EP0168085B1 - Medical-therapeutic device - Google Patents

Medical-therapeutic device Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0168085B1
EP0168085B1 EP19850200934 EP85200934A EP0168085B1 EP 0168085 B1 EP0168085 B1 EP 0168085B1 EP 19850200934 EP19850200934 EP 19850200934 EP 85200934 A EP85200934 A EP 85200934A EP 0168085 B1 EP0168085 B1 EP 0168085B1
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EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
chamber
pressure
chambers
fluid
throttling
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired
Application number
EP19850200934
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0168085A1 (en
Inventor
Johan Pieter Hulsbergen Henning
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Individual
Original Assignee
Individual
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Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Individual filed Critical Individual
Publication of EP0168085A1 publication Critical patent/EP0168085A1/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0168085B1 publication Critical patent/EP0168085B1/en
Expired legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61H—PHYSICAL THERAPY APPARATUS, e.g. DEVICES FOR LOCATING OR STIMULATING REFLEX POINTS IN THE BODY; ARTIFICIAL RESPIRATION; MASSAGE; BATHING DEVICES FOR SPECIAL THERAPEUTIC OR HYGIENIC PURPOSES OR SPECIFIC PARTS OF THE BODY
    • A61H9/00—Pneumatic or hydraulic massage
    • A61H9/005—Pneumatic massage
    • A61H9/0078—Pneumatic massage with intermittent or alternately inflated bladders or cuffs
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61H—PHYSICAL THERAPY APPARATUS, e.g. DEVICES FOR LOCATING OR STIMULATING REFLEX POINTS IN THE BODY; ARTIFICIAL RESPIRATION; MASSAGE; BATHING DEVICES FOR SPECIAL THERAPEUTIC OR HYGIENIC PURPOSES OR SPECIFIC PARTS OF THE BODY
    • A61H9/00—Pneumatic or hydraulic massage
    • A61H9/005—Pneumatic massage
    • A61H9/0078—Pneumatic massage with intermittent or alternately inflated bladders or cuffs
    • A61H9/0085—Inflated by user's body movement, e.g. ambulatory devices

