Methods and Apparatus for Treating a Cervix with Ultrasound Energy
AssigneeArizona Board of Regents on behalf of Arizona State University
InventorsBruce C. Towe, Robert E. Garfield, Shao-Qing Shi
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Abstract
Methods and apparatuses for speeding the softening of the cervix (cervical ripening) by way of application of ultrasound energy. A vaginal transducer may be used to emit pulse-modulated ultrasound energy directed to the cervix. Focused ultrasound energy may be applied trans-abdominally and directed at the cervix. Ultrasound energy is widely used in medical applications such as diagnostic imaging, therapeutic heating and noninvasive surgery.
Claims27
A method of promoting cervical ripening comprising:
- applying pulsed ultrasound energy to a cervix at a frequency, pulse duration, pulse repetition rate and peak pulse power sufficient to promote cervical ripening.
A method of promoting cervical ripening comprising:
- applying ultrasound energy to a cervix, wherein the parameters of the ultrasound energy are selected to promote cervical ripening, the parameters being selected from the group comprising:
- pulse frequency, pulse duration, pulse repetition frequency, and instantaneous peak pulse power.
A method of treating a cervix, comprising:
- applying pulsed ultrasound energy to a cervix, wherein a frequency of the pulsed ultrasound energy is 100 kHz to 10 MHz, a pulse duration of the pulsed ultrasound energy is 1-50 milliseconds;
- a pulse repetition rate of the pulsed ultrasound energy is 10-100 pulses per second;
- and a peak pulse power of the pulsed ultrasound energy is in the range of 10-300 W/cm2.
An apparatus for delivering ultrasound energy, comprising:
- an ultrasound transducer;
- and
- a signal generator coupled to the ultrasound transducer to generate ultrasound energy, wherein the signal generator is adapted to generate pulsed ultrasound energy with a frequency of 100 kHz to 10 MHz, a pulse duration of 1-50 milliseconds;
- a pulse repetition rate of 5-100 pulses per second;
- and a peak pulse power of 10-190 W/cm2.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.