Patent Document ID: 20070028929
Application ID: 11453292
Patent Flag: 0

Claim One:
1. A method of employing an applicator instrument and force probe to noninvasively evaluate the muscle compartment of a limb suspected of compartment syndrome, the method comprising the following steps: applying the applicator instrument to the limb suspected of compartment syndrome, the applicator instrument acquiring a number of pressure and displacement data points, wherein the acquired pressure data points correspond to the pressure encountered by the force probe and the acquired displacement data points correspond to the displacement of the force probe into the limb, the total displacement corresponding to the total travel of the force probe into the limb; plotting the acquired data points and analyzing the plotted data using linear regression to calculate a regression curve, the regression curve constituting the best fit for the plotted data points and relating displacement to pressure, the regression curve having first, second and third segments; computing a mean square error (MSE) of acquired pressure data points relative to pressure predicted by the regression curve over a given interval; comparing the computed MSE to a predetermined value (Value-1) and re-computing the MSE over an increased interval if the MSE is less than Value-1; designating the start of the second segment when MSE is equal to or exceeds Value-1; comparing MSE to a predetermined value (Value-2) and re-computing the MSE over an increased interval if the MSE is less than Value-2; designating the end of the second segment when MSE is equal to or exceeds Value-2; calculating the slope of the second segment through a least squares linear regression analysis, the slope corresponding to pressure within the muscle compartment; designating the third segment of the regression curve, the third segment starting at the end of the second segment and extending until the end of the regression curve; calculating the linearity of the second and third segments via a coefficient of determination, an increased linearity of the second and third segments corresponding to increased hardness within the muscle compartment; making a diagnosis on the basis of the slope and linearity.