Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
  • A61B17/00—Surgical instruments, devices or methods, e.g. tourniquets
  • A61B17/064—Surgical staples, i.e. penetrating the tissue
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
  • A61B17/00—Surgical instruments, devices or methods, e.g. tourniquets
  • A61B17/56—Surgical instruments or methods for treatment of bones or joints; Devices specially adapted therefor
  • A61B17/58—Surgical instruments or methods for treatment of bones or joints; Devices specially adapted therefor for osteosynthesis, e.g. bone plates, screws, setting implements or the like
  • A61B17/68—Internal fixation devices, including fasteners and spinal fixators, even if a part thereof projects from the skin
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61N—ELECTROTHERAPY; MAGNETOTHERAPY; RADIATION THERAPY; ULTRASOUND THERAPY
  • A61N1/00—Electrotherapy; Circuits therefor
  • A61N1/02—Details
  • A61N1/04—Electrodes
  • A61N1/05—Electrodes for implantation or insertion into the body, e.g. heart electrode
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
  • A61B17/00—Surgical instruments, devices or methods, e.g. tourniquets
  • A61B17/56—Surgical instruments or methods for treatment of bones or joints; Devices specially adapted therefor
  • A61B17/58—Surgical instruments or methods for treatment of bones or joints; Devices specially adapted therefor for osteosynthesis, e.g. bone plates, screws, setting implements or the like
  • A61B17/68—Internal fixation devices, including fasteners and spinal fixators, even if a part thereof projects from the skin
  • A61B17/84—Fasteners therefor or fasteners being internal fixation devices
  • A61B17/86—Pins or screws or threaded wires; nuts therefor
  • A61B17/8695—Washers
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
  • A61B18/00—Surgical instruments, devices or methods for transferring non-mechanical forms of energy to or from the body
  • A61B18/04—Surgical instruments, devices or methods for transferring non-mechanical forms of energy to or from the body by heating
  • A61B18/08—Surgical instruments, devices or methods for transferring non-mechanical forms of energy to or from the body by heating by means of electrically-heated probes
  • A61B18/082—Probes or electrodes therefor
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61F—FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS
  • A61F2/00—Filters implantable into blood vessels; Prostheses, i.e. artificial substitutes or replacements for parts of the body; Appliances for connecting them with the body; Devices providing patency to, or preventing collapsing of, tubular structures of the body, e.g. stents
  • A61F2/02—Prostheses implantable into the body
  • A61F2/28—Bones
  • A61F2002/2821—Bone stimulation by electromagnetic fields or electric current for enhancing ossification
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61F—FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS
  • A61F2310/00—Prostheses classified in A61F2/28 or A61F2/30 - A61F2/44 being constructed from or coated with a particular material
  • A61F2310/00389—The prosthesis being coated or covered with a particular material
  • A61F2310/00395—Coating or prosthesis-covering structure made of metals or of alloys
  • A61F2310/00419—Other metals
  • A61F2310/00473—Coating made of zinc or Zn-based alloys
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61F—FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS
  • A61F2310/00—Prostheses classified in A61F2/28 or A61F2/30 - A61F2/44 being constructed from or coated with a particular material
  • A61F2310/00389—The prosthesis being coated or covered with a particular material
  • A61F2310/00395—Coating or prosthesis-covering structure made of metals or of alloys
  • A61F2310/00419—Other metals
  • A61F2310/00568—Coating made of gold or Au-based alloys

