AU2013100587A4 - Disposable tourniquet - Google Patents

Abstract

Disposable Tourniquet A disposable tourniquet 10 comprises a band of flexible material, including: a grip portion 18 having an aperture 16, and a loop portion 20 extending from the grip portion 18. The loop portion 20 has sufficient length to encircle a limb, and a fastening portion 14 is provided at one end of the loop portion 20, being sufficiently narrow to pass through the aperture 16. An adhering portion 22 having an adhesive for adhering overlapping portions of the band to one another after the loop portion 20 has been removably wrapped around a limb and the fastening portion has been passed through the aperture is also provided. Indicia 24 in the form of step-by step instructions are provided on at least one surface of the band. 12 24 16 22 28 44 30 Fig. 1 24 28 g Fig. 2

Description

1 DISPOSABLE TOURNIQUET Technical Field [0001] This invention relates to a disposable tourniquet, and to a method of applying such a disposable tourniquet to a limb of a patient. Background of the Invention [0002] The use of tourniquets in a clinical environment is primarily for the purpose of limiting venous blood flow in a limb to ensure vessel distension, to assist in venepuncture and cannulation procedures, also referred to as blood work. There are currently two types of tourniquets in common use, namely reusable and disposable. Reusable tourniquets, the most common having the form of a length of elasticated fabric, provide excellent performance in terms of their ease of use and patient comfort. However, studies have shown that the re use of a tourniquet poses a risk of infections being passed from one patient to another. [0003] In order to overcome this problem, various disposable tourniquets have been developed. However, while reducing the risk of cross-infection, such tourniquets have not performed as well as re-usable tourniquets and they can be uncomfortable for patients. [0004] US5219356, disclosure herein does not represent an admission that this document or its disclosure is part of the "common general knowledge", describes a disposable tourniquet comprising an elongated, flat, stretchable band. The band has a pressure sensitive adhesive face on one side of the band at one end, and a release agent on the same face of the band but spaced from the adhesive face. The tourniquet is stored with the adhesive face folded against and adhering to the release agent and is deployed by peeling the adhesive face away from the release agent, wrapping the tourniquet about the arm and pulling it sufficiently tight and then adhering the adhesive face of the outside surface of the band to hold the tourniquet in place.

