Treatment method and instrumentation system

• US 4,505,275 A
• Filed: 01/08/1982
• Issued: 03/19/1985
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/1977
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Wu Chen
• Original Assignee: Wu Chen
• Inventors: Chen, Wu
• Primary Examiner(s): Kamm, William E.
• Application Number:
  US06/338,066
• Time in Patent Office: 1,166 Days
• Field of Search: 128/419 R, 128/420 R, 128/421, 128/423 R, 128/643, 128/741
• US Class Current: 607/62
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0452 Specially adapted for transcutaneous muscle stimulation [TMS]
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0456 Specially adapted for transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation [TENS]
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0476 Array electrodes (including any electrode arrangement with more than one electrode for at least one of the polarities)
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0492 Patch electrodes A61N1/0412, A61N1/0428 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36003 of motor muscles, e.g. for walking assistance
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36021 for treatment of pain

Abstract

The method comprises steps of applying a treatment characterized by parameters at least one of which has a relatively broad range of controllable values, of detecting the response from the treatment object, of selecting a subset of parameters, of selecting the proper magnitude of those selected parameters, of prescribing the selected parameters at the selected range of values for subsequent use of the treatment object, and of defining an instrument unit having the prescribed parameters and range of values for the exclusive use of the treatment object.

The instrumentation system comprises a clinical unit which has parameters at least one of which has a range of controllable parameters for use primarily in the clinic to cover a large variety of cases, and a private treatment unit which has a selected subset of parameters from those of the set of parameters of clinical unit and each of the selected parameters has a properly selected value or range of values. The selection of the parameters and their respective values is based on diagnostic procedure performed with the clinical unit whereby detectable result, if any, is observed from the clinical treatment. The instrumentation system may incorporate means for generating a subjective referencing stimulation, means for generating an indicator stimulation, means for generating a time-sequence programming in applying the treatment, and electrode means with improved applicational mobility. A method of quantitative measurement of the object'"'"'s response is disclosed and implemented.

Claims

1. A method of applying stimulation to a biological body for a desired effect, comprising the steps of applying treatment from a clinical treating unit having a set of treatment parameters, of gauging the response from the treatment object, of selecting a subset of said of parameters which may induce the desirable effect to the said object, and of defining an individual treating unit having the said subset of parameters for the individual use of said object.

2. As in claim 1, therein exists in at least one parameter in the clinical treatment unit a range of variable magnitude, further comprising the step of selecting a sub-range from the said range of variable magnitude for the corresponding parameter in the said subset of parameters.

3. As in claim 1, further comprising the step of establishing a subjective reference by applying to the object groups of stimuli having a pre-determined number of repetitions and having at least one characteristic feature different from that of the other groups, detecting the number of response from the treatment object, and comparing the said number of response to the said pre-determined number of repetitions.

4. As in claim 1, comprising further the step of monitoring the effect of treatment by applying indicative measurement of response to the treatment object and detecting any change in the response of the said object during the treatment process.

5. In a stimulating system comprising a clinical treating unit having a set of treatment parameters, a method of defining an individual treating unit for a treatment object, comprising the steps of applying treatment from the said clinical unit to said object, of gauging the response from said object, and of selecting from said set of parameters a subset which may induce desirable effect to said object, and of including the said subset of parameters to the individual treating unit.

6. As in claim 5, therein at least one parameter in the clinical treating unit having a range of variable magnitude, further comprising the step of selecting a sub-range from the said range of magnitude for the corresponding parameter in the said subset of parameters.

7. In a stimulating system, the combination with a clinical unit having a set of treatment parameters, of an individual treating unit, comprising means to generate a subset of treatment parameters defined for a treatment object through a testing process, said subset of parameters being selected from the said set of parameters in the clinical unit, means to apply said subset of treatment parameters to said object, and means for supplying the operating energy for the generation of the said subset of parameters.

8. As in claim 7, therein exists for at least one parameter in the clinical treating unit a range of variable magnitude, further comprising means to control the magnitude of the corresponding parameter to be in a sub-range of magnitude prescribed for the said object.

9. In a stimulating system, the combination with an individual treating unit having a subset of parameters defined for an object, of a clinical treating unit comprising means to generate a set of treatment parameters from which to define through a testing procedure a subset of treating parameters to be incorporated in the said individual treating unit, means to select said parameters for said testing procedure, means to apply said parameters to the object being treated, and means to supply operating energy for generating said set of treatment parameters.

10. As in claim 9, further comprising means to control the magnitude of at least one of the parameters in the said set of parameters.

11. As in claim 9, further comprising means to generate a group of stimuli, which consists of a plurality of sub-groups each of which having at least one shot of stimulation and having at least one characteristic feature different from that of another sub-group.

12. A method of indicative measurement of response for a stimulation treatment to a biological body, comprising the steps of applying a group of stimuli to the object, said group consisting of a plurality of sub-groups each of which having at least one shot of stimulation and having at least one characteristic feature different from that of another sub-group, of obtaining from the object its response to each said sub-group, and of comparing the number of shots of stimuli to the number of response in each subgroup.

13. As in claim 12, wherein a different pre-determined number of stimuli is identified with a sub-group of stimulation having a different characteristic feature from those of other sub-groups.

14. As in claim 12, wherein the characteristic feature being the strength of the stimulation.

15. As in claim 12, wherein the characteristic feature being the duration of action of the stimulation.

16. As in claim 12, wherein the characteristic feature being the temporal separation between the action of the stimulation.

17. In an electrical stimulating system, the combination with a clinical treating unit having a set of treatment parameters, of an individual treating unit, comprising means to generate electrical stimulation having a subset of treatment parameters defined for a treatment object through a testing process, said subset of parameters being selected from the said set of parameters in the said clinical treating unit, and means to apply said stimulation to the object.