Method and apparatus for controlling acoustic modes in tissue healing applications
First Claim
1. A method of noninvasively applying an ultrasonic excitation signal from at least one transducer to human tissue in vivo for therapeutic applications, comprising:
- acoustically coupling a modal converter to a tissue surface, wherein the modal converter comprises a top surface, a bottom surface, and a plurality of side surfaces positioned at angles relative to the bottom surface such that the at least one transducer is acoustically coupled to one of the plurality of side surfaces and can emit an acoustic wave that reflects at an interface, and after reflection, travels parallel to and along the interface; and
emitting an acoustic wave from the at least one transducer acoustically coupled to the modal converter at an angle relative to the bottom surface of the modal converter, such that the acoustic wave emitted from the at least one transducer reflects upon striking the interface and after reflection travels parallel to and along the interface, whereby said acoustic wave impinges and has a therapeutic effect on organic tissue.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A modal converter having at least one ultrasonic transducer or at least one array of such transducers positioned on the modal converter at various angles relative to a tissue surface and bone tissue surface, such that some combination of one or more of the following occur: longitudinal waves are produced perpendicular to the bone surface, longitudinal waves propagate along the surface of the skin after incidence at the skin tissue surface, and both longitudinal and shear waves propagate along the surface of the bone after incidence at the bone tissue surface. Illuminating an open tissue wound and bone fracture site with these acoustic modes enhances and promotes angiogenesis and the biological endostial or periostial healing phases, or both, of the bone fracture healing process. The spatial and temporal distribution of acoustic waves directed to the treatment area via the ultrasonic transducers and the modal converter may be controlled.
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Citations
70 Claims
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1. A method of noninvasively applying an ultrasonic excitation signal from at least one transducer to human tissue in vivo for therapeutic applications, comprising:
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acoustically coupling a modal converter to a tissue surface, wherein the modal converter comprises a top surface, a bottom surface, and a plurality of side surfaces positioned at angles relative to the bottom surface such that the at least one transducer is acoustically coupled to one of the plurality of side surfaces and can emit an acoustic wave that reflects at an interface, and after reflection, travels parallel to and along the interface; and emitting an acoustic wave from the at least one transducer acoustically coupled to the modal converter at an angle relative to the bottom surface of the modal converter, such that the acoustic wave emitted from the at least one transducer reflects upon striking the interface and after reflection travels parallel to and along the interface, whereby said acoustic wave impinges and has a therapeutic effect on organic tissue. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. An apparatus for noninvasively applying an ultrasound excitation signal from at least one transducer to human tissue in vivo for therapeutic applications, comprising:
a modal converter including a top surface, a plurality of side surfaces, a bottom surface parallel to the top surface, and a plurality of ultrasonic transducers, wherein the plurality of side surfaces are positioned at angles relative to the bottom surface and wherein a first ultrasonic transducer is acoustically coupled with the top surface and a second ultrasonic transducer is acoustically coupled to at least one of the plurality of sides of the modal converter and is positioned relative to the bottom surface, such that an acoustic wave emitted from at least one ultrasonic transducer strikes an interface, whereby said acoustic wave impinges and has a therapeutic effect on organic tissue. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45)
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46. A modal converter, comprising:
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a top surface capable of receiving a first transducer; a substantially flat bottom surface parallel to the top; a plurality of side surfaces capable of receiving at least one second transducer and positioned at critical angles relative to the bottom surface wherein said top surface, said bottom surface and said plurality of side surfaces are adapted such that a therapeutic acoustic wave emitted from at least one of the first and second transducers strikes a human tissue interface, said acoustic wave impinges and has a therapeutic effect on said human tissue. - View Dependent Claims (47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58)
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59. A modal converter, comprising:
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a top surface; a substantially flat bottom surface parallel to the top surface; a plurality of side surfaces; at least one cavity located with the top surface, wherein the at least one cavity is capable of receiving at least one transducer and wherein said at least one cavity comprises at least one flat surface capable being acoustically coupled to at least one transducer and positioned parallel to the bottom surface such that an acoustic wave emitted from at least one transducer acoustically coupled to the at least one flat surface strikes a human tissue interface and provides therapeutic treatment to the area struck at the interface; and at least one cavity located within at least one side surface, wherein the at least one cavity is capable of receiving at least one transducer and wherein said at least one cavity comprises at least one flat surface capable being acoustically coupled to at least one transducer and positioned at a critical angle relative to the bottom surface such that an acoustic wave emitted from at least one transducer acoustically coupled to the at least one flat surface reflects upon striking an interface and travels parallel to and along the interface. - View Dependent Claims (60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68)
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69. An apparatus for systemically administering therapeutic ultrasound to a patient, comprising:
a system controller for controlling the spatial and temporal distribution of acoustic energy from at least one first transducer and at least one second transducer coupled to a modal wedge converter comprising, a top surface, a plurality of side surfaces, a bottom surface parallel to the top surface, and the at least one first and at least one second transducers, wherein the plurality of side surfaces are positioned at angles relative to the bottom surface and wherein the at least one first transducer is acoustically coupled with the top surface and the at least one second transducer is coupled with at least one of the plurality of sides of the nodal converter and positioned such that an acoustic wave emitted from one of the first and second transducers strikes an interface, whereby said acoustic wave impinges and has a therapeutic effect on organic tissue. - View Dependent Claims (70)
Specification