2 [0005] It is a disadvantage of this known tourniquet that it is difficult to set the correct tension before the adhesive face is stuck down. The user has to stretch the tourniquet to the extent necessary to achieve the correct tension before adhering the free end of the tourniquet to the band surrounding the patient's arm. While performing this task, the user is also hampered by only being able to grip one end of the band, the other end being trapped beneath the loop encircling the patient's arm. If the tension should prove to be insufficient then the veins of the patient will not be sufficiently distended and if the tension is excessive then the patient can be caused unnecessary discomfort. [0006] Furthermore, a carer can often incorrectly apply the tourniquet, leading to patient discomfort and distress. As a consequence of this, the tourniquet may stretch or be damaged, thereby requiring a further tourniquet and thus leading to unnecessary wastage. [0007] The present invention seeks therefore to provide a disposable tourniquet which provides a useful alternative to the prior art. Summary of the Invention [0008] According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a disposable tourniquet comprising a band of flexible material, the band including: a grip portion having an aperture, a loop portion extending from the grip portion, the loop portion having sufficient length to encircle a limb, a fastening portion provided at one end of the loop portion and being sufficiently narrow to pass through the aperture, an adhering portion having an adhesive for adhering overlapping portions of the band to one another after the loop portion has been removably wrapped around a limb and the fastening portion has been passed through the aperture; and indicia in the form of step-by step instructions provided on at least one surface of the band. [0009] The band may be fabricated from a single sheet material or as composite material to provide the desired characteristics, in particular strength and elasticity. The materials used may be synthetic or natural including a variety 3 of flexible, planar composite fabric materials, which may be woven, knitted or non-woven. [0010] At least a majority of the band is preferably formed of a substantially inextensible material. Plasticised paper, as used in certain mailing envelopes, has been found to be particularly suitable and inexpensive. One particularly preferred material is Tyvek@, which is a plasticised paper that does not easily tear and which is substantially inextensible. Tyvek@ is also advantageous in that, in certain forms, it can be provided with enhanced resistance to microbial penetration and can be used with a wide range of sterilisation techniques. As such, this material lends itself to use in a sterile environment, such as that associated with the intended use of the apparatus. [0011] At least a majority of the band may be formed from a single sheet of a substantially inextensible material. In an alternative arrangement, the band may be formed from a plurality of layers of material. In one arrangement, the band is provided with a first layer and a second layer overlying the first layer. The layers may be fixed together by any suitable means, for example by an adhesive. This arrangement is advantageous in that the band may be strengthened, so as to prevent or limit the likelihood of the band breaking or tearing when it is fitted to a person's arm for use. [0012] An access panel is also preferably provided, in this case, and as such is preferably fully removable in order to disclose the fastening portion. The access panel may beneficially be formed as part of one of the layers. [0013] In order to further prevent the inadvertent tearing of the band, the band may comprise a reinforcement element. The reinforcement element may be formed from a similar material to that of the band. Alternatively, the reinforcement element may be formed from a different material to that of the band, such as by being woven or non-woven fabric. Advantageously, the reinforcement element may be formed from sheet or strips of plastics. The reinforcement element may be provided in the form of discrete discontinuous portions, positioned at spaced-apart intervals along a longitudinal or 4 substantially longitudinal extent of the band. Preferably the reinforcement element is a continuous and extends at least substantially along a longitudinal extent of the band. In this latter case, the reinforcement element may be mesh like, providing a reinforcing web across one or more layers of the band. [0014] The reinforcement element may be provided on an exterior surface of the band. Alternatively the reinforcement element may be formed integrally with the band, so as to be hidden from view. In this arrangement, the reinforcement element may be sandwiched or otherwise between first and second layers of the band, where provided. The reinforcement element together with the first and second layers may be fixed together by any suitable means. Alternatively, the reinforcement element may be formed as one of the layers of the band, thereby being more discreet. [0015] The band may be provided with indicia provided on at least one surface. Said indicia are preferably printed onto the band and may be provided on the grip portion or the loop portion or a combination thereof. Said indicia may be provided in the form of instructions for use, and said instructions may include step-by-step guidance for guiding a user through the steps of applying the apparatus to a patient. The indicia may also be provided in the form of numbered portions and the numbered portions may correspond to indicated portions outlined and shown diagrammatically in the step-by-step instructions. The provision of instructions is advantageous in that the user, if unfamiliar with the apparatus, is guided through the steps for proper use, thus reducing the likelihood of a patient suffering an injury. Furthermore, the provision of instructions reduces the likelihood that the apparatus is applied incorrectly, which may give rise to the need to dispose of the used apparatus in exchange for a replacement. Thus, the provision of instructions not only gives rise to efficient use of the apparatus, but also enhances patient safety. [0016] According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a disposable tourniquet comprising a band of flexible material including: a grip portion having an aperture, a loop portion extending from the grip portion, the loop portion having sufficient length to encircle a limb, a fastening portion 5 provided at one end of the loop portion and being sufficiently narrow to pass through the aperture, an adhering portion having an adhesive for adhering overlapping portions of the band to one another after the loop portion has been removably wrapped around a limb and the fastening portion has been passed through the aperture; and a reinforcing element which extends along or at least substantially along a longitudinal extent of the band. [0017] It is advantageous to form the tourniquet as part of an elongate continuous strip within which individual tourniquets are detachably connected to one another end to end. [0018] Such a continuous strip can conveniently be formed into a roll and packaged in a dispenser from which tourniquets can be drawn out, one at a time. In this way, it is possible to ensure that each tourniquet remains sterile until the time that it is dispensed, if required. [0019] There is also provided a method of applying a disposable tourniquet to a limb of a patient, the method comprising the steps of: a] providing a disposable tourniquet and preparing an adhering portion so as to expose an adhesive in accordance with indicia in the form of step-by step instructions provided on at least one surface of the band; b] in accordance with the indicia, wrapping a loop portion of the tourniquet around the limb; c] in accordance with the indicia, threading a fastening portion through the aperture; d] in accordance with the indicia, pulling on a grip portion and the fastening portion in order to tension the loop portion of the tourniquet to a point where a required distension of one or more veins in the limb occurs; and e] in accordance with the indicia, placing the fastening portion onto an adhesive on an adhering portion, whereby the fastening portion adheres to the adhesive to hold the tourniquet in place at a level of tension which is the minimum tension necessary to achieve the required distension of the one or more veins in the limb. [0020] The length of the grip portion between the aperture and the end of the band should be sufficient to ensure that it can be gripped firmly while the band is being tensioned around the limb of a patient. The dimensions of the aperture 6 must be sufficient to allow the tensioning portion to pass through it while leaving sufficient material around the aperture to ensure that the band does not tear while it is being tensioned. [0021] The adhesive used to secure the tourniquet after it has been wrapped round a limb need not be particularly strong as it only has to withstand shearing forces, there being no tendency for the ends of the tourniquet to peel apart. Consequently, it is possible to use a pressure sensitive adhesive as used, for example, in mailing envelopes. An advantage of this is that after any blood work has been terminated, it is possible to remove the tourniquet easily by using a quick peeling action to separate the portions adhering to one another. [0022] A protective liner coated with a release agent may be used to cover the adhesive during storage but such a cover may not be required if the tourniquets are wound into a continuous supply roll. The dimensions of a liner, if present, should be at least equal to those of the adhesive but it is preferred to provide a pull tab to ease peeling of the liner away from the adhesive during deployment of the tourniquet. Brief Description of the Drawings [0023] The invention will now be described further, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a plan view of a tourniquet of the present invention; Figure 2 shows the tourniquet of Figure 1 in the position that it would adopt when wrapped around a limb of a patient; and Figure 3 shows a tourniquet dispenser for dispensing tourniquets according to the invention, held in a stand.

