connectable compression cuffs have different volumes, and an inflation apparatus is provided for the inflation of the connected compression cuff, wherein each compression cuff is correlated with a parameter set for the control of an inflation process of the individual compression cuff that is stored in a data storage unit of the control apparatus, wherein the parameter set correlated with each compression cuff is dependent on the volume of the compression cuff.

9. Control method according to claim 20, wherein the method steps are continued iteratively until the connected compression cuff is inflated to an end pressure that is prespecified by the parameter set of the connected compression cuff.

18. Control method according to claim 2, wherein a detection mechanism with which the volume of the compression cuff connected to the inflation apparatus is detected.

19. Control method according to claim 18, wherein a pressure in the compression cuff and/or the flow rate of a pressure means into the compression cuff are measured in the detection mechanism for the detection of the volume of the connected compression cuff.

20. Control method according to claim 18, wherein, during the operation of the detection mechanism, the inflation apparatus is controlled in such a way that:

the compression cuff connected to the inflation apparatus is first inflated over a prespecified detection period using a first parameter set that is provided for the smallest connectable compression cuff;

the pressure in the connected compression cuff after expiration of this detection period is detected;

the detected pressure is sent on to the control apparatus; and

from the detected pressure, the control apparatus determines the volume of the connected compression cuff.

14. Control system for the control of a tourniquet apparatus with a tourniquet device that has an inflation apparatus and a control apparatus, and with a compression cuff that can be placed on a limb and that can be connected to the inflation apparatus, wherein a detection mechanism is provided with which the control apparatus detects the size and/or the volume of the compression cuff if the compression cuff is connected to the inflation apparatus, wherein the control apparatus controls the inflation apparatus for the inflation of the compression cuff using a parameter set that is correlated with the size and/or the volume of the connected compression cuff.

15. Control system according to claim 14, wherein the detection mechanism detects the size and/or the volume of the connected compression cuff by a pressure measurement or by a flow rate measurement.

16. Control system according to claim 15, wherein with the pressure measurement, the pressure in the connected compression cuff that is produced during the inflation of the compression cuff by the inflation apparatus over a prespecified detection period is detected.

17. Control system according to claim 15, wherein with the flow rate measurement, the flow rate of a pressure means that is pumped into the connected compression cuff during the inflation of the compression cuff by the inflation apparatus over a prespecified detection period is detected.