Apparatus and method for stimulating tissue growth with ultrasound

• US 5,524,624 A
• Filed: 05/05/1994
• Issued: 06/11/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 05/05/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AMER Technology Limited (AMER International Group Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: AMER Technology Limited (AMER International Group Company Limited)
• Inventors: Tepper, John C., Thacker, Ike C.
• Primary Examiner(s): ZELE, KRISTA MICHELLE
• Application Number:
  US08/239,401
• Time in Patent Office: 768 Days
• Field of Search: 128/653.1, 128/660.01, 128/660.03, 128/662.03, 128/662.06, 601/2, 607/50, 607/51
• US Class Current: 600/439
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/56 Details of data transmission or power supply
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/582 Remote testing of the device
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/2864 by ultrasonic or acoustic vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30668 Means for transferring electromagnetic energy to implants
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0001 Means for transferring electromagnetic energy to implants
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 7/00 Ultrasound therapy lithotripsy A61B17/22, A61B17/225; massage using supersonic vibration A61H23/00 ; using ultrasound for introducing media into the body A61M37/0092

Abstract

A device (10, 18) stimulates with an ultrasound the growth of a tissue or produces an image at a site within a patient. A housing (12, 20, 22) may be subcutaneously implanted within the patient such that the ultrasound is directed toward the site. A generator (52), disposed within the housing (12, 20, 22), produces a signal, which a transducer (56, 84, 144) converts into the ultrasound. The transducer (56, 84, 144) is partially disposed within the housing (12, 20, 22). The device (10, 18) may include an imaging circuit (80) for processing ultrasound echoes received by the transducer (56, 84, 144) to generate images of the tissue at the site. A remote control (102) may be used to control the device (10, 18) while it is implanted within the patient.

Claims

1. An apparatus for using ultrasound to stimulate the growth of a tissue at a site within a patient and to generate an image of the site, the apparatus comprising:

a housing for implantation within the patient such that the ultrasound is directed toward the site;

a generator, disposed within said housing, for producing a signal;

a first transducer, partially disposed within said housing, for converting said signal into the ultrasound, for directing the ultrasound toward the site, and for receiving an ultrasound echo from the site; and

a second transducer and wherein said generator generates a first and a second signal such that said first transducer is for converting said first signal into a first ultrasound for imaging the tissue and said second transducer is for converting said second signal into a second ultrasound for stimulating the tissue.

2. An apparatus for using ultrasound to stimulate the growth of a tissue at a site within a patient and to generate an image of the site, the apparatus comprising:

a housing for implantation within the patient such that the ultrasound is directed toward the site;

a generator, disposed within said housing, for producing a signal;

a first transducer, partially disposed within said housing, for converting said signal into the ultrasound, for directing the ultrasound toward the site, and for receiving an ultrasound echo from the site, wherein said first transducer receives a plurality of ultrasound echoes from the site;

an analog-to-digital converter for converting the echoes into digital values;

a first synchronizer for decoupling said analog-to-digital converter from said transducer when said transducer is converting said signal into ultrasound;

a second synchronizer for decoupling said generator from said transducer when said analog-to-digital converter is converting the echoes into said digital values;

a filter for filtering said digital values;

a timer for generating time stamps for said filtered digital values and for controlling said first and second synchronizers; and

a memory for storing said filtered digital values and said time stamps.

3. A method for stimulating the growth of a tissue at a site within a body with ultrasound and generating an image of the site with said ultrasound, the method comprising the steps of:

subcutaneously implanting a housing having a generator and a transducer within said body approximately forty millimeters from said site and beyond the near field, such that said transducer directs said ultrasound toward said site;

producing an electrical signal with said generator having a waveform with parameters as desired for tissue growth stimulation and image generation; and

transforming said signal into said ultrasound with said transducer.