Definitions

  • This invention relates to a device for sustaining the operation of the blood vessels in the human body, at least in part in one of the limbs thereof, with more than one chamber to be positioned in contact with different zones of the body, said chambers being adapted to take up a fluid such as air under pressure and having a flexible wall for transmitting said pressure to the body, with means to subject a fluid in said chambers to a pulsating pressure.
  • Chambers positioned more remotely from the extremity of said human limb are filled from more distal chambers through narrow throttling connections or by check valves opening against a relatively high pressure difference, so that proximal chambers in each pulsation cycle are subjected to a much lower pressure than distal chambers.
  • proximal chambers in each pulsation cycle are subjected to a much lower pressure than distal chambers.
  • This relief takes place through check valves, opening against a much lower pressure difference (and of course in opposite direction) than the check valves used for filling the chambers with the fluid.
  • the pressure in the more proximal chamber may remain slightly higher than in more distal chambers, but this difference in pressure in the pulsation pressure relief phase is negligible as all the relief check valves (flap valves) open against a pressure difference very much lower than the pressure difference for the check valves forfilling.
  • the invention aims at improving such devices.
  • the operation is not optimal, and moreover that this is to be attributed to the fact that, during the pressure decreasing phase of the pulsations much venous blood flows back immediately to the distal part of the limb, in particular to the lower leg of standing or sitting patients.
  • the invention proposes to embody a device as given in the preamble in such a way that there are valve means in the path of a source for feeding the fluid to each one of said chambers in a relatively unthrottled flow in the raised pressure phase of the pulsations and throttling means to discharge the fluid from each one of said chambers in the decreased pressure phase of the pulsations, embodied so that the throttling means for discharge of the fluid from a more proximal chamber give substantially more throttling to this discharge flow than the throttling means for discharge from a more distal chamber.
  • At least one more proximal chamber loses its pressure during the relief phase of the pulsations more slowly than at least one more distal chamber, which has a favourable influence as to avoiding such rapid back flow of venous blood.
  • the most proximal chamber may be present on part of the human torso, e.g. on breast, shoulder or hip.
  • the pulsations may be generated by applying a flexible "pumping chamber" below the foot, which chamber is in fluid communication with one or more pressure chambers in contact with parts of the leg so that a fluid such as air is pumped to said pressure chambers by and from said pumping chamber when placing the foot during walking and that, when lifting the foot, this fluid flows back into said pumping chamber.
  • a fluid such as air is pumped to said pressure chambers by and from said pumping chamber when placing the foot during walking and that, when lifting the foot, this fluid flows back into said pumping chamber.
  • Such pulsations may be generated with the aid of a pump or pressure vessel and a controlled pulsation device, e.g. as disclosed in the said U.S. patent specifications 4,030,488 and 4,029,087.
  • the invention moreover relates to preferred embodiments of said principle.
  • Throttling openings for the pressure relief may be present between the different chambers, but they may also lead directly from each chamber to the outside.
  • the device of Fig. 1 is embodied as a boot 1, provided with a number of chambers 3, 8, 9, 10 for pressure pulsations, being permanently or easily detachably mounted in said boot.
  • the chambers have flexible fluid-tight walls, which preferably are not elastic or only very little, such as a fabric impregnated and/or covered by a suitable flexible plastics or rubber material. In this case they are mutually connected to a unit 2.
  • the boot may have zippers or bootlaces not shown to be easily pulled on and taken off.
  • this unit has a flexible chamber 3, extending under the entire surface of the human foot sole or under the greater part thereof.
  • a closable connecting nipple 4 serves to keep said unit filled with a fluid such as air, e.g. by the use of a simple hand or foot pump 5 easily connectable thereto and detachable therefrom, e.g. as usual for inflating air beds or rubber boats, but it is also possible to fill this unit by blowing by mouth or connection to any source of pressurized air or other gas.
  • a meter 6 shows the filling pressure.
  • the nipple 4 may be connected at any point to unit 2, e.g. to one side of the sole or higher.
  • the chamber 3 is in open fluid connection with a chamber 8 through a flexible duct 7 extending along foot and ankle.
  • a chamber 8 there are two further chambers 9 and 10.
  • this duct may be embedded in a suitable material such as elastic foam plastic:
  • Said chambers 8 to 10 extend along the back side and along part of the sides of the lower leg. There may also be one or more chambers in contact with the upper leg and it is even possible that e.g. a hose connects the upper chamber 10 to a chamber to be applied to the patient at the height of the hip. If desired the duct 7 may be very short and chamber 8 may extend downwardly along the ankle, so that a pulsating pressure may also be exerted on the median or lateral ankle.
  • each wall 11 has a flow connection 12 between bordering chambers, indicated in Fig. 1 only diagrammatically by a dash. In Fig. 2 and 3 this connection 12 is shown in detail on a larger scale.
  • valve casing 13 is mounted in an opening in each wall 11.
  • This casing may be of metal, rather hard rubber or plastics material and it may be mounted by clamping, bonding or vulcanising or any other suitable connection method to wall 11.
  • a valve body 14 is freely movable up and down in said casing and consists of metal, rubber or platics material. At least one of the parts 13 and 14 is made of elastic material of such flexibility that body 14 is introduceable into casing 13. It is also possible to provide casing 13 with a separate part enclosing body 14 after introduction and mountable e.g. by screwing or screws, welding or glueing.
  • Valve body 14 has protrusions 15 such as battlements, which in the highest position of body 14 engage a shoulder 16 in casing 13 so as to allow fluid to pass through openings 17 in the battlements. Moreover this body 14 as a relatively narrow bore 18 and a conical outer surface 19 having the same cone angle as a seat 20 in casing 13. Said angle is chosen of such a high value that body 14 leaves said seat 20 upwardly easily and is not clamped thereby.
  • Fig. 3 there is a small tube 21 of rubber or the like elastic material, bonded, e.g. vulcanised, sealingly in a hole in wall 11.
  • This tube 21 is open at its lower end and closed by end wall 22 at its top.
  • Above wall 11 it has a longitudinal (vertical) cut 23, so narrow that it is closed (gas tight) if the air pressures to both sides thereof are equal and for all pressure differences with a higher pressure at the outside of this cut.
  • a small (throttling) hole 24 penetrating the wall of tube 21 above wall 11.
  • valve body 14 (Fig. 2) or of slot 23 (Fig. 3) between chambers 8 and 9 towards chamber 9.
  • the pressure rise in chamber 9 causes valve body 14 or slot 23 between chambers 9 and 10 to open and chambers 8, 9 and 10 thus rapidly reach about the same pressure, upon which the valves 14 or slots 23 close.
  • chamber 8 When lifting the foot the air tends to flow in the opposite direction, chamber 8 is subjected to a decrease in pressure together with chamber 3 by the increase in volume of the latter.
  • the throttling openings 18 (Fig. 2) or 24 (Fig. 3) now form the only flow connection between chambers 8, 9 and 10, so that the pressure in chamber 9 decreases more slowly than in chamber 8 and in chamber 10 the pressure drop is even more slow.
  • said pressure drop in chambers 9 and 10 is not only more slow but finally also, until the next pressure rise begins, less in amount, and, for chamber 10, even if desired negligible.
  • the chambers 8, 9 and 10 may be relatively thin in a direction perpendicular to the leg, and chamber 3 is chosen at a relatively considerable volume.
  • the throttling opening 18 or 24 between chambers 8 and 9 is preferably wider than the same opening between chambers 9 and 10. Thereby, chamber 9 will, during the pressure relief phase, much more rapidly fall in pressure to a pressure, considerably lower than the pressure in chamber 10, for which it is important that the pressure remains high to avoid backflow of venous blood.
  • Fig. 4 shows possible pressure distributions and pressure pulsations in a device according to Fig. 1.
  • the pressure in the entire device is e.g. somewhat less than-40 mm Hg.
  • the pressure in chamber 8 near 4b rises quickly to about the same level.
  • the pressure in chamber 9 also rises quickly to about the same value and thereupon opening check valve body 14 of Fig. 2 or slot 23 of Fig. 3 between chambers 9 and 10 causes chamber 10 to follow almost the same pressure rise.
  • the pressures in the chambers 8, 9 and 10 have risen to say about 70 mm Hg.
  • the chambers 9 and 10 might also have a throttling relief opening to the outside for replacing or additional to openings 18 between chambers 8, 9 and 10.
  • a throttling relief opening to the outside for replacing or additional to openings 18 between chambers 8, 9 and 10.
  • the pressure in more proximal chambers 9 and 10 will then remain lower than in chamber 8, but this may be acceptable, if only the unit 2 is not allowed to remain deflated, e.g. by making chamber 3 elastic in a sense to tend to increase in volume.
  • the unit 2 it is possible to use the unit 2 without a surrounding boot, in which case it might be strapped onto the human leg.
  • valves as shown in Figs. 2 and 3 there may be simple ball valves as check valves. Particularly in such a case the throttling opening between adjacent chambers may be provided in the separating wall 11 thereof itself, as shown by 18' in Fig. 2.
  • each chamber may have its own separate connection to such an external source in which case rises and falls in pressure are controlled, e.g. with the aid of a microprocessor in such a way that one or more proximal chambers during the pressure fall are less relieved or less rapidly relieved than one or more distal chambers.
  • the use of more than three chambers may be deemed preferable, but this is known as such.
  • the number of subsequent chambers is of less importance, if only the most proximal chamber satisfies the requirement of the invention about a smaller value of its pressure drop during the relief phase.

