Modification of the growth, repair and maintenance behavior of living tissues and cells by a specific and selective change in electrical environment

• US 4,266,533 A
• Filed: 04/09/1979
• Issued: 05/12/1981
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/1976
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Electro-Biology Incorporated (Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Electro-Biology Incorporated (Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Pilla, Arthur A., Ryaby, John P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cohen, Lee S.
• Application Number:
  US06/028,456
• Time in Patent Office: 764 Days
• Field of Search: 128/1.3, 128/1.5, 128/82.1, 128/419 F, 128/419 R, 128/420 R, 128/421-423, 128/783, 128/802, 128/804, 219/10.79
• US Class Current: 600/14
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/40 Applying electric fields by inductive or capacitive coupling microwave apparatus A61N5/00; Applying radio-frequency signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2/02 using magnetic fields produced by coils, including single turn loops or electromagnets A61N2/12 takes precedence

Abstract

Surgically non-invasive method of and apparatus for altering the growth, repair and maintenance behavior of living tissues and/or cells by inducing voltage and concomitant current pulses of specific time-frequency-amplitude relations therewithin.

Claims

1. An electromagnetic body-treatment device for surgically non-invasive modification of the growth, repair and maintenance behavior of living tiesues and cells by a specific and selective change in electrical environment, comprising two multi-turn electrical coils of generally circular configuration and body-adapting retaining means adapted to mount said coils in spaced relation on opposite sides of an afflicted body region to be treated, said coils when thus mounted having turns about a flux-development axis through the afflicted body region and being connected in flux-aiding relation, said turns being radially spaced from said axis to an extent establishing an effective local diameter which substantially equals or exceeds the effective axial spacing between said coils, and means for electrically exciting said coils with a succession of low-voltage unidirectional asymmetrical pulses.

2. The treatment device of claim 1, in which both said coils are of generally circular helical configuration, the helical advance of both coils being along the same axis.

3. The treatment device of claim 1, in which each of said coils comprises plural helically advancing turns along the same axis.

4. The treatment device of claim 1, in which said coils are electrically connected in parallel.

5. The treatment device of claim 1, in which said coils are electrically connected in series.

6. The treatment device of claim 1, in which said retaining means comprises a rigid tubular frame member with said respective coils rigidly mounted to said frame member at diametrically opposed locations, the wall of said frame member being locally open within the region of mounting one of said coils, whereby a body member having the afflicted region may be removably entered into said frame member and pass through the frame opening to place the afflicted region in the treatment zone of said coils.

7. The treatment device of claim 1, in which said retaining means comprises a rigid tubular frame member with said respective coils rigidly mounted to said frame member at axially spaced locations, the wall of said frame members being locally open in a region intermediate the mounting of said coils, whereby a body member having the afflicted region may be removably entered into said frame member and pass through the frame opening to place the afflicted region in the treatment zone of said coils.

8. An electromagnetic body-treatment device for surgically non-invasive modification of the growth, repair and maintenance behavior of living tissues and cells by a specific and selective change in electrical environment, comprising a single electrical coil having a plurality of turns generally helically developed along an axis extending through an afflicted body region to be treated, retaining means for retaining said turns in position external to the body, said coil comprising axially spaced helices of plural turns, the spacing between said helices being at least no greater than the effective diameter of said turns, and means for electrically exciting said coil with a succession of low-voltage unidirectional asymmetrical pulses.

9. The treatment device of claim 8, in which said spaced coil helices are electrically connected in series.

10. An electromagnetic body-treatment device for surgically non-invasive modification of the growth, repair and maintenance behavior of living tissues and cells by a specific and selective change in electrical environment, comprising coil means having plural turns generally helically developed along an axis extending through an afflicted body region to be treated, retaining means for retaining said turns in position external to the body, said coil means being electrically interrupted at its center to define two halves, said halves being electrically connected in parallel and in flux-aiding polarity, and means for electrically exciting said coil means with a succession of low-voltage unidirectional asymmetrical pulses.

11. Electromagnetic body-treatment coil means, comprising a longitudinally split tube of compliant non-magnetic material which is transiently deformable in the course of assembly to a body member to be treated and which when thus assembled is circumferentially continuous, and two like coil-winding subassemblies each of which is removably assembled to a respective end of said tube, the assembled axial spacing of said coil-winding subassemblies being less than their effective diameter, and flexible means for electrically connecting said coil-winding subassemblies for concurrent excitation in flux-aiding relation.

12. The body-treatment means of claim 11, in which each of said coil-winding subassemblies comprises a plurality of winding turns embedded in a cured annular body of non-magnetic hardenable material having a counterbore at one end in telescoped assembly over an end of said tube, the inner end of the counterbore defining a flange to limit the telescope assembly upon abutment with the tube end.

13. An electromagnetic body-treatment device for surgically non-invasive modification of the growth, repair and maintenance behavior of living tissues and cells by a specific and selective charge in electrical environment, comprising coil means having plural turns generally helically developed along an axis extending through an afflicted body region to be treated, retaining means for retaining said turns in position external to the body, said coil means being electrically interrupted at its center to define two halves, said halves being electrically connected in series and in flux-aiding polarity, and means for electrically exciting said coil means with a succession of low-voltage unidirectional asymmetrical pulses.