APPARATUS FOR DISPLACEMENT OF BLOOD TO MITIGATE PERIPHERAL NERVE NEUROPATHY
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.
1 . (canceled)
2 . A method for mitigating peripheral nerve neuropathy in a patient undergoing chemotherapy, comprising:
administering a chemotherapeutic agent to the patient during a chemotherapy treatment session; and
exerting a compressive force on a body part of the patient to at least partially displace blood within dermis tissue comprising peripheral nerve endings while retaining dermis tissue cell life, wherein the body part is a hand or a foot, and wherein the compressive force is maintained at a magnitude that simultaneously limits delivery of chemotherapeutic agents to peripheral nerve endings by partial occlusion of blood flow and retains dermis tissue cell life by allowing blood flow sufficient to sustain oxygenation while chemotherapeutic agents are present in circulating blood of the patient.
3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein exerting the compressive force is initiated prior to administration of the chemotherapeutic agent as part of the chemotherapy treatment session.
4 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the compressive force is distributed over the body part to partially occlude blood flow in dermis tissue while maintaining sufficient blood flow to retain dermis tissue cell life during the chemotherapy treatment session.
5 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the compressive force is applied during a period in which chemotherapeutic agents are present in circulating blood of the patient, including a period after administration of the chemotherapeutic agent.
6 . The method of claim 2 , wherein exerting the compressive force is performed to at least partially occlude blood flow to dermis tissue comprising peripheral nerve endings during the chemotherapy treatment session.
7 . The method of claim 2 , wherein exerting the compressive force is performed during the chemotherapy treatment session during periods in which chemotherapeutic agents are present in circulating blood of the patient.
8 . The method of claim 2 , wherein exerting the compressive force causes displacement of blood containing chemotherapeutic agents from dermis tissue during the chemotherapy treatment session.
9 . The method of claim 2 , wherein exerting the compressive force reduces exposure of peripheral nerve endings located within epidermis and dermis skin layers to chemotherapeutic agents circulating in the blood.
10 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the chemotherapy treatment session includes administering the chemotherapeutic agent and a period during which chemotherapeutic agents are present in circulating blood of the patient.
11 . The method of claim 2 , wherein:
exerting the compressive force comprises applying the compressive force to the body part either directly or indirectly; and
the compressive force is exerted onto dermis tissue comprising peripheral nerve endings to at least partially displace blood while maintaining dermis tissue cell life.
12 . The method of claim 2 , wherein exerting the compressive force on the body part is performed to at least partially occlude blood flow to dermis tissue comprising peripheral nerve endings while maintaining blood flow to retain dermis tissue cell life.
13 . The method of claim 2 , wherein exerting the compressive force on the body part is performed with intermittent application of compressive force during the chemotherapy treatment session.
14 . The method of claim 2 , wherein:
exerting the compressive force is performed for a duration during which chemotherapeutic agents are present in circulating blood of the patient; and
the compressive force is intermittently relieved to allow blood flow to dermis tissue to retain dermis tissue cell life.
15 . The method of claim 2 , wherein exerting the compressive force is performed during at least a portion of the chemotherapy treatment session during which chemotherapeutic agents are present in circulating blood of the patient.
16 . The method of claim 2 , wherein exerting a distributed compressive force on a body part is performed during periods when chemotherapeutic agents are present in circulating blood of the patient.
17 . A method for mitigating peripheral nerve neuropathy in a patient undergoing chemotherapy, comprising:
administering a chemotherapeutic agent to the patient during a chemotherapy treatment session; and
during the chemotherapy treatment session in which the chemotherapeutic agent is administered to the patient, exerting a distributed compressive force on a body part of the patient to at least partially occlude blood flow to dermis tissue comprising peripheral nerve endings while retaining dermis tissue cell life, wherein the body part is a hand or a foot, and wherein the distributed compressive force is maintained at a magnitude for at least a portion of the chemotherapy treatment session, the magnitude being sufficient to simultaneously reduce exposure of the peripheral nerve endings to chemotherapeutic agents circulating in the blood and simultaneously maintain sufficient blood flow to provide oxygenation and retain dermis tissue cell life while chemotherapeutic agents are present in circulating blood of the patient.
18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein exerting the compressive force is initiated prior to administration of the chemotherapeutic agent and maintained during at least a portion of the chemotherapy treatment session.
19 . The method of claim 17 , wherein exerting the compressive force is intermittently relieved and reapplied on the body part while chemotherapeutic agents are present in circulating blood of the patient.
20 . The method of claim 17 , wherein exerting the compressive force is performed in a continuous manner during at least a portion of the chemotherapy treatment session, during which chemotherapeutic agents are present in circulating blood of the patient.
21 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the compressive force is exerted at a magnitude less than complete occlusion and not less than partial occlusion, while retaining dermis tissue cell life.
22 . The method of claim 17 , wherein:
exerting the distributed compressive force is performed in a continuous manner during at least a portion of the chemotherapy treatment session during which chemotherapeutic agents are present in circulating blood of the patient, and
the compressive force is exerted at a magnitude that is less than that which causes complete occlusion of blood flow through blood vessels within dermis tissue and not less than that which causes at least partial occlusion of blood flow through the blood vessels within the dermis tissue, while retaining dermis tissue cell life.
23 . The method of claim 17 , wherein exerting the compressive force is performed in a manner sufficient to maintain partial occlusion of blood flow while retaining dermis tissue cell life during the chemotherapy treatment session.