TOURNIQUET APPARATUS FOR INTRAVENOUS REGIONAL ANESTHESIA

摘要

Tourniquet apparatus for use in intravenous regionalanesthesia and limb surgery includes a pressurizing cuff forsubstantially encircling a limb and applying a varyingpressure to an underlying vein in response to variations in apressure control signal, applied venous pressure sensing meansfor producing an applied venous pressure signal representativeof a pressure applied by the cuff to the underlying vein,venous fluid pressure estimation means for producing a venousfluid pressure signal representative of the pressure of fluidin the vein distal to the cuff, and pressure control meansresponsive to the venous fluid pressure signal and appliedvenous pressure signal for generating a pressure controlsignal to maintain a predetermined relationship between theapplied venous pressure signal and the venous fluid pressuresignal. The apparatus automatically controls theintroduction, retention and release of anesthetic fluid in thelimb.