A device for applying compressive pressures against a patient's limb having a sleeve for applying pressure against a length of a patient's limb, with the sleeve having a plurality of chambers arranged longitudinally along the sleeve. The device intermittently inflates the chambers, and intermittently connects the chambers to an exhaust system during which a base static pressure is established in the chambers.

Disclosed is a compression device and method for applying compressive pressure against a patient's limb in periodic compression cycles, wherein an elongated sleeve having a plurality of inflatable chambers is placed over the foot and a portion of the leg, the chambers being sequentially inflated starting with the foot and then form a distal portion of the leg toward a proximal portion of the leg relative to the heart until all of the chambers are inflated.

This invention relates to venous blood flow in a patient's limb which is promoted by repeating a cycle of sequentially applying compressive pressures against a patient's limb through a flexible, pressurizable sleeve having pressure chambers progressively arranged along the limb in relation to the patient's heart. Specifically, the pressure chambers from the distal to proximal are pressurized until they are at their appropriate pressures so as to collapse the veins in the limb. At the end of the most proximal compression, a foot chamber is compressed at a substantially higher pressure than the other chambers to force a bolus of blood from the foot into the limb causing the collapsed veins to open, the support of the chambers minimizing distention of the veins and enhancing the transmitting of blood up the limb.

A compression device having a plurality of individual segments separated from each other, each segment having a compression chamber for applying pressure to selected positions of the foot and leg of a patient, a means for intermittently inflating and deflating the compression chamber, a means for releasably securing the segments about a patients limb, and a means for releasably connecting the segments to the inflating means to facilitate rapid connections in time of emergencies.

A method for therapeutically or prophylactically treating a diagnosed or potential deep-vein thrombosis involves intermittent application of tourniquet action to the leg at a location preferably close to the ankle, i.e., at the distal-calf region of the leg, in time-coordinated relation to artificially stimulated foot-pump action; the level of tourniquet action is such as to reduce the availability of superficial veins to carry the venous-return flow that is stimulated by foot-pump action, and the level of tourniquet action is also insufficient to materially affect access to deep-veins which are the primary target of therapeutic or prophylactic treatment. In a modification, the sequencing of tourniquet and foot-pump action is changed to enhance the priming of blood in the plantar veins of a foot which must remain elevated above the heart level of a patient confined to bed, whereby circulation can be more effectively stimulated by foot-pump action.