U.S. patent application number 17/016714 was filed with the patent office on 2022-03-10 for combined pulsed electromagnetic field and low intensity shockwave system and method.
The applicant listed for this patent is Moshe Ein-Gal. Invention is credited to Moshe Ein-Gal.
Application Number | 20220072326 17/016714 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | |
Filed Date | 2022-03-10 |
United States Patent
Application |
20220072326 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Ein-Gal; Moshe |
March 10, 2022 |
COMBINED PULSED ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELD AND LOW INTENSITY SHOCKWAVE
SYSTEM AND METHOD
Abstract
A method of treatment includes using an electrical energizing
source coupled to a current conducting coil to cause the current
conducting coil to produce pulsed electromagnetic fields. A
conducting membrane is placed adjacent the current conducting coil
and an insulating coupling interface is placed adjacent the
membrane, such that the membrane is between the current conducting
coil and the insulating coupling interface. One portion of the
pulsed electromagnetic fields is intercepted by the membrane so
that the membrane oscillates to generate acoustic waves to tissue
adjacent the insulating coupling interface and another portion of
the pulsed electromagnetic fields propagates through the insulating
coupling interface to the tissue.
Inventors: |
Ein-Gal; Moshe; (Ramat
Hasharon, IL) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Ein-Gal; Moshe |
Ramat Hasharon |
|
IL |
|
|
Appl. No.: |
17/016714 |
Filed: |
September 10, 2020 |
International
Class: |
A61N 2/00 20060101
A61N002/00; A61N 2/02 20060101 A61N002/02 |
Claims
1. A method of treatment comprising: using an electrical energizing
source coupled to a current conducting coil to cause said current
conducting coil to produce pulsed electromagnetic fields, wherein a
conducting membrane is placed adjacent said current conducting coil
and an insulating coupling interface is placed adjacent said
membrane, such that said membrane is between said current
conducting coil and said insulating coupling interface; wherein one
portion of said pulsed electromagnetic fields is intercepted by
said membrane so that induced current in said membrane causes the
membrane to move rapidly and generate acoustic waves to tissue
adjacent said insulating coupling interface and another portion of
said pulsed electromagnetic fields propagates away from the
membrane to said tissue.
2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said insulating
coupling interface is made of an acoustically transparent
material.
3. The method according to claim 1, comprising using a controller
coupled to said energizing source and/or to said current conducting
coil to control a shape, a duration, an intensity or other
parameter of said pulsed electromagnetic fields.
4. The method according to claim 1, comprising using geometry and
dimensions of said current conducting coil and said membrane to
determine respective distributions of pulsed electromagnetic and
acoustic fields in said tissue.
5. The method according to claim 1, comprising using separate
current conducting coils to respectively generate pulsed
electromagnetic fields and to generate acoustic waves.
6. The method according to claim 5, comprising using a controller
to control operating parameters of pulses of said coils for
generating said pulsed electromagnetic fields and said acoustic
waves, and to control timing between pulses of said coils.
7. The method according to claim 5, wherein said separate current
conducting coils are arranged in a pattern.
8. The method according to claim 1, comprising using a combination
of said pulsed electromagnetic fields and said acoustic waves to
treat organs or tissue in a pelvis, legs, a back or a shoulder.
9. The method according to claim 1, comprising using a combination
of said pulsed electromagnetic fields and said acoustic waves to
treat erectile dysfunction (ED) or pain in different body
regions.
10. Apparatus for treatment comprising: an electrical energizing
source coupled to a current conducting coil to cause said current
conducting coil to produce pulsed electromagnetic fields, wherein a
membrane is placed adjacent said current conducting coil and an
insulating coupling interface is placed adjacent said membrane,
such that said membrane is between said current conducting coil and
said insulating coupling interface; wherein one portion of said
pulsed electromagnetic fields generated by said current conducting
coil is intercepted by said membrane so that induced current in
said membrane causes the membrane to rapidly move and generate
acoustic waves to tissue adjacent said insulating coupling
interface and another portion of said pulsed electromagnetic fields
propagates away from the membrane to said tissue.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention generally relates to a method and
device for combining pulsed electromagnetic field therapy with low
intensity shockwave treatment, such as for treating the area of the
pelvis, peritoneum or penis, e.g., for treatment of erectile
dysfunction or other tissues and parts of the body.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Pulsed electromagnetic fields may be used for nerve or brain
stimulation, treating ailments like joint and muscle pain, and
assisting with the healing of broken bones and fractures.
