Abstract:
A blood vessel compression device including a C-shaped spring and a clamp at an end of the spring to compress a blood vessel. The clamp may have a flat shaped cross section or spatulate cross section with an edge where the edge confronts a blood vessel to compress it. The clamp may have a channel and a sac inflatable with air to compress the blood vessel. The device may be positioned on body to clamp an external jugular vein or cephalic vein for cannula insertion. The C-shaped spring may be spaced from a front of the neck to not compress a windpipe of the neck.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 62/037,301, filed Aug. 14, 2014, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The human external jugular vein (EJV) is a large vein used in pre-hospital medicine for venous access when the emergency medical technician (EMT) is unable to find another peripheral vein. It may also be used in an emergency or non-emergency setting where another peripheral vein cannot be located. It may be used in an unresponsive or an alert patient. 
         [0004]    2. Description of the Related Art 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    Inserting an IV for Intravenous therapy (IV or iv therapy in short) is the infusion of liquid substances directly into a vein. Inserting an IV into the EJ vein may be difficult due to the patient&#39;s body habit&#39;s or build or during an emergency, such as a cardiac arrest, hemorrhage or shock. 
         [0006]    Often the patient is placed in the Trendelenburg position where the body is laid flat on the back (supine position) with the feet higher than the head by 15-30 degrees, so the head is down. The patient is instructed to “bear down” or perform the Valsalva maneuver in an effort to dilate the vein. The Valsalva maneuver is a moderately forceful attempted exhalation against a closed airway, usually done by closing one&#39;s mouth, pinching one&#39;s nose shut while pressing out as if blowing up a balloon. This may not be indicated or may even be harmful in certain cases, such as congestive heart failure. Further the patient may not be cooperative or able to understand the instructions. Currently the only other way to dilate the EJ vein is with thumb pressure which makes the process of IV insertion technically more difficult and time consuming. 
         [0007]    The cephalic vein (ECV), an external type vein, passing across the shoulder anterior aspect of the shoulder may also be used for IV therapy in some situations. 
         [0008]    The IV procedure can be done by EMTs (Emergency Medical Technician) at the scene of an accident, or by a nurse or by a doctor in an office or hospital setting. 
         [0009]    What may be needed is a device that can quickly and easily placed on the patients neck without choking to dilate the EJ vein to allow easy insertion of an IV needle. 
         [0010]    What may be needed is a device that can quickly and easily placed on the shoulder at about the mid-clavicular line or more proximal to dilate the CV vein to allow easy insertion of an IV needle. 
         [0011]    What may be needed is a device that may be used to apply unilateral or bilateral pressure to the EJ vein or CV vein as needed. 
         [0012]    Sometimes additional pressure may needed for some patients to increase dilation and what may be needed is a device that can increase pressure after application to a maximal pressure of about 90 mmHG, under a pressure that may cause carotid artery compression when on the neck. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0013]      FIG. 1  shows the structure of the human throat showing location of the external jugular vein (EV). 
           [0014]      FIG. 2  is a cross section view of the neck showing the location of the external jugular vein. 
           [0015]      FIG. 3  depicts an external jugular vein device positioned to apply pressure. 
           [0016]      FIGS. 4 and 5  show cross-sections of spring and clamp members of  FIG. 3 . 
           [0017]      FIG. 6  depicts another external jugular vein u-shaped device positioned to apply pressure. 
           [0018]      FIG. 7  shows the external jugular vein device of  FIG. 6  compressing the external jugular veins. 
           [0019]      FIG. 8  shows a frontal neck view of the clamp  300  when applied. 
           [0020]      FIG. 9  shows the clamp  300  when not applied to the neck. 
           [0021]      FIG. 10  depicts a clamp member  620  aligned at an angle with respect to a clamp tip  630 . 
           [0022]      FIGS. 11A and 11B  show a circular pad type clamp member  710 . 
           [0023]      FIGS. 12A and 12B  shows a tip flattened to for a clamp member. 
           [0024]      FIG. 13  illustrates a loop shaped clamp member. 
           [0025]      FIG. 14  shows the veins in the shoulder and arm. 
           [0026]      FIG. 15  shows a C-tourniquet in relation to the veins of the shoulder. 
           [0027]      FIG. 16  shows the C-Tourniquet or clamp on the shoulder. 
           [0028]      FIG. 17A through 17D  depict an embodiment with a single sided clam with a clamp member  956  on one side. 
