A magnetic haemostatic tourniquet

Abstract

The present invention relates generally to medical equipment, and more particularly to devices for stopping bleeding from arterial, venous, and capillary vessels of a damaged human limb and can be used as a first aid device in military equipment, in rescuing wounded people in combat and emergency situations, and in providing primary medical care in emergency medical facilities. The magnetic haemostatic tourniquet of the invention comprises an elongated body 1 consisting of n sections, where n≥2, namely sections 2, 21, 22, 2n-1, 2n, each section whereof containing at least one source of a permanent magnetic field for effect on a human body. Adjacent sections, for example, the section 2 and the section 21, are interconnected with the possibility of rotation relative to each other to ensure the contact of a working surface 3 of the tourniquet with the human body. The tourniquet is also provided with a means 4 for a detachable and detachable fixation of the tourniquet on a selected area of the human body. At least one section contain m modular elements, namely modular elements 5, 51, 52, 5m,, where m≥2, made of non-magnetic material and arranged in a perpendicular direction to the elongated body 1 of the tourniquet. Each modular element contains a base 6 with sidewalls 7 forming a cell for placing a permanent magnet 8 as a source of a permanent magnetic field, with two parallel bases, which are its magnetic poles N and S. The adjacent modular elements, which are part of one or more sections, adjoin each other with their sidewalls 7 and form a cellular structure of the working surface 3 of the tourniquet in the cells whereof the permanent magnets 8 are installed in such a way that their magnetic poles N and S are directed toward the human body alternately in a checkerboard pattern. The technical result of the present invention consists in the assurance of a haemostatic effect in the event of a localized bleeding from arterial, venous, and capillary vessels with the preservation and activation of a collateral circulation in a human limb in the area adjacent to a vascular damage site.

Description

[0001] A MAGNETIC HAEMOSTATIC TOURNIQUET

[0002] Field of the Invention

[0003] The present invention relates generally to medical equipment, and more particularly to devices for stopping bleeding from arterial, venous, and capillary vessels of a damaged human limb and can be used as a first aid device in military equipment, in rescuing wounded people in combat and emergency situations, and in providing primary medical care in emergency medical facilities.

[0004] Description of the Prior Art

[0005] Known from the state of the art is a device for arresting bleeding from damaged human limb vessels, the device comprising a belt with a pressure device located on it, the pressure device being in the form of a hemisphere with holes for the belt that is disposed at the limb above an injured vessel to clamp the vessel, and supporting cylinders disposed perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the belt for the purposes of ensuring minimal compression of soft tissues of the human body and preserving a collateral circulation in order to prevent human limb ischemia (please refer to Author’s Certificate SU 1251886, Int. Cl. A61 B 17 / 12, published on 1986-08- 23).

[0006] The disadvantage of the known device is the inconvenience of use in combat conditions due to the need to reconfigure the position of the pressure hemisphere to select the area of the limb where pressure should be applied to stop bleeding from a damaged vessel of the victim, which makes it practically unusable in extreme combat conditions.

[0007] Known from the state of the art is also a magnetic haemostatic tourniquet containing a multisection body consisting of magnetic units used as sources of a constant magnetic field acting on the human body, made in the form of parallelepipeds connected by flexible elastic links. In the known tourniquet, some of the magnetic units are used as pressure units, which are placed in close proximity to the area of human limb injury, while the other units, the so-called winding units, are used to secure the tourniquet in a selected area of the human body. One of the faces of the winding magnetic units is provided with a protrusion facing the adjacent winding unit while the opposite face is provided with a groove to contact the protrusion of the next winding unit. The adjacent winding units are interconnected with the possibility of rotation relative to each other, which ensures contact of the working surface of the tourniquet with the human body (please refer to Patent CN104083189, Int. Cl. A61 B 17 / 132, published on 2015-12-30).

[0008] The disadvantages of the known tourniquet are its increased traumatic risk due to the possibility of pinching the skin of the injured human limb between the adjacent pressure units or winding units when installing and securing the tourniquet on a given area of the human limb, as well as an insufficient contact area of its working surface with the human body, which leads to insufficient activation of the collateral circulation in the area adjacent to the injury site and can lead to human limb ischemia.

[0009] Known from the state of the art is also a magnetic haemostatic tourniquet, selected as a prototype, comprising an elongated body consisting of (n) sections, where n>2, each section containing at least one source of a permanent magnetic field for exerting effect on the human body, adjacent sections being interconnected with the possibility of rotation relative to each other to ensure contact of the working surface of the tourniquet with the human body, and a means for removable and detachable fixation of the tourniquet on a selected area of the human body (please refer to Patent CN209253020, Int. Cl. A61 B 17 / 135, A61 N 2 / 08, published on 2015- 12-30).

