Apparatus and method for treating body tissues with electricity or medicaments

• US 8,108,041 B2
• Filed: 02/09/2006
• Issued: 01/31/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: MicroTech Medical Technologies Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Zuli Holdings, Ltd.
• Inventors: Richter, Jacob
• Primary Examiner(s): Layno, Carl H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Heller, Tammie K
• Application Number:
  US11/313,712
• Publication Number:
  US 20060116611A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,182 Days
• Field of Search: 607/62, 607/115, 607/116, 600/439
• US Class Current: 607/2
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 39/002 Using electric currents electrotherapy A61N1/32
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 9/0009 involving or responsive to electricity, magnetism or acoustic waves; Galenical aspects of sonophoresis, iontophoresis, electroporation or electroosmosis microelectromechanical systems A61K9/0097
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/32 alternating or intermittent currents applying electric fields by inductive or capacitive coupling A61N1/40; microwave apparatus A61N5/02

Abstract

A therapeutic device and therapeutic method for delivering electrical energy or a medicament to a body tissue or organ utilizing ultrasonic vibration to cause a device implanted in the body tissue or organ to be treated to discharge an electrical current or medicament to the target area.

Claims

1. An implantable apparatus for treating body tissue, comprising:

a) an electrical stimulation device which generates a therapeutic electrical current, via piezoelectric effect during transmission of ultrasonic vibrations to the electrical stimulation device and which stops generating the therapeutic electrical current when transmission of ultrasonic vibrations to the electrical stimulation device stops; and

b) a sensor that detects preselected stimuli generated by the body tissue, the sensor adapted to communicate with and selectively energize a signal generator which selectively generates and transmits said ultrasonic vibrations to the electrical stimulation device in response to the preselected stimuli generated by the body tissue.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the sensor is disposed on said device.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 including at least one electrode.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the signal generator is disposed on said device.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 including at least one electrode.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the sensor and the signal generator are disposed on said device.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 including at least one electrode.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 including at least one electrode.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the electrical stimulation device is a ceramic motor.

10. An implantable apparatus for treating body tissue, comprising:

a) a miniature oscillating motor capable of generating a therapeutic electrical current, via piezoelectric effect, in response to ultrasonic vibrations; and

b) a signal generator selectively generating and transmitting ultrasonic vibrations to the miniature oscillating motor; and

c) a sensor that detects preselected stimuli generated by the body tissue, the sensor adapted to communicate with and selectively energize the signal generator which selectively generates and transmits ultrasonic vibrations to the miniature oscillating motor in response to the preselected stimuli generated by the body tissue.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the sensor is disposed on said miniature oscillating motor.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 including at least one electrode.

13. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the signal generator is disposed on said miniature oscillating motor.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 including at least one electrode.

15. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the sensor and the signal generator are disposed on said miniature oscillating motor.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 including at least one electrode.

17. The apparatus of claim 10 including at least one electrode.

18. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the miniature oscillating motor is a ceramic motor.