Abstract: Low-cost tourniquet cuff apparatus includes: an inflatable bladder formed of flexible material having a bladder width dimension when the bladder is uninflated and a having a bladder length dimension sufficient for encircling a limb of a surgical patient at a desired location on the limb and for overlapping upon itself, wherein the bladder includes a bladder first inner surface facing a bladder second inner surface along the bladder length dimension and across the bladder width dimension when the bladder is uninflated; securing means for securing the overlapping bladder around the limb at the desired location; port means communicating pneumatically with the inflatable bladder and releasably connectable to a tourniquet instrument for supplying the bladder with pressurized gas; and stiffener means having a predetermined stiffness and having a stiffener width dimension less than the bladder width dimension, wherein the stiffener means is non-releasably attached to the bladder first inner surface within the inflat

Abstract: Apparatus for estimating a magnitude of leakage from a surgical tourniquet system while pressure in a cuff of the system is regulated near a reference pressure.

Abstract: An adaptive surgical tourniquet comprises: an inflatable cuff for encircling a limb of a patient; pressurizing means for pressurizing the cuff; pressure relief means for depressurizing the cuff; cuff pressure sensing means for sensing cuff pressure; limb occlusion pressure sensing means for sensing the patient's initial limb occlusion pressure at a selected time; physiologic characteristic sensing means for sensing a physiologic characteristic of the patient; and pressure regulator means for establishing an adapted limb occlusion pressure that is a predetermined function of the initial limb occlusion pressure and the physiologic characteristic, wherein the pressure regulator means is operable after the initial limb occlusion pressure is sensed for selectably activating the pressurizing means and the pressure relief means to maintain the cuff pressure above the adapted limb occlusion pressure for a time period suitably long for the performance of a surgical procedure.

Abstract: Tourniquet effector system estimates and indicates the pressure gradients produced on the surface of the body by an effector, thereby allowing the pressure gradients to be minimized. The system also detects and monitors blood flow beneath the effector, thereby allowing the pressure applied by the effector to be regulated near the minimum necessary to stop blood flow past the effector.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods of manufacturing and inflating an elongated bladder of a tourniquet cuff that may be secured around the limb of a patient. The method includes sealing together side edges of layers of material to form the bladder, and stiffening the cuff with a stiffener for compressing the portion of the bladder underlying the stiffener inwardly toward the limb while preventing two layers of the cuff from contacting each other at a location adjacent to an edge of the cuff to thus provide a continuous pneumatic passageway in the bladder between the overlying stiffener and the sealed edge for distributing inflating gas through the passageway along the length of the bladder.

Abstract: A surgical tourniquet cuff for limiting usage to improve safety, comprises: an inflatable portion having a length sufficient for encircling a patient's limb at a desired location; cuff connector means communicating pneumatically with the inflatable portion and adapted near an end for connecting to a tourniquet instrument to establish a releasable pneumatic connection; and a cuff usage register located at a predetermined distance from the end of the cuff connector means and adapted for containing a usage amount record indicative of an amount of a predetermined usage of the cuff. The cuff usage register may further contain a usage limit record indicative of a predetermined limit of the predetermined usage of the cuff. The cuff usage register may be further adapted for enabling the cuff usage record and the usage limit record to be read by a tourniquet instrument that is pneumatically connected to the inflatable portion through the cuff connector means.

Abstract: A low-cost contour cuff for surgical tourniquet systems comprises: a sheath containing an inflatable bladder, the sheath having an arcuate shape, an outer surface and a centerline equidistant between first and second side edges; a securing strap non-releasably attached to the outer surface and formed of substantially inextensible material having a shape that is predetermined and substantially flat, wherein the strap includes a bending portion near a first strap end and a fastening portion near a second strap end, and wherein the bending portion is adapted to allow twisting of the bending portion out of the substantially flat shape to facilitate positioning of the fastening portion into any of a plurality of positions in the substantially flat shape; and fastening means for releasably attaching the fastening portion of the securing strap to the outer surface whenever the sheath is curved into a position for surrounding a limb.

Abstract: A low-cost disposable tourniquet cuff having improved safety includes a cuff with opposing ends and an inflatable bladder having a first bladder side and a second bladder side. The bladder has a length dimension that is greater than the circumference of a limb of a patient at a desired limb location for applying the cuff, but less than the distance between first and second cuff ends. A port is provided for inflating the bladder, and a fastener is attached to the second bladder side and adapted to allow the surgical user to releasably secure the fastener to the first bladder side only if the cuff overlaps upon itself by at least a predetermined minimum cuff overlap length at the desired limb location.

Abstract: An integrated tourniquet system enables the user to establish with suitable warnings, and with timely user confirmation, individualized maximum pressure levels in the cuff that may be above normal maximum pressure levels. Also provided is a rapid and accurate method of testing for leakage in the cuff and connectors. The system is adapted for communication to remote devices for receiving and providing information relating to the pressure levels, tests, etc.

Abstract: Apparatus for estimating a magnitude of leakage from a surgical tourniquet system while pressure in a cuff of the system is regulated near a reference pressure.

Abstract: A low-cost disposable tourniquet cuff includes: a first sheet formed of flexible material that is impermeable to gas; a second sheet facing the first sheet and formed of flexible material impermeable to gas; a bladder seal joining the first sheet to the second sheet around a perimeter to form an inflatable bladder within the perimeter; port means communicating pneumatically with the bladder and releasably connectable to a tourniquet instrument; stiffener means contained within the inflatable bladder and formed of gas-impermeable material less flexible than the first sheet, wherein the stiffener means has a stiffener width dimension less than the bladder width dimension and is joined to the first sheet to form a non-inflatable portion of the first sheet; and securing means attached to the non-inflatable portion of the first sheet and adapted to allow a surgical user to releasably secure the cuff around the limb at the desired location so that the bladder overlaps upon itself.

