Compression garment apparatus having baseline pressure

• US 9,717,642 B2
• Filed: 04/30/2014
• Issued: 08/01/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kpr U.S., LLC (Cardinal Health, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Deshpande, Manish
• Primary Examiner(s): DOUGLAS, STEVEN O
• Application Number:
  US14/265,473
• Publication Number:
  US 20140236060A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,189 Days
• Field of Search: 601 23, 601 24, 601 26, 601 27, 601 33, 601 35, 601 75, 601 84, 601 85, 601 88, 601 90, 601 92, 601 93, 601 96- 98, 601101, 601103, 601105, 601107, 601108, 601133, 601134, 601148-152, 601DIG 7, 602 13, 606201, 606202
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/06 specially adapted for feet or legs; Corn-pads; Corn-rings
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/085 Openable readjustable
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/1638 Holding means therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/1642 Holding means therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5064 Position sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5069 Angle sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5084 Acceleration sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2205/06 Arms
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2205/106 for the lower legs
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2205/108 for the upper legs
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2209/00 Devices for avoiding blood stagnation, e.g. Deep Vein Thrombosis [DVT] devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 9/0007 Pulsating
• 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 compression garment apparatus including a compression garment and a pressurizer. The pressurizer intermittently pressurizes a therapeutic bladder on the compression garment and maintains a baseline pressure in the therapeutic bladder to maintain the therapeutic bladder in position with respect to a target compression zone on a body part on which the garment is worn. The baseline pressure is adjusted in response to sensed physical characteristics.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

repeatedly directing pressurized gas to and venting gas from a therapeutic bladder of a compression garment covering a target compression zone on a body part of a wearer of the compression garment;

receiving a sensed signal corresponding to at least one physical characteristic of the wearer or of the garment;

maintaining a baseline pressure in the therapeutic bladder to maintain the therapeutic bladder in position with respect to the target compression zone, the baseline pressure being a pressure held in the therapeutic bladder between a vent phase of a first inflation cycle and an inflation phase of a second inflation cycle; and

adjusting the baseline pressure in response to the sensed physical characteristic.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining, based on the sensed physical characteristic, whether to adjust the baseline pressure while at least one of directing pressurized gas to the therapeutic bladder and venting gas from the therapeutic bladder.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein adjusting the baseline pressure comprises increasing the baseline pressure in response to sensing motion of the body part being beyond a threshold amount of motion.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein adjusting the baseline pressure comprises increasing the baseline pressure in response to sensing an orientation of the body part.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the therapeutic bladder is a first therapeutic bladder and the compression garment includes second and third therapeutic bladders, the first, second, and third therapeutic bladders being arranged in sequence on the body part, and wherein the method comprises sequentially directing compressed gas to each of the therapeutic bladders and venting compressed gas from the therapeutic bladders to apply intermittent therapy on the compression zone to peristaltically enhance flow of bodily fluids in the body part.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the first, second, and third therapeutic bladders are each maintained to a different baseline pressure.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the baseline pressure is highest in a distal-most of the first, second, and third therapeutic bladders arranged on the body part of the wearer.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the sensed signal comprises receiving a sensed signal from at least one orientation, motion, acceleration, or position sensor.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein maintaining the baseline pressure comprises maintaining a predetermined baseline pressure in the therapeutic bladder, and wherein adjusting the baseline pressure comprises adjusting the predetermined baseline pressure.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein maintaining the baseline pressure comprises maintaining the baseline pressure in the therapeutic bladder at about 6 mmHg.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein maintaining the baseline pressure comprises maintaining the baseline pressure between venting the gas from the therapeutic bladder in a first inflation cycle and directing the pressurized gas to the therapeutic bladder in a second inflation cycle of the therapeutic bladder.