[0010] The disadvantage of the known tourniquet is an insufficient contact area of its working surface with a damaged human limb, which leads to insufficient activation of the collateral circulation in the area adjacent to the injury site and can lead to human limb ischemia.

[0011] Summary of the Invention

[0012] In view of the above-mentioned disadvantages of the prior art, it is the object of the present invention to provide a haemostatic tourniquet characterized by high performance characteristics, in particular high efficiency in achieving a haemostatic effect in the event of a local bleeding from arterial, venous, and capillary vessels while maintaining and activating a collateral circulation in the human limb in the area adjacent to the site of injury and vascular damage. Brief Description of the Invention

[0013] To achieve this object, in the known magnetic haemostatic tourniquet comprising an elongated body consisting of n sections, where n>2, each section whereof contains at least one source of a permanent magnetic field for exerting effect on a human body, adjacent sections being interconnected with the possibility of rotation relative to each other to ensure contact of the working surface of the tourniquet with the human body, and a means for removable and detachable fixation of the tourniquet on a selected area of the human body, according to the present invention, at least one section comprises m modular elements made of non-magnetic material, wherein m>2, arranged in a direction perpendicular to the elongated body of the tourniquet, each modular element comprising a base with sidewalls forming a cell for placing a permanent magnet as a source of a permanent magnetic field provided with two parallel bases, which are its magnetic poles N and S, the adjacent modular elements comprising one or more sections adjoin each other with their sidewalls and form a cellular structure of the working surface of the tourniquet, in the cells whereof the magnets are installed in such a way that their magnetic poles N and S are directed towards the human body in a checkerboard pattern.

[0014] The presence of a developed cellular structure of the working surface of the tourniquet allows to cover all or a significant part of the area of limb injury in order to ensure local exposure to a constant magnetic field in a selected area of the human body in the area of damage to arterial, venous and capillary vessels. This ensures the achievement of haemostatic effect on damaged arterial, venous, and capillary vessels while maintaining the collateral circulation in the area of magnetic field impact on soft tissues, which prevents ischemia and necrosis of the human limb when applying the tourniquet.

[0015] In some cases of use of the tourniquet of the invention, for example, in a field hospital or in hospital treatment of a person, it is possible to change the size of the area of the cellular structure of the working surface of the tourniquet. Considering that at least one section contains at least m modular elements, where m is greater than or equal to 2, the contact area of the tourniquet working surface can be increased both by increasing the number of sections containing m modular elements and by increasing the number of modular elements in one section or several sections. Thus, depending on the specific conditions of the tourniquet application, it is possible to select the required number of sections n containing the required number m of modular elements and, thus, increase or decrease the area of the tourniquet impact on the site of human limb injury.

[0016] Since permanent magnets are installed in the cells of the modular elements in such a way that their magnetic poles N and S are directed to the human body alternately in a checkerboard pattern, a multi-vector effect of the permanent magnetic field on human tissue is provided, which helps to activate the collateral circulation in the area of magnetic field effect

[0017] In at least one embodiment of the magnetic haemostatic tourniquet of the invention, the base of the modular element is preferably rectangular in shape, while the base of the permanent magnet placed in the cell of the modular element is rectangular, or square, or round, or oval, or annular, or trapezoidal, or triangular in shape, while the sidewalls of the modular element have holes located on its periphery and designed to install flexible ties that connect adjacent modular elements to each other.

[0018] In another embodiment of the magnetic haemostatic tourniquet of the invention, at least one permanent magnet is made of neodymium alloy. The use of neodymium alloy magnets as a source of a permanent magnetic field allows to increase the strength of the magnetic field in the area of effect on the human body and to provide a magnetic field with an induction in the range from 1 .5 mT to 450 mT /

[0019] In yet another embodiment of the magnetic haemostatic tourniquet of the invention, the adjacent modular elements that are part of the cellular structure of the tourniquet's working surface are installed with the possibility of rotation relative to each other at an angle of (p < 90°.

