US 5,968,063 A · Intramuscular stimulation therapy facilitating device and method

Abstract

Intramuscular stimulation (IMS) pain relief therapy is facilitated by a hand-held tool which, once positioned against a patient's skin, can be controlled to automatically advance a needle to penetrate the patient's flesh, reciprocate the needle within the patient's flesh a predetermined number of times through a predetermined stroke, and retract the needle. A tubular guide member is provided at its distal end with a skin contact member forming a constricted orifice closely matching the diameter of the needle. The orifice allows substantially free passage of the needle therethrough and at the same time prevents bowing of the needle as it is advanced--a primary source of patient pain. Automation and control of the needle penetration, reciprocation and retraction sequence reduces the amount of manual and mental effort required on the part of the treating physician, thereby allowing physicians to perform IMS procedures more consistently, effectively and efficiently. This leads to better results (increased pain relief), decreased procedure induced patient pain and tissue trauma, and reduced risk of repetitive strain injury to the treating physician.

Claims22

Dependent claims

An automatic needling device for facilitating intramuscular stimulation pain relief therapy, comprising:

an elongated guide tube having a skin contact member at a distal end of said tube;
a plunger rod reciprocable within said guide tube, said plunger rod having a proximal end protruding from a proximal end of said guide tube and a distal end retained within said tube and providing a needle holder;
a needle securable at its proximal end to said needle holder and reciprocable with said plunger rod for movement into and out of said guide tube through said skin contact member;
a motorized shuttle mechanism attached to said protruding proximal end of said plunger rod for reciprocating said plunger rod within said guide tube, whereby a needle secured to said needle holder is caused to reciprocate in and out of said guide tube through said skin contact member;
and
electronic circuitry for controlling the motorized shuttle mechanism to advance the needle from a non-protruding position within said guide tube out of said guide tube to a predetermined penetration depth, reciprocate the needle back and forth through a predetermined stroke length a predetermined number of times, and retract the needle back to a non-protruding position within said guide tube.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Intramuscular stimulation therapy facilitating device and method

Life of this patent

Intramuscular stimulation therapy facilitating device and method

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims22