An apparatus and method for regulating the growth of living tissue are provided. The apparatus includes a deformable 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 deformable magnetic field generator includes a pair of field coils embedded in a flexible material which allows the field coils to be plastically deformed to fit the contour of a body region such as a patient's limb. 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 determined ratios of frequency to average magnetic flux density, growth characteristics of the target tissue are controlled.
This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 172,268, filed Mar. 23, 1988, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,932,951 entitled "Method and Apparatus for Controlling Tissue Growth with An Applied Fluctuating Magnetic Field", which is expressly incorporated herein by reference. Also, United States Patent application entitled "Improved Method and Apparatus for Regulating Transmembrane Ion Movement", filed by the inventors of this application Ser. No. 278,688 filed Dec. 1, 1988 is expressly incorporated herein by reference.
An apparatus and method for regulating the growth of living tissue are provided. The apparatus includes a deformable 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 deformable magnetic field generator includes a pair of field coils embedded in a flexible material which allows the field coils to be plastically deformed to fit the contour of a body region such as a patient's limb. 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.
A collar (100) for providing PEMF therapy for the cervical region of the spine. The collar (100) has a single transducer coil (104) and requires no secondary coil. The electronics for driving the coil are contained in a housing (101) that is integral to the collar 100. The housing (101) may also contain a battery for powering the coil (104), whose power usage is sufficiently reduced so as to require only a small battery.
An apparatus and method for regulating the growth of living tissue are provided. The apparatus includes a deformable 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 deformable magnetic field generator includes a pair of field coils embedded in a flexible material which allows the field coils to be plastically deformed to fit the contour of a body region such as a patient's limb. 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.
A portable magnetic field analyzer for sensing ion specific resonant magnetic fields. The analyzer has a magnetometer which measures the magnetic field produced by both ac and dc sources along an axis and determines the dc field plus the fundamental and various harmonic frequencies. A microcontroller uses this information to calculate various cyclotron resonance frequencies and then compares the calculations to stored data relating to cyclotron resonance frequencies of certain biologically important ions such as calcium, potassium and magnesium. A display notifies the user when resonance conditions (within a set tolerance) exist.
A method of ultrasonic bone-therapy subjects a bone to an ultrasonic excitation pulse signal of finite duration, supplied to a transducer next to the bone, and involving a sinusoidal signal in the ultrasonic region to approximately 2 MHz peculiarly modulated by a sinusoidal signal with frequency between about 0 Hz and about 25 kHz; the excitation signal is repeated in the range of 1 to 5000 Hz. The exposure time for therapy is chosen to be in the range of 5 minutes to 1 hour, for 1 to 3 times a day, for a period of days as necessary for healing or for promoting bone growth and ingrowth. An apparatus for implementing the above method for ultrasonic bone therapy is disclosed comprising a transducer having a transmitting and a receiving element, a special waveform signal generator, and a computer for performing the necessary operations defining a preferred treatment regime.