[0020] The permanent magnets used in the design of the tourniquet of the invention as sources of a permanent magnetic field are placed in the cells of the modular elements and may have a various shape, namely: rectangular, or square, or round, or oval, or annular, or trapezoidal, or triangular this expanding the arsenal of means used in the implementation of the present invention. Each of the permanent magnets, regardless of the specific form of execution, has parallel bases, which are its magnetic poles N and S, while the magnets are installed in such a way that their magnetic poles N and S are directed to the human body alternately in a checkerboard pattern this ensuring a multi-vector effect of a permanent magnetic field on human tissue and promoting the activation of the collateral circulation in the area of the effect of the magnetic field. The presence of the flexible ties connecting the adjacent modular elements to each other allows for a rotation of the base of one modular element by an angle <p < 90° relative to the base of another adjacent modular element and, thus, ensures a tight contact of each permanent magnet installed in the cell of the modular element to the surface of the human body this contributing to the maximum approach of the magnetic pole N or S of each magnet to a selected part of the human limb. As is well known, the magnetic field induction decreases with distance from the pole of the magnet according to a quadratic relationship, so with a nominal magnetic induction on the surface of the permanent magnet pole, for example, 1 .5 T, at a distance of 5 mm in the perpendicular direction, the magnetic field induction is only 0.15 T while at a distance of 30 mm, its magnetic induction is not greater than the magnetic induction of the Earth's magnetic field (0.05 mT).

[0021] The ability to rotate the adjacent modular elements that make up the cellular structure of the working surface relative to each other by an angle of <p < 90° extends the functionality of the tourniquet of the invention by adapting the configuration of the cellular structure of the working surface to a specific place of application of the tourniquet to the area of human limb injury.

[0022] In one embodiment of the magnetic haemostatic tourniquet of the invention, the flexible ties are made of polyester and / or polypropylene and / or polyester and / or acrylic and / or similar polymeric material this allowing to expand the arsenal of technical means for the implementation of the invention.

[0023] In another embodiment of the magnetic haemostatic tourniquet of the invention, at least two modular elements arranged in opposition to the cellular structure of the working surface of the tourniquet have a protruding part provided with through slotted holes for attaching a means for removable and detachable fixation of the tourniquet thereto, for example, a velcro fastener.

[0024] The velcro fastener ensures a detachable and detachable fixation of the tourniquet in the required place on the human limb, depending on individual anatomical features of the human body shape.

[0025] The technical result achieved by using the tourniquet of the invention consists in ensuring a significant haemostatic effect in the event of a localized bleeding from arterial, venous, and capillary vessels while maintaining the collateral circulation in the area of magnetic field effect on the soft tissues of the human body this promoting to the prevention of ischemia and necrosis of the human limb. Brief Description of the Drawings

[0026] In the following the invention will be described in more detail with reference to the attached drawing wherein:

[0027] Fig. 1 is an isometric view of the magnetic haemostatic tourniquet of the invention;

[0028] Fig. 2 is a general view of the tourniquet in the working state on the upper human limb;

[0029] Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken generally along line B-B in Fig. 2;

[0030] Fig. 4 is general view of the tourniquet in the open state;

[0031] Fig. 5 is a view of the cellular structure of the working surface of the tourniquet (at n=5 and m=3) shown in Fig. 4;

[0032] Fig. 6 is an isometric view of a modular element;

[0033] Fig. 7 is an isometric view of a modular element with a protruding part;

[0034] Fig. 8 is view A in Fig. 1 ;

[0035] Fig. 9 is a view of the cellular structure of the working surface of the tourniquet (at n=7 and m=5).

[0036] Detailed Description of a Preferred Embodiment of the Invention)

[0037] The magnetic haemostatic tourniquet of the invention comprises a body 1 consisting of n sections, where n>2, namely sections 2, 2i, 22, 2n-i , 2n(see Fig. 4) or sections 2, 2i, 22, .... 2n-i, 2n(see Fig. 9). Each section of the body 1 contains at least one source of a permanent magnetic field for effect on a human body, while adjacent sections, for example, the section 2 and the section 2i, are interconnected with the possibility of rotation relative to each other, which ensures the contact of a working surface 3 of the tourniquet with a human limb. The tourniquet is also provided with a means 4 for a detachable and detachable fixation, made, for example, in the form of a velcro fastener, for fixing the tourniquet on a selected area of the human limb,

[0038] Each of the sections 2 and 2n contains one modular element 5 made of nonmagnetic material, while the other sections 2i, 22, 2n-i contain m modular elements, namely 5i, 52, 5m (see Fig. 4), or modular elements 5i, 52 ...5m-i, 5m (see Fig. 9) made of non-magnetic material, where m>2, arranged in a perpendicular direction to the body 1. Each modular element 5, 5i, 52, 5m-i, 5m contains a base 6 with sidewalls 7 forming a cell for placing a permanent magnet 8 as a source of a permanent magnetic field, with two parallel bases, which are its magnetic poles N and S. The adjacent modular elements, for example, 5i and 52, or 52 and 5m, which are part of one section 2i (see Fig. 4), as well as adjacent modular elements, for example, 5 and 52, which are part of the neighboring sections 2 and 2i, respectively, adjoin each other with their sidewalls 7 and form a cellular structure of the working surface 3 of the tourniquet.

