Aircast, Inc.

Other

Amerace Corporation

Glenn W Johnson, Jr

Henry J McVicker

Sidney A Heenan

Paul F Lindlau

E P Pick

David C Hargrave

K Donald Shelbourne

Daniel A Berish

Anthony Victor Seaber

Mark J McCarthy

A method of providing enhanced circulation, venous return and microcirculation is achieved by use of intermittent pneumatic compression in alternating periods of application and recovery.

Method for providing enhanced blood circulation

The pneumatic Achilles wrap comprises a wrap including at least one strap for fastening the wrap around the foot and around the ankle. The wrap positions an arch cell which contains a dynamic volume of air within the wrap under a human foot. The arch cell is fabricated from a flexible material and is in communication with a conduit member. Upon application of external pressure to the arch cell, air is expelled from said air cell through said conduit member. The wrap also positions a tendon cell which contains a dynamic volume of air within the wrap against the Achilles tendon. The tendon cell is in communication with the arch cell via the conduit member. The tendon cell is also fabricated from a flexible material. Upon the expelling of air from said arch cell, the air enters through the conduit member into the tendon cell which exerts a greater pressure against the Achilles tendon.

Pneumatic Achilles wrap

A method and apparatus are disclosed for providing therapeutic intermittent pneumatic pressure to a body portion. An air reservoir receives a substantially steady flow of pressurized air from a pump. Pressure is applied as a rapid pulse from the reservoir to a cuff means in contact with the body portion so as to promote acceleration of venous blood flow in the body portion. In a preferred embodiment, the pneumatic pressure is applied in a graduated manner and/or sequentially distally to proximally along the body portion. A simplified carrying arrangement is provided for the system.

Method and apparatus for providing therapeutic compression for reducing

A walking brace is disclosed having inflatable air cells to provide therapeutic pressure to the patient's leg and which requires no external equipment or oral inflation tube for reinflation. Each air cell contains a piece of resilient foam, which allows air to come in through an external connection to inflate the air cell when the foam within the air cell expands and the external connection is open. Similarly, when the external connection is open, air leaves the air cell through the external connection in response to pressure on the air cell. However, once the external connection is closed, the air cell maintains its volume of air.

Walking brace

A system for intermittent, sequential, graduated compression of a multicompartment inflatable cuff by means of a single pulsing air pump and a single air tube connecting the pump to the cuff. Each more proximal compartment is inflated through a fluid restrictor communicating with its adjacent more distal compartment. The maximum pressure in the most proximal compartment is limited by a fluid restrictor bleeding air to atmosphere and the pressure in the most proximal compartment is always less than the pressure in the adjacent more distal compartment. The maximum pressure in the most distal compartment is controlled by a pressure relief valve. In a second embodiment, deflation is through a restrictor located in the supply line to the cuff and deflation of each more proximal compartment is through a one-way check-valve that permits flow of air from a proximal compartment to a distal compartment but not in the reverse direction.

Therapeutic intermittent compression system with inflatable compartments

A thermal compress cuff for treating an injured knee has a fluid impervious chamber of flexible material with an upper transverse portion and depending arms extending from the transverse portion. The transverse portion is adapted to encompass a portion of a limb above the knee and the depending arms are adapted to encompass the limb along the sides of the knee and a portion of the limb below the knee while exposing the patella of the knee. The chamber is adapted to receive and contain a thermal fluid for abutting contact with the encompassed portion of the limb and the chamber further contains a plurality of tethers to constrict the amount of thermal fluid which may enter the cuff. In addition, the cuff is provided with elastic straps which hold the cuff on to the knee and allow compression to be exerted on the suprapatellar region of the knee while limiting the pressure exerted on the distal and popliteal areas of the leg.

Automatic fluid compress and circulating system

A system and method for exchanging fluid between a body compress and a fluid source. In the preferred embodiment, an air pump is used to compress the fluid in the container and force it into the compress. When the motor is turned off, the fluid flows back from the container to the compress. By cycling the motor between 'on' and 'off' conditions, a circulation of fluid occurs between the compress and the container.

Automatic fluid circulating system and method

A check value for controlling fluid flow comprises two sleeves connected to one another in fluid-tight engagement and a flexible membrane disposed across an interior cross-section of the engaged sleeves. The flexible membrane is secured to the sleeves along less than the membrane's full circumference, so that the unsecured portion of the membrane can flex to allow fluid to flow through the sleeves in one direction. The membrane resists fluid flow in the opposite direction.

A hingeless splint that provides immobilization of the knee in varying degrees of extension or maximal extension. The device is mostly open around the knee for comfort and permits convenient application of supplemental cold and compression dressings to be used therewith.

