Apparatus for controlling flow of blood

Claim 2

A combination for controlling the flow of blood in a limb of a patient comprising: a. a Container of carbon dioxide at a super atmospheric pressure of no more than 1,000 pounds per square inch gauge (psig); b. a pressure regulator means for maintaining a set downstream pressure, said pressure regulator means being a single stage compensated regulator that is designed for less than 1,000 psig inlet pressure and for maintaining said set downstream pressure within a few millimeters of mercury pressure and without variance even under no flow conditions; said pressure regulator means also having a convenient manually operable means for altering said set downstream pressure; c. first connection means connecting said pressure regulator means with said container of carbon dioxide; d. gauge means connected with the downstream side of said pressure regulator means for monitoring the downstream pressure, said gauge means having a dial face being marked in pounds per square inch and in millimeters of mercury for medical use; e. pressure relief means connected with the downstream side of said pressure regulator means and adapted for relieving said downstream pressure back to atmospheric pressure; f. a toggle valve means interposed intermediate said pressure regulator means and said pressure relief means and connected therewith for allowing rapidly relieving the pressure on an inflatable tourniquet without altering the downstream pressure set on said pressure regulator means; g. inflatable tourniquet means for putting pressure on veins and arteries within the limb of the patient for controlling the flow of blood therein; and h. flexible conduit means connected with and extending between said pressure relief means and said inflatable tourniquet means.

Claim 3

The combination of claim 1 wherein said flexible conduit has sufficient length so that said container of carbon dioxide can be placed at a desired location in an operating room and said inflatable tourniquet emplaced on the desired limb of the patient, and said toggle valve means is a quick-opening valve having a two position toggle for effecting respective on and off operation so as to be rapidly responsive to operation in accordance with a doctor''s orders in an operating room.

Claim 4

The combination of claim 1 wherein the elements connected with the downstream side of the pressure regulator means are pre-assembled and pre-tested to have leak-free connections such that when said toggle valve is shut off, the pressure in said inflatable tourniquet is maintained.

Claim 5

Pressure regulating apparatus for effecting controlled inflation of an inflatable tourniquet for use on the limb of a patient comprising: a. a pressure regulator means for maintaining a set downstream pressure, said pressure regulator means being a single stage compensated regulator that is designed for less than 1,000 psig inlet pressure and for maintaining said set downstream pressure within a few millimeters of mercury pressure and without variance even under no flow conditions; said pressure regulator means also having a convenient manually operable means for altering said set downstream pressure; b. first connection means for connecting said pressure regulator means with a container of carbon dioxide at a super atmospheric pressure of no more than 1,000 psig; c. gauge means connected with the downstream side of said pressure regulator means for monitoring the downstream pressure thereof, said gauge means having a dial face marked in pounds per square inch and in millimeters of mercury for medical use; d. pressure relief means connected with the downstream side of said pressure regulator means and adapted for relieving said downstream pressure back to atmospheric pressure; e. a toggle valve means interposed intermediate said pressure regulator means and said pressure relief means and connected therewith for allowing rapidly relieving the pressure on said inflatable tourniquet without altering the downstream pressure set on said pressure regulator means; and f. second connecTion means for connecting said pressure relief means with an inflatable tourniquet.

Claim 6

Pressure regulating apparatus for effecting controlled inflation of an inflatable tourniquet for use on the limb of a patient comprising: a. a pressure regulator means for maintaining a set downstream pressure, said pressure regulator means being a single stage compensated regulator that is designed for less than 1,000 psig inlet pressure and for maintaining said set downstream pressure within a few millimeters of mercury pressure and without variance even under no flow conditions; said pressure regulator means also having a convenient manually operable means for altering said set downstream pressure; b. first connection means for connecting said pressure regulator means with a container of carbon dioxide at a super atmospheric pressure of no more than 1,000 psig; c. gauge means connected with the downstream side of said pressure regulator means for monitoring the downstream pressure thereof, said gauge means having a dial face marked in pounds per square inch and in millimeters of mercury for medical use; d. pressure relief means connected with the downstream side of said pressure regulator means and adapted for relieving said downstream pressure back to atmospheric pressure; e. a toggle valve means interposed intermediate said pressure regulator means and said pressure relief means and connected therewith for allowing rapidly relieving the pressure on said inflatable tourniquet without altering the downstream pressure set on said pressure regulator means; and f. second connecTion means for connecting said pressure relief means with an inflatable tourniquet.