[0039] In the cells of the working surface 3, the permanent magnets 8 are installed in such a way that their magnetic poles N and S are directed toward the human body alternately in a checkerboard pattern. The working surface 3 of the tourniquet can embrace both a part and all of the area of a limb damage depending on the specific conditions in which the tourniquet of the invention is used. The change in the size of the area of the cellular structure of the working surface 3 of the tourniquet is provided both by increasing / decreasing the number of the sections n and by increasing / decreasing the number of the modular elements m that make up one section or several separate sections n. Thus, depending on the specific conditions of the tourniquet application, it is possible to select the required number n of the sections containing the required number m of the modular elements and, thus, to increase or decrease the area of the tourniquet effect on the human limb injury site.

[0040] In the embodiment of the tourniquet of the invention shown in Fig. 1 , the base 6 of each modular element is rectangular or square, but this does not exclude the possibility of performing the base 6 in the form of another figure having rectilinear sides of the same length, for example, a triangle, rhombus, pentagon, hexagon, and other polygons. In turn, the base of the permanent magnet 8 placed in the cell of the modular element 5 may have not only a rectangular but also a square or round or oval or annular or trapezoidal or triangular shape, to place the magnet 8 of one of these shapes on the base 6 of the rectangular or square modular element.

[0041] The sidewalls 7 of the modular element 5 have holes 9 located on its periphery and designed to install flexible ties 10 that connect pairs of the adjacent modular elements 5, 5i, 52, 5m-i, 5m (see Fig. 9), which abut each other with their sidewalls 7. The presence of the flexible elastic ties 10 connecting the adjacent modular elements ensures the possibility of a mutual rotation of the modular elements relative to each other by an angle <p < 90°. This makes it possible to ensure a tight contact of each permanent magnet 8 to the surface of the human body when applying the tourniquet to a selected part of the limb due to the relative orientation of each modular element 5, 5i, 52, 5m-i, 5m depending on the anatomical shape of the damaged human limb this ensuring the maximum approach of the magnetic pole N or S of each magnet 8 to the area of the damaged site of the human limb.

[0042] In one particular embodiment of the magnetic haemostatic tourniquet of the invention, at least one permanent magnet 8 is made of neodymium alloy this making it possible to obtain a magnetic field with a magnetic induction of 1.5 mT to 450 mT.

[0043] In another embodiment of the magnetic haemostatic tourniquet of the invention, flexible ties 10 are made of polyester, and / or polypropylene, and / or polyester, and / or acrylic, and / or similar polymeric materials this expanding the arsenal of technical means for implementing the present invention.

[0044] In yet another embodiment of the magnetic haemostatic tourniquet of the invention, at least two modular elements 5, which are located oppositely to the working surface 3 of the tourniquet, have a protruding part provided with through slotted holes 11 for attaching a means 4 for a removable and detachable fixation of the tourniquet, for example, a Velcro fastener. In this embodiment (see Fig. 1 ), one end of the fastener is fixed on one side of the working surface 3 in the slotted holes 11 of the protruding part of the modular element 5, while the other end of the fastener is free and is intended to be fixed on the other side of the working surface 3 in the slotted holes 11 of the protruding part of another oppositely placed modular element 5.

[0045] The device of the invention is used as follows:

[0046] To apply the body 1 of the tourniquet of the invention to a limb wound, in case of damage to an artery, vein, or other vessel, the working surface 3 is placed directly above the surface of the human limb injury. The free end of the velcro fastener (the means 4 for removable and detachable fixation of the tourniquet) is wrapped around the limb and pulled through the slotted holes 11 made in the oppositely located modular element 5, forming a loop around the limb. Next, the fastener is tightened until the permanent magnets 8 are in full contact with the human body and bleeding stops. The tightening force is regulated independently in order to ensure a local effect of the permanent magnetic field on the soft tissues of the human body in the site of damage to the artery, vein, or other vessel. Due to the presence of the flexible ties 10 connecting the adjacent modular elements 5, 5i, 52, 5m-i, 5m to each other, it is possible to rotate the adjacent modular elements 5, 5i, 52, 5m-i, 5m, which are part of the cellular structure of the working surface 3, relative to each other by an angle <p < 90°.