Knee immobilizer splint

A thermal compress cuff for treating an injured knee has a fluid impervious chamber of flexible material with an upper transverse portion and depending arms extending from the transverse portion. The transverse portion is adapted to encompass a portion of the limb above the knee and the depending arms are adapted to encompass the limb along the sides of the knee and a portion of the limb below the knee while exposing the patella of the knee. The chamber preferably is divided into inner and outer compartments with thermal fluid received by and contained in the inner compartment for abutting contact with the encompassed portion of the limb. An open-cell urethane foam material is contained in the outer compartment for insulating the underlying inner compartment and for enhancing uniform conformance to the limb. The walls of the inner compartment in the distal area of the arms are restrained from movement away from each other so as to restrict expansion of the inner compartment in the arm distal areas and to cause a greater amount of thermal fluid to remain in the proximal arm area and in the transverse portion to lessen venous constriction in the limb below the knee. A hand-held pump is provided for pressurizing the outer compartment to force the inner compartment with the thermal fluid against the areas of the limb being treated. An elastic strap connects the arms around the limb below the knee to minimize venous constriction.

Thermal compress system

An adjustable ankle compress (10) in the shape of a boot (12) with an ankle portion (18) and a foot portion (16) for receiving the ankle and foot and having a sole (14) on the boot (12) that is adjustable in width for varying the size of the boot (12) to accommodate a foot and ankle of various sizes. The boot (12) has a fluid-tight compartment (36) formed therein for substantially surrounding the ankle and the top of the foot.

Adjustable ankle compress

A thermal compress cuff for treating an injured knee has a fluid impervious chamber of flexible material with an upper transverse portion and depending arms extending from the transverse portion. The transverse portion encompasses a portion of the limb above the knee and the depending arms encompass the limb along the sides of the knee and a portion of the limb below the knee while exposing the patella. The chamber is intended to contain a thermal fluid for abutting contact with the encompassed portion of the limb. The chamber preferably is divided into inner and outer compartments with the thermal fluid contained in the inner compartment. An open call urethane foam material is contained in the outer compartment for insulating and underlying inner compartment and for enhancing uniform conformance to the limb. The walls of the inner compartment in the distal area of the arms are restrained from movement away from each other so as to restrict expansion of the inner compartment in the arm distal areas and to cause a greater amount of thermal fluid to remain in the proximal area and in the transverse portion to lessen venous constriction in the limb below the knee. An elastic strap connects the arms around the limb below the knee to minimize venous constriction.

A prophylactic ankle brace for protecting the ankle of paratroopers and which fits on the outside of the paratrooper boot. It includes lateral and medial side walls extending longitudinally upwardly to encompass the ankle and lower extremity of the leg above the ankle with a substantially U-shaped member connecting the spaced apart side walls for extending substantially around and conforming to the back of the shoe to hold the side walls in fixed relationship to each other and to the shoe. Straps are provided for removably attaching the connected side walls to the shoe and to the lower extremities of the leg in fixed relationship.

Prophylactic ankle brace

A pneumatic brace comprising at least one outer shell member and at least first and second pressurizable chambers juxtaposed therewith in an overlapping manner for providing a supporting cushion between said outer shell member and a body part or limb. One of said chambers is coextensive with substantially the entire inner surface of said one outer shell member for engagement with a corresponding portion of said body part or limb, while the other of said chambers is coextensive with a portion of said first chamber. In one preferred embodiment, the first and second chambers comprise separate inflatable airbags of different size disposed on said outer shell member with the smaller airbag positioned coextensively with the bottom portion of the larger airbag and between said larger airbag and said inner surface of said outer shell member. In alternatively preferred embodiments, the first and second chambers are integrally formed from a single inflatable liner having two compartments divided by a common wall, at least one of said compartments being selectively inflatable through integral valve means formed at least in part by said common wall.

Ankle brace having multiple inflatable aircells

A generally U-shaped thermal compress having a compartment divided into first and second chambers by a common wall. One of the chambers holds a first liquid that freezes before a second liquid in the adjacent chamber. After the first liquid is frozen, the chamber having the second liquid is placed against the ankle. The U-shaped compress has a strap extending at an angle from one of the upper outer ends thereof to wrap around the ankle and attach to the other upper outer end to hold the compress in place. An elongated strap extending from the bottom of the U-shaped compress passes under the foot and around the ankle several times over the compress not only to hold the compress in place, but also to provide added compression to the forefoot for the control of edema. A soft insulating material is placed on the outside of the outer chamber having the ice therein to protect the ice from the effects of ambient temperature. The invention also includes a U-shaped stirrup so constructed that one of the side wall portions of the stirrup can fit over the compress that is placed around the ankle such that the foot with the stirrup and compress can be inserted in a shoe.

Growing community of inventors

Summit, NJ, United States of America

Glenn W Johnson, Jr