Surgery: light – thermal – and electrical application – Light – thermal – and electrical application – Thermal applicators
Reexamination Certificate
2002-05-22
2004-05-25
Gibson, Roy D. (Department: 3739)
Surgery: light, thermal, and electrical application
Light, thermal, and electrical application
Thermal applicators
C607S104000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06740110
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND-FIELD OF INVENTION
This invention relates to a method and devices that provide an improved way to reduce inflammation, and a simpler way to administer therapy, by combining some known concepts into more effective devices.
BACKGROUND-DESCRIPTION OF PRIOR ART
A need exists for an improved method and device for the immobilization of an injured person, controlling inflammation after traumatic injury, for externally controlling blood circulation and for the encouragement of muscle relaxation during stabilization and recovery. After an individual has received a traumatic neck or spinal injury, often there is more damage caused by the resulting inflammation and tightening of the muscles than was caused by the initial injury itself. Countless individuals have survived the initial impacts causing their injury, only to succumb to the inability of their health care providers to manage the inflammation and tightening of muscles, which irreparably damages the spinal chord. Medications have been developed which attempt to combat these conditions. However, these are not effective enough, and it has been found that the side effects of these could be causing as much harm as good. Often as conditions begin to get out of hand, in an effort to do something, surgeons are called upon to relieve the pressure on the spine by surgically cutting strategic pressure points. Often this can cause further inflammation as the body attempts to combat the invasive procedure. If the individual does survive, they are faced with recovery from the initial injury, the resultant inflammation, and the invasive procedure. Studies have shown that the application of cold temperatures does help to reduce the onset of this inflammation. Ideally, as the application of cold temperatures should be a simple, basic operation, and as early application enhances its effectiveness, it should begin in the field prior to arrival at the medical facility.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,183,501 has attempted to provide a solution to this problem. It is of a design similar to fairly common C-collars, however this one provides cavities that can contain temperature controlling substances. It falls short though, in two ways. First, it's design of larger pieces would make it more difficult to custom shape the device to contact the user's skin in areas that would be most beneficial to user. Secondly, being made of material other than copper, the temperature distribution would not be as even. This and the distance from the skin reduce its effectiveness. U.S. Pat. No. 6,030,412 also attempts to remedy these temperature applications considerations in a device that can be used in the field, but this also has a distance between critical areas that would require much lower temperatures to be effective. Neither of these devices provides the benefits of copper, as expanded upon below, which include encouragement of the muscles to relax, that the devices used in this method provide. Neither provides the type of beneficial ergonomic adjustable support the devices used in this method provide.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,913,885 is also designed to combat this inflammation problem using cold temperatures. However, this device does not allow for as much flexibility in the neck region, and does not include the benefits of copper.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,908,655 is also designed to combat this inflammation problem using cold temperatures, but this relies on air to carry the temperature, is much bulkier so it would be difficult to move around, more costly to produce, and it also does not include the benefits of copper.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,691,762 uses a portable temperature control system, part of which would work well in combinations with the present invention. This patent describes a personal temperature control system that is designed more for environmental comfort of the user in the form of a garment. This would work for certain medical conditions requiring temperature control. In one form, it simply circulates coolant fluid through a temperature exchange coil that is submerged in ice water, then back through the garment. But the garments do not include the advantages of copper or provide support. U.S. Pat. No. 2,930,594 shows a temperature exchange device that simply uses a standard water faucet as a source of temperature transporting substance. The temperature can be changed by changing the faucet settings, while the small amount of returning water simply goes down the drain. This has been found to be very adequate in conjunction with the present invention as long as the water is either cold or warm enough depending on the type of treatment. U.S. Pat. No. 5,372,608 uses the bodies own temperature to circulate the fluid. However none of these provide the type of support nor benefits of copper the present invention provides.
Often after an injury, the vertebrae in the neck begin to straighten into a line as seen from the victim's side. The neck is supposed to have a curve as seen from the side. As the neck straightens, nerves in between the vertebrae are pinched, and the patient experiences any of many different kinds of discomfort. For many years, Chiropractors have encouraged the use of a towel roll while laying down to help the neck relax in, retain, or return to this curved posture. This has been found to provide much relief. However, at times, due to the patient's condition and extent of injury, they may not at first be able to tolerate very much curving support from the towel roll. In these cases, the towel roll is simply unrolled to a smaller size until a little extra support is achieved. Then over a period of time as the patient heals and becomes accustom to this smaller roll, the towel is slowly rolled up further and further to increase the curve in the neck until it reaches normal. The towel roll is great for the shape, but often a cold surface adds further relief. The use of a towel roll, covered with a gel ice pack can help provide both, but this stays cool only a short while, and often the gel is pushed out of the most supported areas and the cooling effect doesn't last as long in those areas. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,887,326, 5,697,961, 5,344,437, use a pouch that can contain the ice or heated fluid. However these do not provide a continuos cold temperature for an extend time as is desirable with sever injuries, are harder to regulate the shape of, and do not include the benefits of copper, thus making them less effective.
Medical people have, for many years, known the benefits that the muscles can receive from the alternating of hot and cold. As described below, the devices the present invention uses for implementation, one is able to easily have hot and cold treatments administered while they are relaxing comfortably with out the hassle of changing ice packs to other types of heated articles. The ability to have the temperature automatically changed from hot to cold is a great benefit for therapy purposes. Studies indicate that people having trouble with swollen disc shouldn't use heat. Though providing temporary relief, the heat only causes the discs to swell further, additional aggravating the discomfort in the long run. However, it is also commonly accepted that the muscles that are injured benefit from having hot and cold treatments. A dilemma arises when both are experiencing trouble in the same area. When this occurs, the need to change temperatures quickly becomes apparent. The present invention performs this quick change faster and more effectively than prior art. Devices that hold their temperature, by relying on the volume of the material at desire treatment temperature, have to be changed. Devices that circulate a temperature carrying substance, but are constructed out of material other that copper, do not relay the change in temperature as quickly.
Research has shown that after a limb such as a leg is injured, if the injured area is quickly cooled and maintained in this cool condition, the recovery takes place quicker. However, with many of the commonly used splints, the limb is first immobilized with some type of stiff material s
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