Landscapes

  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Public Health (AREA)
  • Epidemiology (AREA)
  • Pain & Pain Management (AREA)
  • Physical Education & Sports Medicine (AREA)
  • Rehabilitation Therapy (AREA)
  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Animal Behavior & Ethology (AREA)
  • General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Veterinary Medicine (AREA)
  • Massaging Devices (AREA)
EP19850200934 1984-06-13 1985-06-12 Medical-therapeutic device Expired EP0168085B1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
NL8401873 1984-06-13
NL8401873A NL8401873A (nl) 1984-06-13 1984-06-13 Medisch-therapeutische inrichting.

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0168085A1 EP0168085A1 (en) 1986-01-15
EP0168085B1 true EP0168085B1 (en) 1988-10-26

Family

ID=19844073

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP19850200934 Expired EP0168085B1 (en) 1984-06-13 1985-06-12 Medical-therapeutic device

Country Status (3)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0168085B1 (nl)
DE (1) DE3565772D1 (nl)
NL (1) NL8401873A (nl)

Families Citing this family (10)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5007411A (en) * 1989-04-12 1991-04-16 The Kendall Company Device for applying compressive pressures against a patient's limb
ATE111337T1 (de) * 1989-03-16 1994-09-15 Kendall & Co Auf der ganzen länge kompressible manschette.
GB2263405B (en) * 1992-01-16 1996-02-14 Maher Asad Hamzeh Ambulatory pneumatic compression device
EP0805670A4 (en) * 1995-11-20 1999-12-29 Ibrahim M Ibrahim SELF-INFLATABLE SHOE AGAINST VENARY PAIN
FR2768334B1 (fr) * 1997-09-15 2000-02-11 Roger Pons Dispositif de drainage lymphatique ambulatoire
DE19935722C1 (de) * 1999-07-29 2001-04-12 Anne Maria Giebisch Vorrichtung zur Verbesserung der Venenaktivität
WO2004108051A2 (en) * 2003-06-11 2004-12-16 C-Boot Ltd Device and method for low pressure compresssion and valve for use in the system
AU2018223834B2 (en) * 2017-02-23 2020-10-22 Darren BRUMMOND Objects and methods for building small muscle fibers and nerves using fluid disposed in the objects
CN111543732A (zh) * 2020-04-28 2020-08-18 广东足行健健康科技有限公司 充气按摩鞋
CN117100572A (zh) * 2023-09-05 2023-11-24 中国人民解放军总医院第四医学中心 一种预防静脉曲张的腿部按摩装置

Family Cites Families (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4029087A (en) * 1975-10-28 1977-06-14 The Kendall Company Extremity compression device
US4428396A (en) * 1978-07-19 1984-01-31 City Tank Corporation Adjustable valve assembly
US4345594A (en) * 1980-09-12 1982-08-24 Institute Of Critical Care Medicine Closely controllable intravenous injection system
NL8201189A (nl) * 1982-03-23 1983-10-17 Johan Pieter Hulsbergen Hennin Medisch therapeutische inrichting.

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP0168085A1 (en) 1986-01-15
NL8401873A (nl) 1986-01-02
DE3565772D1 (en) 1988-12-01

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