Increasing blood circulation, lowering intracranial pressure, and increasing cerebral perfusion pressure during the administration of cardiopulmonary resuscitation by gravity-assist due to elevation of one or both of the torso and head of an individual.

A chest compression monitor for measuring the depth of chest compressions achieved during CPR. A sensor of the chest compression monitor is disposed within its housing such that compression of the housing due to CPR compressions, and its resultant deformation, is detected by the sensor and used by the control system as the starting point for calculating chest compression depth based on an acceleration signal indicative of the downward displacement of the chest.

A method to reduce brain injury and brain swelling includes performing active compression decompression cardiopulmonary resuscitation on an individual in a supine position. The individual's head, shoulders, and heart are elevated relative to the individual's lower body. The head is elevated to a height of between about 20 cm and 30 cm above the horizontal plane and the heart is elevated to a height of between about 3 cm and 10 cm above the horizontal plane. Chest compressions are performed on the individual and actively decompressing the individual's chest while the individual's head, shoulders, and heart are elevated. Intrathoracic pressure of the individual is regulated using an intrathoracic pressure regulation device both while the individual is in the supine position and while the individual's head, shoulders, and heart are elevated relative to the lower body, thereby reducing brain edema during CPR.

A patient support system with chest compression system and harness assembly with sensor system. The harness assembly secures shoulders and hips of the patient on a patient support surface during transport. A chest compression system is integrated into the harness assembly in a manner that provides chest compressions to the patient while the patient is secured on the patient support surface. The tension of the harness assembly is selectively adjusted and/or a fluid bladder may be selectively expanded. A controller is in communication with the chest compression system and controls operation of the chest compression system. The sensor system is integrated into the harness assembly and in communication with the controller. The chest compression system may be removable from the harness assembly via an adapter. The chest compression system may be integrated into the patient support apparatus to secure the patient to the patient support surface while providing chest compressions.

A soft-inflatable exosuit for knee rehabilitation is fabricated in two different beam-like structures (I and O cross-section actuators) and mechanically characterized for their torque performance in knee-extension assistance. The fabrication procedure of both types of actuators is presented as well as their integration into a light-weight, low-cost and body-conforming interface. To detect the activation duration of the device during the gait cycle, a soft-silicone insole with embedded force-sensitive resistors (FSRs) is used. In evaluation studies, the soft inflatable exosuit device is tested for its ability to reduce muscle activity during the swing phase of the knee. Using sEMG (surface electromyography) sensors, the rectus femoris muscle group of a healthy individual is recorded while walking on a treadmill at a constant speed, with and without the soft device.

A chest compression device for cardiopulmonary resuscitation comprises a support structure 2 for placement about a patient's chest and for holding a chest compressor 6 above a patient's sternum; a chest compressor 6 mounted on the support structure 2; and lateral chest supports 14 attached to the support structure 2 at points laterally either side of the chest when the device is in use, such that the lateral chest supports 14 will apply lateral pressure to the sides of the chest synchronized with a chest compression by the chest compressor 6.

The present invention relates generally to a support structure for fixating a patient to a treatment unit, and especially to a support structure for fixating the patient to a cardiopulmonary resuscitation unit. An embodiment of the support structure includes a back plate for positioning behind the patient's back posterior to the patient's heart and a front part for positioning around the patient's chest anterior to the patient's heart. Further, the front part can include two legs, each leg having a first end pivotably connected to at least one hinge and a second end removably attachable to the back plate. The front part can further be devised for including a compression/decompression unit arranged to automatically compress or decompress the patient's chest when the front part is attached to the back plate.

Systems and methods for determining depth of compressions of a chest of a patient receiving chest compressions. A field detector is used having at least two coils at a fixed distance from each other.

An automated chest compression (CC) system is described that includes a chest compressor configured to administer chest compressions to a patient, at least one tilt adjuster configured to tilt at least the head of the patient to a tilt angle during the administration of chest compressions to the patient, a patient support structure configured to couple to the chest compressor and to the at least one tilt adjuster, one or more tilt sensors, and a CC device controller configured to control the chest compressor to administer the chest compressions at a resuscitative rate, receive one or more signals, from the one or more tilt sensors, indicative of the tilt angle, determine tilt angle information from the one or more signals indicative of the tilt angle, and provide the tilt angle information to a user interface, wherein the patient support structure is adapted to support the back of the patient.

Systems, devices and methods for providing active and/or passive compression therapy to a body part can include a compression device worn over a compression stocking. The compression device can have a pulley based drive train that is driven by a motor to tighten and loosen compression elements, such as compression straps, in a precise, rapid, and balanced manner. Sensors can be used in the compression device and/or compression stockings to provide feedback to modulate the compression treatment parameters.