           [0029]      FIG. 18A through 18D  show an embodiment with inflatable clamp members. 
           [0030]      FIG. 19  depicts a C-tourniquet which is wider in the clamp area and where the clamp area is longer for better compression and adaptability to neck size variation. 
           [0031]      FIG. 20  shows a cross-section of  FIG. 19 . 
           [0032]      FIG. 21  shows another embodiment that is applied from the back of the neck. 
           [0033]      FIG. 22  shows the C-tourniquet of  FIG. 21  when not applied. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0034]    Below and in conjunction with the figures will be described an external C-tourniquet or C-clamp that may be used to put pressure on human body veins, such as the external jugular (EJ) vein and the cephalic vein. When applied to the EJ vein the C-tourniquet does not choke the patient and leaves room for quick and easy IV therapy (or access) via the EJ vein. 
         [0035]    As shown in  FIG. 1 , the neck  100  includes two external jugular veins  110  and  120  located on each side of the neck  100  and running vertically between the jaw and the collar bone. The veins  110  and  120 , as shown in  FIG. 2 , are positioned just under the skin  200  of the neck  100 . 
         [0036]      FIG. 3  depicts a first embodiment of the C-tourniquet  300 , it may preferably be a single piece structure made of plastic or metal as discussed below. The device  300  may have a spring member  302  and two clamp members  304  and  306 . As can be seen, the clamp members  304  and  306  apply pressure to the EJ veins  308  and  310 . The cross-section A′-A of the spring member  302  and that cross-section B′-B of one of the clamp members  306  of the device  300  are shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 . 
         [0037]    As can be seen the cross-section of the spring member  302  may be round as depicted in  FIG. 4  but may be oval, rectangular or some other shape. The spring member  302  imparts a closing force to the clamp members  302  and  304  to push them toward each other. 
         [0038]    The cross-section of the clamp member  306 , as depicted in  FIG. 5  may be a flattened oval where one of the “flat” and “edge” sides confronts the neck. The spring member when it joins the clamp member is shown in dashed lines. The clamp members may have some other shape, such as round, oval, rectangular, etc. such that a non-penetrating shape is provided that can apply pressure to the veins without causing undue discomfort to the patient. 
         [0039]    Another embodiment of the jugular vein tourniquet or clamp  320 , as shown in  FIG. 6 , includes a spring member  322  and at least one clamp member where two clamp members  324  and  326  are shown. The clamp  320  may be preferably of disposable plastic as one piece, which could be made by injection molding. The spring member  312  may be of a circular cross section, although it may be another shape, such as an oval or rectangle, and may be tapered from the center  340  to the tips  350  and  360  to provide a variable spring force as the clamp  320  is opened. The radius of the spring member may such that the spring member reaches across the neck  100 . Each of the clamp members  324  and  326  is shown with a circular convex type shape although the shape and size may be more like the pad of a finger, such as the thumb, with a curved center part having a low curvature like the finger pad and the ends with a higher curvature like the sides of the finger. The clamp members  324  and  326  may have a rectangular cross section where the side  370  toward the skin may have a surface that prevents slipping, such as a cross-hatched relief pattern surface. Although the cross-section of the clamp member may be rectangular in cross-section, the side of the clamp member away from the skin may be flat or curved. 
         [0040]    During application of the clamp or C-tourniquet  300 / 320 , where  320  of  FIG. 6  will be used as an example, the user may place one of the clamp members, such as  326 , on the skin over one of the veins, such as vein  110 . The spring member  312  is then stretched against it&#39;s spring force and the other clamp member  330  may be positioned on the skin over the other vein  120 . The spring force of the clamp member  330  may be released and the clamp members  320  and  330  compress the part of the neck  100  where the vein  110  and  120  are located closing the veins. 
         [0041]      FIG. 6 , with some exaggeration for illustration purposes, shows a u-shaped clamp or tourniquet  320  compressing and closing the veins  110  and  120 . Once the veins are closed they dilate due to the increased blood pressure on the upstream side of the clamp. The user can then use both hands as needed to cannulate the patient via one of the dilated veins. 
         [0042]      FIG. 7  depicts the device of  FIG. 6  as applied to the neck  100  showing the veins  110  and  120  compressed shut, which will close the veins to dilate them. 
         [0043]    The clamp may be removed by pulling the spring member  310  away from the neck  100  after one of the veins has been cannulated or accessed. 
