Process and apparatus for cryostatic pre-operative treatment of gangrenous extremeties

• US 3,918,458 A
• Filed: 10/07/1974
• Issued: 11/11/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/1974
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: NETHERY, HELEN E., 200 PENNSYLVANIA AVE.
• Original Assignee: Howard J. Nethery
• Inventors: Nethery, Howard J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Trapp, Lawrence W.
• Application Number:
  US05/512,693
• Time in Patent Office: 400 Days
• Field of Search: 128/399,400,402,68.1,379,382
• US Class Current: 607/104
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2007/0001 Body part
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2007/0056 for cooling
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 7/10 Cooling bags, e.g. ice-bags

Abstract

A new technique and new apparatus has been developed to facilitate the physiologic amputation of poor risk patients having gangrene of the leg. This process involves the controlled application of refrigeration through a freezing pad wrapped around the affected portion of the extremity to completely freeze the extremity. The refrigerant circulating throughout the freezing pad is supplied through flexible tubes from a refrigeration unit thus allowing freedom of movement to the patient, limited ambulation and movement of the extremity during the pre-operative period of treatment.

Claims

1. In a process of cryostatic pre-operative treatment of a gangrenous extremity in preparation for the subsequent surgical amputation of said extremity, a. the improvement of lowering the temperature of the affected portion of the extremity and providing refrigeration anesthesia to the patient and ultimately providing physiologic amputation of said portion of said extremity while providing to said patient movement of said extremity and limited ambulation during the period of said pre-operative treatment and simultaneously reducing nursing care to a minimum during said period of said pre-operative treatment, which comprises the steps of:

b. wrapping the affected part of the extremity with a flexible freezing pad, having inner and outer layers and containing sinuous tubing interposed between said layers which covers most of the area of said pad and c. supplying refrigerant to said sinuous tubing and removing refrigerant from said sinuous tubing frorm a from some distance from said pad through flexible tubing extending from said source to said pad and from said pad to said source and which forms a closed circuit with said source and said pad;

d. circulating said refrigerant through said sinuous tubing at subfreezing temperatures for sufficient time to completely freeze the wrapped gangrenous extremity and to effect physiologic amputation of said extremity by completely cutting off circulation between the affected part of said extremity and the rest of the body;

e. thereafter, raising the temperature of the circulating refrigerant to a freezing holding temperature for sufficient time to maintain the extremity in frozen condition until thE patient gains sufficient strength to undergo surgical amputation.

2. The process of claim 1, the further step of applying a tourniquet to said extremity above said pad simultaneously with the step of circulating said refrigerant through said sinuous tube.

3. The process of claim 1, in which the refrigerant, circulated through said sinuous tubing, is at a temperature in the range of -20* to -40* C.

4. The process of claim 1, in which the holding freezing temperature of said refrigerant is in the range of from 0* to -10* C.

5. The process of claim 1, the further improvement of wrapping a layer of low temperature insulation around said pad after it is wrapped onto the affected extremity.

6. The process of claim 1, the further improvement in circulating refrigerant through said sinuous tubing at subfreezing temperatures, which comprises the step of expanding compressed and liquid refrigerant into said sinuous tubing forming the refrigeration portion of said freezing pad.

7. The process of claim 6, in which the compressed and liquid refrigerant, which is expanded into said sinuous tubing, has been compressed and liquified by a motor compressor in said source.

8. The process of claim 1, in which said refrigerant, circulated through said sinuous tubing, is a secondary liquid refrigerant, cooled by the evaporation of a primary refrigerant in said source.