Surgery: light – thermal – and electrical application – Light – thermal – and electrical application – Thermal applicators
Patent
1997-12-31
1999-11-09
Nasser, Robert L.
Surgery: light, thermal, and electrical application
Light, thermal, and electrical application
Thermal applicators
607114, A61F 700
Patent
active
059805617
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to devices and methods for applying thermal therapy to living tissue.
Thermal therapy involves the application of heat or cold to tissue to heal and rehabilitate injuries, such as, bruises, sprains, or other trauma to bone, muscle, ligaments, tendons, and skin. Cold therapy can be used to reduce swelling, reduce pain and promote healing of injured tissue. Heat therapy can be used to loosen joint tissue, such as, ligaments and tendons, to increase range of motion, e.g., before strenuous activity. Thermal therapy can be used after surgery to reduce pain and swelling and promote healing. Thermal therapy can also be used as part of an orthopedic therapy program, a sports medicine program, and to heal and rehabilitate animals, such as, thoroughbred race horses.
Common thermal therapy methods, e.g., application of an ice bag or a hot water bottle, are difficult to hold in place, are statically applied, cause uneven cooling or heating across the treatment site, and do not allow the cooling or heating temperature to be readily controlled.
A number of devices have been proposed for applying cold therapy to living tissue, with or without pressure. One device that has been developed for cooling a human knee includes a large cooler that contains chilled water which is circulated through a tube and into a cooling pad. The cooling pad is applied to a desired therapy site and held in place by a strap. The cooling rate is adjusted by increasing or decreasing the flow resistance through the tube leading to the cooling pad. Miller U.S. Pat. No. 2,531,074 describes a device which includes a flexible, multi-chamber thermal pad into which heated or cooled water is alternately injected at high and low pressures to provide temperature-controlled message therapy. Chessey U.S. Pat. No. 2,726,658 describes a system in which a coolant is pumped directly from a thermostatically-controlled refrigeration system into a cooling pad. Grossan U.S. Pat. No. 3,993,053 describes a massaging pad that includes a set of elastic tubing coils through which temperature controlled fluid is pulsed at high and low pressures to achieve a massaging effect. Copeland U.S. Pat. No. 4,149,529 describes a system that delivers heated or cooled liquid into a dry appliance for performing temperature and intermittent compression treatment; the system also provides a thermal therapy bath treatment.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In one aspect, the invention features a thermal therapy device for applying temperature controlled therapy to a therapy site on a mammalian body, comprising: a therapy pad for applying a selected therapy temperature to the therapy site; a recirculating fluid loop comprising a fluid channel defined by the therapy pad; a pump for circulating fluid through the recirculating fluid loop; a thermal reservoir; a heat exchanger coupling the thermal reservoir with the recirculating fluid loop; and a control mechanism coupled to the heat exchanger for enabling adjustable control of therapy temperature.
In another aspect, the invention features a thermal therapy device for applying temperature-controlled therapy to a therapy site on a mammalian body, comprising: a therapy pad for applying a selected therapy temperature to the therapy site; a recirculating fluid loop comprising a fluid channel defined by the therapy pad; a thermal reservoir; and a heat exchanger coupling the thermal reservoir with the recirculating fluid loop, the heat exchanger being constructed and arranged to selectively mix fluid recirculating in the fluid loop with fluid from the thermal reservoir in an adjustable mixing ratio to achieve the selected therapy temperature at the therapy site.
Embodiments of the invention may include one or more of the following features. The heat exchanger preferably comprises means for delivering a predetermined volume of fluid from the thermal reservoir into the recirculating fluid loop. The therapy pad preferably includes a flexible surface, and the control mechanism is preferably coupled to the
REFERENCES:
patent: 2726658 (1955-12-01), Chessey
patent: 3744555 (1973-07-01), Fletcher et al.
patent: 3871381 (1975-03-01), Roslonski
patent: 4026299 (1977-05-01), Sauder
patent: 4149529 (1979-04-01), Copeland et al.
patent: 4184537 (1980-01-01), Sauder
patent: 4243041 (1981-01-01), Paul
patent: 4523594 (1985-06-01), Kuznetz
patent: 4691762 (1987-09-01), Elkins et al.
patent: 4821354 (1989-04-01), Little
patent: 4964402 (1990-10-01), Grim et al.
patent: 5050062 (1991-09-01), Hass
patent: 5051562 (1991-09-01), Bailey et al.
patent: 5167655 (1992-12-01), McCoy
patent: 5241951 (1993-09-01), Mason et al.
patent: 5330519 (1994-07-01), Mason et al.
patent: 5466251 (1995-11-01), Brunson et al.
patent: 5476489 (1995-12-01), Koewler
Burke/Neutech Medical Systems, "The Thermal Therapy People," sales brochure.
Seabrook Medical System, "Cool-Aid Single-Patient Use Cold Therapy System," brochure, 1994.
Breg, Inc., "Polar Care Cold Therapy," brochure.
Seabrook Medical System, Inc., "Electri-Cool Localized Cold Therapy System," brochure, 1991.
Danniger Medical Technology, Inc., "Thermal-Max Hot and Cold Thermal Therapy," brochure.
Burke/Weutech, Inc., "The Standard in Thermal Therapy," brochure.
Ford Thomas D.
Kolen Paul T.
LandOfFree
Applying thermal therapy to living tissue does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Applying thermal therapy to living tissue, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Applying thermal therapy to living tissue will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-1449824