Surgery: kinesitherapy – Kinesitherapy – Vibrator
Patent
1998-06-22
2000-12-12
Hirsch, Paul J.
Surgery: kinesitherapy
Kinesitherapy
Vibrator
600559, A61H 2300, A61B 512, A61B 503
Patent
active
061591718
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a device for affecting the hydro dynamic system of the inner ear, which system includes the paralymph and endolymph. The device may be utilized for instance in the treatment of patients suffering from the Meniere's disease, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,757,807 which is included herein by reference.
A device of the type outlined above is described e.g. in WO 83/02556. This device comprises a first means for generating a desired static-pressure level, a second means for causing a variation of the static-pressure level, a third means for connecting said first and said second means to the auditory tube, and a fourth means for interconnecting the auditory tube and the middle ear to facilitate transfer of the pressure changes generated in the auditory tube to the middle ear to affect the hydrodynamic system of the ear.
The first means preferably is an air pump in the form of a diaphragm pump having a membrane that is affected by a reciprocating piston for build-up of the static pressure in a reservoir.
The second means includes a unit adapted to produce the movements of a membrane part which is connected to the reservoir, said movements designed to produce the variations of the static-pressure level.
In this device the movements of the membrane part of the second means are produced manually or by means of a second piston, which is connected to the membrane part and which by means of an eccenter device is arranged to be displaced by certain distance and in doing so displace the membrane part. It has proved to be important that the generated pressure pulses follow a certain predetermined configuration as closely as possible in order to provide maximum treatment results, it thus becoming possible to vary the configuration of the pressure pulses from one person to the next and from one treatment to the other. This prior-art device does not, however allow comparisons to be made between a generated pressure pulse and a desired pressure pulse, for which reason it is impossible to regulate the pumping effect in accordance with the configuration of the generated pressure pulses in order to obtain the desired pressure pulses. In order to adapt the configuration of the pressure pulses to a certain treatment or to a certain person some manual adjustment may, however, be effected. For instance, it is possible to replace the eccenter means. However, this is an inconvenient and time-consuming operation. Since the membrane part in accordance with one embodiment is displaced by a certain distance by an eccenter means, it is not either certain that the adequate pressure pulses are generated in the device, since it may be necessary to vary the distance, for example to compensate for certain leakage as may occur in the device or between the device and the ear.
It is medically proven that negative pressure (depression) in static form as well as in the form of infrasound are harmful to the ear. In the prior art device pumping movements may, at least initially, cause a negative pressure to be generated in the ear. This may happen for instance when a pumping movement starts by a suction stroke. Also, if for instance a valve means, such as non-return valve, is provided through which air is sucked into the device during the suction stroke, a certain depression may nonetheless be generated in the ear during the suction stroke.
WO 93/08775 discloses another device of the above-mentioned type. This device comprises a housing, a membrane disposed in the housing, and means for actuating the membrane. The membrane and the housing form a chamber which is connected to the ear by means of connection means. Pressure pulses are generated as the membrane is displaced by said means. The means includes a piston which is connected to the membrane. The piston is displaced by an electric motor. In order to create a static pressure the membrane is displaced by the piston by a predetermined distance in a first direction to a biased position around which the membrane is displaced to generate t
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patent: 4754748 (1988-07-01), Antowski
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patent: 5577511 (1996-11-01), Killion
patent: 5811681 (1998-09-01), Braun
Densert Barbara
Densert Ove
Horberg Carl Johan
Joholm Jorgen
Hirsch Paul J.
Pascal Medical AB
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