I have a long-used manual blood pressure cuff used on an upper arm. It now needs a repair job-- I'd rather not throw it away since I think or hope it can be mended. This is the kind with a rubber tube running from the air bladder to the gauge and with another tube running from the hand bulb pump to the air bladder. There are cracks in the rubber in one of the tubes. When the bladder is pumped up and with the air release screw (by the bulb) still very tightly closed, air slowly leaks out of a cracked area on a tube. Everything else -- gauge and air bladder -- are fine. Instead of trying some kind of tape, what kind of goo could be bought to fill in the cracks so that there's no air leakage? State the name of a product if you know or think it would be good to use for this mending. Thanks

 

I'd be leery of patching it, you might restrict the flow. Can't you just replace the hose? I would think the right size vacumn line from an auto parts store should work.

 

You should be able to buy a new cuff and tube from the manufacturer or a medical supply store.

 

You should be able to just replace the tubing. Mine is one of the easier to use ones that doesn't need the bulb and it reads the pressure for you. The line can be removed from both the cuff and the main unit on mine...... I would think others would be similar.

 

The problem with trying to replace a tube is the integration of the tubes with the air bladder: they're sort of "one piece". There are no removable connections except at the gauge and at the bulb air pump (and the air leak -- i. e. the cracking in the rubber of a tube -- is not near either of those two ends).

I figure that if I cut the tubing near the integrated part (which is by the air bladder), then it would be difficult to seal a spliced in new section of tubing. Right?

You can see the kind I have here: http://bit.ly/PV8Utn

[The kind I have is the old fashioned, non-electric, non-battery type that uses a stethoscope. It's completely manual.]

 

No glue will work to repair flexible tubing.

I agree that the best source for you may be an auto parts store.
The tubing would be a similar size to vacuum or windshield washer hose and they will have insert adapters to make it all work.

As long as you have enough good hose to insert the adapter it should work just fine.

 

If you can't make a connection at the bladder and must cut it, you can also find barbed fittings for your size hose at the auto parts store so you can "splice" the tubing and not have an air restriction.

 

I own sphygmomanometers (blood pressure cuffs) and stethoscopes so I can answer with some familiarity here and you have received good advice - if you cannot replace the tubing, you will need to replace the entire unit.

 

Having talked via long-distance phone with a woman working for a parts company that still has parts for my 1991-bought manual blood pressure cuff, I took my unit apart since she told me how to do this-- she told me to immerse the tubing and bulb under water to see where bubbles emerge- I did this and think the bulb or the screw valve at the bulb are now defective. When I pulled the bulb off of the barbed metal fitting that has on it the screw control for the valve, the rubber of the bulb was ruined--> I'm sure the bulb cannot now be re-used. You can see my bulb in the *middle* of the *top* row here: Rubber Bulbs | Hand Pumps - Plainville, Connecticut - Perma-Type Rubber In trying to order only 1 of these bulbs, I find you have to buy about 100 of them so that's no route for me. Medical/hospital supply houses in my city don't have them. What other kind of hand bulb pump would work for me? Maybe there's some other kind of hand bulb pump that could substitute for the one that came with the unit. [You can see non-battery, non-electrical, manual blood pressure cuffs, like mine, here: http://bit.ly/ODU7X2This kind uses a stethoscope to hear the blood flow sounds.] The woman mentioned at the top of this posting told me the bulb and metal screw valve would cost $7.35 plus $3.50 for shipping/handling. Maybe you know I'd find something similar and cheaper in my city. Tell me if you do. Thanks

 

Why would you spend $11 to MAYBE repair a 22 y/o cuff? Why not just buy a new one for $30 or so? Just trying to understand....

 

I use an electronic one that cost less then $50 and requires no stethoscope. It also stores the readings and gives you an average. Even most hospitals and doctors no longer use the kind you have.

 

I paid about $25 for mine but I've had it awhile. Compared to the old ones with a stethoscope it's a breeze to use. Along with BP it also reads your heart beat and stores all that info until you use it again.