Patent · US Expired

Method and apparatus for controlling tissue growth and an applied fluctuating magnetic field

US4932951A · kind A · utility

92Cited by
18References
17Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMar 23, 1988
Grant dateJun 12, 1990
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 23, 2008

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
  • CPC primaryA61N2/02
  • WIPO fieldMedical technology
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

An apparatus and method for regulating tissue growth in vivo are provided. The apparatus includes a magnetic field generator and a magnetic field detector for producing a controlled, fluctuating, directionally oriented magnetic field parallel to a predetermined axis projecting through the target tissue. The field detector samples the magnetic flux density along the predetermined access and provides a signal to a microprocessor which determines the average value of the flux density. The applied magnetic field is oscillated at predetermined frequencies to maintain a preselected ratio of frequency to average flux density. This ratio is maintained by adjusting the frequency of the fluctuating magnetic field and/or by adjusting the intensity of the applied magnetic field as the composite magnetic flux density changes in response to changes in the local magnetic field to which the target tissue is subjected. By maintaining these precise predetermined ratios of frequency to average magnetic flux density, growth characteristics of the target tissue are controlled.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.