Blood extraction assist apparatus and method
First Claim
1. Blood extraction assist apparatus for facilitating sustained venous blood flow through a human limb towards a venous blood extraction point, said apparatus comprising:
- blood processing apparatus having (a) a phlebotomy needle for fluid connection with a vein in a limb of a living body, (b) pressurizable cuff for surrounding an upper portion of said limb above a needle connection to said limb so as to substantially restrict venous blood flow while permitting arterial blood flow to continue therepast toward a lower portion of said limb where the needle connection point is located;
limb stimulus means adapted for tactile engagement with a lower portion of said limb distal to said needle connection point when activated;
control means coupled to said limb stimulus means for selectively activating said limb stimulus means for extracting and processing blood via said needle, at a time when blood flow assistance forces toward said needle connection is desired and deactivating said limb stimulus means at a time when blood flow assistance forces toward said needle connection is not desired.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A limb stimulator is engaged with a lower portion of a patient'"'"'s limb for facilitating sustained venous blood flow therefrom toward a phlebotomy needle when the stimulator is activated. The stimulator may be an inflatable squeeze bulb adapted to engage a human hand and to be squeezed thereby when inflated. The stimulator may also, or alternatively, include a pressurizable member substantially surrounding a lower portion of the limb and adapted to apply external pressure thereto when periodically pressurized so as to periodically (e.g., in approximate synchronism with natural pulsitile blood movements in the limb) express venous blood upwardly through the limb to the needle. Inflation of the hand-held squeeze bulb serves as a tactile stimulus to the patient to assist in venous blood movements towards the needle by muscle and tendon flexure in the lower part of the limb and may also be periodically activated (e.g., in approximate synchronism with natural pulsatile blood movements in the limb).
101 Citations
17 Claims
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1. Blood extraction assist apparatus for facilitating sustained venous blood flow through a human limb towards a venous blood extraction point, said apparatus comprising:
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blood processing apparatus having (a) a phlebotomy needle for fluid connection with a vein in a limb of a living body, (b) pressurizable cuff for surrounding an upper portion of said limb above a needle connection to said limb so as to substantially restrict venous blood flow while permitting arterial blood flow to continue therepast toward a lower portion of said limb where the needle connection point is located; limb stimulus means adapted for tactile engagement with a lower portion of said limb distal to said needle connection point when activated; control means coupled to said limb stimulus means for selectively activating said limb stimulus means for extracting and processing blood via said needle, at a time when blood flow assistance forces toward said needle connection is desired and deactivating said limb stimulus means at a time when blood flow assistance forces toward said needle connection is not desired. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 13, 14)
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5. Blood extraction assist apparatus comprising
a phlebotomy needle for fluid connection with a vein in a limb of a living body; -
limb stimulus means adapted for tactile engagement with a lower portion of said limb for facilitating sustained venous blood flow to said needle when activated; and control means connected to activate said stimulus means when sustained venous blood flow is to be facilitated. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8)
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9. Blood extraction and processing apparatus comprising:
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a phlebotomy needle for extracting venous blood from a mid-portion of a human limb; an inflatable blood pressure cuff for engagement with an upper portion of said limb; blood processing means connected to receive blood from said needle and to process such blood in a predetermined manner; limb stimulating means adapted for engagement with a lower portion of said limb for selectively facilitating sustained venous blood flow to said needle when activated; and a programmed control processor connected to control (a) inflation of said blood pressure cuff, (b) activation of said stimulating means, and (c) said blood processing means. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11)
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12. A blood extraction assist method for facilitating sustained venous blood flow through a human limb towards a venous blood extraction point, said method comprising:
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engaging a tactile stimulator with a lower portion of said limb; and selectively activating and deactivating said tactile stimulator to facilitate an increase in the blood extraction rate. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17)
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Specification