Abstract:
A method and device are disclosed for inflating an inflatable vest to assist the heart in patients suffering from heart failure. The inflation of the vest is synchronized with on-set of the systole phase of the heart, when the left ventricular compresses to force blood out of the heart and through the aorta. The inflated vest compresses the patient's chest and increases the intrathoracic pressure. This increase in pressure assists the heart in moving blood out of the heart and through the aorta. In addition, the vest is arranged to leave the patient's abdomen free of restraint so that the increase in intrathoracic pressure due to the vest moves blood into the abdomen, and to allow the abdomen to dynamically recoil in response to the vest inflation. In addition, ECG signals from electrodes applied to the patient are processed to trigger the vest inflation in real time with the current heartbeat cycle, such that the vest inflation is triggered when the heart begins to contract.
Abstract:
An artificial penis has a cylinder having a cylinder wall enclosing a hollow, a front wall with a first opening and a rear wall with a second opening. A piston rod is guided within the hollow. The piston rod has an initial position in which a first cylinder space is at a maximum and a second cylinder space is at a minimum and an extended position in which the first cylinder space is at a minimum and the second cylinder space at a maximum. A pump supplies a fluid under pressure to move the piston rod in an extending direction. An enclosure having an outer shape of a penis encloses the cylinder and the end of the piston rod. The enclosure has an initial position when the pump is released and an extended position when the pump is actuated.
Abstract:
An inflatable cushion used as a sitting or lying furniture for people with an inner surface of the seat surface or the back surface of the cushion mounted with a plurality of massage devices. The massage device includes a vibration assembly and conductive wires, which are wrapped in a wrappage member thermo-glued at a given position on the inner surface of the inflatable cushion. The power-supply wires of the wrappage member are connected and glued to a wire-hole base at one side of the inflatable cushion so as to facilitate power-supply connection. The massage device is hung on the inner surface of the inflatable cushion by the wrappage member. During massage operation, the seat surface over the wrappage member will be in close contact with a person's body, and also the inflatable cushion will have a resonant effect to buffer the vibration frequency of the vibration assembly in order to provide a comfortable massage.
Abstract:
Patient support apparatus comprising a patient support assembly, a winch for vertically displacing the patient support assembly, yieldable force application apparatus operative to apply a restraining force to the patient support assembly, and a displacement limiter operative to limit the vertical displacement of the patient support assembly in at least one direction.
Abstract:
A blower pressure source has been integrated into a vest cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) system. The vest includes a bladder that cyclically inflates and deflates to provide automatic CPR to a patient in cardiac arrest or needing circulatory assistance to a patient with a beating but weakened heart. The blower continuously provides air at relatively low pressure to inflate a bladder in the vest. The maximum pressure of the blower corresponds to the desired peak vest pressure. A relatively simple valve, solenoid and timing controller is used to apply the blower air in cycles to inflate the bladder.
Abstract:
An improved vest design for cardiopulmonary resuscitation is disclosed. The vest includes an inflatable bladder capable of radial expansion to first conform to a patient's chest dimensions and then to apply circumferential pressure. The improved vest design affords ease of placement on a patient without concern for how tightly the vest is initially applied. Also disclosed are various vest designs that reduce the amount of compressed air that must be used for each compression/decompression cycle of the vest. These improvements lower the energy consumption and make smaller and portable cardiopulmonary resuscitation systems possible.
Abstract:
A system for assisting respiration which includes a flat, belt-shaped, tube made of rubber, and having a valve for introducing air. The flat tube has an outer side comprising a layer of a rubber sheet having a high modulus of elasticity and an inner side comprising a layer of a rubber sheet having a low modulus of elasticity, and is attachable to a part of a lower breast to an upper abdomen portion of a patient for intermittently pressing the part of the lower breast to the upper abdomen portion of the patient responsive to air being introduced into the flat tube. A belt, having a same width as that of the flat tube and a length longer than that of the flat tube, is laminated to the flat tube at the outside of the flat tube, and may have sheet fasteners at both ends thereof. A flow sensor detects inspiration and expiration of a patient, a compressor supplies compressed air to the flat tube during a period of inspiration of the patient, a pressure regulator regulates a pressure of the compressed air supplied to the flat tube, a valve is provided for increasing the pressure of the compressed air supplied to the flat tube, and a release valve is provided for releasing pressure in the flat tube at an early time in a period of expiration of the patient. A switchover valve may be provided for causing the compressor to supply compressed air to the flat tube during the period of expiration and for causing the release valve to release pressure in the flat tube at the start of inspiration.
Abstract:
Improved cardiocirculatory assistance is provided to a patient by detecting the onset of ventricular ejection in the cardiac cycle of the patient and selectively increasing intrathoracic pressure of the patient in relative phase with respect to the onset of ventricular ejection. Cardiocirculatory output may be monitored and the relative phase of the increase in intrathoracic pressure with respect to the onset of ventricular ejection adjusted to maximize cardiac output. The intrathoracic pressure is increased once every N cardiac cycles where N is a positive integer. The patient interface may include apparatus for supplying high frequency respiration pulses in synchronism with the cardiac cycle. Alternately, or in addition, the pulses may be used to inflate a bladder in contact with the thorax.
Abstract:
A combination device are provided for a microcomputerized and enhanced type of external counterpulsation and extrathoracic cardiac massage apparatus. In addition to balloons for the 4 limbs, the device also comprises a pair of lower-abdomen-buttock balloons and a chest balloon. It is controlled by microcomputer process. The various sets of balloons are sequentially inflated from the distal portion to the proximal portion during the diastolic period of the heart beat. The pressure is applied from the distal to the proximal portion gradually onto the 4 limbs, lower abdomen buttock and lower portion of the sternum. At the beginning of the cardiac systole all of the balloons deflate simultaneously. The cycle is then repeated. This device used for the treatment of diseases of the heart, the brain, the kidneys, the isohemic disease of the retina and the peripheral vascular disease with apparent curative effect. For those cases of sudden cardiac arrest, the computer gives orders according to need, so that the above-mentioned sets of balloons exert pressure sequentially from the distal portion to the proximal portion to force the blood to the adbomen, the chest and the head. Thereafter the device deflates suddenly, and then again the balloons sequentially inflate from the proximal portion to the distal portion to force blood back to the lower portion of the body. Thus the circulation goes on wavelike in succession to support adequate output as well as adequate cardiac blood inflow, and improves the effect of resuscitation.
Abstract:
Portable apparatus is provided for use by a rescuer in administering cardiopulmonary resuscitation to a patient or for use as a training aid in the application of cardiopulmonary resuscitation. A light weight, inflatable, fluid-filled, foam or other resilient cushion has a pressure gauge attached thereto, and the cushion is placed on the patient's chest. Force is applied by the rescuer onto the cushion and the pressure gauge displays the force applied so as to enable the rescuer to observe and control the force being applied to the patient's chest. A timer may also be provided with the pressure gauge to enable the rescuer to properly time the application and release of force to the patient's chest.