Method of electrical muscle stimulation for treatment of scoliosis and other spinal deformities
US4342317A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 1, 1980 |
| Grant date | Aug 3, 1982 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 1, 2000 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA61N1/3604
- WIPO fieldMedical technology
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
This disclosure is directed to an improved method of correction of spinal curvature deficiencies such as scoliosis, lordosis, kyphosis and combinations thereof, utilizing transcutaneous, percutaneous or subcutaneous electrical muscle stimulation of certain target musculature. The improvements reside in the use first of techniques (preferably thermographic) to define pairs of non-overlapping sites of muscle contraction (when electrically stimulated by a predetermined electrical pulse pattern) which sites of muscle contraction surround the reference center or apex of the major curvature to be corrected. Following selection of the muscle sites, one supplies electrical muscle stimulation to each of the muscle sites to be contracted, on an alternating basis, the net effect of which is that the muscle sites jointly apply a corrective force on a constant basis while, at the same time, each said muscle site has a rest period between each stimulation period. Each muscle site is not affected by the electrical stimulation of the other site. The method for applying dual channel alternating stimulation of target muscle sites, which are non-overlapping during stimulation, results in a constant f…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.