7 Detailed Description of the Drawings [0024] The tourniquet 10 in Figure 1 is formed as a band of material that may be substantially inextensible during application and once applied. The material is preferably a plasticised paper as used in Tyvek RTM mailing envelopes. [0025] The band has a wider end 12 and a narrower end 14. An aperture 16 is spaced from the wider end 12 by means of a portion 18 that acts as a gripping tab and will herein be termed the grip portion 18. To the right of the aperture 16, as viewed, there is provided a portion 20 coated, at least in part, with an adhesive. The narrow end 14 of the band 10 is of a sufficient width to pass through the aperture 16 and will herein be termed the fastening portion 14. The portion of the band 10 designated 20 in Figure 1, which extends between the fastening portion 14 and the aperture 16 constitutes the loop that is wrapped around the limb of the patient and is herein termed the loop portion 20. [0026] The tourniquet 10 of Figure 1 is deployed in a manner most readily understood by reference to Figure 2. The loop portion 20 of the band is wrapped around the limb of the patient, usually the upper arm. The fastening portion 14 is next threaded through the aperture of 16, as shown in the drawing. By pulling on the grip portion 12 and the fastening portion 14, it is possible to tension the loop portion 20 of the tourniquet 10 to the point where the required distension of the veins occurs. The fastening portion 14 may now be brought down and adhered to adhering portion 22 to hold the tourniquet in place. [0027] It is an important advantage of the illustrated tourniquet 10 that it minimises discomfort to the patient. In particular, one can ensure that the correct level of tension has been applied before the ends of the tourniquet 10 are adhered to one another. In this way, it is possible to set the level of tension to the minimum necessary to achieve the required distension of the veins. Furthermore, all parts of the tourniquet 10 used to apply tension around the limb lie in the same plane as one another and there is therefore no tendency to pinch the skin of the patient as the tourniquet 10 is tightened.

