System and method for controlling pressure in a surgical tourniquet
US6605103B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 19, 2001 |
| Grant date | Aug 12, 2003 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 19, 2021 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA61B17/1355
- WIPO fieldMedical technology
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A system and method of controlling the pressure within a pressure cuff of a surgical tourniquet so as selectively to occlude blood flow within a portion of a limb of a patient, wherein a sensor determines when flow past the tourniquet is occurring so that corrective action may be taken, such as by increasing the pressure in the tourniquet or by notifying an operator of the flow past the tourniquet. The present invention may use an acoustic sensor to detect Korotkoff sounds indicating incipient blood flow past the tourniquet. When such signals are detected, the tourniquet controller may either incrementally increase the pressure in the tourniquet, or if a threshold would be exceeded by such an increase, signal an alarm indicative of the blood flow.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.