Installation for neuromuscular electrical stimulation

• US 5,033,469 A
• Filed: 05/11/1990
• Issued: 07/23/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/1987
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Medicompex SA
• Original Assignee: Medicompex SA
• Inventors: Brodard, Roland
• Primary Examiner(s): Kamm, William E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Getzow, Scott M.
• Application Number:
  US07/522,475
• Time in Patent Office: 438 Days
• Field of Search: 128/421, 128/422, 128/423 R
• US Class Current: 607/59
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3603 Control systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36031 using physiological parameters for adjustment
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36034 specified by the stimulation parameters
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37235 Aspects of the external programmer
• CPC Class Codes: B65C 1/02 Affixing labels to one flat surface of articles, e.g. of packages, of flat bands

Abstract

The programming device (1) and the stimulating device (2) are capable of independent operation. An on-line link (3) enables them to be connected when they interact. The programming device (1) is used for editing memory cards (12) of the smart card type, designed to record complete treatment programs individualized per patient, when these cards are placed in a receiver (11) equipped with a connector (38) designed to interact with a connector (37) of this card (12). The stimulating device (2) is arranged to operate independently under the control of such a memory card placed in its receiver (25). The on-line link makes it possible, in particular, to modify by means of the keyboard (8) the program recorded on a memory card (12) and in the memory (7) of the programming device (1), in accordance with the reactions of the patient subjected to this program by means of the stimulating device (2), in order to individualize and adapt the program to each patient.

When the stimulating device (2) is operating independently, the latter records times of use by the patient on the memory card (12) which controls the device, for purposes of monitoring observance.

Claims

1. Installation for neuromuscular electrical stimulation comprising, a programming device containing an alphanumeric control keyboard, a display screen, a microprocessor and a program memory, and at least one electrical stimulating device arranged for on-line working with the programming device, at least during a programming phase, and for working independently during the treatment of a patient, wherein the programming device (1) contains a facility (11) for receiving a removable and interchangeable programmable data medium (12), said facility being equipped with a connector (38) arranged to interact with a corresponding connector (37) possessed by said data medium (12) when it is placed in said facility (11), said medium being designed to receive a patient'"'"'s treatment program, completely and in an individual manner, and to control the stimulating device (2) during treatment of the patient, wherein the stimulating device (2) contains a facility (25) for receiving one said data medium (12) which has been programmed beforehand on the programming device (1), according to a first, general version of an individualized program designed for a particular patient, said receiving facility (25) and said medium each being equipped with an electrical connector arranged to interact one with the other, and wherein an on-line link (3), when it is established, is arranged so as to provide for the electrical linkage between the keyboard (8) of the programming device (1) and the said receiving facility (25) of the stimulating device (2) in order to provide for the modification, by using the keyboard (8) of the programming device (1), of the first version of the program on the data medium (12) placed in the receiving facility (25) of the stimulating device (2), this being done by an operator in accordance with the patient'"'"'s individual features and his reactions during a test of stimulation by means of the stimulating device (2), in order that a program thus modified shall be completely individualized and adapted to the patient'"'"'s case, means (6, 17) being provided for modifying, simultaneously and in the same manner, the program in the program memory (7) of the programming device (1), the data medium (12) being from this point capable of controlling the stimulating device (2) operating independently, for the treatment of the patient corresponding to this data medium (12) temporarily in position in the receiving facility (25) of the stimulating device (2);

and also having means (11, 6,

     8) for transferring into the memory (7) of the programming device (1) a standard program recorded beforehand on a first said removable and interchangeable data medium (12) and suitable as a first approximation for a given patient, when said first medium (12) is placed in the receiving facility (11) of said programming device (1), means (8, 6,

     11) being provided for transferring onto a second said removable and interchangeable data medium (12) then placed in said receiving facility (11) as a replacement for the first medium, the standard program thus recorded in the memory (7) of the programming device (1), after which this program, as a first approximation, thus recorded on the second data medium (12) is modifiable, by the use of the keyboard (8), simultaneously on this data medium (12) and in the program memory (7) in order to individualize it at least partially to the case of a given patient;

wherein the programming device (1) and stimulating device (2) are constructed so as to provide for an additional modification, simulataneously on the medium (12) and in the memory (7) of the programming device, of the program already modified in the programming device (1), when the data medium (12) is placed in the receiving facility (25) of the stimulating device (2) and when the on-line link (3) is established between the two devices (1,

     2), in order to refine the program and individualize it completely in accordance with the patient'"'"'s reactions during the test of stimulation by means of the stimulating device (2).

2. The installation as claimed in claim 1, wherein the stimulating device (2) contains means (17, 18, 25) for recording on the data medium (12) placed in the receiving facility (25) of the stimulating device (2), during the treatment when this device (2) is operating independently, the period during which this stimulating device (2) operates and the period during which, for each of its outputs (21, 22, 23, 24) with electrodes (21a, 22a, 23a, 24a) for application to the patient contained by this device, the intensity of the working current is between minimum and maximum limits programmed and recorded on this data medium (12).

3. The installation as claimed in claim 1, wherein the programming device (1) contains a printing facility (10), for printing on a portion of a self-adhesive tape (30) at least the patient'"'"'s identification data, when the individualized programming is finished and recorded on the data medium (12), while this medium is placed in the receiving facility (11) of the programming device (1), and wherein it contains a facility (45, 46, 36) for cutting, applying and sticking automatically the said portion of printed self-adhesive tape onto the data medium (12) present in this receiving facility (11), and for then ejecting this medium thus equipped with this printed portion identifying the patient to which this medium corresponds.

4. The installation as claimed in claim 3, wherein the programming device (1) contains means (6, 7) for actuating the printing facility (10), in order to cause it to print, uncoded and completely, on at least one other portion of self-adhesive tape (30), under the control of the memory (7), the individualized program as recorded in this memory (7) and, in addition, the patient'"'"'s identification data.

5. The installation as claimed in claim 3, wherein the printing facility (10) of the programming device (1) contains mechanical means (41, 32) for separating the printed portion of the self-adhesive tape (30) from its backing (29), and for cutting it to the format of the data medium (12) and to another format for applying and sticking the portion cut to the format of the medium (12) onto this medium, before the means for ejection of this medium produce this ejection.

6. The installation as claimed in claim 1, wherein the data medium (12) is of the smart card type and assumes at least approximately the format of an ordinary credit card.