Device for applying a pulsating pressure to a local region of the body and the applications thereof

• US 8,361,001 B2
• Filed: 08/17/2011
• Issued: 01/29/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Otivio AS
• Original Assignee: Otivio AS
• Inventors: Filtvedt, Marius, Rein, Erling Bekkestad
• Primary Examiner(s): Brown, Michael A.
• Application Number:
  US13/211,957
• Publication Number:
  US 20110301510A1
• Time in Patent Office: 531 Days
• Field of Search: 601/6, 601/9, 601/11, 601/159, 601150-152, 607/104, 607/108, 607/114, 602/13
• US Class Current: 601/151
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2007/0029 Arm or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2007/0054 with a closed fluid circuit, e.g. hot water
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 7/00 Heating or cooling appliances for medical or therapeutic treatment of the human body heating or cooling means in connection with bedsteads or mattresses A47C21/00 ; massage, therapeutic baths A61H; hyperthermia using electric or magnetic fields or ultrasound A61N; electric heating elements H05B
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 1/008 Apparatus for applying pressure or blows almost perpendicular to the body or limb axis, e.g. chiropractic devices for repositioning vertebrae, correcting deformation
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/02 heated or cooled
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/0207 heated
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/0214 cooled
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/0242 by a fluid circulating in the apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/0264 using heat exchanger, e.g. between fresh and used fluids
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/105 with means for delivering media, e.g. drugs or cosmetics
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5007 computer controlled
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2203/02 immersed in liquid
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2205/06 Arms
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2205/10 Leg
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 9/005 Pneumatic massage
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 9/0078 with intermittent or alternately inflated bladders or cuffs mattresses for preventing bed-sores with alternated pressurized chambers A61G7/05776

Abstract

The present invention generally relates to a device for applying a pulsating pressure to a local region of the body and applications thereof. The device may be used to increase the blood flow in a local region of the body, and in preferred embodiments provides a device for regulating the core body temperature of a patient.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

(a) enclosing an area of skin of a patient in an enclosure such that the area of skin is sealed from external conditions; and

(b) increasing blood flow through the area of skin by subjecting the area of skin to pressure pulses that include (i) generating a negative pressure within the enclosure for a first predetermined time interval, the first predetermined time interval being between 8 seconds and 12 seconds and (ii) releasing the negative pressure within the enclosure for a second predetermined time interval, the second predetermined time interval being (A) between 5 seconds and 9 seconds and (B) different than the first predetermined time interval.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first predetermined time interval is at least 5% longer than the second predetermined time interval.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first predetermined time interval is at least 10% longer than the second predetermined time interval.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first predetermined time interval is at least 25% longer than the second predetermined time interval.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first predetermined time interval is approximately 10 seconds.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the second predetermined time interval is approximately 7 seconds.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the first predetermined time interval is approximately 10 seconds.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the area of skin comprises a limb.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the negative pressure generated within the enclosure during the first predetermined time interval is between −

20 mm Hg (−

2.7 kPa) and −

80 mm Hg (−

10.7 kPa).

10. The method of claim 9, wherein releasing the negative pressure within the enclosure during the second predetermined time interval comprises increasing the pressure in the enclosure to between 0 mm Hg (0 kPa) and −

10 mm Hg (−

1.3 kPa).

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the pressure pulses further include applying a positive pressure within the enclosure between releasing the negative pressure within the enclosure and generating the negative pressure within the enclosure.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the area of skin has an ulcer on it, and increasing blood flow through the area of skin serves to treat the ulcer.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the patient is suffering from an ischemic disease, and increasing blood flow through the area of skin provides therapeutic treatment to the patient.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein increasing blood flow through the area of skin includes changing a pharmacological distribution of a drug systematically and locally because of locally changed blood flow.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein increasing blood flow through the area of skin includes promoting healing of tissues.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein increasing blood flow through the area of skin leads to increased flow of substances between vessels and cells through increased diffusion.

17. A device comprising:

(a) an enclosure configured to receive an area of skin of a patient such that the area of skin is sealed within the enclosure from external conditions;

(b) a pressure source configured to generate pressure pulses within the enclosure; and

(c) a computer programmed with instructions for causing the pressure source to subject the area of skin to pressure pulses that include (i) generating a negative pressure within the enclosure for a first predetermined time interval and (ii) releasing the negative pressure within the enclosure for a second predetermined time interval,

wherein subjecting the area of skin to the pressure pulses increases blood flow through the area of skin,

wherein the first predetermined time interval is between 8 seconds and 12 seconds, and

wherein the second predetermined time interval is between 5 seconds and 9 seconds and different than the first predetermined time interval.

18. The device of claim 17, wherein the first predetermined time interval is at least 5% longer than the second predetermined time interval.

19. The device of claim 17, wherein the first predetermined time interval is at least 10% longer than the second predetermined time interval.

20. The device of claim 17, wherein the first predetermined time interval is at least 25% longer than the second predetermined time interval.

21. The device of claim 17, wherein the first predetermined time interval is approximately 10 seconds.

22. The device of claim 17, wherein the second predetermined time interval is approximately 7 seconds.

23. The device of claim 22, wherein the first predetermined time interval is approximately 10 seconds.

24. The device of claim 17, wherein the pressure source comprises at least one of a vacuum pump or a vacuum line.

25. The device of claim 17, wherein the negative pressure generated within the enclosure during the first predetermined time interval is between −

20 mm Hg (−

2.7 kPa) and −

80 mm Hg (−

10.7 kPa).

26. The device of claim 25, wherein the negative pressure generated within the enclosure during the first predetermined time interval is approximately −

40 mm Hg (−

5.3 kPa).

27. The device of claim 17, wherein the pressure pulses further include applying a positive pressure within the enclosure between releasing the negative pressure within the enclosure and generating the negative pressure within the enclosure.