U.S. patent number 4,216,766 [Application Number 06/073,399] was granted by the patent office on 1980-08-12 for treatment of body tissue by means of internal cavity resonance.
This patent grant is currently assigned to The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy. Invention is credited to Ludwig R. Duykers, Joseph L. Percy.
United States Patent |
4,216,766 |
Duykers , et al. |
August 12, 1980 |
Treatment of body tissue by means of internal cavity resonance
Abstract
A method and apparatus for treatment of tissue located in a
specified reg of a mammal, the region being proximate to a gas
filled cavity which is contained in a fluid medium within the
mammal. The resonance frequency of the cavity is determined, and an
acoustic signal having a frequency which is equal to the resonance
frequency is directed upon the cavity to resonate the cavity, at a
selected level of intensity, until a first phase of treatment has
been concluded. Thereupon, a selected second phase in the treatment
of the tissue is performed.
Inventors: |
Duykers; Ludwig R. (San Diego,
CA), Percy; Joseph L. (San Diego, CA) |
Assignee: |
The United States of America as
represented by the Secretary of the Navy (Washington,
DC)
|
Family
ID: |
22113477 |
Appl.
No.: |
06/073,399 |
Filed: |
September 7, 1979 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
600/586; 601/47;
601/DIG.14; 601/3 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61B
17/22012 (20130101); A61H 23/0245 (20130101); A61B
17/22004 (20130101); A61H 2203/02 (20130101); Y10S
601/14 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A61B
17/22 (20060101); A61H 23/02 (20060101); A61B
005/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;128/24A,65,66,32,303.1,2S |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Trapp; Lawrence W.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Sciascia; Richard S. Johnston;
Ervin F. Skarsten; James O.
Government Interests
STATEMENT OF GOVERNMENT INTEREST
The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or
for the Government of the United States of America for governmental
purposes without the payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A method for treatment of tissue located in a specified region
of a mammal, said region being proximate to a gas filled cavity
which is contained in a fluid medium within the mammal, said method
comprising the steps of:
determining the resonance frequency of said cavity;
generating an acoustic signal having a frequency which is equal to
said resonance frequency;
directing said acoustic signal upon said cavity to resonate said
cavity at a selected level of intensity until a first phase of said
treatment has been concluded; and
performing a second phase of said treatment after the conclusion of
said first phase.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein:
said generating step includes the step of generating a signal
having an amplitude which is below a critical threshold to prevent
said acoustic signal from damaging tissue in said region during
said directing step;
said directing step includes the step of providing an acoustic
channel for conducting said acoustic signal from an acoustic
transducer to said cavity; and
said directing step further includes the step of preventing said
acoustic signal from impinging upon tissue of said mammal which is
not included in said specified region for the duration of said
directing step.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein:
said determining step comprises the step of determining the
resonance frequency of an air filled body cavity of a mammal, said
tissue to be treated being contained within said body cavity,
unwanted material adhering to said tissue to be treated;
said directing step comprises the step of focusing said acoustic
signal upon said body cavity until said unwanted material has been
loosened from said tissue; and
said second phase of said treatment comprises the step of passing a
selected fluid through said body cavity to remove said unwanted
material from said body cavity.
4. The method of claim 3 wherein:
said generating step comprises the step of generating an acoustic
signal which is in the subsonic frequency range;
said directing step comprises the step of focusing said acoustic
signal upon a human lung until foreign matter adhering to the
tissue of said lung has been loosened; and
said second phase of said treatment comprises the step of flushing
said lung with saline solution to expel said loosened foreign
material from said lung.
5. The method of claim 3 wherein:
said generating step comprises the step of generating an acoustic
signal which is in a frequency range on the order of 20 KHz-30
KHz;
said directing step comprises the step of precisely focusing said
acoustic signal upon a small number of closely grouped alveoli
within a human lung until foreign matter adhering to tissue of said
alveoli has been loosened; and
said second phase of said treatment comprises the step of flushing
said lung with saline solution to wash said loosened foreign
material away from said alveoli.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein:
said determining step comprises the step of determining the
resonance frequency of a body cavity of a subject mammal which
contains tissue which is to be treated, said tissue being
susceptible to damage when a specified health problem occurs in
said subject mammal;
said directing step comprises the step of focusing said acoustic
signal upon said body cavity until a first set of acoustic data,
provided by said body cavity as said body cavity is resonating, has
been monitored and recorded; and
said second phase of said treatment comprises the step of comparing
said first set of acoustic data with a second set of acoustic data
to diagnose said subject mammal for said specified health problem,
said second set of acoustic data being provided by resonating the
same type of body cavity in a control mammal of the same type as
said subject mammal, said control mammal being known to be free of
said specified health problem.
