Device for applying a pulsating pressure to a local region of the body and applications thereof

• US 8,821,422 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2012
• Issued: 09/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Otivio AS
• Original Assignee: Otivio AS
• Inventors: Filtvedt, Marius, Rein, Erling Bekkestad
• Primary Examiner(s): Brown, Michael A.
• Application Number:
  US13/725,089
• Publication Number:
  US 20130184624A1
• Time in Patent Office: 620 Days
• Field of Search: 601/6, 601/9, 601/11, 601/150, 601/152, 601/159, 607/104, 607/108, 607/114, 602/13
• US Class Current: 601/151
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2007/0029 Arm or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2007/0054 with a closed fluid circuit, e.g. hot water
• 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: A61H 1/008 Apparatus for applying pressure or blows almost perpendicular to the body or limb axis, e.g. chiropractic devices for repositioning vertebrae, correcting deformation
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/02 heated or cooled
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/0207 heated
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/0214 cooled
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/0242 by a fluid circulating in the apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/0264 using heat exchanger, e.g. between fresh and used fluids
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/105 with means for delivering media, e.g. drugs or cosmetics
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5007 computer controlled
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2203/02 immersed in liquid
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2205/06 Arms
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2205/10 Leg
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 9/005 Pneumatic massage
• 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

The present invention generally relates to a device for applying a pulsating pressure to a local region of the body and applications thereof. The device may be used to increase the blood flow in a local region of the body, and in preferred embodiments provides a device for regulating the core body temperature of a patient.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

(a) enclosing an area of skin of a patient in an enclosure such that the area of skin is sealed from external conditions; and

(b) increasing blood flow through the area of skin by subjecting the area of skin to pressure pulses that include (i) generating a negative pressure within the enclosure for a first predetermined time interval and (ii) releasing the negative pressure within the enclosure for a second predetermined time interval,

wherein the first predetermined time interval has a duration longer than a heartbeat of the patient, and the negative pressure generated within the enclosure during the first predetermined time interval is between −

20 mm Hg (−

2.7 kPa) and −

80 mm Hg (−

10.7 kPa).

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first predetermined time interval is different than the second predetermined time interval.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein releasing the negative pressure comprises generating a positive pressure within the enclosure.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the negative pressure and releasing the negative pressure comprises varying a pressure within the enclosure between −

40 mm Hg (−

5.3 kPa) and +15 mm Hg (+2 kPa).

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first predetermined time interval is at least 5% longer than the second predetermined time interval.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first predetermined time interval is at least 25% longer than the second predetermined time interval.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first predetermined time interval is approximately 10 seconds.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the second predetermined time interval is approximately 7 seconds.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the area of skin comprises a limb.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the limb is one of a leg and an arm.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein releasing the negative pressure within the enclosure during the second predetermined time interval comprises increasing the pressure in the enclosure to between 0 mm Hg (0 kPa) and +15 mm Hg (+2 kPa).

12. The method of claim 1, wherein enclosing the area of skin of the patient comprises inserting a limb of the patient into a housing.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the housing comprises an elongate cylinder of circular cross-section having a curved side wall and a flat end wall.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the housing comprises walls having adjustable stiffness.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein a stiffness of the walls is adjustable via changing pressure from a pressure source.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein one end of the housing is raised higher than an opposite end of the housing to facilitate positioning of the limb of the patient into the housing.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the housing has an opening configured to receive the limb of the patient and includes a rubber cuff about the opening to seal a portion of the limb inside the housing from external conditions.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the housing comprises a layer of flexible material that engages the area of skin of the patient.

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising adjusting a temperature of the area of skin of the patient in the enclosure.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein adjusting the temperature comprises surrounding the area of skin with a heat transfer medium.

21. A method comprising:

(a) inserting a limb of a patient in a housing comprising walls having adjustable stiffness such that a portion of the limb inserted into the housing is sealed from external conditions; and

(b) increasing blood flow through the portion of the limb by subjecting the portion of the limb to pressure pulses that include (i) generating a negative pressure within the housing for a first predetermined time interval and (ii) releasing the negative pressure within the housing for a second predetermined time interval,

wherein the first predetermined time interval has a duration longer than a heartbeat of the patient.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the first predetermined time interval is different than the second predetermined time interval.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein releasing the negative pressure comprises generating a positive pressure within the housing.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein generating the negative pressure and releasing the negative pressure comprises varying a pressure within the housing between −

40 mm Hg (−

5.3 kPa) and +15 mm Hg (+2 kPa).

25. The method of claim 21, wherein the first predetermined time interval is approximately 10 seconds and the second predetermined time interval is approximately 7 seconds.

26. The method of claim 21, wherein the limb is one of a leg and an arm.

27. The method of claim 21, wherein the negative pressure generated within the housing during the first predetermined time interval is between −

20 mm Hg (−

2.7 kPa) and −

80 mm Hg (−

10.7 kPa).

28. The method of claim 27, wherein releasing the negative pressure within the housing during the second predetermined time interval comprises increasing the pressure in the enclosure to between 0 mm Hg (0 kPa) and +15 mm Hg (+2 kPa).

29. The method of claim 21, wherein the housing comprises an elongate cylinder of circular cross-section having a curved side wall and a flat end wall.

30. The method of claim 21, wherein a stiffness of the walls is adjustable via changing pressure from a pressure source.

31. The method of claim 21, wherein the housing has an opening configured to receive the limb of the patient and includes a rubber cuff about the opening to seal a portion of the limb inside the housing from external conditions.

32. The method of claim 21, wherein the housing comprises a layer of flexible material that engages the area of skin of the patient.

33. The method of claim 21 further comprising adjusting a temperature of the portion of the limb in the housing.