Ultrasonic and growth factor bone-therapy: apparatus and method

• US 20010027278A1
• Filed: 03/21/2001
• Published: 10/04/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 01/15/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jonathan J. Kaufman
• Original Assignee: Jonathan J. Kaufman
• Inventors: Kaufman, Jonathan J., Chiabrera, Alessandro
• Granted Patent: US 6,652,473 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 601/2
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/564 Methods for bone or joint treatment
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 7/00 Ultrasound therapy lithotripsy A61B17/22, A61B17/225; massage using supersonic vibration A61H23/00 ; using ultrasound for introducing media into the body A61M37/0092

Abstract

Non-invasive therapeutic treatment of bone in vivo using ultrasound in conjunction with application of a biochemical compound or bone growth factor is performed by subjecting bone to an ultrasound signal supplied to an ultrasound transducer placed on the skin of a bony member, and involving a repetitive finite duration signal consisting of plural frequencies that are in the ultrasonic range to 20 MHz. Concurrent with application of the ultrasound is the utilization of a bone growth factor applied to the skin of a bony member before stimulation with ultrasound. Ultrasonic stimulation is operative to transport the bone growth factor to the bone and then to synergistically enhance the interaction of the bone growth factor with the bone, whereby to induce healing, growth and ingrowth responses. In another embodiment, a vibrational or mechanical input together with a biochemical compound enhances both bone fracture healing and treats osteoporosis.

Claims

1. The method of non-invasively therapeutically treating musculoskeletal tissue in a living body, using an ultrasound transducer and an ultrasound pulser, which method comprises the steps of:

(a) placing a prescribed amount of a biochemical compound on skin overlying said musculoskeletal tissue in said living body;

(b) acoustically coupling said ultrasound transducer to said skin overlying said musculoskeletal tissue of said living body;

(c) connecting said ultrasound transducer to said ultrasound pulser, whereby to produce an ultrasound signal within said musculoskeletal tissue.

3. The method of

claim 1

wherein said biochemical compound is a bone growth factor.

4. The method of

claim 3

, wherein said bone growth factor is TGF-β

.

5. The method of

claim 3

, wherein said bone growth factor is a bone morphogenic protein.

6. The method of

claim 3

, wherein said bone growth factor is a peptide.

7. The method of

claim 3

, wherein said bone growth factor is an osteogenic protein.

8. The method of

claim 3

, wherein said bone growth factor is a fibroblast growth factor.

9. The method of

claim 3

, wherein said bone growth factor is a platelet-derived growth factor.

10. The method of

claim 1

, wherein said biochemical compound is a peptide.

11. The method of

claim 1

, wherein said biochemical compound is sodium hyaluronate.

12. The method of

claim 1

, wherein said biochemical compound is a biological polymer.

13. The method of

claim 1

, wherein said musculoskeletal tissue is bone.

14. The method of

claim 1

, wherein said musculoskeletal tissue is cartilage.

15. The method of

claim 1

, wherein said musculoskeletal tissue is ligament.

16. The method of

claim 1

, wherein said musculoskeletal tissue is tendon.

17. The method of

claim 1

, wherein said ultrasound signal is a broadband exponentially damped sinusoidal signal.

39. The method of

claim 1

, wherein said coupling of said ultrasound transducer occurs within 24 hours of said placing a prescribed amount of a biochemical compound on skin overlying said musculoskeletal tissue in said living body.

40. The method of

claim 1

, wherein said coupling of said ultrasound transducer occurs within 3 months of said placing a prescribed amount of a biochemical compound on skin overlying said musculoskeletal tissue in said living body.

2. The method of therapeutically treating musculoskeletal tissue in a living body, using an ultrasound transducer and an ultrasound pulser, which method comprises the steps of:

(a) injecting through skin overlying said musculoskeletal tissue in said living body a prescribed amount of a biochemical compound;

(b) acoustically coupling said ultrasound transducer to said skin overlying said musculoskeletal tissue of said living body;

(c) connecting said ultrasound transducer to said ultrasound pulser, whereby to produce an ultrasound signal within said musculoskeletal tissue.

18. The method of

claim 2

wherein said biochemical compound is a bone growth factor.

19. The method of

claim 18

, wherein said bone growth factor is TGF-β

.

20. The method of

claim 18

, wherein said bone growth factor is a bone morphogenic protein.

21. The method of

claim 18

, wherein said bone growth factor is a peptide.

22. The method of

claim 18

, wherein said bone growth factor is an osteogenic protein.

23. The method of

claim 18

, wherein said bone growth factor is a fibroblast growth factor.

24. The method of

claim 18

, wherein said bone growth factor is a platelet-derived growth factor.

25. The method of

claim 2

, wherein said biochemical compound is a peptide.

26. The method of

claim 2

, wherein said biochemical compound is sodium hyaluronate.

27. The method of

claim 2

, wherein said biochemical compound is a biological polymer.

28. The method of

claim 2

, wherein said musculoskeletal tissue is bone.

29. The method of

claim 2

, wherein said musculoskeletal tissue is cartilage.

30. The method of

claim 2

, wherein said musculoskeletal tissue is ligament.

31. The method of

claim 2

, wherein said musculoskeletal tissue is tendon.

32. The method of

claim 2

, wherein said ultrasound signal is a broadband exponentially damped sinusoidal signal.

33. The method of

claim 2

, wherein said ultrasound signal is a sine wave having a decreasing amplitude over time.

41. The method of

claim 2

, wherein said coupling of said ultrasound transducer occurs within 24 hours of said injecting through skin overlying said musculoskeletal tissue in said living body a prescribed amount of a biochemical compound.

42. The method of

claim 2

, wherein said coupling of said ultrasound transducer occurs within 3 months of said injecting through skin overlying said musculoskeletal tissue in said living body a prescribed amount of a biochemical compound.

34. The method of therapeutically treating musculoskeletal tissue in a living body, which method comprises the steps of:

(a) application of a prescribed amount of a biochemical compound to said living body; and

(b) application of a biophysical stimulus to said living body, in conjunction with said application of said biochemical compound;

to thereby synergistically enhance musculoskeletal tissue healing, growth and repair.

35. The method of

claim 34

, wherein said biophysical stimulus is ultrasound energy.

36. The method of

claim 34

, wherein said biophysical stimulus is mechanical energy.

37. The method of

claim 34

, wherein said biophysical stimulus is vibrational energy.

38. The method of

claim 34

, wherein said biophysical stimulus is electromagnetic energy.

43. The method of

claim 34

, wherein said application of a biophysical stimulus occurs within 24 hours of said application of a prescribed amount of a biochemical compound to said living body.

44. The method of

claim 34

, wherein said application of a biophysical stimulus occurs within 3 months of said application of a prescribed amount of a biochemical compound to said living body.