7. The method of claim 1 wherein:
said generating step comprises the step of generating an acoustic
signal which is in the subsonic frequency range; and
said directing step comprises the step of focusing said acoustic
signal on the lung cavity of a subject mammal to resonate said lung
cavity until a first set of data has been monitored and recorded
which represents the physical condition of the lung tissue of said
subject mammal.
8. The method of claim 1 wherein:
said determining step comprises the step of determining the
resonance frequency of a selected macrocellular body cavity of an
experimental animal; and
said directing step comprises the step of focusing said acoustic
signal upon said body cavity to resonate said body cavity at a
selected level of intensity until a pattern of rupture occurs in
tissue of said body cavity which closely resembles the rupture
pattern of said tissue which occurs when said experimental animal
has a specified health problem.
9. The method of claim 8 wherein:
said directing step comprises the step of focusing said acoustic
signal upon the lung cavity of said experimental animal to resonate
said lung until rupture occurs in lung tissue of said experimental
animal which closely resembles a symptom of emphysema.
10. The method of claim 1 wherein:
said determining step comprises the step of determining the
resonance frequency of a minute gas filled balloon which has been
inserted into an internal passageway of said mammal, adjacent to a
blockage of said passageway; and
said directing step comprises the step of precisely focusing said
acoustic signal upon said balloon until vibrations generated by
said resonating balloon have dispersed said blockage.
11. The method of claim 1 wherein:
said determining step comprises the step of determining the
resonance of a minute gas filled balloon joined to a catheter, said
balloon and said catheter being inserted into a blood vessel of
said mammal so that said balloon is adjacent to a blood clot in
said blood vessel; and
said directing step comprises the step of precisely focusing said
acoustic signal upon said balloon until vibrations generated by
said resonating balloon have dispersed said blood clot.
12. Apparatus for expelling foreign matter from a specified body
cavity of a mammal, said foreign matter initially adhering to
tissue contained within said cavity, said cavity having
characteristics of a resonator, said apparatus comprising:
means for generating an acoustic signal, the frequency of said
acoustic signal being equal to the frequency at which said cavity
resonates;
means for providing an acoustic channel between said signal
generating means and said cavity;
focusing means for directing said acoustic signal through said
acoustic channel to said cavity to resonate said cavity until said
foreign matter has been loosened from said tissue; and
means for expelling said loosened foreign matter from said body
cavity.
13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein:
said generating means comprises means for generating an acoustic
signal in the subsonic frequency range;
said focusing means comprises means for directing said acoustic
signal upon a human lung cavity to resonate said cavity until
foreign matter contained within said cavity has been loosened from
tissue of said human; and
said expelling means comprises means for passing a selected fluid
through said lung cavity to remove said loosened foreign
material.
14. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein:
said generating means comprises means for generating an acoustic
signal having a frequency in a range which is on the order of 20
KHz-30 KHz;
said focusing means comprises means for directing said acoustic
signal upon a small region of a human lung to resonate alveoli
which is contained in said region until foreign matter contained
within said alveoli has been loosened from tissue of said alveoli;
and
said expelling means comprises means for passing a selected fluid
through said alveoli to remove said loosened foreign material.
15. Diagnostic apparatus comprising:
means for generating an acoustic signal, the frequency of said
acoustic signal being equal to the frequency at which resonance
occurs in a selected gas filled body cavity of a subject
mammal;
means for providing an acoustic channel between said signal
generating means and said cavity;
focusing means for directing said acoustic signal through said
channel to said cavity to resonate said cavity for a selected time
period and at a selected level of intensity;
means for monitoring signals generated by the resonation of said
cavity during said time period to provide a first set of acoustic
data; and
means for comparing said first set of acoustic data with a second
set of acoustic data to determine the physical condition of said
selected body cavity, said second set of acoustic data being
obtained by resonating a body cavity of the same type as said
selected body cavity, of a control mammal of the same type as said
subject mammal which is known to be in sound physical condition.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention disclosed and claimed herein pertains generally to a
method and apparatus for treating tissue contained within the body
of a mammal by vibrating a gas filled cavity, which is proximate to
such tissue, at its mechanical resonance frequency. More
particularly, the invention pertains to such method and apparatus
wherein the cavity is contained in a fluid medium within the
mammal, and wherein cavity resonance comprises a first phase of
treatment which is to be followed by one or more successive
treatment phases.
