|4153054||Tubular surgical drape||May, 1979||Boone||128/157|
|3678936||ICE BAG FOR TREATING ATHLETES||July, 1972||McCorm
|4153054||Tubular surgical drape||May, 1979||Boone||128/157|
|3678936||ICE BAG FOR TREATING ATHLETES||July, 1972||McCormick||128/402|
|3282414||Hermetically sealed packaged prophylactic||November, 1966||Penska||128/132R|
|3186404||Pressure device and system for treating body members||January, 1965||Gardner||128/87R|
|2943859||Arm stiffening device||July, 1960||Koski et al.||128/327|
|2068173||Resilient compression annuli||January, 1937||Galves||128/79|
The present invention relates to a device for exsanguinating a limb.
Such a device is used when it is desired to exsanguinate a limb so that surgery can be carried out in a "bloodless field". One known method of achieving this is for the patient's arm or leg to be elevated above his heart, for example for 5 minutes, whereafter an inflatable cuff at the uppermost part of the limb is raised to a pressure greater than the blood pressure of the patient. This method suffers from the disadvantage that only venous blood is drained from the arm before the tourniquet is applied. The arterial and capillary blood remains.
Another known method which overcomes this disadvantage is the use of a rubber elastic bandage approximately 2" wide and 5 to 6' in length. This bandage is wound around the arm from the fingers, overlapping the turns of the bandage up the arm, the bandage being stretched before each turn is applied. Whilst this bandage produces a satisfactory degree of exsanguination, the use of the bandage involves an undesirable delay after a patient has been anaesthetised and before a surgeon can commence an operation. This method also suffers from the disadvantage that the pressure which is applied varies widely according to the force which is applied and the degree of overlap of the turns of the bandage. Further, the bandage cannot be used on limbs having fractures or open wounds, owing to the lateral forces applied to the limb during application of the bandage.
According to the invention there is provided a device for exsanguinating a limb comprising a double walled cylindrical tubular body of elastomeric material of which the inner and outer walls have substantially the same unstressed dimensions and are interconnected at their ends to form a continuous envelope which can be fitted with a fluid under pressure so that the fluid pressure distends the outer wall and partially collapses the inner wall, wherein the outer surface of the envelope is free of protrusions such that it can roll along a limb inserted in one end of the tubular body with the inner and outer walls constantly exchanging positions and will progressively compress the limb by virtue of the pressure of the contained fluid.
Preferably the device is made of rubber. It may have a self-sealing valve for filling of the envelope with air or other gas under pressure so that filling can be effected at the place of use and any leakage during use can be made good. The valve sh