Segmented Blood Pressure Cuff for Obese Arm Occlusion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Standard blood pressure cuffs are inadequate for obese patients due to their arm geometry, which can lead to inaccurate readings due to insufficient cuff width and contact with the arm, causing incomplete occlusion of the brachial artery.
Innovation Solution
A blood pressure cuff design featuring a first and second bladder with adjustable dimensions, including a variable width and length, to ensure proper occlusion of the brachial artery, with a contact zone of at least three inches to maintain accurate pressure measurements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of stationary object
If the cuff length is increased to accommodate larger arm circumferences, then the cuff can encircle the patient's arm, but the cuff width extends beyond the elbow and hinders occlusion of the brachial artery
Solution Approach 1:
The single bladder cuff is divided into two separate bladders: a first bladder positioned proximal to the elbow and a second bladder positioned distal to the elbow. This segmentation allows each bladder to be optimized for its specific location, with the proximal bladder providing the necessary width for occlusion while the distal bladder extends the overall cuff length to accommodate larger arm circumferences without interfering with occlusion.
2Area of stationary object
If the cuff width is increased to maintain sufficient contact with the arm, then accurate occlusion can be achieved, but the cuff cannot fit patients with short distance between armpit and elbow
Solution Approach 1:
The cuff is segmented into two bladders positioned at different locations along the arm. The first bladder is positioned proximal to the elbow with sufficient width (at least 3 inches) to maintain adequate contact with the arm for accurate occlusion, while the second bladder is positioned distal to the elbow to extend the overall cuff length. This allows the cuff to adapt to patients with varying arm geometries, including those with short distance between armpit and elbow.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of increasing width in a single-dimensional approach, the invention adds a second dimension by positioning bladders at different locations along the arm length. This dimensional change allows the cuff to provide sufficient contact width at the occlusion site while extending overall length to accommodate different arm geometries without the width extending beyond the elbow.
3Length of stationary object
If a conventional single-bladder cuff is constructed with sufficient length and width, then it can encircle large circumference arms, but the inflated cuff has a narrow cross-section and does not maintain sufficient contact with the arm
Solution Approach 1:
The single-bladder design is segmented into two separate bladders that can be independently positioned and inflated. This segmentation allows the first bladder to be positioned at the optimal location for occlusion with sufficient width to maintain adequate contact (at least 3 inches) with the arm, ensuring accurate blood pressure measurements. The second bladder extends the overall cuff length to encircle large circumference arms without compromising the contact width at the occlusion site.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The cuff design ensures accurate blood pressure readings by maintaining sufficient contact with the arm, overcoming the limitations of standard cuffs that often result in incomplete occlusion and erroneous measurements.
Implementation Method 1
a bladder within the cuff is inflated to occlude the brachial artery
Data Source
AI summary
A blood pressure cuff includes a first bladder having a width, and a length transverse to the width. The blood pressure cuff also includes a second bladder connected to the first bladder and a port fluidly connected to at least one of the first and second bladders.