Surgery: light – thermal – and electrical application – Light – thermal – and electrical application – Electrical therapeutic systems
Reexamination Certificate
1999-04-28
2001-05-22
Evanisko, George R. (Department: 3762)
Surgery: light, thermal, and electrical application
Light, thermal, and electrical application
Electrical therapeutic systems
C607S048000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06236890
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for the electrical stimulation of muscle which rely upon a particular pattern of electrical stimulation.
It is well known that muscle contraction is caused by neural stimulation. Contraction occurs when an action potential is conducted down a nerve to a neuromuscular junction, the signal is then communicated to muscle cells and leads to the stimulation of the release of calcium ions into the cytoplasm of muscle cells which thereby modifies interactions between contractile proteins resulting in muscular contraction.
It has been long established that the application of an electrical field to muscles results in an artificially induced contraction of said muscles. Furthermore, as well as directly causing muscular contraction, electrical stimulation at specific frequencies can also modify the phenotype of a muscle. For instance, prolonged stimulation of a fast-twitch muscle with a uniform frequency of 10 Hz results in the fast-twitch muscle developing slow-twitch characteristics, namely increased endurance, but with less power than would be normal for fast-twitch muscle. Conversely, prolonged stimulation of a slow-twitch muscle with an intermittent frequency of 30-50 Hz results in the slow-twitch muscle developing fast-twitch characteristics, namely increased power, but with less endurance than would be normal for slow-twitch muscle.
It has been suggested that electrical stimulation of muscles may be a useful means of improving strength and/or endurance of incapacitated muscle (due to injury, under-use or some pathological condition). For a number of years muscles have been stimulated by Faradic stimulation delivering uniform frequencies (of around 30-50 Hz) with the aim of beneficially affecting the muscle. However, these treatments have at best been ineffective and at the worst harmful to the muscle in the long term.
UK Patent GB 2 156 682 examined the electrical discharge of nerves innervating muscle with an aim of developing a means of beneficially stimulating muscle. It discloses a method of recording electrical discharges from nerves innervating muscles. A signal generated on the basis of the recording is then used to “electrotrophically” stimulate muscle. Electrotrophic stimulation is defined as “the electrical stimulation of muscle fibre using a stimulating signal containing information effective to cause structural and/or functional change of muscle fibre without requiring the muscle fibre to respond mechanically to the stimulation”. However the stimulating signal of GB 2 156 682 is complex and difficult to generate.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved apparatus and method for electrically stimulating a muscle to improve strength and endurance of the muscle.
According to the present invention there is provided an electrical muscle stimulator including means for generating a stimulating signal comprising a first component in the form of a train of pulses at a first pulse repetition frequency, a second component in the form of a series of pulse trains at a second pulse repetition frequency higher than the first, and a third component in the form of a pair of pulses at a third pulse repetition frequency higher than the second pulse repetition frequency, each pail of pulses being coupled with a respective train of pulses of the second component.
The invention also provides a method for electrically stimulating a muscle in which a stimulating signal is applied to the muscle, the stimulating signal including a first component in the form of a train of pulses at a first pulse repetition frequency, a second component in the form of a series of pulse trains at a second pulse repetition frequency higher than the first, and a third component in the form of a pair of pulses at a third pulse repetition frequency higher than the second pulse repetition frequency, each pair of pulses being coupled with a respective train of pulses of the second component.
It is preferred that the first pulse repetition frequency is between 1 and 15 Hz, for example between 1 and 6 Hz or between 5 and 15 Hz. It is also preferred that the second pulse repetition frequency is between 30 and 60 Hz, for example between 40 and 60 Hz and the third pulse repetition frequency is between 120 and 300 Hz, for example between 120 and 200 Hz.
The inventor believes that stimulation of muscle with the electrical signal of the invention is of great benefit in the rehabilitation oft regeneration of or prevention of atrophy of skeletal muscle. Inspiration for the invention has arisen from the examination of electrical discharge from nerves innervating muscle. It has been established that certain signals cause muscular contraction and also have unexpected beneficial effects on muscular strength and endurance.
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Oldham et al, “Rehabilitation of Atrophied Muscle in the Rheumatoid Arthritic Hand: A Comparison of Two Methods of Electrical Stimulation”,The Journal Of Hand Surgery, (British vol. 1989) 14B:294-297.
Oldham, “Electrotherapeutic Rehabilition of the Quadriceps in Elderly Osteoarthritic Patients: A Double Blind Assessment of Patterned Neuromuscular Stimulation”, Clinical Rehabilition 1995: 9:10-20.
Petterson et al, “The Use of Pattened Neuromuscular Stimulation to Improve Hand Function Following Surgery for Ulnar Neuropathy”,Journal Of Hand Surgery(British and European vol., 1994), 19B:4:430-433.
Evanisko George R.
Nixon & Vanderhye P.C.
The Victoria University of Manchester
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