Abstract: A surgical tourniquet cuff system includes a tourniquet cuff with a cuff connector for communicating pneumatically with the cuff and for releasably connecting to a tourniquet instrument connector to establish a pneumatic passageway between the cuff connector and the tourniquet instrument connector. A tourniquet instrument supplies pressurized gas through the pneumatic passageway to the cuff. The tourniquet instrument connector includes a cuff pressure transducer for producing a cuff pressure signal indicative of the pressure of gas within the gas passageway near the connection. The cuff may include a cuff usage register for containing a cuff usage record and the tourniquet instrument connector may include a cuff usage register interface for reading the record. The tourniquet cuff may further include a cuff sheath forming a flexible conduit containing the cuff connector and sized to allow the connection of the cuff connector to the tourniquet instrument connector within the sheath.

Abstract: Improved tourniquet apparatus for measuring a patient's limb occlusion pressure includes an inflatable tourniquet cuff for encircling a limb at a location and to which a tourniquet instrument is releasably connectable.

Abstract: An adaptive surgical tourniquet comprises: an inflatable cuff for encircling a limb of a patient; pressurizing means for pressurizing the cuff; pressure relief means for depressurizing the cuff; cuff pressure sensing means for sensing cuff pressure; limb occlusion pressure sensing means for sensing the patient's initial limb occlusion pressure at a selected time; physiologic characteristic sensing means for sensing a physiologic characteristic of the patient; and pressure regulator means for establishing an adapted limb occlusion pressure that is a predetermined function of the initial limb occlusion pressure and the physiologic characteristic, wherein the pressure regulator means is operable after the initial limb occlusion pressure is sensed for selectably activating the pressurizing means and the pressure relief means to maintain the cuff pressure above the adapted limb occlusion pressure for a time period suitably long for the performance of a surgical procedure.

Abstract: Apparatus is provided for protecting a patient's limb from tourniquet-related injury, comprising: a tourniquet cuff having a length sufficient for encircling a limb protection sleeve applied to a limb at a location having a limb circumference of not less than a predetermined minimum limb circumference and not more than a predetermined maximum limb circumference; limb protection sleeve adapted for applying to the limb at the location, wherein the sleeve has a tubular shape and a tubular circumference predetermined to be less than the predetermined minimum and wherein the sleeve is formed to allow elastic stretching of the tubular shape sufficient to increase the tubular circumference to be substantially equivalent to the limb circumference at the location when the sleeve is applied to the limb, thereby applying a pressure to the limb that is greater than a predetermined minimum pressure and less than a predetermined maximum pressure; and identification means perceptible to a user for providing an indication to

Abstract: A low-cost disposable tourniquet cuff having improved safety includes a cuff with opposing ends and an inflatable bladder having a first bladder side and a second bladder side. The bladder has a length dimension that is greater than the circumference of a limb of a patient at a desired limb location for applying the cuff, but less than the distance between first and second cuff ends. A port is provided for inflating the bladder, and a fastener is attached to the second bladder side and adapted to allow the surgical user to releasably secure the fastener to the first bladder side only if the cuff overlaps upon itself by at least a predetermined minimum cuff overlap length at the desired limb location.

Abstract: An adaptive tourniquet cuff system comprises: a tourniquet cuff having a physical characteristic and including an inflatable bladder of a length greater than the circumference of a limb at a selected location; a cuff connector carried on the cuff and communicating pneumatically with the bladder for releasably connecting to a tourniquet instrument to establish a gas-tight passageway between the bladder and the tourniquet instrument; and an identifying collar including identification means indicative of the physical characteristic and detectable by the tourniquet instrument upon establishment of the gas-tight passageway. The tourniquet instrument may supply gas to the bladder through the gas-tight passageway at a pressure sufficient to stop arterial blood flow into the limb distal to the cuff at the selected location, and may adapt its operation in response to the detected physical characteristic of the cuff.

Abstract: A biomedical transducer which is useful for interposing between a tissue and apparatus or another tissue or organ which is applying pressure to the tissue, in order to estimate the pressure applied to a selected area of the tissue. The biomedical pressure transducer comprises: a first flexible layer carrying at least one electrical contact; a second flexible layer carrying at least one electrical contact and cooperating with the first flexible layer to define a pressurizable chamber wherein the contacts are normally touching when the chamber is not pressurized; and pressure estimation means for selectably pressurizing the pressurizing chamber so as to move at least one of said flexible layers sufficiently to separate the electrical contacts, and for indicating the lowest selected pressure at which the contacts are separated.

Abstract: An occlusive cuff which is useful for safety occluding blood flow into the digit of a human subject distal to the cuff for the duration of a surgical procedure.

Abstract: A cuff which is useful for accurately, reliably and remotely determining the circumference of a limb which the cuff encircles. The cuff comprises a laminate consisting of a low-impedance conductor that does not vary significantly as a result of bending or flexing, and a high-impedance electrically conductive strip which is in electrical contact with the low-impedance conductor along its length, and which is comprised of a material that is sufficiently flexible to remain in electrical contact with the low-impedance conductor along its length while the conductor is bent or flexed; an electrically conductive contact; and, an elongated strip of flexible material to which the laminate and electrically conductive contact are attached, such that a voltage-dividing circuit may be formed when the cuff encircles the limb, the ratio of voltages being relative to the circumference of the limb and being insensitive to the impedance between the laminate and the electrically conductive contact.