Belt with detachable bladder for cardiopulmonary resuscitation and circulatory assist
An inflatable vest design for cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and for cardiac assist. The vest may include a belt that wraps around the chest of a patient, and a removable bladder that is placed against the chest and held in place by the belt. The inflatable bladder expands radially to first conform to a patient's chest, and to apply circumferential pressure to the thorax of the patient. By cyclically inflating the bladder, the vest can be used in CPR and cardiac assist treatments. In addition, alternative vest designs are disclosed showing removable bladders. These vest improvements lower the energy consumption and make smaller and portable cardiopulmonary resuscitation systems more practical.
1. An inflatable vest for administering CPR to a patient, the patient having a chest, armpits, and a sternum, said sternum having a superior-inferior length and said chest having an anterior surface, the inflatable vest comprising:
a belt sized to circumferentially fit around the patient and to cover substantially the entire width of the chest between the armpits and to cover substantially the entire superior-inferior length of the sternum, said belt being substantially circumferentially inextensible when fitted around the patient; and,
a bladder attached to the belt, said bladder having a width and said bladder comprising:
a bottoms-chest panel composed of an inextensible material that is adapted to cover at least substantially the entire portion of the anterior surface of the chest of the patient;
a top-belt panel composed of an inextensible material and sealed to the bottom-chest panel to form a gas tight bladder chamber having an opening to receive compressed gas;
wherein the bottom-chest panel and the top-belt panel form a radially extensible bellows; and
wherein the width of said bladder is at least two inches greater than the width of the belt.
2. An inflatable vest for administering CPR to a patient, the patient having a chest, armpits, and a sternum, said sternum having a superior-inferior length, the vest comprising:
a belt sized to circumferentially fit around the patient and to cover substantially the entire width of the chest between the armpits and to cover substantially the entire superior-inferior length of the sternum, said belt being substantially circumferentially inelastic when fitted around the patient; and
a bladder, attached to the belt, said bladder having a width, said bladder comprising:
a bottom-chest panel composed of an inelastic material that is adapted to cover at least substantially the entire portion of the top of the chest of the patient; and
a top-belt panel composed of an inelastic material and sealed to said bottom-chest panel to form a gas tight bladder chamber having an opening to receive compressed gas:
wherein the bottom-chest panel and the top-belt panel form a radially inelastically extensible bellows; and
wherein the width of said bladder is at least two inches greater than the width of the belt.
3. An inflatable vest for administering CPR to a patient, the patient having a thorax, the vest comprising:
a belt sized to circumferentially fit around the patient, said belt having a width to cover substantially the entire thorax of the patient, said belt being substantially circumferentially inextensible when fitted around the patient; and
a bladder, attached to the belt, said bladder having a width greater than the width of the belt, said bladder comprising:
a bottom-chest panel composed of an inextensible material that is adapted to cover substantially the entire thorax of the patient;
a top-belt panel composed of an inextensible material and sealed to said bottom-cheat panel to form a gas tight bladder chamber having an opening to receive compressed gas;
wherein the bottom-chest panel and the top-belt panel form a radially extensible bellows.
4. The vest of claim 3 , wherein the width of said belt is about ten inches.
5. The vest of claim 3 , wherein the width of said bladder is at least two inches greater than the width of the belt.
6. An inflatable vest for administering CPR to a patient, the patient having a chest, armpits, and a sternum, said sternum having a superior-inferior length, said vest comprising:
a belt sized to circumferentially fit around the patient and to cover substantially the entire width of the chest between the armpits and to cover substantially the entire superior-inferior length of the sternum, said belt being substantially circumferentially inextensible when fitted around the patient;
a detachable bladder, detachably attached to the belt, said bladder having a width, said bladder comprising:
a bottom-chest panel composed of an inextensible material that is adapted to cover at least substantially the entire portion of the top of the chest of the patient;
a top-belt panel composed of an inextensible material and sealed to said bottom-chest panel to form a gas tight bladder chamber having an opening to receive compressed gas;
wherein the bottom-chest panel and the top-belt panel form a radially extensible bellows.
7. The vest of claim 6 , wherein the bottom-chest panel and the top-belt panel are made of nylon fabric double coated with polyurethane.
8. The vest of claim 6 , wherein the width of said bladder is at least two inches greater than the width of the belt.
9. An inflatable vest for administering CPR to a patient, the patient having a chest, said chest having an anterior surface extending laterally between the patient's armpits and superiorly along the superior-inferior length of the patient's sternum, said inflatable vest comprising:
a belt sized to circumferentially fit around the patient's chest and to cover substantially the entire anterior surface of the chest, said belt being substantially circumferentially inextensible when fitted around the patient; and
a bladder attached to the belt so that, when the belt is fitted around the patient's chest, the bladder is disposed between the belt and the patient's chest, said bladder having a width and said bladder comprising:
a bottom panel composed of an inextensible material that is adapted to cover substantially the entire anterior surface of the chest of the patient;
a top panel composed of an inextensible material and sealed to the bottom and to form the bladder;
wherein the width of said bladder is at least two inches greater than the width of the belt.
10. An inflatable vest for administering CPR to a patient, the patient having a chest, said chest having an anterior surface extending laterally between the patient's armpits and superiorly along the superior-inferior length of the patient's sternum, said inflatable vest comprising:
a belt sized to circumferentially fit around the patient's chest and to cover substantially the entire anterior surface of the chest, said belt being substantially circumferentially inextensible when fitted around the patient; and
a bladder attached to the belt so that, when the belt is fitted around the patient's chest, the bladder is disposed between the belt and the patient's chest, said bladder having a width and said bladder comprising:
a bottom panel composed of an inextensible material that is adapted to cover substantially the entire anterior surface of the chest of the patient;
a top panel composed of an inextensible material and sealed to the bottom panel to form the bladder;
wherein the bladder further comprises an opening to receive compressed gas;
wherein the bottom panel and the top panel form a radially extensible bellows;
wherein the width of said bladder is at least two inches greater than the width of the belt.