| abstract |
A device for post-operative monitoring by telephone the condition of patients having peripheral arterial occlusive disease. A first embodiment of the device includes an inflatable cuff incorporating a piezo electric film element which generates a signal of varying amplitude. A pressure sensor communicating with the cuff allows transmission of the signal only at a pre-determined cuff pressure. The signal is frequency modulated and transmitted through a modem over the telephone line of the patient to the office of the physician, where it is demodulated to provide a varying direct current for operating a chart recorder. Usage of the device need require only five to ten minutes a day, and the patient can telephone the office of the physician prior to transmission of the signal to identify the patient. In a second embodiment, the piezo electric signal is substituted by a pneumatically generated signal. |