INSTRUMENT FOR TREATING BIOLOGICAL TISSUE, METHOD FOR GENERATING SHOCK WAVE-LIKE PRESSURE WAVES IN SUCH AN INSTRUMENT

• US 20110275965A1
• Filed: 10/30/2009
• Published: 11/10/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ferton Holding SA
• Original Assignee: Ferton Holding SA
• Inventors: Agbeviade, Kossi, Donnet, Marcel, Benoit, Mathieu
• Granted Patent: US 9,211,131 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 601/46
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/22004 using mechanical vibrations, e.g. ultrasonic shock waves A61B17/225 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00154 pulsed
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0019 Means for setting or varying the pulse width
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00544 pneumatically
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/924 Impact element driving means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/927 Returning means
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 23/008 using shock waves
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 23/04 with hydraulic or pneumatic drive hydraulic or Pneumatic massages, A61H9/00; underwater massages, A61H33/00

Abstract

The invention relates to an instrument for treating biological tissue, including a housing, in which is disposed a ballistic device for generating extracorporeal shock wave-like pressure waves and a transfer element permanently placed on the biological tissue, said element coupling the pressure waves into the body of living creatures, wherein the transfer element couples non-focused, ballistically generated, shock wave-like pressure waves into the biological tissue, the waves generated by a striking member that is accelerated to a high final velocity of over 5 m/s by a pneumatic medium which is under an operating pressure in a pressure channel. A quick-acting valve releases the pneumatic medium, which is under working pressure, into the pressure channel, wherein a control circuit controls the duration of opening of the valve as a function of at least one or a combination of the following parameters: working pressure, impact frequency or pressure in the back-pressure chamber.

Claims

1. An instrument for the treatment of biological tissue, comprising a housing in which are arranged a ballistic generator for generating extracorporeal shock wave-like pressure waves and a transfer element permanently placed on the biological tissue for coupling said pressure waves into the bodies of living beings, said transfer element coupling non-focused, ballistically generated, shock wave-like pressure waves into said biological tissue, which are generated by a reciprocating striking member accelerated to a final velocity of more than 5 meters/second by means of a pneumatic medium under working pressure in a pressure channel and striking said transfer element, the front part of said pressure channel being connected with a back-pressure chamber into which the pneumatic medium present distally of the striking member can flow as the striking member is accelerated towards the transfer element,

wherein a quick-action valve releases the pneumatic medium under working pressure into the pressure channel, wherein a control circuit controls the opening period of the valve as a function of at least one or a combination of the following parameters, namely the parameters of working pressure, striking frequency or pressure in the back-pressure chamber.

4. The instrument of claim 1, wherein the pressure in the back-pressure chamber is controlled by a controllable pressure relief valve as a function of at least one of the following parameters, striking frequency or pressure in the back-pressure chamber.

5. The instrument of claim 1, wherein said quick-action valve releases said pneumatic medium from an intermediate storage integrated in the housing, which storage buffers the medium at a predefined working pressure.

6. The instrument of claim 1, wherein intermediate buffer is arranged near the pressure channel and is pneumatically connected to the pressure channel via said valve through a

connecting conduit which is shorter than the length of the pressure channel or short.

7. The instrument of claim 1, wherein the intermediate storage is arranged in the supply conduit for the pneumatic medium.

8. The instrument of claim 1, wherein a second valve releases a pneumatic pressure into the back-pressure chamber for the return movement of the striking member.

9. The instrument of claim 1, wherein a single valve controls both the forward and return movement of the striking member.

10. The instrument of claim 1, wherein the volume of the at least one intermediate storage is at least half the volume of the pressure channel volume or at least half the volume of the pneumatic medium required in one stroke of the striking member.

11. The instrument of claim 1, wherein said valve applies working pressure from the at least one intermediate storage alternately to the pressure channel or to the back-pressure chamber.

12. The instrument of claim 1, wherein said valve alternately opens the pressure channel or the back-pressure chamber to atmosphere.

13. The instrument of claim 5, wherein the intermediate storage comprises elastic walls or at least one elastic wall.

2. An instrument for the treatment of biological tissue, comprising a housing in which are arranged a ballistic generator for generating extracorporeal shock wave-like pressure waves and a transfer element permanently placed on the biological tissue for coupling said pressure waves into the bodies of living beings, said transfer element coupling non-focused, ballistically generated, shock wave-like pressure waves into said biological tissue, which are generated by a reciprocating striking member accelerated to a final velocity of more than 5 meters/second by means of a pneumatic medium under working pressure in a pressure channel and striking said transfer element, the front part of said pressure channel being connected with a back-pressure chamber into which the pneumatic medium present distally of the striking member can flow as the striking member is accelerated towards the transfer element herein a quick-action valve releases the pneumatic medium under working pressure into the pressure channel in dependence on the striking frequency set, wherein an opening in the back-pressure chamber limits the pressure building up in the back-pressure chamber.

3. The instrument of claim 2, wherein said opening of the back-pressure chamber is formed by a narrow orifice or by a pressure relief valve.

14. A method for generating shock wave-like pressure waves in an instrument for the treatment of biological tissue, wherein a ballistic means generates extracorporeal shock wave-like pressure waves and a transfer element permanently placed on the biological tissue couples said pressure waves into the bodies of living beings, wherein non-focused, ballistically generated, shock wave-like pressure waves are coupled into said biological tissue, which are generated by a reciprocating striking member accelerated to a final velocity of more than 5 m/s by means of a pneumatic medium under working pressure in a pressure channel and striking said transfer element, the front part of said pressure channel being connected with a back-pressure chamber into which the pneumatic medium present distally of the striking member is introduced during the stroke movement of the striking member towards the transfer element , characterized by controlling the opening period of a quick-acting valve, releasing the working pressure into the pressure channel, as a function of at least one or a combination of the following parameters, namely the parameters of working pressure, striking frequency or pressure in the back-pressure chamber.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein limiting the maximum pressure in the back-pressure chamber as a function of one or a combination of the following parameters, i.e. the parameters of working pressure, striking frequency or pressure in the back-pressure chamber.

15. A method for generating shock wave-like pressure waves in an instrument for the treatment of biological tissue, wherein a ballistic means generates extracorporeal shock wave-like pressure waves and a transfer element permanently placed on the biological tissue couples said pressure waves into the bodies of living beings, wherein non-focused, ballistically generated, shock wave-like pressure waves are coupled into said biological tissue, which are generated by a reciprocating striking member accelerated to a final velocity of more than 5 meters/second by means of a pneumatic medium under working pressure in a pressure channel and striking said transfer element, the front part of said pressure channel being connected with a back-pressure chamber into which the pneumatic medium present distally of the striking member is introduced during the stroke movement of the striking member towards the transfer element, characterized by introducing the working pressure into the pressure channel by means of a quick-acting valve in dependence on an adjustable striking frequency and limiting the pressure in the back-pressure chamber by partly venting the back-pressure chamber as the pressure builds up.