Pressure tourniquet with ultrasound window and method of use
First Claim
1. An apparatus comprising:
- a tourniquet having a first section and a second section, wherein the second section has an inside surface and an outside surface;
a compression device located on the first section of the tourniquet, and adapted to apply external pressure to a patient to compress the vessel to a reduced diameter; and
a window substantially transparent to ultrasound and traversing the second section of the tourniquet from the inside surface to the outside surface, wherein the window is capable of allowing the vessel to be monitored by a separate ultrasound transducer placed on the window on the outside surface of the second section of the tourniquet when the tourniquet is applied to the patient.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A pressure tourniquet having a window transparent to ultrasound is wrapped around a leg or another anatomical structure containing veins. An ultrasound transducer is placed in contact with the window of the tourniquet. The window is adjacent the anatomical structure and the transducer probes a dilated vein with ultrasound. The transducer can measure the size of the vein and detect reflux. A pneumatic bladder on the tourniquet is inflated to apply pressure to the anatomical structure so that the vein is compressed by the tissue of the surrounding anatomical structure. As pressure from the tourniquet reduces the diameter of the vein, competency of the vein valve can be temporarily restored to indicate the proper reduced diameter required to restore venous function. An electrode catheter is introduced into the vein to apply energy for durably molding the vein to the reduced diameter.
211 Citations
37 Claims
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1. An apparatus comprising:
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a tourniquet having a first section and a second section, wherein the second section has an inside surface and an outside surface;
a compression device located on the first section of the tourniquet, and adapted to apply external pressure to a patient to compress the vessel to a reduced diameter; and
a window substantially transparent to ultrasound and traversing the second section of the tourniquet from the inside surface to the outside surface, wherein the window is capable of allowing the vessel to be monitored by a separate ultrasound transducer placed on the window on the outside surface of the second section of the tourniquet when the tourniquet is applied to the patient. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An apparatus comprising:
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a tourniquet having a first end, a second end, a first area, and a second area, wherein the second area includes an inside surface and an outside surface;
a pneumatic inflatable bladder located in the first area of the tourniquet;
a fastener configured to connect the first end to the second end so as to hold the tourniquet around an anatomical structure, wherein the tourniquet compresses the anatomical structure when the bladder is inflated;
a window substantially transparent to ultrasound, the window traversing the second area of the tourniquet from the inside surface to the outside surface, wherein the window is capable of allowing the vessel to be monitored by a separate ultrasound transducer placed on the window on the outside surface of the second section of the tourniquet when the tourniquet is applied to the patient. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A kit for controllably shrinking a selected vein of a patient, comprising:
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a compression device adapted to apply external pressure to the patient over a selected vein position to compress the vein to a reduced diameter;
an expandable catheter adapted for insertion into the vein of the patient, the catheter having an expandable device capable of contacting the reduced diameter of the vein and imparting energy to the vein to reduce the diameter of the vein, the expandable device having sufficient structural strength to prevent the diameter of the vein from being reduced further while energy is being imparted to the vein; and
the compression device including a window substantially transparent to a selected energy and located so that it is overlying the reduced diameter portion of the vein wherein the reduced diameter portion of the vein and the catheter can be viewed by the selected energy through the window. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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28. An apparatus comprising:
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a tourniquet having a first section and a second section, wherein the second section has an inside surface and an outside surface;
means for applying external pressure to a patient over a vessel to compress the vessel to a reduced diameter, wherein the means for applying external pressure is located on the first section of the tourniquet;
means for allowing ultrasound monitoring of the vessel, wherein the means for allowing ultrasound monitoring of the vessel traverses the second section of the tourniquet from the inside surface to the outside surface, such that the apparatus allows a separate ultrasound transducer to be placed on the means for allowing ultrasound monitoring of the vessel at the outside surface of the second section of the tourniquet when the tourniquet is applied to the patient. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37)
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Specification