8 [0028] The adhering portion 22 need not necessarily be located in the position illustrated. For example, it would be alternatively possible for an adhering portion 22 to be formed on the underside of the grip portion 12 or the fastening portion 14. The adhesive may be permanently exposed or it may be covered with a liner until such time as the tourniquet 10 is to be deployed. Once again this is somewhat analogous to the adhesive found in mailing envelopes. [0029] It is preferred to form the tourniquet 10 as part of a continuous strip wound into a roll and stored within a box 32 which may provide a sterile interior environment and from which only one end of roll protrudes. In this way, it is possible to ensure that the tourniquet 10 can remain sterile, if required, until such time as it is to be deployed. If tourniquets 10 are packaged as a continuous strip, it is not necessarily to protect the adhering portion 22 with a liner as the turns of the continuous strip will ensure that the adhesive remains covered while it is in storage. Once a tourniquet 10 has been torn off the strip, the adhering portion 22 can be used to stick its ends to each other to hold the tourniquet 10 in place while blood work is being carried out. [0030] To assist with supporting of such a box 32 housing a strip wound roll of tourniquets 10, a box stand 34 may be provided, as shown in Figure 3. The box stand 34 preferably includes a ramped base 36 for supporting a bottom of the box 32 when in an upstanding condition, and a back support 38. Beneficially, the back support 38 may include one or more forwardly projecting arms 40 at one or both sides to form a brace portion 42 in which a rearmost edge of the upstanding box 32 is receivable. [0031] The box 32 can thus reliably and securely supported in its upright condition, and angled appropriately to offer a tourniquet 10 to be drawn therefrom. [0032] After termination of the blood work, the tourniquet 10 can be removed by simply peeling away the fastening portion 14 from the adhering portion 22 and pulling on the grip portion 12 to release the tourniquet 10 from the patient's limb. The tourniquet 10 can then be discarded to avoid any risk of contaminating 9 another patient. To prevent or limit the possibility of the tourniquet 10 being re used, it is preferred that the band includes one or more deformable portions 44 that stretch or plastically deform during removal. Conveniently, the portion of the wider end 12 at or adjacent to the aperture 16 preferably extends or deforms during removal. [0033] It should be appreciated that various modifications may be made to the described and illustrated tourniquet without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims. For example, it would be possible for the aperture 16 to be constituted by a recess that reaches as far as the wider end of the band, so long as there remains a portion between where the two ends cross over and the wider end of the band, by means of which the band can be gripped during tensioning. The fact that the grip portion 18 is split along its length will not interfere with its function. Furthermore, the band has been described as being formed of a single sheet of material but it can be formed of two sheets, one of which has a removable window to expose an adhesive coating on the other. [0034] To simplify application of the tourniquet 10, it may be advantageous to include indicia 24 on at least one surface of the band. The indicia preferably include at least one pictorial image showing how to correctly apply the tourniquet 10. More preferably, a series of images is provided, and this may be accompanied by additional written instructions also forming part of the indicia 24. [0035] Advantageously, the indicia 24 including the step-by-step application instructions may be provided on a removable access panel 26 covering the adhering portion 22. In the alternative, the indicia 24 may be provided on the grip portion 12 and/or the loop portion 20, on one or both sides. [0036] It may also be beneficial to include one or more markable portions 28 on the grip portion 12 and/or the loop portion 20. The or each markable portion 28 is able to receive and retain ink or other marking material, such as graphite, whereby a carer can apply a note or reminder onto the body of the band. For 10 example, the date of application of the tourniquet 10 may be provided on the markable portion 28. [0037] It may also be advantageous to provide one or more reinforcement elements 30 in or on the band. Such reinforcement elements 30 may be solely at or adjacent to a perimeter of the band, being a slightly thicker portion of the or each layer, or may be a web or mesh extending over the entire body of the band. Such a reinforcement element 30 can be beneficial in preventing or limiting stretching of the tourniquet 10 both prior to and during application, whilst also preventing or limiting crumpling during storage and/or lateral rather than longitudinal damage. [0038] For larger patients, two or more of the tourniquets 10 may be adhered together in end-to-end fashion. In this case, for example, the fastening portion 14 of a first tourniquet 10 is adhered to the adhering portion 22 of a second tourniquet 10. The fastening portion 14 of the second tourniquet 10 can then be passed through the aperture 16 of the first tourniquet 10 and bonded to the fastening portion 22 of the first tourniquet 10. [0039] As an alternative, a perimeter portion of the band may be weakened or provided with greater give or stretch to accommodate use with fragile skin. To this end, the perimeter portion may be scored at a position which is spaced slightly inwardly from the perimeter outer edge. Preferably, the scoring is continuous and extends around the band in parallel spaced relationship with the perimeter edge of the band. [0040] The embodiments described above are provided by way of examples only, and various other modifications will be apparent to persons skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Claims (5)

1. A disposable tourniquet comprising a band of flexible material, the band including: a grip portion having an aperture, a loop portion extending from the grip portion, the loop portion having sufficient length to encircle a limb, a fastening portion provided at one end of the loop portion and being sufficiently narrow to pass through the aperture, an adhering portion having an adhesive for adhering overlapping portions of the band to one another after the loop portion has been removably wrapped around a limb and the fastening portion has been passed through the aperture; and indicia in the form of step-by step instructions provided on at least one surface of the band.

2. A disposable tourniquet as claimed in claim 1, wherein the indicia includes at least one instructional image.

3. A disposable tourniquet as claimed in claim 2, wherein the indicia includes a plurality of instructional images.

4. A disposable tourniquet as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the band includes two adhered layers and an access panel which is removable from one of the adhered layers in order to reveal the said adhering portion.

5. A disposable tourniquet comprising a band of flexible material, the band including: a grip portion having an aperture, 12 a loop portion extending from the grip portion, the loop portion having sufficient length to encircle a limb, a fastening portion provided at one end of the loop portion and being sufficiently narrow to pass through the aperture, an adhering portion having an adhesive for adhering overlapping portions of the band to one another after the loop portion has been removably wrapped around a limb and the fastening portion has been passed through the aperture; and a reinforcing element which extends along or at least substantially along a longitudinal extent of the band.