[0003] A number of pulsed electromagnetic field therapy devices are
available which produce pulsed electromagnetic fields to provide a
physiological effect. They typically include a resonant circuit
formed from a capacitor connected to a coil looped inductor through
a switch (such as a semiconductor or spark gap switch). With the
switch open, the capacitor can be pre-charged before closing the
switch to discharge the capacitor into the inductor to initiate
oscillation of the resonant circuit. The resonant circuit then
oscillates until the energy stored in the resonant circuit is
dissipated by the circuitry and the load. As the resonant circuit
oscillates, it generates a sequence of electromagnetic oscillations
in the coil looped inductor which is placed adjacent to, or around,
a part of the body where the physiological effect of the pulsed
electromagnetic field is desired.
[0004] Low intensity shockwaves (LISW) applied to soft tissue are
known to increase blood flow in the tissue. LISW has been used to
treat erectile dysfunction (ED), by increasing blood flow to the
corpus cavernosum. Low intensity shockwaves are pulsed acoustic
waves whose wave front is not necessarily steep as is
characteristic of high intensity shockwaves.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] The present invention seeks to provide a novel combination
of pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) therapy with low intensity
shockwave treatment (particularly electromagnetic low intensity
shockwaves (ELIS)), such as for treating the area of the pelvis,
peritoneum or penis, e.g., for treatment of erectile dysfunction
(ED) or Peyronie's disease (also known as induratio penis
plastica), or other tissues and parts of the body, as is described
more in detail hereinbelow. In the case of ED, the invention can
significantly improve penile hemodynamics required for
erection.
[0006] In the invention, both PEMF and ELIS (or simply LIS) use
current conducting coils to produce pulsed electromagnetic fields.
The pulsed electromagnetic field is applied directly to the target
organ or tissue while the LIS field induces current in an adjacent
conductive membrane, causing the membrane to jerk and produce
acoustic waves.
[0007] In one embodiment, a combined PEMF/LIS transducer includes a
current conducting coil for producing a pulsed electromagnetic
field, a thin conductive membrane, and a membrane-attached
insulating coupling interface, generally transparent to acoustic
waves. Current pulses delivered to the conducting coil produce an
electromagnetic field. One portion of the electromagnetic field is
intercepted by the membrane, giving rise to acoustic waves (low
intensity shockwaves) propagated via the membrane-attached
insulating coupling interface in the direction of the tissue
(throughout, "tissue" encompasses either any tissue or any organ or
both). Another portion of the electromagnetic field directly
propagates in the direction of the tissue as a pulsed
electromagnetic field. The geometry and dimensions of the coil and
membrane determine the respective distributions of pulsed
electromagnetic and acoustic fields in the tissue.
[0008] In another embodiment, there are separate coils for PEMF and
LIS, and a timing controller controls and triggers the respective
current pulses. Accordingly, the coil and membrane geometry may be
selected or adjusted and the respective trigger timing may be
controlled for respectively producing electromagnetic and acoustic
fields at desired time intervals, e.g., for coinciding in time and
space at desired tissue depth, due to different propagation speed
of electromagnetic and acoustic waves.
[0009] There is provided in accordance with a non-limiting
embodiment of the invention a method of treatment including using
an electrical energizing source coupled to a current conducting
coil to cause the current conducting coil to produce pulsed
electromagnetic fields, wherein a membrane is placed adjacent the
current conducting coil and an insulating coupling interface is
placed adjacent the membrane, such that the membrane is between the
current conducting coil and the insulating coupling interface,
wherein one portion of the pulsed electromagnetic fields is
intercepted by the membrane so that the membrane oscillates to
generate acoustic waves to tissue adjacent the insulating coupling
interface and another portion of the pulsed electromagnetic fields
propagates to the tissue.
[0010] The insulating coupling interface may be made of an
acoustically transparent material.
[0011] A controller may be coupled to the energizing source and/or
to the current conducting coil to control a shape, a duration, an
intensity or other parameter of the pulsed electromagnetic
fields.
[0012] The method may include using geometry and dimensions of the
current conducting coil and the membrane to determine respective
distributions of pulsed electromagnetic and acoustic fields in the
tissue.
