Compression sleeve

• US 5,795,312 A
• Filed: 03/15/1996
• Issued: 08/18/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: The Kendall Company (Colgate-Palmolive Company)
• Original Assignee: The Kendall Company (Colgate-Palmolive Company)
• Inventors: Dye, John F.
• Primary Examiner(s): CLARK, JEANNE MARIE
• Application Number:
  US08/617,978
• Time in Patent Office: 886 Days
• Field of Search: 601/15, 601/148-152, 602/13, 128/DIG. 20
• US Class Current: 601/151
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/1697 Breathability of the material
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2205/10 Leg
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 9/0078 with intermittent or alternately inflated bladders or cuffs mattresses for preventing bed-sores with alternated pressurized chambers A61G7/05776
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/20 Inflatable splint

Abstract

Disclosed is a compression sleeve for use in systems for applying compressive pressure to a patient'"'"'s leg. The sleeve has an improved design for facilitating proper placement on the leg and for providing increased comfort for the patient wearing the sleeve.

Claims

1. In a device for applying compressive pressure against a patient'"'"'s leg from a source of pressurized fluid comprising an elongated sleeve for enclosing a length of the patient'"'"'s leg, the sleeve having a pair of opposed side edges and a pair of opposed end edges connecting the side edges, the side and end edges together defining the shape and dimensions of the sleeve, at least one pressure chamber within the sleeve, conduit means for introducing the pressurized fluid within the chamber(s) of the sleeve, and fastening means extending longitudinally along the side edges for releasably securing the sleeve surrounding the leg;

the improvement wherein the side edges of the sleeve are provided with a plurality of pairs of opposed flaps extending longitudinally between the end edges of the sleeve, the flaps being integrally formed with the sleeve and defined by cut out regions in the side edges, one of each pair of flaps being on one of the side edges and the other flap of each pair being on the other side edge of the sleeve, each of the pairs of flaps having closure means mating with closure means on the opposed flap of the pair, the pairs of flaps and their associated closure means being located to be individually adjustable and securable together to provide differing circumferential dimensions when the sleeve is secured surrounding the leg to accommodate the thickness of the particular leg region enclosed by the pair of flaps, thereby permitting proper fitting of the sleeve around the leg for applying the proper preselected pressure profile; and

wherein the sleeve has a first opening symmetrically located between the side edges of the sleeve for placement substantially centrally behind the knee and a second opening defined by the cut out regions symmetrically placed in the side edges of the sleeve and adapted for placement substantially centrally over the knee cap when the sleeve is wrapped around the leg and wherein opposed ends of at least one of the chambers extend into the flaps of one of the pairs of opposed flaps.

2. A device as defined in claim 1 wherein the closure means in one flap in each pair of flaps comprises a hook fastening material and the other flap in each pair comprises a loop fastening material.

3. A device as defined in claim 2 wherein one of the hook fastening material and the loop fastening material extends longitudinally parallel to the end edges to provide a plurality of locations for adjusting and securing the closure means.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein the sleeve has a plurality of compression chambers extending upwards from the ankle region of the leg, each chamber having an associated pair of flaps.

5. A device of claim 1 wherein the opposed side edges are tapered from one of the end edges to the other of the end edges to provide a first width to enclose a thigh region, a second width less than the first width to enclose an ankle region, and a third width intermediate the first and second widths to enclose a calf region, the pairs of flaps being associated with the first, second, and third widths respectively.

6. A device for applying compressive pressure against a patient'"'"'s leg from a source of pressurized fluid comprising:

an elongated sleeve for enclosing a length of the patient'"'"'s leg, the sleeve having a pair of opposed side edges and a pair of opposed end edges connecting the side edges, the side and end edges together defining the shape and outer dimensions of the sleeve, and at least one pressure chamber within the sleeve;

conduits for introducing the pressurized fluid within the chamber(s) of the sleeve; and

a plurality of pairs of opposed flaps extending longitudinally between the end edges of the sleeve, one flap of each pair of flaps being on one of the side edges and the other flap of each pair being on the other side edge of the sleeve, the flaps of adjacent pairs of flaps being separated by opposed cut out regions in the side edges of the sleeve, each of the pairs of flaps having a closure member mateable with an associated closure member on the opposed flap of the pair, the pairs of flaps and their associated closure members being located to be individually adjustable and securable together to provide differing circumferential dimensions when the sleeve is secured surrounding the leg to accommodate the thickness of the particular leg region enclosed by the pair of flaps, thereby permitting proper fitting of the sleeve around the leg for applying the proper preselected pressure profile;

a first opening symmetrically located between the side edges of the sleeve for placement substantially centrally behind the knee, and at least one set of the opposed cut out regions being symmetrically located to define a second opening for placement substantially centrally over the knee cap when the sleeve is wrapped around the leg; and

a tubing channel through which the conduits extend, the tubing channel spaced inwardly from at least two of the flaps on one of the side edges and extending longitudinally from one end edge past another of the cut out regions separating the at least two flaps.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein the cut out regions are located to define an opening for placement between an ankle region and a calf region, the pairs of flaps being associated with the ankle region and the calf region respectively.

8. A device of claim 6, wherein the opposed side edges are tapered from one of the end edges to the other of the end edges to provide a first width to enclose a thigh region, a second width less than the first width to enclose an ankle region, and a third width intermediate the first and second widths to enclose a calf region, the pairs of flaps being associated with the first, second, and third widths respectively.

9. The device of claim 6, wherein the closure member of one flap in each pair of flaps comprises a hook fastening material and the associated closure member of the other flap in each pair of flaps comprises a loop fastening material.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein one of the hook fastening material and the loop fastening material extends longitudinally parallel to the end edges to provide a plurality of locations for securing the flaps to provide a plurality of circumferences.

11. The device of claim 6, wherein the sleeve includes a plurality of compression chambers extending upwardly from the ankle region of the leg, each chamber having an associated pair of flaps.

12. The device of claim 6, wherein the sleeve comprises an inner sheet adapted for placement against the leg and an outer sheet, the sheets being sealed together in fluid-tight arrangement to provide the compression chamber(s), the outer surface of the inner sheet having indicia indicating to a clinician applying the sleeve to a patient proper alignment of the sleeve behind the patient'"'"'s leg.

13. The device of claim 6, wherein the sleeve has a first opening symmetrically located between the side edges of the sleeve for placement substantially centrally behind the knee, and the cut out regions define a second opening adapted for placement substantially centrally over the knee cap when the sleeve is wrapped around the leg, and the sleeve further includes indicia on an inner surface of the sleeve adapted for placement against the leg, the indicia defining placement of the first opening behind the knee or popliteal fossa when the sleeve is wrapped around the leg.