At present, various techniques are available for the treatment of
human or other mammalian body tissue by means of sonic or acoustic
waves. Such techniques may be categorized according to the
frequency range at which treatment occurs, the frequency range of a
technique determining its operating principle. For example,
mechanical vibrators, such as massagers and the like, are operated
in a range on the order of 60 Hz-120 Hz to couple mechanical
vibrations to organic structures by direct contact. Directly
coupled vibrations of such frequencies tend to stimulate
circulation and relax tense muscles and high strung nerves.
Another class of devices for treating mammalian tissue are those
which operate by converting sonic waves into heat at the locations
of the treated tissue. Such devices operate in the ultra high sonic
frequency range, which is on the order of 800,000 Hz-3,000,000 Hz.
The use of such ultra high frequencies in medical therapy for
humans is limited by the need to avoid overheating of tissue, to
prevent damage thereto.
In a third type of treatment, sonic waves are generated in the low
ultrasonic frequency range, which is on the order of 500 Hz-600,000
Hz, to perform micromassage of discrete cells which comprise tissue
structure. Such treatment techniques are exemplified by the
disclosures of two patents issued to L. Balamuth on Mar. 10, 1970,
U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,499,436 and 3,499,437, respectively.
It is to be noted that none of the above techniques employs the
vibrations of a gas filled macrocellular cavity, contained within a
mammal proximate to tissue to be treated, to accomplish a first
phase in therapeutic or other treatment. Yet it is anticipated that
by selectively and controllably resonating such a cavity, a number
of diverse and very useful tasks may be accomplished which are
related to the diagnosis or therapy of various types of health
problems. For example, by resonating the lung cavity of a human
patient, foreign material such as tar, asbestos or silicone
adhering to lung tissue of the patient could be loosened therefrom.
The loosened material could then be removed by coughing, or by
flushing the lungs with a saline solution, according to a
conventionally known procedure. As far as is known, the only other
available technique for removing such foreign material is by
surgical methods, with their inherent dangers and discomforts.
Lung cavity resonance may also be employed to determine the
condition of a patient's lungs or to detect certain health
problems. In addition, it has been found that by resonating the
lung cavity of an experimental animal at a sufficiently high
intensity, lung tissue of the animal may be deliberately damaged in
a pattern which very closely resembles the damage which is caused
thereto when the animal is afflicted with emphysema. By producing
such damage, proposed cures for emphysema may be tested on the
animal without the need to actually induce emphysema in it.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention disclosed and claimed herein comprises a method for
treatment of tissue located in a specified region of a mammal, the
region being proximate to a gas filled cavity which is contained in
a fluid medium within the animal, so that the cavity has
characteristics of a Helmholtz resonator. The method generally
comprises the steps of determining the resonance frequency of the
cavity, and directing an acoustic signal upon the cavity to
resonate it at a selected level of intensity until a first phase of
the treatment has been concluded. Thereafter, a second phase of
treatment, which is related to the results of the first phase, is
carried out.
In a very useful embodiment of the invention, the determining step
comprises the step of determining the resonance frequency of an air
filled body cavity of a mammal, the tissue to be treated being
contained within the body cavity, and unwanted material adhering to
the tissue. The directing step comprises the step of focusing the
acoustic signal upon the body cavity until the unwanted material
has been loosened from the tissue. The second phase of the
treatment comprises the step of passing a selected fluid through
the body cavity to wash loosened unwanted material thereoutof.
In another embodiment of the invention, the determining step
comprises the step of determining the resonance frequency of a body
cavity of a subject mammal, wherein tissue contained within the
cavity is susceptible to damage or weakening when a specified
health problem occurs in the mammal. The directing step comprises
the step of focusing the acoustic signal upon the body cavity until
a first set of acoustic data, provided by the body cavity as it is
resonating, has been monitored and recorded. The second phase of
the treatment comprises the step of comparing the first set of
acoustic data with a second set of acoustic data to diagnose the
subject mammal for the specified health problem. The second set of
acoustic data is provided by resonating the same type of body
cavity in a control mammal of the same type as the subject mammal,
the control mammal being known to be free of the specified health
problem.
