Venous augmentation system

摘要

A method for augmenting blood flow in a limb that is wrapped with a sleeve having at least one chamber for applying compression to the limb in a region generally underlying the chamber includes pressurizing the chamber to a first compression pressure and then reducing the pressure to a refill pressure. Pressure in the chamber is then sensed to determine a first venous refill time. The preceding steps are repeated a second and other times using second and other compression pressures that are different from the first compression pressure and from each other to determine second and other venous refill times. A customized compression pressure is determined by locating the compression pressure at which blood flow out of the region generally underlying the chamber is maximized by finding compression pressure at a maximum venous refill time. A compression device employing such a method is also disclosed.

主权项

1. A compression device comprising:
a sleeve positionable around a limb of a person, the sleeve comprising at least one inflatable bladder;
a valve operable to control pressure of air in the at least one inflatable bladder;a pressure sensor disposed to determine the pressure in the at least one inflatable bladder; anda controller in electrical communication with the valve and the pressure sensor, the controller comprising computer-executable instructions and a processor configured to execute the computer-executable instructions, the computer-executable instructions comprising instructions for:(a) determining, by sensing pressure in the at least one inflatable bladder, elapsed amounts of time for venous blood flow in the limb to return to a steady state after reducing pressure in the at least one inflatable bladder from respective various different compression pressures to a refill pressure;(b) adjusting a compression pressure based at least in part on a measured relationship between the various different compression pressures and the corresponding elapsed times; and(c) applying compression therapy to the limb with the sleeve including repeatedly pressurizing the at least one inflatable bladder to the adjusted compression pressure and reducing pressure in said at least one inflatable bladder to allow venous refill.