CA2350045A1 - Electrical masseur for prevention of flight dvt - Google Patents

Abstract

Deep Vein Thrombosis or DVT (especially of the legs) with its attendant complications is a constant and serious hazard or threat in extended or lengthy plane flights. This is primarily as a result of lack of exercise of the legs in at-risk passengers. An electrical leg-massaging device may be used to mechanically and passively stimulate blood circulation in the legs and, thereby, help prevent this type of malady.

Description

12 June 2001 ~~lication For A Patent Electrical Masseur For Prevention Of Flight DVT
Inventor: Bibhuti Bhusan BARDHAN
Address: 84 Adams Drive, Ajax, Ontario L1S ST3.
Telephone/Fax: (905) 686 4999 Page -1 (of 5~

Patent Application : ELECTRICAL MASSICA 02350045 2001-06-12 FLIGHT DVT
Inventor : Bibhuti Bhusan BARDHAN
Page - 2 (of 5) Background of Invention On long (especially international) air flights, the passengers may have little spontaneous opportunity for physical activities, especially of the lower extremities. Also, a fluid like blood has a natural tendency to gravitate to the dependant parts of the body like the legs except when the person is lying down, which is normally not possible in airplanes. All this may result in various degrees of stagnation of flow of blood in the lower limbs and thereby may tend to cause thrombosis of the veins in the legs, especially in lengthy flights. This is termed "deep vein thrombosis" or "DVT" of the legs. The thrombotic tissue or blood clot in the leg may form an embolus and may travel through the veins to other parts of the body and may cause blockage of blood vessels there. If such secondary blockage of blood vessel happens in a vital organ, the person may become severely ill or even die very quickly.
Prevention of such mishaps may be aimed primarily at the original site of the blood clot in the leg. The best prevention is to have adequate exercise of the muscles of the legs that would ensure adequate flow of blood there preventing clogging of blood and the resultant clot formation. The airlines do encourage and teach their passengers how to exercise the lower limbs while sitting in the seat of the aircraft for a prolonged period of time. Stretching one's legs and walking about in the plane when possible during long flights may also be helpful.
However, through laziness, sloth or procrastination or simple inadvertence or even lack of opportunity in some individuals (like the physically disabled), or because of lack of information and education, often such exercises are neglected by the passengers of long flights. This results in DVT
of legs and even deaths in many long flight passengers.
The present invention uses a vibrating and/or squeezing and/or rolling and/or rubbing or such electrical massaging device (called "electrical masseur" here) to mechanically and passively stimulate blood circulation in the legs with a view to reducing incidence of the above said DVT's. Such "electrical masseur" should be available in all lengthy flights, either installed, say, under the seats, or as stand-alone portable appliance. Where possible, say, in first class or business class, there may be special seats or places where passengers may avail themselves of such passive massaging device.
It cannot be over-emphasized that such preventive measure as in the present invention is only additional to appropriate active and personal exercise of the legs by the passengers whenever and wherever possible.

Patent Application : ELECTRICAL MASCA 02350045 2001-06-12 FLIGHT DVT
Inventor : Bibhuti Bhusan BARDHAN
Page - 3 (of 5) Description of Invention Like numbers in parenthesis here refer to like numbers in the drawings in the Diagrams A & B.
The airline industry should do some public awareness or education campaign of informing the present and prospective passengers of lengthy flights of the possibility of Deep Vein Thrombosis or DVT especially of the legs on long plane journeys. It may be done in various ways, such as information leaflets to the would-be or booking or booked passengers (especially who are at risk), through mass media, through the medical profession, etc.. In potentially hazardous long flights (as known from experience, statistics, etc.) it should be made mandatory to make adequate attempt to inform the passengers of such hazards of DVT. The argument for not informing the vulnerable passengers because they might be scared, may not be acceptable.
The present invention is a specially designed or custom-made electrical massaging device (2, 22) for the legs. It may be designed to operate in various ways, such as, being wrapped around (2) the vertical leg (1) of a person sitting straight up on a seat (3) (or standing) with the foot on or just above and parallel to the ground, or working on a leg placed horizontally or slanting to various degrees ( 11 ) above the device (22) placed on a stool (4), the device working on the calf from below, etc.. If necessary, in order to put adequate pressure on the leg without pushing the leg away from below, this model for the stool may also be of the variety that wraps around the leg, or some kind of strap or weight, etc. may be applied over the leg on top.
Another handy hand-held portable design may be where the passenger brushes or rolls the appliance around the back part of his/her leg, for example. The device may work on a bare leg or through hose, sock or stocking, or even through light clothes like leg of pants, etc..
A battery operated or mains operated portable model may be sold in the stores for the passengers who wish to buy it on their own while they wait for the airlines to supply some such kind of "masseur" or in case any airline does not supply any kind of such device for any or some of its passengers or just in order to allow the passengers to use a model of their own choice.
These descriptions of the device are given here by way of examples only; any such device designed for the purpose or purposes stated here will be considered as within the purview and scope of the present invention.
The mechanisms of how such massaging devices work are of common knowledge in the industry.
The whole project may be made mandatory for all airline companies as necessary or may be a voluntary program, although all relevant passengers should be informed of the advisability of such preventive measure. The airlines may adopt such preventive measures as a part of their business practices so that the passengers have the opportunity to choose the airline depending on the availability of such devices-again, free of any extra charge or at some additional cost to the paying or entitled passengers.
It should be emphasized that the present invention should be used only as additional to active physical exercise of the legs in particular, wherever and whenever possible, that acts as a primary preventive measure against DVT of the legs in prolonged plane journeys.
It should be noted that the present invention may be used in cases of journeys other than by plane, such as lengthy bus or train or even car journeys, or in any other suitable cases such as for massaging legs at home or in the office; all these should be considered as within the purview and scope of the present invention.

Claims

Page - 4 I claim:

To be specified later.