Importance

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Abstract

A limb stimulator is engaged with a lower portion of a patient's limb for facilitating sustained venous blood flow therefrom toward a phlebotomy needle when the stimulator is activated. The stimulator may be an inflatable squeeze bulb adapted to engage a human hand and to be squeezed thereby when inflated. The stimulator may also, or alternatively, include a pressurizable member substantially surrounding a lower portion of the limb and adapted to apply external pressure thereto when periodically pressurized so as to periodically (e.g., in approximate synchronism with natural pulsitile blood movements in the limb) express venous blood upwardly through the limb to the needle. Inflation of the hand-held squeeze bulb serves as a tactile stimulus to the patient to assist in venous blood movements towards the needle by muscle and tendon flexure in the lower part of the limb and may also be periodically activated (e.g., in approximate synchronism with natural pulsatile blood movements in the limb).

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First Claim