Bone generating method and device
First Claim
1. A method of stimulating in vivo bone growth comprising the steps of generating a train of electrical pulses of a direct current and applying said train of electrical pulses to a bone within a living vertebrate, said train having a ratio between the time duration of a pulse and the time between adjacent pulses between 1 to 1000 and 1 to 10.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for stimulating in vivo bone growth whereby a train of electrical pulses, rather than a direct current potential, is applied to the bone in vivo to produce faster and more satisfactory growth than a direct current voltage. In the embodiment described below, an astable multivibrator producing a pulse train with a duty cycle preferably between 1/10% and 10% is encapsulated in a corrosion resistant material which is, in turn, coated with a non-toxic, non-tissue reactive coating to produce a self-contained prosthetic which will stimulate bone growth.
A second component of this prosthetic system is comprised of a suitable substrate material that can be electrically driven to induce tissue infiltration into the substrate pore structure. This second component of the prosthetic system is not required for the proper functioning of the active component of said prosthetic system but may be used as an adjunct aid if the attending physician so elects. In the embodiment described below, several classes of such materials are discussed. These materials are non-toxic and non-tissue reactive and are of such design as to readily permit tissue infiltration.
193 Citations
23 Claims
- 1. A method of stimulating in vivo bone growth comprising the steps of generating a train of electrical pulses of a direct current and applying said train of electrical pulses to a bone within a living vertebrate, said train having a ratio between the time duration of a pulse and the time between adjacent pulses between 1 to 1000 and 1 to 10.
-
11. An apparatus for stimulating in vivo bone growth comprising:
-
means for generating a train of electrical pulses of a direct current, said train having a ratio between the time duration of a pulse and time between adjacent pulses between 1 to 1000 and 1 to 10 and means for applying said train to a bone within a living vertebrate. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
-
-
18. An apparatus for stimulating in vivo bone growth comprising:
an electrical oscillator circuit including means for generating a train of electrical pulses of a direct current having a ratio between the time duration of a pulse and the time between adjacent pulses between 1 to 1000 and 1 to 10, a layer of corrosion resistant material encapsulating said circuit, a coating of a non-toxic, non-tissue reactive material about said layer and a pair of insulated electrodes extending from said circuit through said layer and coating for applying said pulses to a bone. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21)
- 22. A method of stimulating in vivo bone growth comprising the steps of implanting a non-toxic substrate in the body of a living vertebrate and applying an electrical signal consisting of a train of direct current pulses having a ratio between the time duration of a pulse and the time between adjacent pulses between 1 to 1000 and 1 and 10 to said implanted substrate to cause viable bone to form on said substrate.
Specification