Claim 7

The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said toggle valve means is a quick-opening valve having a two position toggle for effecting respective ''''on'''' and ''''off'''' operation so as to be rapidly responsive to operation in accordance with a doctor''s orders in an operating room.

Claim 8

The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the elements connected with the downstream side of the pressure regulator are pre-assembled and pre-tested to have leak-free connections such that when said toggle valve is shut off, the pressure in said inflatable tourniquet is maintained.

Claim 9

A combination of apparatus for controlling flow of blood in a limb of a patient and facilitating anesthetizing the limb locally, comprising: a. a source of medically inert gas at superatmospheric pressure of no more than 1,000 pounds per square inch gauge (psig); b. a pressure regulator means for maintaining a set downstream pressure, said pressure regulator means being a single stage compensated regulator that is designed for less than 1,000 psig inlet pressure and for maintaining said set downstream pressure within a few millimeters of mercury pressure and without variance even under no flow conditions; said pressure regulator means also having a convenient manually operable means for altering said set downstream pressure; c. first connection means connecting said pressure regulator means with said source of medically inert gas; d. gauge means connected with the downstream side of said pressure regulator means for monitoring the downstream pressure, said gauge means having a dial face being marked in millimeters of mercury for medical use; and e. a plurality of branches connected with the downstream side of said pressure regulator means, each branch including: i. a toggle valve means connected with the downstream side of said pressure regulator means; said toggle valve means being a quick opening valve and having a toggle handle that is easily flipped into either the ''''on'''' or the ''''off'''' position for rapidly and easily connecting and disconnecting an inflatable tourniquet with the inert gas at the downstream pressure set on said pressure regulator; ii. pressure relief means connected with the downstream side of said toggle valve means; said pressure relief means having externally accessible, manually operable means for facilitating immediately relieving pressure manually for deflating a tourniquet means; iii. inflatable tourniquet means for putting pressure on veins and arteries within the limb of the patient for controlling the flow of blood therein; and iv. flexible conduit means connected with and extending between said pressure relief means and said inflatable tourniquet means; whereby the inflatable tourniquet means in the branches can be alternately and inversely inflated and deflated with only one pressure regulator and gauge and only normal operating room personnel without requiring additional personnel in the operating room and attendant increase in the likelihood of infection.

Claim 10

A combination of apparatus for controlling flow of blood in a limb of a patient and facilitating anesthetizing the limb locally, comprising: a. a source of medically inert gas at superatmospheric pressure of no more than 1,000 pounds per square inch gauge (psig); b. a pressure regulator means for maintaining a set downstream pressure, said pressure regulator means being a single stage compensated regulator that is designed for less than 1,000 psig inlet pressure and for maintaining said set downstream pressure within a few millimeters of mercury pressure and without variance even under no flow conditions; said pressure regulator means also having a convenient manually operable means for altering said set downstream pressure; c. first connection means connecting said pressure regulator means with said source of medically inert gas; d. gauge means connected with the downstream side of said pressure regulator means for monitoring the downstream pressure, said gauge means having a dial face being marked in millimeters of mercury for medical use; and e. a plurality of branches connected with the downstream side of said pressure regulator means, each branch including: i. a toggle valve means connected with the downstream side of said pressure regulator means; said toggle valve means being a quick opening valve and having a toggle handle that is easily flipped into either the ''''on'''' or the ''''off'''' position for rapidly and easily connecting and disconnecting an inflatable tourniquet with the inert gas at the downstream pressure set on said pressure regulator; ii. pressure relief means connected with the downstream side of said toggle valve means; said pressure relief means having externally accessible, manually operable means for facilitating immediately relieving pressure manually for deflating a tourniquet means; iii. inflatable tourniquet means for putting pressure on veins and arteries within the limb of the patient for controlling the flow of blood therein; and iv. flexible conduit means connected with and extending between said pressure relief means and said inflatable tourniquet means; whereby the inflatable tourniquet means in the branches can be alternately and inversely inflated and deflated with only one pressure regulator and gauge and only normal operating room personnel without requiring additional personnel in the operating room and attendant increase in the likelihood of infection.

Claim 11

The combination of claim 7 wherein said gauge means, said toggle valve means and said pressure relief valve means are connected with the downstream side of said pressure regulator means and are preassembled and pre-tested at the factory to have leak-free connections when distributed to hospitals.

Claim 12

The combination of claim 7 wherein an inlet gauge is provided in communication with the inlet to said pressure regulator means for monitoring the pressure of said source of medically inert gas.