Disposable Inflatable Tourniquet

Abstract

A disposable plastic tourniquet which includes an inflatable elongated envelope formed from three layers of vinyl plastic, of which one layer extends from one end of the envelope to form a long tongue. A sheet of stiffening material is positioned between two of the layers of vinyl to increase the contact surface, and a strip of pressure sensitive tape extends from each side of the envelope to engage the tongue and lock the tourniquet in possition on the patient.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to hemostatic devices, and, more particularly, to tourniquets of the type which are wrapped around a body member and are inflated to provide the pressure for controlling blood flow.

In the past, inflatable tourniquets have been relatively expensive and have generally been constructed of a material such as Neoprene which is susceptable to being soiled, particularly by blood, and can be difficult to sterilize for reuse.

Tourniquets are one of the frequently used emergency treatment devices and therefore are generally carried on ambulances. A tourniquet applied by an ambulance crew to a patient remains on the patient until the wound is surgically closed at the receiving hospital. Ambulance crews not connected with the receiving hospital, for example volunteer First Aid Squad crews, cannot wait for the surgical procedure to be completed and therefore are forced to leave their tourniquet behind with no assurance as to when or if it will be returned. In many instances, particularly if the wound is severe, the tourniquet is so blood soaked that it is discarded.

Tourniquets are also used in hospitals during certain routine surgical procedures. While these devices are not lost, they are frequently soiled to an extent which makes cleaning and sterilizing difficult or impossible.

SUMMARY

In view of the foregoing it is an object of the present invention to provide an inexpensive, safe and effective inflatable tourniquet.

Another object is to provide such a device which has an inexpensive and effective locking arrangement.

Another object is to provide such a device constructed of thin plastic which contacts the limb of the patient's body over a wide annular area to prevent damage to the limb.

The foregoing objects are accomplished by providing an elongated inflatable envelope for wrapping around a body member, a tongue extending from one end of the envelope to be wrapped over the envelope, stiffening means for increasing the contact surface of the envelope with the body member, and adhesive strip means for cooperating with the tongue for locking the tourniquet in position about the body member.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A preferred embodiment of the invention has been chosen for purposes of illustration and description, and is shown in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the specification, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a disposable tourniquet according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line 2--2 on FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an isometric view of the device of FIG. 1 wrapped about a body member (shown by phantom lines) with one strip of tape in position over the tongue member.

FIG. 4 is fragmentary isometric view showing the tongue in the doubled back condition with the second strip of tape in locking position.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the envelope member in its inflated condition.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to the drawings there is shown a disposable inflatable tourniquet according to the present invention which includes an envelope member 10, a tongue member 11, a strip of pressure sensitive tape 12, and a gas inlet 14.

The envelope member 10 is formed from an elongate generally rectangular upper sheet 15 of thin vinyl plastic, one end of which forms the tongue member 11, a lower sheet 16 of heavy vinyl plastic, an intermediate sheet 17 of heavy vinyl plastic, and a sheet 19 of stiffening material. The stiffening sheet 19 is shorter and narrower than the intermediate vinyl sheet 17 and is positioned between the upper vinyl sheet 15 and the sheet 17. The sheets 15 and 17 are provided with aligned openings 20 and 21 and are heat sealed together around the openings. The sheets 15, 16 and 17 are heat sealed together along a peripherial area 18 extending around the edge of the sheets 16 and 17. The sheet 19 is a piece of stiff board made of paper or the like which is sufficiently flexible to permit bending along its long dimension and sufficiently stiff to resist bending along its short dimension.

The length of pressure sensitive tape 12 is attached to the underside of the sheet 16 and extends transversely of the envelope member 10 preferably at an angle to a line perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the envelope. The length of tape 12 has a center section 24 from which the protective backing has been removed, and two end sections 25 and 26 which are provided with protective backing strips 27 and 28. The sections 25 and 26 are longer than the envelope 10 is wide so that the tongue may be securely fastened to the envelope as described hereinafter. The tape section 24 is secured to the envelope member 10 by pressing it against the underside thereof.

The gas inlet 14 includes a moulded plastic fitting 29 cemented to the envelope in alignment with openings 20 and 21, and a hose 30 cemented into the fitting 29.

In use, the tourniquet, in its deflated condition, is wrapped around a limb of the patient's body starting with the free end of the envelope member. As shown in FIG. 3, the other end of the envelope overlaps the free end and the tongue 11 is wrapped around over the envelope. The backing strip 27 is removed from the tape section 25 and the tape section is applied over the tongue and is wrapped under the envelope to hold the tongue against the envelope.

The tongue 11 is doubled back upon itself as shown in FIG. 4. The backing strip 28 is removed from the tape section 26, and the tape section is applied over the doubled back portion of the tongue and wrapped under the envelope to lock the tongue in position and prevent slipping.

The hose 30 is connected to a source of compressed gas and the envelope member 10 inflates decreasing the inner diameter of the wrapped tourniquet to apply pressure to the patient's limb and restrict blood flow.

With reference to FIG. 5, as the envelope inflates, the stiffener 19 resists the natural inclination of the envelope 10 to assume a circular cross-section. The pressure in the envelope causes only a slight bending of the stiffener 19 and the sealed edges of the sheets 16 and 17 are prevented from moving inward to any appreciable degree. The envelope therefore assumes an eliptical rather than a circular cross-section and contacts the limb over a wide annular area. The pressure applied by the tourniquet to the limb is distributed over a substantial area so as to prevent damage to the limb which could occur if the pressure was applied along the narrow annular zone of contact that would result if the tourniquet were of circular cross-section.

It will be seen from the foregoing that the present invention provides an inexpensive, safe, and effective disposable inflatable tourniquet which has an inexpensive and effective locking arrangement, is constructed of thin plastic, and contacts the patient's body member over a wide annular area to prevent damage to the body member.

Claims

I claim:

1. A disposable inflatable tourniquet including in combination an elongated inflatable envelope member for wrapping around a body member, a tongue member extending from one end of the envelope to be wrapped over at least a portion of the envelope, stiffening means carried by said envelope for increasing the contact surface of the envelope with the body member when inflated, and adhesive strip means on said envelope for cooperating with said tongue for holding the tourniquet in position about the body member, said adhesive strip means including a length of adhesive tape extending from one side of said envelope for placement over said tongue member to hold said tongue member against said envelope, and a second length of adhesive tape extending from the other side of said envelope, said tongue member being of sufficient length to extend past said first length of tape and be doubled back upon itself, and said second length of tape being for placement over the doubled back portion of said tongue member to lock said tongue member against slipping.

2. A tourniquet according to claim 1 wherein said first and second lengths of tape are longer than said tongue member is wide so that the free ends of said lengths of tape engage said envelope member.

3. A tourniquet according to claim 2 wherein said lengths of tape are provided with a pressure sensitive adhesive.

4. A tourniquet according to claim 1 wherein said envelope is formed from an upper layer of plastic material, an intermediate layer of plastic material, and a lower body contacting layer of plastic material, and wherein said stiffening means is positioned between said upper and said intermediate layers of plastic material, said upper and said intermediate and said lower layers of plastic material being sealed together around the edges thereof, said intermediate and said lower layers of plastic material providing an inflatable chamber.

5. A tourniquet according to claim 4 wherein said intermediate and lower layers of plastic material are of substantially equal length and said upper layer extends past one end of the other layers of plastic material to provide said tongue member.

6. A tourniquet according to claim 5 wherein said upper and intermediate layers of plastic material are provided with aligned openings, a fitting is attached to said envelope member in alignment with said openings, and said upper and intermediate layers of plastic material are sealed together around said openings.