Pressure pulse/shock wave therapy methods for organs

• US 20060036195A1
• Filed: 09/29/2005
• Published: 02/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Softwave Tissue Regeneration Technologies, LLC
• Original Assignee: General Patent, LLC (Tissue Regeneration Technologies LLC)
• Inventors: Schaden, Wolfgang, Warlick, John, Schultheiss, Reiner, Grimm, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 7,507,213 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 601/2
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 23/008 using shock waves

Abstract

The method of stimulating an organ comprises the steps of providing an at least partially exposed or direct access portal to an organ, activating an acoustic shock wave generator or source to emit acoustic shock waves; and subjecting the organ to the acoustic shock waves stimulating said organ wherein the organ is positioned within a non obstructed path of the emitted shock waves.

Claims

1. The method of stimulating an organ comprises the steps of:

providing an at least partial exposed organ or an access portal to an organ;

activating an acoustic shock wave generator or source to emit acoustic shock waves; and

subjecting the organ to the acoustic shock waves stimulating said organ wherein the organ is positioned within an unobstructed path of the emitted shock waves.

2. The method of stimulating an organ of claim 1 wherein the emitted shock waves are convergent, divergent or near planar.

3. The method of stimulating an organ of claim 1 wherein the emitted shock waves are convergent having one or more geometric focal volumes or points at a distance of at least X from the generator or source, the method further comprising positioning the organ at a distance at or less than the distance X from the source.

4. The method of stimulating an organ of claim 1 wherein the organ is from a mammal which is a human or an animal.

5. The method of stimulating an organ of claim 1 wherein the organ is a heart.

6. The method of stimulating an organ of claim 1 wherein the organ is a brain.

7. The method of stimulating an organ of claim 6 wherein the organ is a liver.

8. The method of stimulating an organ of claim 6 wherein the organ is a kidney.

9. The method of stimulating an organ of claim 1 wherein the organ is a part of the vascular system.

10. The method of stimulating an organ of claim 1 wherein the organ is a part of the nervous system.

11. The method of stimulating an organ of claim 1 wherein the organ is a part of the urinary or reproductive system.

12. The method of stimulating an organ of claim 1 wherein the organ is a part of the lymph node or pituitary systems.

13. The method of stimulating a organ of claim 1 wherein the step of subjecting the organ to acoustic shock waves includes the step of treating cirrhosis of the liver.

14. The method of stimulating an organ of claim 1 wherein the step of subjecting the organ to acoustic shock waves includes killing bacteria by destroying bacterial cell membranes or stimulating a biological defense mechanism within said organ by exposure to the acoustic shock waves.

15. The method of stimulating an organ of claim 1 further comprises a step of administering one or more antibiotics or other drugs to a blood stream within the organ, a blood stream being stimulated by the acoustic shock waves.

17. The method of stimulating an organ of claim 1 further comprises the step of:

transplanting the organ from a human or animal to a patient.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the organ is exposed to shock waves after being transplanted into a patient.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein the organ is exposed to shock waves prior to being transplanted into a patient.

20. The method of claim 17 wherein the organ is a heart, a liver or a kidney or a portion of a brain or any other organ or portion thereof.

16. The method of treating an organ of a patient comprising the steps of:

providing an exposed organ or an access portal to an organ;

subjecting the organ to acoustic shock waves by activating an acoustic shock wave generator or source to emit acoustic shock waves; and

subjecting the organ to the acoustic shock waves stimulating said organ wherein the organ is positioned within an unobstructed path of the emitted shock waves and away from a geometric focal volume or point of the emitted shock waves.