Compression sequenced thermal therapy system
A sequential compression and temperature therapy blanket with a plurality of air chambers is disclosed. The air chambers are filled and released by a valve assembly that may be separate from or integrated within the blanket. The temperature therapy blanket includes a fluid bladder for delivering hot and/or cold therapy to a patient. The temperature therapy blanket may also include an air bladder for providing compression.
1. A method for contiguously providing compression therapy and thermal therapy to a patient, the method comprising:
providing a blanket having a fluid bladder and a plurality of air chambers;
securing the blanket around an appendage of a patient such that the fluid bladder is in thermal contact with the appendage and the plurality of air chambers are disposed outwardly of the fluid bladder relative to the appendage;
compressing the fluid bladder against the appendage at a first pressure when the plurality of air chambers are deflated;
thermally conditioning a heat-transfer fluid to a predetermined temperature using one or more thermoelectric coolers;
flowing the heat-transfer fluid through the fluid bladder to provide thermal therapy to the patient; and
selectively inflating and deflating each of the plurality of air chambers in a predetermined pattern to compress selective portions of the fluid bladder against the appendage at a second pressure greater than the first pressure while the thermally conditioned heat-transfer fluid is flowed therethrough.
2. The method of claim 1 , and further comprising
repeating the selectively inflating and deflating to provide sequenced compression to the patient.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the selectively inflating and deflating comprises providing compressed gas to the plurality of air chambers in a predetermined pattern.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the selectively inflating and deflating comprises providing compressed gas to a first air chamber for a first predetermined time period before providing the compressed gas to a second air chamber for a second predetermined time period.
5. The method of claim 4 , comprising providing the compressed gas to a third air chamber for a third predetermined time period after providing the compressed gas to the second air chamber for the second predetermined time period.
6. The method of claim 4 , comprising providing the compressed gas to the first air chamber after providing the compressed gas to the third air chamber.
7. The method of claim 4 , comprising releasing the compressed gas from the first air chamber before providing the compressed gas to the second air chamber.
8. The method of claim 4 , comprising releasing the compressed gas from the first air chamber after providing the compressed gas to the second air chamber.