In yet another embodiment of the invention, the determining step
comprises the step of determining the resonance frequency of a
selected macrocellular body cavity of an experimental animal. The
directing step comprises the step of focusing the acoustic signal
upon the body cavity until a pattern of rupture occurs in tissue of
the body cavity which closely resembles damage which would be done
to the tissue by a specified health problem, such as emphysema.
Alternatively, the invention comprises apparatus for treating
tissue in a specified region of a mammal which is adjacent to a
cavity contained within the mammal, the cavity having
characteristics of a Helmholtz resonator. The apparatus includes
means for generating an acoustic signal having a frequency which is
equal to the resonance frequency of the cavity, and also includes
means for providing an acoustic channel between the signal
generating means and the cavity. Such apparatus further comprises
means for directing the acoustic signal through the channel to the
cavity to resonate the cavity, at a selected level of intensity,
until a first phase of treatment of the tissue has been
completed.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
An important object of the present invention is to provide method
and apparatus for selectively and controllably resonating an
internal cavity of a mammalian subject in order to improve health
care and diagnostic techniques for the subject.
Another object is to provide method and apparatus for expelling
foreign matter from an internal body cavity of the subject by
selectively and controllably resonating the cavity.
Another object is to provide method and apparatus for clearing a
blockage of an internal passageway of the subject by resonating a
gas filled cavity adjacent to the blockage.
Another object is to provide improved method and apparatus for
resonating an internal body cavity of a mammalian subject to test
proposed therapeutic techniques for particular health problems.
These and other objects of the invention will become more readily
apparent from the ensuing specification when taken together with
the drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the invention for resonating the lung
cavity of a human subject.
FIG. 2 is a schematic view showing lung tissue of the subject of
FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 shows a modification of the embodiment of FIG. 1.
FIG. 4 shows a first embodiment of the invention for resonating a
cluster of alveoli of a human lung.
FIG. 5 is a schematic view showing alveoli resonated by the
embodiment of FIG. 4.
FIG. 6 shows a second embodiment of the invention for resonating a
cluster of alveoli of a human lung.
FIG. 7 shows an embodiment of the invention for clearing a blockage
from an internal passage of a mammalian subject.
FIG. 8 shows an embodiment of the invention for selectively
treating lung tissue of an animal subject.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a human subject 10 partially
submerged in an acoustically conductive medium 12, such as water,
contained in a vessel 14. Vessel 14 also contains a transducer 16,
which is capable of projecting an acoustic signal 18 into medium
12, the signal having a frequency in the subsonic range, on the
order of 1 Hz-100 Hz. The frequency and amplitude of signal 18 is
determined by a control device 20 coupled to transducer 16.
Subject 10 is positioned in medium 12 so that his lung cavity 22 is
below the surface thereof. Medium 12 provides an acoustic channel
between transducer 16 and the submerged portion of subject 10, so
that lung cavity 22 is vibrated by signal 18. Since lung cavity 22
of subject 10 is filled with air, has pliant walls, and resides in
a fluid filled medium within the body of subject 10, it has the
characteristics of a resonator. Consequently, by determining the
resonance frequency of lung cavity 22 of subject 10, which is
generally on the order of 1 Hz-100 Hz, and then by generating an
acoustic signal 18 of such frequency, the tissue of lung cavity 22
may be made to vibrate very vigorously. Foreign matter such as tar,
asbestos or silicon which clings to the lung tissue within cavity
22 may thereby be loosened therefrom. At the same time, the
amplitude of signal 18 may be kept below a critical threshold to
prevent damage to the lung tissue, or to other body parts of
subject 10. In previous tests, the lung cavities of human subjects
have been resonated by means of a signal 18 having a sound level of
135 db/.mu.Pa at frequencies of less than 100 Hz.
Referring to FIG. 2, there is shown lung tissue 24 of subject 10
which is contained in lung cavity 22, the above type of foreign
matter 26 clinging or adhering thereto. FIG. 2 further shows
foreign matter 28 which has been shaken loose from lung tissue 24
as lung cavity 22 is vibrated at its resonance frequency by signal
18 for a selected time period, such as 90 seconds. Loosened matter
28 may be expelled from the lungs of subject 10 by coughing, by a
conventional vacuuming process, or by flushing the lungs with a
saline solution. A conventional technique for such flushing or
washing is known as the lavage technique.