[0013] The method may include using separate current conducting
coils to generate pulsed electromagnetic fields and to generate
acoustic waves.
[0014] The method may include using a controller to control
operating parameters of pulses of the coils for generating the
pulsed electromagnetic fields and the acoustic waves, and to
control timing between pulses of the coils (e.g., at desired time
intervals). The separate current conducting coils may be arranged
in a pattern.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0015] The present invention will be understood and appreciated
more fully from the following detailed description, taken in
conjunction with the drawings in which:
[0016] FIG. 1 is a simplified illustration of a combined pulsed
electromagnetic field (PEMF) and low intensity shockwave (LIS)
system, operative in accordance with a non-limiting embodiment of
the present invention;
[0017] FIG. 2 is a simplified illustration of a combined PEMF and
LIS system with time control, operative in accordance with another
non-limiting embodiment of the present invention; and
[0018] FIG. 3 is a simplified illustration of a combined PEMF and
LIS system with time and spatial control, operative in accordance
with another non-limiting embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0019] Reference is now made to FIG. 1, which illustrates a
combined pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) and low intensity
shockwave (LIS) system, operative in accordance with an embodiment
of the present invention.
[0020] The system may include a current conducting coil 10 to
produce pulsed electromagnetic fields. A thin (e.g., conductive)
membrane 12 is placed adjacent (e.g., underneath) the current
conducting coil 10. A membrane-attached insulating coupling
interface 14 is placed adjacent (e.g., underneath) membrane 12,
such that membrane 12 is between current conducting coil 10 and
coupling interface 14.
[0021] The membrane-attached coupling interface 14 is made of an
acoustically transparent material, such as a matrix or substrate of
an acoustically transmissive material. In some embodiments, an
acoustically transmissive material transmits at least about 70%, at
least about 80%, at least about 90%, or at least about 95% of the
acoustic wave energy from one surface to the another surface. In
some embodiments, an acoustically transmissive material loses less
than about 1 dB, less than about 2 dB, less than about 3 dB, less
than about 4 dB, less than about 7 dB, or less than about 10 dB of
sound energy from one side to the other side. A suitable
acoustically transparent material is the material commercially
available as a LITTMAN CARDIOLOGY III diaphragm (from 3M,
Minneapolis, Minn., USA), which is used for stethoscopes. Some
woven cotton or linen fabrics are also acoustically
transparent.
[0022] An electrical energizing source 16 is coupled to current
conducting coil 10 to produce the pulsed electromagnetic fields. A
controller 18 may be coupled to electrical energy source 16 and/or
coil 10 to control the shape, duration and other parameters of the
pulsed electromagnetic fields.
[0023] Current pulses delivered to conducting coil 10 produce an
electromagnetic field. One portion of the electromagnetic field is
intercepted by membrane 12 so that induced current in membrane 12
causes membrane 12 to move rapidly, which generates acoustic waves
(low intensity shockwaves) delivered via coupling interface 14 to a
tissue 20 (throughout, "tissue" encompasses either any tissue or
any organ or both). Another portion of the electromagnetic field
propagates away from membrane 12 directly or through the coupling
interface 14 to the tissue 20 as a pulsed electromagnetic field.
The geometry and dimensions of the coil and membrane determine the
respective distributions of pulsed electromagnetic and acoustic
fields in the tissue.
[0024] Low intensity shockwaves and pulsed electromagnetic waves
may use different interfaces. LIS requires insulating, acoustically
transparent, membrane attached, coupling interface; EM waves
require insulating, EM-transparent, off-membrane interface of
material like silicone, plastic or air. Using the same interface
material for both LIS and EM waves is possible but not
necessary.
[0025] Reference is now made to FIG. 2. In this embodiment, there
are separate coils 10P and 10L for PEMF and LIS. The controller 18
is a timing controller that controls and triggers the respective
current pulses.
[0026] Reference is now made to FIG. 3, which is similar to FIG. 2
in that there are separate PEMF and LIS coils, except that in FIG.
3 these different coils are arranged in a pattern, such as
alternating segments in a matrix. Accordingly, in the embodiments
of FIGS. 2 and 3, the coil and membrane geometry may be selected or
adjusted and the respective trigger timing may be controlled for
producing electromagnetic and acoustic fields at desired time
intervals, e.g., for coinciding in time and space.
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