An apparatus for intermittent vascular occlusion based on a personalized tourniquet pressure (PTP) includes a dual-purpose tourniquet cuff having an inflatable bladder, a sensor module having a pulsation sensor communicating pneumatically with the inflatable bladder for sensing and characterizing pressure pulsations indicative of a distal occlusion pressure (DOP) to identify a minimum pressure at which penetration of blood past the cuff is stopped, a PTP estimator responsive to the pulsation sensor for producing an estimate of a PTP, wherein the estimate of the PTP is a function of the DOP, an effector module communicating pneumatically with the inflatable bladder for maintaining pressure in the bladder near the PTP during a first time period and for maintaining pressure in the bladder near a second level of pressure during a second time period, and a controller selectively operating the inflatable bladder in conjunction with the sensor module and the effector module.

Embodiments of the present invention are directed to devices, systems and methods adapted for implementing intermittent displacement of blood to mitigate peripheral nerve neuropathy such as that induced by chemotherapeutic agents (i.e., chemotherapy-induced neuropathy (CIN)) that are administered to a patient. Such devices, systems and methods advantageously provide for precise, uniform and controlled blood flow occluding (and optionally blood displacing) compression along irregular surfaces of an appendage of a patient. Such precise, uniform and controlled blood occluding compression is imparted upon the epidermal and dermis skin layers within the aforementioned areas of a patient's extremities to decrease the time that free nerve endings located in the epidermal and encapsulated nerve endings located in the dermis skin layers are exposed to nerve damaging chemotherapy chemicals, thereby substantially decreasing CIN caused by prolonged exposure to such chemicals.

An apparatus for applying periodic pressure to the limb of a patient to prevent deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism. The apparatus has a cuff that has a bladder. A housing that is attached to the cuff. A pump for inflating the bladder to a maximum cuff pressure, the maximum cuff pressure being 55 mmHg, and the pump is housed within the housing. A plurality of pressure application modes each of which control operation of the pump and wherein each pressure application mode is progressively applied in a manner that will increase a patient's blood flow. A pressure application mode selector is disposed on the housing. A microprocessor that is equipped with a program that controls the pump and the plurality of pressure application modes. The microprocessor is housed within the housing and it is connected to a transceiver. And, a remote that connects to the transceiver.

Methods for adaptive cuff inflation for the purposes of occluding a limb of a subject include inflating a cuff to a pressure at or above limb occlusion pressure and periodically deflating the cuff to detect amplitude of oscillometric oscillations reaching or exceeding a predetermined threshold, whereby indicating that the cuff pressure has reached an updated systolic blood pressure. Selecting the cuff to be wide enough to define limb occlusion pressure at or below the systolic blood pressure assures that this maneuver does not compromise cessation of blood flow to the limb. Devices are disclosed configured to operate in at least two of the following three operating modes: a tourniquet mode, a remote conditioning mode and a blood pressure monitoring mode.

A non-invasive cerebral perfusion increasing device including four cuffing pad units and a control unit which is connected to the cuffing pad units and is equipped with a blood pressure sensing module and a compression control module. In the non-invasive cerebral perfusion increasing device each cuffing pad unit respectively includes a compression pad, a compression control member and a blood pressure sensing member. The blood pressure sensing module uses the blood pressure sensing members to sense the systolic blood pressure values of the portions of each of the limbs where they are attached and the compression control module controls the degree of compression of each compression pad by controlling the compression control member to a setting desired by the user based on the sensed blood pressure value, such that the blood flow applied to the limbs is blocked and, indirectly, cerebral perfusion is increased.

Exemplary systems, methods and computer-accessible mediums can be provided that can, for example, receive information related to a detection of a pulse of a patient(s), and increase a pressure using a hardware arrangement to reach a first pressure level corresponding to the pulse no longer being detected. The pressure can be decreased to reach a second pressure level corresponding to the pulse being again detected, and the pressure can be maintained at the second pressure level to facilitate a venipuncture of the patient(s).

There is provided a method for controlling the movement of bile and/or gall stones in the biliary duct. The method comprises gently constricting (i.e., without substantially hampering the blood circulation in the tissue wall) at least one portion of the tissue wall to influence the movement of bile and/or gallstones in the biliary duct, and stimulating the constricted wall portion to cause contraction of the wall portion to further influence the movement of bile and/or gallstones in the biliary duct. The method can be used for restricting or stopping the movement of bile and/or gallstones in the biliary duct, or for actively moving the fluid in the biliary duct, with a low risk of injuring the biliary duct.

The technology relates to a remote ischemic preconditioning system having a cuff configured to contract about a limb of a subject; an actuator connected to the cuff that, when actuated, causes the cuff to contract about the limb of the subject; a controller that controls the actuator to operate according to a treatment protocol that includes a plurality of treatment cycles of contracting and releasing the cuff about the limb of a subject; a first sensor for measuring oxygen saturation level in the blood of the limb; a second sensor for measuring a pulse property in the limb; and a feedback control unit in communication with the controller and configured to receive the oxygen saturation measurement from the first sensor and the pulse property from the second sensor; wherein the feedback control unit is further configured to: compare the oxygen saturation level to a first predetermined value and signal the controller to operate the actuator to further inflate the cuff if the oxygen saturation level is above the predetermined value; and compare the pulse property to a second predetermined value and signal the controller to operate the actuator to further inflate the cuff if the pulse rate or pulse strength is above the predetermined value.

An inflatable tourniquet system for arterial blood occlusion of a leg or arm, e.g. after injury or for surgery. A tourniquet (TQ) is to be manually fastened around the limb by a user, e.g. a first aid helper, e.g. an untrained person. A manual inflator (B) is used to inflatable the tourniquet to apply pressure for occlusion of arterial blood flow to the limb. An electric circuit (CC) measures an electrical input from a length sensor (C), e.g. an electric conductor, and to determine a value (R), e.g. electric resistance, indicative of circumference of the limb accordingly, when the tourniquet has been fastened around the limb. A blood pressure measuring circuit (BP) automatically determines a systolic blood pressure (SBP) in response to input from a pressure sensor (PS) arranged to measure a pressure (PR) of the tourniquet. A processor (P) is programmed to operate according to a control algorithm which calculates a target pressure (AOP, OAOP) in response to the measured SBP, and the value (R) indicative of circumference of the limb. Then, the processor monitors input from the pressure sensor (PS) and compares the sensed pressure with the calculated target pressure (AOP, OAOP). Visual and/or audible feedback (FB) is give to the user, when the pressure (PR) of the tourniquet (TQ) is within an interval of the target pressure (AOP, OAOP). In some embodiments, the manual inflator (B) process may be used to provide energy harvesting for electric powering the system.

In one embodiment, measuring mitochondrial capacity includes performing arterial occlusions on a patient, measuring oxygenated hemoglobin/myoglobin and deoxygenated hemoglobin/myoglobin within the patient's body during the occlusions, calculating a blood volume correction factor that accounts for a change in blood volume that occurs during the arterial occlusions, and applying the correction factor to the measured oxygenated hemoglobin/myoglobin and deoxygenated hemoglobin/myoglobin measurements to obtain correct oxygenated hemoglobin/myoglobin and deoxygenated hemoglobin/myoglobin measurements.