Referring to FIG. 3, there is shown a transducer device 30, known
in the art as a cylindrical stacked transducer, surrounding the
upper body of subject 10. Stacked transducer 30 is operated by
control 20 to generate an acoustic signal 18, which is coupled to
lung cavity 22 through an acoustic gel 32 to resonate the lung
cavity for a selected period. Acoustic gel 32 comprises an
acoustically conductive paste-like material which is positioned
between stack transducer 28 and the upper body of subject 10.
Referring to FIG. 4, there is shown an acoustic transducer 34 which
is capable of generating acoustic signals having frequencies in a
range on the order of 20 KHz-30 KHz. Transducer 34 is sufficiently
small so that if it is strapped to the upper body of subject 10, a
signal generated thereby is received by only the lung tissue of
subject 10 which is contained within a small region 36 of lung
cavity 22.
Referring to FIG. 5, there is shown a cluster of alveoli 38
contained in region 36. Since the diameter of an alveolus is on the
order of 250 microns, and since each alveolus 38 comprises an air
filled cavity contained in a liquid medium, a signal generated by
transducer 34 causes each of the alveoli in region 36 to resonate.
Foreign matter 26, adhering to the inner walls of the alveoli, may
thereby be shaken loose and expelled.
Referring to FIG. 6, there is shown an alternative system for
vibrating the individual alveoli 38 which are contained in a region
36 of lung cavity 22. In FIG. 6, subject 10 is once again partially
submerged in medium 12, and a transducer 40, capable of generating
a signal 42 having a frequency in the range 20 KHz-30 KHz, is also
positioned in medium 12. Transducer 40 is a transucer with such
precise directivity that signal 42 thereof may be focused on region
36 of lung cavity 22 so that only lung tissue included therein
receives signal 42, other lung tissue of subject 10 remaining
unaffected thereby. The amplitude and frequency of signal 42 are
controlled by control device 20, coupled to transducer 40.
Referring to FIG. 7, there is shown a passage in the body of
subject 10, such as a blood vessel 44, which contains a blockage,
such as a blood clot 46. To eliminate the blockage, a catheter 48
is inserted into blood vessel 44 so that a minute gas filled
balloon 50, joined to the end of catheter 48, is positioned in
adjacent relationship with blockage 46. Thereupon, transducer 40
generates a signal 52 which is equal to the resonance frequency of
the balloon, signal 52 being focused so that it is received by
balloon 50. Balloon 50 is thereby caused to vibrate vigorously to
disperse blockage 46.
Referring to FIG. 8, there is shown an animal, such as a swine 54,
partially submerged in medium 12. Transducer 56 is also contained
in medium 12 for projecting a signal 58 therethrough to resonate
lung cavity 60 of swine 54, the resonance frequency of cavity 60
being on the order of 70 Hz. A hydrophone 62 is positioned in
relation to swine 54 so that it receives signal 64, signal 64 being
an acoustic signal which is generated by resonation of body cavity
60. Hydrophone 62 is further positioned so that swine 54 is between
transducer 56 and hydrophone 62 to prevent reflections of projected
signal 58 from being detected by hydrophone 62. A standard device
66 is coupled to hydrophone 62 to provide a readout and/or
recording of signal 64. Device 66 further comprises a device which
is capable of comparing signal 64 with previously recorded acoustic
resonations of the lungs of swine which are known to be in sound
condition. By making such comparison, the health of animal 54, and
in particular, the strength of the lungs thereof, may be readily
determined.
Referring further to FIG. 8, it has been found that by operating
transducer 56 to generate an acoustic signal of around 65 KHz, the
resonance frequency of alveoli of the lungs of swine 54, and by
providing such signal with an overall source level which is in
excess of 232 db/.mu.Pa, damage occurs to lung tissue of swine 54
which closely resembles the damage done thereto when the animal has
emphysema. Consequently, the system of FIG. 8 may be employed to
deliberately produce symptoms of emphysema in lung tissue of swine
54. Swine 54 may then be subjected to a proposed treatment for
emphysema, without the need to actually induce emphysema in it.
Obviously, many modifications and variations of the present
invention are possible in the light of the above teachings, and, it
is therefore understood that within the scope of the disclosed
inventive concept, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as
specifically described.
* * * * *