Method and system for thermal and compression therapy relative to the prevention of deep vein thrombosis

• US 8,778,005 B2
• Filed: 09/19/2008
• Issued: 07/15/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Thermotek Incorporated
• Original Assignee: The Thermotek Incorporated
• Inventors: Parish, Overton L., Quisenberry, Tony, Balachandran, Niran, McSpadden, Sam K.
• Primary Examiner(s): ROANE, AARON F
• Application Number:
  US12/234,394
• Publication Number:
  US 20090069731A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,125 Days
• Field of Search: 607104-112, 607/114
• US Class Current: 607/108
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2007/0039 Leg or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2007/0043 Lower leg, calf
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2007/0044 Ankle
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2007/0045 Foot
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2007/0056 for cooling
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2007/0075 using a Peltier element, e.g. near the spot to be heated or cooled
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2007/0091 inflatable
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 7/00 Heating or cooling appliances for medical or therapeutic treatment of the human body heating or cooling means in connection with bedsteads or mattresses A47C21/00 ; massage, therapeutic baths A61H; hyperthermia using electric or magnetic fields or ultrasound A61N; electric heating elements H05B
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 7/0085 Devices for generating hot or cold treatment fluids
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 1/006 Apparatus for applying pressure or blows for compressive stressing of a part of the skeletal structure, e.g. for preventing or alleviating osteoporosis
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/165 Wearable interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5071 Pressure sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5082 Temperature sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2205/106 for the lower legs
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2209/00 Devices for avoiding blood stagnation, e.g. Deep Vein Thrombosis [DVT] devices
• 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

Abstract

A control unit coupled to a thermal therapy device, a compression therapy device and DVT therapy devices is provided. The thermal therapy device includes a fluid bladder for delivering hot and/or cold therapy to a patient. The compression therapy device includes an gas bladder for providing compression to a patient. The DVT therapy devices provide pulsed compression in coordination with the compression therapy device.

Claims

1. A system for addressing deep-vein-thrombosis (DVT) in a patient utilizing compression therapy, the system comprising:

a control unit for thermally conditioning a heat-transfer liquid to a predetermined temperature and providing a compressed gas at one or more predetermined pressures;

a thermal therapy pad coupled to the control unit and that conducts the heat-transfer liquid therethrough;

a compression therapy device comprising a bladder and disposed outwardly of the thermal therapy pad, the compression therapy device being coupled to the control unit to receive at least a portion of the compressed gas to fill the bladder and to compress the thermal therapy pad against a first portion of a first extremity of the patient;

a first DVT compression device coupled to the control unit and that receives a first pulse of compressed gas from the control unit, the first DVT compression device adapted for securement to and compression of a second portion of the first extremity of the patient;

a second DVT compression device coupled to the control unit and that receives a second pulse of compressed gas from the control unit, the second DVT compression device adapted for securement to and compression of a portion of a second extremity of the patient;

wherein the control unit provides the first pulse only when the compressed gas is not being applied to the compression therapy device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the thermal therapy pad and the compression therapy device are integrated into a single device.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein compressed gas is provided to the first DVT compression device during the first pulse for a user-specified length of time and compressed gas is provided to the second DVT compression device during the second pulse for a user-specified length of time.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the control unit is adapted to provide the compressed gas to the compression therapy device, the first DVT compression device, and the second DVT compression device at one or more user-specified pressures.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the second portion of the first extremity of the patient is a first foot of the patient and the portion of the second extremity of the patient is a second foot of the patient.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the second portion of the first extremity of the patient is a first calf of the patient and the portion of the second extremity of the patient is a second calf of the patient.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the first portion of the first extremity of the patient is a knee of the patient.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the control unit is adapted to provide compressed gas to three or more bladders disposed within the compression therapy device.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the control unit is adapted to cycle through the following:

provide a pulse of compressed gas to a first bladder of the compression therapy device;

provide a pulse of compressed gas to a second bladder of the compression therapy device; and

provide a pulse of compressed gas to a third bladder of the compression therapy device.

10. A system for addressing deep-vein-thrombosis (DVT) in a patient utilizing compression therapy, the system comprising:

a control unit for thermally conditioning a heat-transfer liquid to a predetermined temperature and providing compressed gas at a predetermined pressure in a select order;

a thermal compression therapy device coupled to the control unit and adapted for securement to the patient, the thermal compression therapy device receiving both at least a portion of the heat-transfer liquid and at least a portion of the compressed gas to compress the thermal therapy device against a first portion of a first extremity of the patient;

a first DVT compression device coupled to the control unit and adapted for securement to the patient, the first DVT compression device receiving a first pulse of compressed gas from the control unit to compress a second portion of the first extremity of the patient;

a second DVT compression device coupled to the control unit for securement to the patient, the second DVT compression device receiving a second pulse of compressed gas from the control unit to compress a portion of a second extremity of the patient;

wherein the control unit provides the first pulse to the first DVT compression device only when the compressed gas is not being applied to the thermal compression therapy device.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the thermal therapy device and the compression therapy device are integrated into a single device adapted for application to the knee of the patient.