Abstract: A tourniquet apparatus comprises a cuff, a user interface, a controller, a protocol hazard key and a protocol safety interlock. The cuff encircles the patient's limb and applies a level of pressure. The UI presents a protocol symbol from a plurality of protocol symbols wherein each protocol symbol is indicative of a corresponding safety protocol. The controller is responsive to stored pressure levels and stored times specified by the safety protocol, after any adjustments by the user, and operable during the stored protocol time period for maintaining the level of pressure applied by the cuff to the individual patient near the plurality of stored pressure levels at the plurality of stored times. The protocol hazard key is actuatable to end the stored protocol time period while the controller is operable. The protocol safety interlock prevents selection of a second protocol symbol while the controller is operable.

Abstract: An automatic tourniquet apparatus comprises a tourniquet cuff, a pressure transducer, a user interface, a patient hazard shield and a pressure regulator. The pressure transducer produces a cuff pressure signal. The user interface produces a reference pressure signal. The patient hazard shield is responsive to the cuff pressure signal and the reference pressure signal, and operable during a regulation time period to produce a patient hazard signal if, in one implementation, a current level of pressure in the tourniquet cuff is greater than the reference level of pressure by at least a predetermined overpressure limit. The pressure regulator is responsive to the patient hazard signal, and has a pressurizing element for increasing pressure in the cuff and a depressurizing element for decreasing pressure in the cuff. The pressurizing element is configured to be non-responsive if the patient hazard signal is produced.

Abstract: An automatic tourniquet apparatus comprises a tourniquet cuff, a pressure transducer, a user interface, a patient hazard shield and a pressure regulator. The pressure transducer produces a cuff pressure signal. The user interface produces a reference pressure signal. The patient hazard shield is responsive to the cuff pressure signal and the reference pressure signal, and operable during a regulation time period to produce a patient hazard signal if, in one implementation, a current level of pressure in the tourniquet cuff is greater than the reference level of pressure by at least a predetermined overpressure limit. The pressure regulator is responsive to the patient hazard signal, and has a pressurizing element for increasing pressure in the cuff and a depressurizing element for decreasing pressure in the cuff. The pressurizing element is configured to be non-responsive if the patient hazard signal is produced.

Abstract: A tourniquet apparatus comprises a cuff, a user interface, a controller, a protocol hazard key and a protocol safety interlock. The cuff encircles the patient's limb and applies a level of pressure. The UI presents a protocol symbol from a plurality of protocol symbols wherein each protocol symbol is indicative of a corresponding safety protocol. The controller is responsive to stored pressure levels and stored times specified by the safety protocol, after any adjustments by the user, and operable during the stored protocol time period for maintaining the level of pressure applied by the cuff to the individual patient near the plurality of stored pressure levels at the plurality of stored times. The protocol hazard key is actuatable to end the stored protocol time period while the controller is operable. The protocol safety interlock prevents selection of a second protocol symbol while the controller is operable.

Abstract: A personalized tourniquet cuff assembly comprises a sterile tourniquet cuff, a machine-readable instrument symbol, machine-readable personalization data and a sterile connector. The instrument symbol identifies a predetermined first type of tourniquet instrument from a plurality of types of tourniquet instruments, and is adapted for contactless reading by an optical tourniquet interface of the first type of tourniquet instrument. The personalization data represents a value of a personalization parameter for safe operation of the tourniquet cuff with the first type of tourniquet instrument and is adapted for contactless reading by the optical tourniquet interface. The connector is adapted for releasably connecting the tourniquet cuff to the first type of tourniquet instrument.

Abstract: A sleeve for use with a tourniquet cuff to protect a patient's limb from tourniquet-related injury includes a stretchable body extending longitudinally over a sleeve length between a proximal end and a distal end. The body has a tubular shape, and the sleeve length is greater than a width of the tourniquet cuff. The body tapers from the proximal end to the distal end such that a proximal end circumference is greater than a distal end circumference. The body is formed to apply substantially uniform pressure to the patient's limb from the proximal end of the sleeve to the distal end of the sleeve varying only within a predetermined pressure range.

Abstract: A tourniquet apparatus having an optical tourniquet interface for safe personalization, a safe transfer key and a pressure controller. The optical tourniquet interface communicates with the pressure controller and is operable for contactlessly reading and authenticating a machine-readable instrument symbol associated with a tourniquet cuff if it matches stored instrument authentication data and for contactlessly reading machine-readable personalization data associated with the cuff. The optical tourniquet interface presents a personalization parameter value if the machine-readable instrument symbol has been authenticated. The safe transfer key enables the user to selectively transfer the presented value of the personalization parameter to the pressure controller only if the pressure controller is inoperable. The pressure controller is releasably connectable to the tourniquet cuff and responsive to the transferred value of the personalization parameter.

