Sham for transcranial magnetic stimulator
US6491620B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 3, 2000 |
| Grant date | Dec 10, 2002 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 3, 2020 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA61N2/02
- WIPO fieldMedical technology
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
The invention relates to an apparatus for simulating the look, sounds and vibrations of a genuine transcranial magnetic stimulator (“TMS”), while keeping the induced current reaching the patient low. The invention involves a sham TMS which presents the appearance of a genuine TMS, but which, in fact, does not operate as would a genuine TMS, because the induced current provided to the patient is captured by an aluminum shroud overlaying the end faces of the core of the TMS. The sham TMS may be used to provide a control in a medical study seeking to compare the results obtained by a genuine TMS with a sham TMS. Because the sham TMS appears to be genuine to the operator of the sham TMS and to the patient, the results of the medical study are not influenced by the knowledge of the operator and/or patient as to whether the TMS device is genuine or sham. The invention, in its preferred embodiment, comprises a thin sheet of continuous aluminum which extends over the center and beyond the end faces of an open core, magnetic nerve stimulator.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.