OSTEOGENIC STIMULUS DEVICE, KIT AND METHOD OF USING THEREOF
First Claim
1. An osteogenic stimulus device comprising:
- a housing;
a first electrode attached to the housing;
a second electrode attached to the housing; and
a working circuit coupled to the first and second electrodes, the working circuit comprising;
an impedance measurement sub-circuit coupled to the first and second electrodes wherein the impedance measurement sub-circuit configured to measure an electrical impedance across the first and second electrodes;
a therapeutic application sub-circuit coupled to the first and second electrodes and coupled to the impedance measurement sub-circuit wherein the therapeutic application sub-circuit configured to apply a therapeutic electrical signal across the first and second electrodes in response to the measured electrical impedance; and
a switch sub-circuit coupled to the impedance measurement sub-circuit and to the therapeutic application sub-circuit wherein the switch sub-circuit configured to enable alternately the impedance measurement sub-circuit and the therapeutic application sub-circuit during a cycle period.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An osteogenic stimulus device having at least a pair of electrode coupled to a working circuit is presented for use in applying a therapeutic electrical signal to, in, around, and across an osseous structure to aid in the healing and bone growth process in which the therapeutic electrical signal is a function of the electrical impedance of the fractured bone. The working circuit of the osteogenic stimulus device includes an impedance measurement sub-circuit, a therapeutic application sub-circuit, and a switch sub-circuit. The kit for the osteogenic stimulus device includes the uncoupled components of the device. The method of using the osteogenic stimulus device includes the acts of activating, applying, assessing, coupling, joining, mounting, obtaining, and removing.
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Citations
34 Claims
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1. An osteogenic stimulus device comprising:
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a housing; a first electrode attached to the housing; a second electrode attached to the housing; and a working circuit coupled to the first and second electrodes, the working circuit comprising; an impedance measurement sub-circuit coupled to the first and second electrodes wherein the impedance measurement sub-circuit configured to measure an electrical impedance across the first and second electrodes; a therapeutic application sub-circuit coupled to the first and second electrodes and coupled to the impedance measurement sub-circuit wherein the therapeutic application sub-circuit configured to apply a therapeutic electrical signal across the first and second electrodes in response to the measured electrical impedance; and a switch sub-circuit coupled to the impedance measurement sub-circuit and to the therapeutic application sub-circuit wherein the switch sub-circuit configured to enable alternately the impedance measurement sub-circuit and the therapeutic application sub-circuit during a cycle period. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. An osteogenic stimulus device comprising:
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a housing; a first electrode attached to the housing; a second electrode attached to the housing; an ion probe attached to the housing; a working circuit coupled to the first and second electrodes, the working circuit comprising; an impedance measurement sub-circuit coupled to the first and second electrodes wherein the impedance measurement sub-circuit configured to measure an electrical impedance across the first and second electrodes; an ion monitoring sub-circuit coupled to the ion probe, the ion monitoring sub-circuit configured to measure an ion signal from the ion probe, wherein the ion signal is proportional to an ion accumulation at an interface between the ion probe and its surrounding; and an therapeutic application sub-circuit coupled to the first and second electrodes and coupled to the impedance measurement sub-circuit wherein the therapeutic application sub-circuit configured to apply a therapeutic electrical signal across the first and second electrodes in response to the measured electrical impedance; and a switch sub-circuit coupled to the impedance measurement sub-circuit and to the therapeutic application sub-circuit wherein the switch sub-circuit configured to enable alternately the impedance measurement sub-circuit and the therapeutic application sub-circuit in a cycle period, wherein the switch sub-circuit is also coupled to the ion monitoring sub-circuit in which the switch sub-circuit is configured to disable the therapeutic application sub-circuit from applying the therapeutic electrical signal when the ion signal from the ion probe is above a set threshold value; a power supply coupled to the working circuit.