         [0044]    The size of human necks vary from small, such as an infant, to large in an adult. It preferable that the clamp or tourniquet  300  (or  320 ) have several sizes, such as small, medium and large. 
         [0045]    As shown in  FIG. 8 , the clamp  300  and clamp members  320  and  330  are positioned to compress the lateral aspects of the neck  100 . The clamp  300  may be positioned where the vein superficially passes at the base of the neck  100 . The clamp or C-tourniquet may be positioned close to the collar bone 
         [0046]      FIG. 9  shows the C-tourniquet or clamp  300  when not applied to a patient. As can be seen the device  300  is U-shaped or C-shaped when the spring member  310  is not under expansion tension. 
         [0047]      FIGS. 6 and 7  shows the clamp members  320  and  330  with a cup axis somewhat aligned with the direction of the direction of the tips  350  and  360 .  FIG. 10 , depicts an alternate embodiment where the cup  610  of the clamp member  620  may be aligned to the side so that it faces the neck  100  and may be at an angle with respect to the tip  630 . 
         [0048]      FIGS. 11A and 11B  show views of another embodiment where the clamp member  710  may be like a miniature padded ear headphone and has an aspect with respect of the tip  720  like in  FIG. 10 . The clamp member  710  is shown as circular, but may be some other shape, such as oval or rectangular. 
         [0049]      FIGS. 12 and 12B  show a further embodiment where the tip of the clamp member  810  may be a flattened portion of the tip  820 . 
         [0050]      FIG. 13  shows a tear drop shaped clamp member  910  at the end of a tip  920  where the clamp member  910  may be a plastic loop with an open space  930  in the center. 
         [0051]    The clamp member can also be the end of a round or oval cross-section tip as it tapers to an end so that it occupies as little space of the neck  100  as possible. In addition the clamp need not be tapered from the center  340  to the tips  350  and  360  but may be of a constant cross-section. 
         [0052]    Although the clamp  300  has been described with respect to use with the external jugular vein, it can also be used with the cephalic vein which runs across the front of the shoulder to allow venous access and may be threaded into the superior vena cava or central venous circulation. This may be done using the EV or CV. 
         [0053]      FIG. 14  depicts the veins of the shoulder and upper arm and, in particular, the cephalic vein  950 . As shown in  FIG. 15 , the C-tourniquet  300 / 320  may be applied to across the shoulder  952  with the dashed lines representing the part of the device on the back side of the shoulder.  FIG. 16  shows how this position of the C-tourniquet or claim  330 / 320  may appear without the veins being shown as applied to a shoulder  952 . 
         [0054]      FIG. 17  depicts an embodiment with a single sided clam with a clamp member  956  on one side. 
         [0055]      FIG. 18  shows an embodiments with inflatable clamp members  962  and  964  where the members can be inflated via air passages  966  and  968  using a finger operated pump  970  having a check valve. 
         [0056]      FIG. 19  shows an embodiment in which the clamp members, such as  984 , have been extended up the arms of the C-tourniquet. This allows the device to adapt to variations in neck size and location of the EJ and CV between patients. The device also allows for bilateral compression of the EJ veins. 
         [0057]      FIG. 20  shows a cross-section from  FIG. 19  viewed from the end of one arm. As can be seen the clamp member  984  has a flat aspect where the rod shape of the spring member  982  has been compressed. The rod has a round aspect and could be oval or rectangular. 
         [0058]      FIG. 21  depicts a neck  990  where an embodiment of the C-tourniquet or clamp  992  may applied from the back  994 . This embodiment has arms  994  and  996  that are bent toward the neck  990  and may have clamp members of the variations previously discussed, such as in  FIG. 19 . 
         [0059]      FIG. 22  shows a shape the embodiment of  FIG. 21  where the arms  994  and  996  are bent inward. 
         [0060]    Although the C-clamp or C-tourniquet has been described as being made of injection molded plastic, it could be made of other materials that can provide a s spring force and tend to grip the neck, such as wire, resin reinforced paper, etc. as well as being made by another process, such as raise in the temperature of a plastic rod, using a heat source, such as a heat gun, until it is softens and can be formed, and then forming the clamp around an appropriately shaped mold. The clamp members have been generally been described as made of plastic so that they can be integrally formed with the spring member, however, the clamp members may be of another material, such as a foam or fabric pad. The surface of the clamp member may be roughened or corrugated or flat.