Method and apparatus for stimulating angiogenesis and wound healing by use of external compression
First Claim
1. A method for treating a disease characterized by low blood flow by inducing angiogenesis, the method comprising steps of:
- providing a patient suffering from a disease characterized by low blood flow;
attaching a compression apparatus to a body part of the patient; and
applying graded sequential compression to the body part of the patient using the compression apparatus, wherein the compression delivers a maximum pressure of less than 300 mm Hg.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system for delivering external compression in order to stimulate angiogenesis or promote wound healing is provided. External compression causes changes in hemodynamic forces (e.g., shear stress) in the vasculature that are sensed by endothelial cells and smooth muscle cells. The stimulated cells respond by secreting various angiogenic factors and growth factors such as platelet-derived growth factors A and B and basic fibroblast growth factor. The inventive method may be used to treat patient suffering from diseases characterized by low blood flow such as peripheral vascular disease and coronary artery disease. A apparatus for delivering external compression to induce angiogenesis or promote wound healing is also provided.
59 Citations
54 Claims
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1. A method for treating a disease characterized by low blood flow by inducing angiogenesis, the method comprising steps of:
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providing a patient suffering from a disease characterized by low blood flow;
attaching a compression apparatus to a body part of the patient; and
applying graded sequential compression to the body part of the patient using the compression apparatus, wherein the compression delivers a maximum pressure of less than 300 mm Hg. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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2. A method for promoting wound healing, the method comprising steps of:
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providing a patient with a wound;
attaching a compression apparatus to a body part of the patient; and
applying graded sequential compression to the body part of the patient using the compression apparatus, wherein the compression delivers a maximum pressure of less than 300 mm Hg.
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31. A method for treating a disease characterized by low blood flow by inducing angiogenesis, the method comprising steps of:
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providing a patient suffering from a disease characterized by low blood flow;
attaching an apparatus to a body part of the patient for delivering a negative pressure; and
applying negative pressure to the body part of the patient using the apparatus.
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32. A method for treating a disease characterized by low blood flow by inducing angiogenesis, the method comprising steps of:
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providing a patient suffering from a disease characterized by low blood flow;
attaching an apparatus to a body part of the patient for delivering negative and positive pressure;
applying negative pressure to the body part of the patient using the apparatus; and
applying positive pressure to the body part of the patient using the apparatus.
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33. A method for promoting wound healing, the method comprising steps of:
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providing a patient with a wound;
attaching an apparatus to a body part of the patient for delivering a negative pressure; and
applying negative pressure to the body part of the patient using the apparatus. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53)
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34. A method for promoting wound healing, the method comprising steps of:
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providing a patient with a wound;
attaching an apparatus to a body part of the patient for delivering negative and positive pressure;
applying negative pressure to the body part of the patient using the apparatus.; and
applying positive pressure to the body part of the patient using the apparatus.
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35. An apparatus for compressing a part of a patient'"'"'s body in order to induce angiogenesis or wound healing, the apparatus comprising:
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a source of fluid;
a compression structure for receiving the fluid;
a control means for controlling the fluid to achieve inflation and deflation of the compression means, wherein the control means institutes inflation of the compression structure so that graded sequential compression of the body part results with a maximum pressure of less than 300 mm Hg.
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54. An apparatus for compressing a part of a patient'"'"'s body in order to induce angiogenesis or wound healing, the apparatus comprising:
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at least one flexible band;
a means for mounting said band on the body part;
a control means for controlling the tension in the band and thus the band'"'"'s resulting pressure on the body part.
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Specification