Some of the most popular cuffs used in veterinary medicine for blood pressure are actually designed for human babies and are designed to last for one week (have you ever wondered why they have pictures of elephants on them). Interestingly, a lot of people use more resilient human cuffs, not designed for blood pressure at all… designed for the human penis!
Remarkably, they work – but still leave a little to be desired. That’s why we’ve developed our own cuffs, specifically for cats (find out more about that at the end of this article)! But first, how did we get here?
In the 1960s, Gene Hokanson was working on blood flow studies and trying to develop a new kind of cuff not for blood pressure measurement but for plethysomgraphic blood flow studies for human diabetes. The cuffs had to be soft and easy to use because they were being wrapped around a toe, finger (Digit Cuff or ‘DC’), or a human penis (Penile Cuff or ‘PC’). Hokanson developed a new series of latex-free, supersoft cuffs specifically for the job and the famous Hokanson series of cuffs were born.
These cuffs have also found a particular niche in veterinary blood pressure measurement (particularly in cats). Their sensitive feel and firm velcro closure make them the ideal cuff for patient comfort. However, there’s a few serious issues with Hokanson cuffs that we come across as vet professionals looking for accuracy. Let’s take a look at the most common problems:
The first issue we come across is the width to limb circumference ratio. Since 1896( Riva Rocci, Korotkoff), we have known that the cuff width to limb circumference is critical for accurate B.P. measurement. That ratio should be 40-50% cuff width to limb circumference. The Hokanson PC2.1 cuff may well have the length to wrap firmly around the cat’s tail or forelimb – but it doesn’t have the correct width to fit the ideal cuff width limb circumference ratio, and sometimes it overlaps.
Another issue is that in order to comply with safety standard regulators (FDA & MDD), the traditional Hokanson cuffs come with some interesting connectors which need adapters and/or modification to make them fit current standard equipment. This is because they are not blood pressure cuffs at all.
We’ve been working to create a new alternative cuff – one that is designed simply for veterinary practice and specifically for cats legs or tail. This gives you the advantage of the feel and security of the cuff, knowing the cuff width limb circumference ratio is going to give you the accuracy you desire. They come fully compatible with the famous CAT+ Doppler and Auto CAT+ monitors with standard BP connectors without adjustment, or premeasurement, so simply plug in and go. They are called SuperCuffs, come in two sizes (Leg and Tail) and are available now at £45 each.
We are very grateful to all the clinicians who have diligently measured hundreds of feline patients and shared tail and limb circumference data with us. We’d love to hear what you think of our new cuffs, so please let us know via email! You can reach us at info@thamesmedical.com.
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