Patent ID: 6790043
Filing Date: 2004-09-14
Classification: G09B

Abstract:
An apparatus for surgical training on at least a portion of cadaveric anatomy having at least one major artery and at least one major vein, comprising:a reservoir of artery-filling fluid, said artery-filling fluid having a first color simulating the appearance of blood circulating in the arteries of a living organism from which said cadaveric anatomy is derived; a reservoir of vein-filing fluid, said vein-filling fluid having a second color simulating the appearance of blood circulating in the veins of a living organism from which said cadaveric anatomy is derived; means for applying to said reservoir of artery-filling fluid a static arterial pressure simulating the arterial pressure appropriate to that of a living organism from which said cadaveric anatomy is derived; a pulsating pressure machine for generating pulsating pressure fluctuations and means for transmitting said pulsating pressure fluctuations to said reservoir of artery-filling fluid whereby the pressure of said reservoir of artery-filling fluid pulsates to simulate the pulsations of the arteries of a living organism from which said cadaveric anatomy is derived; means for applying to said reservoir of vein-filling fluid to a static venous pressure simulating the venous pressure appropriate to a living organism from which said cadaveric anatomy is derived; means adapted for connecting said artery-filling reservoir to said at least one major artery; and means adapted for connecting said vein-filling reservoir to said at least one major vein; wherein said reservoir of artery-filling fluid comprises a flexible inner container having an inner volume containing said artery-filling fluid and means for communication between said flexible inner container and said means adapted for connecting said artery-filling reservoir to said at least one major artery, a rigid air-tight outer container enclosing said flexible inner container, a space defined between said flexible inner container and said rigid air-tight outer container, and means for communication between said space and said means for applying to said reservoir of artery-filling fluid a static arterial pressure and between said space and said pulsating pressure machine; wherein said reservoir of vein-filling fluid comprises a flexible inner container having an inner volume containing said vein-filling fluid and means for communication between said flexible inner container and said means adapted for connecting said vein-filling reservoir to said at least one major vein, a rigid air-tight outer container enclosing said flexible inner container, a space defined between said flexible inner container and said rigid air-tight outer container, and means for communication between said space and said means for applying to said reservoir of vein-filling fluid to a static venous pressure; and wherein said pulsating pressure machine comprises means for generating pulsating pressure fluctuations in air and means for transmitting said pulsating pressure fluctuations to said space in said reservoir of artery-filling fluid.