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US 2014/0005759 A1Published application
Devices and Systems for Stimulation of Tissues
AssigneeNiveus Medical, Inc.
InventorsBrian J. Fahey, Zachary J. Malchano, Timothy Machold, Curtis Tom
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
NMES systems and methods for stimulating muscle tissue, and in some embodiments deep muscle tissue. The impedance near the surface of the skin is controllably increased to increase the percentage of energy delivered to a subject that stimulates muscle tissue.
Claims38
A method of stimulating muscle comprising:
- positioning a plurality of muscle stimulation electrodes on a patient proximate muscle to be stimulated;
- positioning a first thermal element associated with a first thermal source and a second thermal element associated with a second thermal source relative to a patient proximate the plurality of electrodes;
- activating the first thermal source to cause a temperature change in the patient's tissue;
- and
- stimulating the patient's muscle by delivering stimulating energy to the plurality of muscle stimulation electrodes.
2 more elements
A method of stimulating muscle, comprising:
- positioning a plurality of muscle stimulation electrodes on a patient in the vicinity of muscle to be stimulated;
- positioning a thermal element relative to a patient proximate the plurality of electrodes;
- delivering thermal energy to the patient's skin proximate the plurality of electrodes in a cooling region to change the temperature of skin proximate the plurality of electrodes;
- stimulating the patient's muscle by delivering stimulating energy to the plurality of muscle stimulation electrodes;
- and
- adjusting the delivery of the thermal energy.
3 more elements
A muscle stimulation system, comprising:
- a muscle stimulation pad comprising a substrate, a plurality of muscle stimulating electrodes positioned in a predetermined orientation with respect to the substrate, and a thermal region that has a reduced barrier to thermal conductivity, the muscle stimulation pad adapted to interface with a thermal component,
- the pad adapted to be positioned on a subject such that the plurality of muscle stimulating electrodes are disposed proximate a muscle to be stimulated and such that the thermal component is positioned to change the temperature of tissue proximate the plurality of stimulation electrodes,
- the muscle stimulation pad adapted to be in communication with a muscle stimulation control unit configured to deliver stimulating energy to the plurality of electrodes to stimulate the contraction of muscle tissue.
A muscle stimulation system, comprising:
- a muscle stimulation control unit adapted to be in communication with a plurality of muscle stimulation electrodes, the plurality of electrodes adapted to be positioned on a subject proximate to a muscle tissue, the muscle stimulation control unit configured to deliver stimulating energy to the plurality of electrodes to stimulate the contraction of muscle tissue;
- and
- a thermal device that is in at least one of electrical and mechanical communication with the muscle stimulation control unit, the thermal device adapted to modulate the temperature of at least one thermal element that is configured to change the temperature of tissue proximate the plurality of muscle stimulation electrodes.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.