[0047] This, in turn, ensures a tight contact of the poles N and S of each permanent magnet 8 installed in the cell of each modular element 5, 5i, 52, 5m-i,.5m with the surface of the human body, which contributes to the maximum approach of the magnetic pole N or S of each magnet 8 to the site of the damaged part of the human limb.

[0048] As a result of the placement of the magnets 8 in the cells of the modular elements 5, 5i, 52, 5m-i, 5m in such a way that their magnetic poles N and S are directed towards the human body alternately in a checkerboard pattern, a multivector effect of the constant magnetic field on human tissues is ensured this promoting to the activation of the collateral circulation in the zone of magnetic field effect.

[0049] In some cases of use of the tourniquet ot the invention, for example, in a field hospital, it is possible to change the size of the area of the cellular structure of the working surface of the tourniquet 3. Considering that the sections 2i....2n-i contain m modular elements, where m is greater than or equal to two, the area of the working surface 3 of the tourniquet can be increased both by increasing the number n of sections, where n>2, containing m modular elements, and by increasing the number of modular elements 5i, 52...5m-i, 5m in one section or several sections 2i....2n-i. Thus, depending on the specific conditions of use of the tourniquet, it is possible to select the required number n of sections containing the required number m of modular elements and, thus, to increase or decrease the area of the effect of the tourniquet on the site of injury to the human limb.

[0050] Changes in the intensity of the magnetic field, depending on the number of modular elements 5i, 52...5m-i, 5m and the permanent magnets 8 installed in each section 2, 2i....2n-i, 2nand their relative position relative to each other, allows for the optimal effect of the magnetic field on the human body. Technical result

[0051] When using the haemostatic tourniquet of the invention, there is minimal compression of small vessels and tissues of a limb this preserving the collateral circulation and eliminating the risk of ischemia.

[0052] This ensures the achievement of haemostatic effect on damaged arterial, venous, and capillary vessels while maintaining the collateral circulation in the area of magnetic field effect on the soft tissues of the human body this promoting to the prevention of ischemia and necrosis of the human limb.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A magnetic haemostatic tourniquet comprising an elongated body consisting of n sections, where n>2, each section whereof contains at least one source of a permanent magnetic field for exerting effect on a human body, adjacent sections being interconnected with the possibility of rotation relative to each other to ensure contact of the working surface of the tourniquet with the human body, and a means for a removable and detachable fixation of the tourniquet on a selected area of the human body, wherein at least one section comprises m modular elements made of non-magnetic material, wherein m>2, arranged in a direction perpendicular to the elongated body of the tourniquet, each modular element comprising a base with sidewalls forming a cell for placing a permanent magnet as a source of a permanent magnetic field provided with two parallel bases, which are its magnetic poles N and S, the adjacent modular elements comprising one or more sections adjoin each other with their sidewalls and form a cellular structure of the working surface of the tourniquet, in the cells whereof the magnets are installed in such a way that their magnetic poles N and S are directed towards the human body in a checkerboard pattern.

2. The magnetic haemostatic tourniquet as claimed in Claim 1 , wherein the base of the modular element is preferably rectangular in shape, while the base of the permanent magnet placed in the cell of the modular element is rectangular, or square, or round, or oval, or annular, or trapezoidal, or triangular in shape, while the sidewalls of the modular element have holes located on its periphery and designed to install flexible ties that connect adjacent modular elements to each other.

3. The magnetic haemostatic tourniquet as claimed in any on Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein at least one permanent magnet is made of neodymium alloy.

4. The magnetic haemostatic tourniquet as claimed in any on Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein the adjacent modular elements that are part of the cellular structure of the tourniquet's working surface are installed with the possibility of rotation relative to each other at an angle of cp < 90°.

5. The magnetic haemostatic tourniquet as claimed in Claim 2, wherein the flexible ties are made of polyester and / or polypropylene and / or polyester and / or acrylic and / or similar polymeric material.

6. The magnetic haemostatic tourniquet as claimed in Claim 1 , wherein at least two modular elements arranged in opposition to the cellular structure of the working surface of the tourniquet have a protruding part provided with through slotted holes for attaching a means for removable and detachable fixation of the tourniquet thereto, for example, a velcro fastener.

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