Method to stop bleeding at a puncture site of an artery of a patient's wrist

Abstract

A method to stop bleeding at a puncture site of an artery on a wrist of a patient comprises wrapping a flexible band of a hemostatic device around the patient's wrist, wherein the hemostatic device also includes a curved plate, a balloon and a marker for positioning the balloon at the puncture site, and wherein the flexible band, the curved plate and the balloon are substantially transparent. The balloon is positioned relative to the puncture site using the marker so that the balloon overlies the puncture site and is situated between the plate and the patient's wrist. The method also involves introducing fluid into the balloon after the wrapping the flexible band around the patient's wrist to inflate the balloon so the balloon applies a compressive force to the puncture site, and maintaining inflation of the balloon and compression against the puncture site to stop bleeding from the puncture site.

1 . A method to stop bleeding at a puncture site of an artery on a wrist of a patient comprising:
 wrapping a flexible band of a hemostatic device around the wrist of the patient so that the flexible band encircles the wrist of the patient, the hemostatic device also comprising a plate made of a material more rigid than the flexible band and having a curved portion, a balloon and a visually identifiable marker used to position the balloon at the puncture site, the flexible band, the plate and the balloon being substantially transparent so that when the flexible band is wrapped around the wrist of the patient, the puncture site is visible through the plate, through the balloon and through the flexible band, and the marker is visible to position the balloon at the puncture site;   positioning the balloon relative to the puncture site through use of the marker to so that the balloon overlies the puncture site and is situated between the plate and the wrist of the patient;   introducing fluid into the balloon after the wrapping of the flexible band around the wrist of the patient to inflate the balloon so that the balloon applies a compressive force to the puncture site; and   maintaining inflation of the balloon and compression against the puncture site to stop the bleeding from the puncture site.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the balloon possesses oppositely disposed sides, and wherein only one of the sides of the balloon is connected to the flexible band while the opposite side of the balloon is free. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the positioning of the balloon relative to the puncture site through use of the marker comprises positioning the balloon such that the marker overlies the puncture site. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the marker is positioned to identify a center of the balloon, and the positioning of the balloon relative to the puncture site through use of the marker comprises positioning the balloon such that the marker overlies the puncture site. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the balloon is in direct contact with the wrist of the patient when the balloon is inflated. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the marker is visible through the flexible band and through the plate. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the introducing of the fluid into the balloon comprises introducing the fluid through a check valve and through a tube connected to both the balloon and the check valve, the check valve preventing the fluid which has been introduced into the balloon from flowing out of the balloon to maintain the balloon in an inflated stated. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the introducing of the fluid into the balloon comprises connecting a syringe containing the fluid to a tube that is connected to the balloon and introducing the fluid in the syringe into the balloon by way of the tube. 
     
     
         9 . A method to stop bleeding at a puncture site of an artery on a wrist of a patient comprising:
 wrapping a flexible band of a hemostatic device around the wrist of the patient, the hemostatic device also comprising a curved plate, a balloon and a marker used to position the balloon at the puncture site, wherein the flexible band, the curved plate and the balloon are substantially transparent;   the wrapping of the flexible band around the wrist of the patient comprising wrapping the flexible band around the wrist of the patient while using the marker to position the balloon in overlying relation to the puncture site;   introducing a fluid into the balloon to inflate the balloon and apply a compressive force to the puncture site that will stop bleeding from the puncture site, the balloon being connected to the flexible band along only one side of the balloon; and   maintaining inflation of the balloon and the compressive force to the puncture site.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the marker is positioned to identify a center of the balloon, and wherein the using of the marker to position the balloon relative to the puncture site comprises positioning the marker so that the marker overlies the puncture site. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the wrapping of the flexible band around the wrist of the patient while using the marker to position the balloon in overlying relation to the puncture site involves wrapping the flexible band around the wrist of the patient while positioning the balloon such that the marker overlies the puncture site. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the balloon is in direct contact with the wrist of the patient when the balloon is inflated. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the marker is visible through the flexible band and through the plate. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the introducing of the fluid into the balloon to inflate the balloon and apply a compressive force to the puncture site comprises introducing the fluid through a tube that is in fluid communication with an interior of the balloon so that the fluid flows through the tube and into the interior of the balloon; and
 further comprising: following the introducing of the fluid into the balloon to inflate the balloon, maintaining inflation of the balloon by way of a check valve positioned along the tube that prevents the fluid in the interior of the balloon from leaking out of the interior of the balloon.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the introducing of the fluid into the balloon comprises connecting a syringe containing the fluid to a tube that communicates with an interior of the balloon and introducing the fluid in the syringe into the interior of the balloon by way of the tube. 
     
     
         16 . A method to stop bleeding at a puncture site of an artery on a wrist of a patient comprising:
 wrapping a flexible band of a hemostatic device around the wrist of the patient so that the flexible band encircles the wrist of the patient, the hemostatic device also comprising a plate made of a material more rigid than the flexible band and having a curved portion, a balloon, and a visually identifiable marker used to position the balloon at the puncture site, the flexible band, the plate and balloon being substantially transparent so that when the flexible band is wrapped around the wrist of the patient, the puncture site is visible through the plate, through the balloon and through the flexible band, and the marker is visible to position the balloon at the puncture site;   positioning the balloon relative to the puncture site through use of the marker so that the balloon overlies the puncture site and is situated between the plate and the wrist of the patient;   introducing fluid into the balloon after the wrapping of the flexible band around the wrist of the patient to inflate the balloon so that the balloon applies a compressive force to the puncture site;   the introducing of the fluid into the balloon comprising introducing the fluid into a tube that is in communication with an interior of the balloon and that has a check valve along its length so that the fluid flows through the check valve and the tube, and enters the interior of the balloon;   maintaining inflation of the balloon and compression against the puncture site to stop the bleeding from the puncture site; and   the maintaining of the inflation of the balloon comprising the check valve preventing the fluid in the interior of the balloon from leaking to outside the balloon.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the introducing of the fluid into the interior of the balloon comprises connecting a syringe containing the fluid to the tube and introducing the fluid in the syringe into the interior of the balloon by way of the tube. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the introducing of the fluid into the interior of the balloon comprises connecting a syringe containing the fluid to the tube at a position upstream of the check valve so that the check valve is positioned between the balloon and the syringe, and introducing the fluid in the syringe into the interior of the balloon by way of the tube and the check valve. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the marker is positioned to identify a center of the balloon, and wherein the using of the marker to position the balloon relative to the puncture site comprises positioning the marker so that the marker overlies the puncture site. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the wrapping of the flexible band around the wrist of the patient comprises wrapping the flexible band around the wrist of the patient and positioning the balloon such that the marker overlies the puncture site.