Patent ID: 9597257
Date: 2017-03-21
CPC Classifications: A61H,Y10S

Claim:
1. A method of compressing the chest of a patient during cardiopulmonary resuscitation, wherein the chest is characterized by the sternum of the patient and areas lateral to the sternum, said method comprising the steps of: providing a device for compressing the chest of a patient, said device comprising: a band adapted to extend around the chest of the patient; a plurality of fluid receiving cells disposed along the length of the band; an inflation mechanism, operably connected to the fluid receiving cells, for inflating and deflating the cells to contract the band; a fluid-filled bladder disposed between the chest of the patient and the band, with at least a portion of said fluid-filled bladder disposed over the sternum of the patient; and an automated controller for controlling operation of the inflation mechanism; wherein the controller is programmed to control the inflation mechanism to simultaneously inflate and deflate the fluid receiving cells at a rate sufficient to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation; wherein the controller is programmed to simultaneously inflate the fluid receiving cells to a tightness sufficient to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation; placing the bladder on the anterior portion of the chest of the patient such that the fluid-filled bladder substantially covers the sternum of the patient; securing the band around the chest of the patient and over the bladder; and operating the device to simultaneously inflate and deflate the fluid receiving cells to alternately compress and release the chest of the patient in alternating compression and release phases at a rate sufficient to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation on the patient where the compression phase achieves a tightness sufficient to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation on the patient.