Methods and apparatus for therapeutic application of thermal energy
AssigneeAvacen, Inc.
InventorsThomas G. Muehlbauer, Nathan Newman
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Apparatus and methods are provided for treating a human condition by providing an appendage chamber having a thermal exchange member. A vacuum may be applied to the appendage chamber to maintain vasodilation of an appendage when placed within the appendage chamber. The appendage may be heated or cooled at the thermal exchange member for therapeutic application of thermal energy to treat a number of circulatory, neurological, lymphatic, or endocrinal maladies.
Claims20
Apparatus for treating a condition of a human, the apparatus comprising:
- an appendage chamber configured to accept an appendage;
- a thermal exchange member disposed within only a lower portion of the appendage chamber, the thermal exchange member configured to contact the appendage to selectively heat or cool an arteriovenous anastomosis vascular area of the appendage;
- a pressure sensor disposed under the thermal exchange member, the pressure sensor configured to measure at least one of a pressure or force of the appendage against the thermal exchange member;
- a vacuum source configured to be coupled to the appendage chamber to maintain vasodilation of the arteriovenous anastomosis vascular area when placed within the appendage chamber;
- and
- a programmable controller configured to determine whether the pressure or force of the appendage measured using the pressure sensor is within a predetermined range and to cause an alert to be generated if the measured pressure or force is outside the predetermined range.
A method for treating a condition of a human, the method comprising:
- providing an appendage chamber, a thermal exchange member disposed within only a lower portion of the appendage chamber, and a vacuum source coupled to the appendage chamber;
- disposing an appendage within the appendage chamber in contact with the thermal exchange member;
- creating a vacuum in the appendage chamber using the vacuum source to induce vasodilation of an arteriovenous anastomosis vascular area of the appendage;
- measuring at least one of a pressure or force of the appendage against the thermal exchange member;
- heating the thermal exchange member to deliver heating or cooling to the arteriovenous anastomosis vascular area;
- and
- generating an alert if the pressure or force of the appendage is measured to be outside a predetermined range.
A method for treating a condition of a human, the method comprising:
- providing an appendage chamber, a thermal exchange member disposed within only a lower portion of the appendage chamber, and a vacuum source coupled to the appendage chamber;
- disposing an appendage within the appendage chamber in contact with the thermal exchange member;
- creating a vacuum in the appendage chamber using the vacuum source to induce vasodilation of an arteriovenous anastomosis vascular area of the appendage;
- measuring at least one of a pressure or force of the appendage against the thermal exchange member;
- delivering heat using the thermal exchange member to a body core of the human via the arteriovenous anastomosis vascular area;
- generating an alert if the pressure or force of the appendage is measured to be outside a predetermined range;
- and
- continuing to deliver heat using the thermal exchange member to the body core via the arteriovenous anastomosis vascular area to a body at normothermia pre-treatment or to a body at sub-normothermia pre-treatment such that the body core remains at or reaches normothermia.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.