Abstract: A sleeve for use with a tourniquet cuff to protect a patient's limb from tourniquet-related injury includes a stretchable body extending longitudinally over a sleeve length between a proximal end and a distal end. The body has a tubular shape, and the sleeve length is greater than a width of the tourniquet cuff. The body tapers from the proximal end to the distal end such that a proximal end circumference is greater than a distal end circumference. The body is formed to apply substantially uniform pressure to the patient's limb from the proximal end of the sleeve to the distal end of the sleeve varying only within a predetermined pressure range.

Abstract: A sleeve for use with a tourniquet cuff to protect a patient's limb from tourniquet-related injury includes a stretchable body extending longitudinally over a sleeve length between a proximal end and a distal end. The body has a tubular shape, and the sleeve length is greater than a width of the tourniquet cuff. The body tapers from the proximal end to the distal end such that a proximal end circumference is greater than a distal end circumference. The body is formed to apply substantially uniform pressure to the patient's limb from the proximal end of the sleeve to the distal end of the sleeve varying only within a predetermined pressure range.

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 pneumatic tourniquet adapted for self application by an injured person in a military or emergency situation to stop arterial blood loss in an injured arm or leg comprises: a bladder having a width dimension and having a length dimension greater than the circumference of an injured limb of a subject at a selected location; and clamp means for securing the bladder around the limb at the selected location and adapted for sealing the bladder across the bladder width to establish an inflatable portion of the bladder to be the portion of the bladder that encircles the injured limb at the selected location.

Abstract: Apparatus for applying pressure to a patient's limb in order to augment venous blood flow in the limb and for monitoring the applied pressure, includes supplying a gas at a varying supply pressure to an inflatable sleeve that fits onto a limb to apply a varying pressure to the limb beneath the sleeve when inflated with the gas. A pressure transducer measures the pressure of gas in the inflatable sleeve and produces a sleeve pressure signal indicative of the estimated level of pressure. The apparatus measures the value of a predetermined pressure waveform parameter and produces a waveform parameter signal indicative of the measured value of the predetermined pressure waveform parameter.

Abstract: A low cost tourniquet cuff with identification apparatus comprises: an outer strip; an inner strip positioned against the outer strip; a gas-tight seal joining the inner strip to the outer strip to form a cuff having a physical characteristic wherein the cuff includes an inflatable bladder of a predetermined length greater than the circumference of a limb at a selected location; and 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 instrument, wherein the cuff connector includes identification means indicative of the physical characteristic and detectable by the tourniquet instrument upon establishment of the gas-tight passageway.

Abstract: A pneumatic tourniquet adapted for self application by an injured person in a military or emergency situation to stop arterial blood loss in an injured arm or leg comprises: a bladder having a width dimension and having a length dimension greater than the circumference of an injured limb of a subject at a selected location; and clamp means for securing the bladder around the limb at the selected location and adapted for sealing the bladder across the bladder width to establish an inflatable portion of the bladder to be the portion of the bladder that encircles the injured limb at the selected location.

Abstract: An apparatus for applying an adaptable pressure waveform to a patient's limb to augment blood flow comprises: an inflatable sleeve for applying pressure to the limb; pressure transducer for producing a pressure signal; pressure waveform applicator responsive to the pressure signal and a reference pressure waveform signal for controlling a supply of fluid to the sleeve so that the pressure in the sleeve is maintained near a varying pressure indicated by the reference pressure waveform signal; and waveform register for producing the reference pressure waveform signal indicative of a reference pressure waveform that includes a maximum pressure at a time within a cycle time period and a rate of pressure increase leading to the maximum pressure and wherein the waveform register includes waveform adaptor for allowing the rate of pressure increase to change from a first rate to a second rate without changing the maximum pressure.

Abstract: A low cost tourniquet cuff with identification apparatus comprises: an outer strip; an inner strip positioned against the outer strip; a gas-tight seal joining the inner strip to the outer strip to form a cuff having a physical characteristic wherein the cuff includes an inflatable bladder of a predetermined length greater than the circumference of a limb at a selected location; and 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 instrument, wherein the cuff connector includes identification means indicative of the physical characteristic and detectable by the tourniquet instrument upon establishment of the gas-tight passageway.

Abstract: Apparatus for monitoring the application of a varying pressure to a limb from a sleeve positioned on the limb in order to augment the flow of venous blood and thus reduce the incidence of embolism and deep venous thrombosis in the limb. The apparatus includes a transducer for producing a sleeve pressure signal that is indicative of pressure applied by the sleeve to the limb. This signal is used for periodically measuring the value of a preselected pressure waveform parameter (such as maximum pressure produced in the sleeve). The microprocessor-controlled apparatus also generates an interval signal that is indicative of a time interval during which the value of the selected waveform parameter remains within a particular range.