PRESSURE PULSE/SHOCK WAVE THERAPY METHODS AND AN APPARATUS FOR CONDUCTING THE THERAPEUTIC METHODS

• US 20090254007A1
• Filed: 10/07/2008
• Published: 10/08/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2004
• 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
• Granted Patent: US 7,841,995 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 601/2
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/22004 using mechanical vibrations, e.g. ultrasonic shock waves A61B17/225 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/225 for extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy [ESWL], e.g. by using ultrasonic waves
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 23/0245 with ultrasonic transducers, e.g. piezoelectric

Abstract

The method of stimulating a substance is disclosed. The method has the steps of activating an acoustic shock wave generator or source to emit acoustic shock waves; and subjecting the substance to the acoustic shock waves stimulating said substance wherein the substance is positioned within a path of the emitted shock waves and away from a geometric focal volume or point of the emitted shock waves. In one embodiment the emitted shock waves are divergent or near planar. In another embodiment the emitted shock waves are convergent having a geometric focal volume of point at a distance of at least X from the source, the method further comprising positioning the substance at a distance less than the distance X from the source. The substance is a tissue having cells. The tissue can be an organ of a mammal. The mammal may be a human or an animal. The organ may be a heart, a brain, skin, a liver or a kidney or any other organ. The tissue may be muscle, cartilage, tendon, bone, teeth or gums. The tissue may be a part of the vascular system, a part of the nervous system, a part of the urinary or reproductive system, a part of the lymph node or pituitary systems, a part of the ocular system or a part of a skeletal system.

Claims

1. The method of stimulating a substance wherein the substance is a tissue having cells and the tissue is either part of an organ or the entire organ of a human or animal comprises the steps of:

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

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

2. The method of stimulating a substance of claim 1 wherein the emitted shock waves are divergent or near planar, or wherein the emitted shock waves are convergent having a geometric focal volume or point at a distance of at least X from the generator or source, the method further comprising positioning the substance at a distance less than the distance X from the source.

3. The method of stimulating a substance of claim 1 wherein the organ is either a heart, a brain, skin, a live or a kidney.

4. The method of stimulating a substance of claim 1 wherein the step of subjecting the substance to acoustic shock waves includes the step of correcting a pathological growth of the epiphysial plate.

5. The method of stimulating a substance of claim 3 wherein the step of subjecting the substance to acoustic shock waves includes the step of treating cirrhosis of the liver.

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

7. The method of stimulating a substance of claim 1 wherein the substance includes one or more vertebrae.

8. The method of stimulating a substance of claim 3 wherein the substance has an indication of myelodysplasia.

9. The method of stimulating a substance of claim 1 wherein the substance is the stomach and wherein the stomach has one or more stomach ulcers.

10. The method of stimulating a substance of claim 1 wherein the substance further includes a joint and surrounding tissue.

11. The method of stimulating a substance of claim 10 wherein the substance has an indication of arthritis.

12. The method of stimulating a substance of claim 10 wherein the substance has an indication of gout.

13. The method of stimulating a substance of claim 1 wherein the substance has an indication of rheumatic disease and wherein the rheumatic disease is Lupus.

14. The method of stimulating a substance of claim 1 wherein the substance is a placenta having stem cells, or a patient having stem cells or a culture of stem cells.

15. The method of stimulating a substance of claim 14 wherein the shock waves stimulate the stem cells enhancing replication.

17. The method of stimulating a substance of claim 1 wherein the step of subjecting the substance to acoustic shock waves includes the step of treating osteoporosis.

18. The method of stimulating a substance of claim 1 wherein the step of subjecting the substance to acoustic shock waves includes the step of treating pseudoarthrosis.

19. The method of stimulating a substance of claim 1 wherein the step of subjecting the substance to acoustic shock waves includes the step of treating HIV.

20. The method of stimulating a substance of claim 1 wherein the step of subjecting the substance to acoustic shock waves includes the step of treating periodontal diseases.

21. The method of stimulating a substance of claim 1 wherein the step of subjecting the substance to acoustic shock waves includes the step of treating emphysema.

16. The method of treating a patient with an indication of one or more of the following:

acne, AIDs, Alzheimer'"'"'s disease, arthritis, bone cancer, burns, cancer, cellulitis, cirrhosis, cystic fibrosis, diabetes, emphysema, gout, HIV, leprosy, lupus, melanoma, myelodysplasia, nerve paraplegia, osteoporosis, periodontal diseases, pseudoarthrosis, rheumatism, scars, skin sarcomas, stomach ulcers or wounds;

comprising the step of subjecting the patient to acoustic shock waves.