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28. An osteogenic stimulus device comprising:
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a housing; a plurality of opposing electrode pairs attached to the housing; a working circuit coupled to each opposing electrode pairs, the working circuit comprising; an impedance measurement sub-circuit coupled to each opposing electrode pair wherein the impedance measurement sub-circuit configured to measure a corresponding electrical impedance across each corresponding opposing electrode pair; an therapeutic application sub-circuit coupled to each opposing electrode pair and coupled to the impedance measurement sub-circuit wherein the therapeutic application sub-circuit configured to apply a corresponding therapeutic electrical signal across each corresponding opposing electrode pair in response to the corresponding measured electrical impedance; and a switch sub-circuit coupled to the impedance measurement sub-circuit and to the therapeutic application sub-circuit wherein the switch sub-circuit configured to enable alternately the impedance measurement sub-circuit and the therapeutic application sub-circuit in a cycle period. - View Dependent Claims (29)
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30. An osteogenic stimulus device comprising:
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a first electrode; a second electrode; and a working circuit coupled to the first and second electrodes, the working circuit comprising; an impedance measurement sub-circuit coupled to the first and second electrodes wherein the impedance measurement sub-circuit configured to measure an electrical impedance across the first and second electrodes; an therapeutic application sub-circuit coupled to the first and second electrodes and coupled to the impedance measurement sub-circuit wherein the therapeutic application sub-circuit configured to apply a therapeutic electrical signal across the first and second electrodes in response to the measured electrical impedance; and a switch sub-circuit coupled to the impedance measurement sub-circuit and to the therapeutic application sub-circuit wherein the switch sub-circuit configured to enable alternately the impedance measurement sub-circuit and the therapeutic application sub-circuit in a cycle period. - View Dependent Claims (31)
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32. A kit for an osteogenic stimulus device, said kit comprising:
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a first electrode; a second electrode; a working circuit configured to be coupled to the first and second electrodes, the working circuit comprising; an impedance measurement sub-circuit coupled to the first and second electrodes wherein the impedance measurement sub-circuit configured to measure an electrical impedance across the first and second electrodes; an therapeutic application sub-circuit coupled to the first and second electrodes and coupled to the impedance measurement sub-circuit wherein the therapeutic application sub-circuit configured to apply a therapeutic electrical signal across the first and second electrodes in response to the measured electrical impedance; and a switch sub-circuit coupled to the impedance measurement sub-circuit and to the therapeutic application sub-circuit wherein the switch sub-circuit configured to enable alternately the impedance measurement sub-circuit and the therapeutic application sub-circuit in a cycle period; and a power supply configured to be coupled to the working circuit.
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33. A method of using an osteogenic stimulus device to aid in healing a fractured bone, the method comprising the acts of:
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obtaining the osteogenic stimulus device comprising; a housing; a first electrode attached to the housing; a second electrode attached to the housing; and a working circuit coupled to the first and second electrodes, the working circuit comprising; an impedance measurement sub-circuit coupled to the first and second electrodes wherein the impedance measurement sub-circuit configured to measure an electrical impedance across the first and second electrodes; a therapeutic application sub-circuit coupled to the first and second electrodes and coupled to the impedance measurement sub-circuit wherein the therapeutic application sub-circuit configured to apply a therapeutic electrical signal across the first and second electrodes in response to the measured electrical impedance; and a switch sub-circuit coupled to the impedance measurement sub-circuit and to the therapeutic application sub-circuit wherein the switch sub-circuit configured to enable alternately the impedance measurement sub-circuit and the therapeutic application sub-circuit in a cycle period; joining together the fractured bone; mounting the housing to the joined fractured bone; applying a test electrical signal across the first and second electrodes; assessing whether or not an innervated muscle has been stimulated by the applied test electrical signal; removing the mounted housing to the joined fractured bone when the innervated muscle been assessed to have been stimulated by the applied test electrical signal; coupling together the power supply to the working circuit; and activating switch sub-circuit to enable the working circuit to measure the electrical impedance across the first and second electrodes and to enable the therapeutic application sub-circuit to apply a therapeutic electrical signal across the first and second electrodes in response to the measured electrical impedance.
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34. A method of using a kit for an osteogenic stimulus device to aid in healing a fractured bone, the method comprising the acts of:
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obtaining the kit for an osteogenic stimulus device, said kit comprising; a first electrode; a second electrode; and a working circuit configured to be coupled to the first and second electrodes, the working circuit comprising; an impedance measurement sub-circuit coupled to the first and second electrodes wherein the impedance measurement sub-circuit configured to measure an electrical impedance across the first and second electrodes; an therapeutic application sub-circuit coupled to the first and second electrodes and coupled to the impedance measurement sub-circuit wherein the therapeutic application sub-circuit configured to apply a therapeutic electrical signal across the first and second electrodes in response to the measured electrical impedance; and a switch sub-circuit coupled to the impedance measurement sub-circuit and to the therapeutic application sub-circuit wherein the switch sub-circuit configured to enable alternately the impedance measurement sub-circuit and the therapeutic application sub-circuit in a cycle period; and a power supply configured to be coupled to the working circuit; joining together the fractured bone; mounting the first electrode into a first section of the joined fractured bone; securing the second electrode into a second section of the joined fractured bone; coupling the first and second electrodes to the working circuit; connecting together the working circuit with the power supply; applying a test electrical signal across the first and second electrodes; assessing whether or not an innervated muscle has been stimulated by the applied test electrical signal; removing the first or second electrodes from the joined fractured bone when the innervated muscle been assessed to have been stimulated by the applied test electrical signal; linking operatively together the power supply to the working circuit; and activating switch sub-circuit to enable the working circuit to measure the electrical impedance across the first and second electrodes and to enable the therapeutic application sub-circuit to apply a therapeutic electrical signal across the first and second electrodes in response to the measured electrical impedance.
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Specification