Definitions

• the present invention relates to living tissue regeneration and pain reduction and to apparatus for achieving such ends by use of electrical energy.
• the human body and indeed those of animals have quite remarkable inbuilt healing mechanisms whereby flesh wounds of quite substantial proportions may display substantial tissue regeneration within say seven days such that the risk of infection is minimised as is discomfort to the patient.
• infection in a surgically created wound or a trauma wound may be life threatening any product or process which may enhance or speed up tissue regeneration and hence reduce the risk of infection would be an important advance.
• Such a product or process may be of particular use in conjunction with patients who, due to age, diet or other factors, have a sub ⁇ standard ability to regenerate tissue.
• Bone growth stimulators wherein electrodes with external power sources are utilised to generate current flow adjacent a fracture in order to promote osteogenesis are also known.
• two or more conductive or semi-conductive physiologically compatible electrodes adapted for insertion at least partly into living tissue; the first electrode comprising or being coated with a first material and an adjacent electrode comprising or being coated with a different material such that when the two electrodes are placed in living tissue adjacent each other a potential difference exists between the two electrodes which causes a small current to flow through tissue between the electrodes.
• the present invention has application not only in the field of encouraging osteogenesis in the case of fractured bones but additionally has application in cases where it is desired to enhance the healing of soft tissue wounds.
• Figure 1 is a perspective view of a pair of electrodes in accordance with the present invention formed as a surgical staple
• Figure 2 is a side elevation of a segment of a human long bone incorporating electrodes in accordance with the present invention formed as pins
• Figure 3 is a cross-section through a human long bone incorporating electrodes in accordance with the present invention formed as pins.
• Figure 1 discloses a surgical staple 1 having a first leg 2 and a second leg 3. Both legs are coated with a layer of plastic insulating material 4.- Leg 2 is additionally provided with a gold coating 5 whereas leg 3 is additionally provided with a zinc coating 6.
• legs 2 and 3 of the staple would penetrate the soft tissue of say a flesh wound (not shown) either side of the wound line (not shown) in the conventional manner. The legs would then remain embedded in the flesh for some period of time.
• leg 2 and 3 Once embedded in human tissue legs 2 and 3 begin to operate as electrodes, the fluids present in the body serving as an electrolyte.
• Leg 2 will act as an inert electrode due to its coating of gold whilstthezinc coating 6 on leg 3 will cause that leg .to operate as the active or sacrificial electrode.
• gold and zinc will create a potential difference of 2.12 volts between legs 2 and 3 causing a current to flow across the wound line (not shown).
• the coatings which result in the potential - ⁇ h - difference causing the current flow need not necessarily be metalic but may be any other eLsTEns orchemical compoundswhich result in a potential difference.
• the rate of decay of the active electrode may be impeded by the inclusion of an inert substance in the coating 6 or by other means.
• electrodes in accordance with the present invention should be capable of delivering currents in the range of 1 to 500 microamps being the range within which satisfactor accelerated healing appears to occur. Potential differences in the order of .01-3 volts should be readily achievable provided the - s - electrode materials are correctly chosen in accordance with a galvanic table or like reference.
• Figure 1 depicts an example where two legs of a staple are coated with different materials so as to cause a single staple to generate a current when implanted in flesh. It should be appreciated that a similar result could be achieved by insertion of multiple staples with say alternate staples being fabricated from or coated with different materials such that a potential difference will arise between such adjacent staples.
• a second embodiment of the present invention is depicted at figures 2 and 3 wherein there is depicted proximal 7 and distal 8 parts of a human long bone either side of a fracture 9. It is - common practice to pin the proximal and distal parts of the bone in their correct relationship in order to ensure correct alignment of the bone after osteogenesis. To this end holes 10 are drilled into the bones in order to facilitate insertion of pins 11 and 12.
• these pins are comprised of or coated with dissimilar materials displaying a potential difference which in the environment .of the human body forms a battery causing a current to flow along the fracture 8 in the area between the pins 11 and 12.
• the pins may be wholly or merely partially sacrificial electrodes.
• An embodiment as lastmentioned consequently renders the installation of mechanical fixing means such as pins, screws or the like and the installation of a bone growth stimulator a single operative procedure little more complex than the mere installation of mechanical fixing means themselves.
• mechanical fixing means such as pins, screws or the like
• a bone growth stimulator a single operative procedure little more complex than the mere installation of mechanical fixing means themselves.
• these electrodes furthermore required yet another surgical procedure in order that they may be removed.
• the two embodiments above described should not be considered exhaustive of the applications of the present invention. Indeed it is not essential that the electrodes of the present invention be incorporated with mechanical fixing means or other articles used in the human body such as pins, screws, discs, wires, plugs or staples.
• the electrodes of the present invention may comprise washers used in conjunction with say conventional screws or alternatively the electrodes may be implanted entirely independently of any other device.
• living tissue where used herein shall include bone.

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

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Citations (4)

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• 1986
  • 1986-06-20 WO PCT/AU1986/000178 patent/WO1986007543A1/en not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 1986-06-20 EP EP19860904033 patent/EP0227754A4/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 1986-06-20 JP JP50366186A patent/JPS63500221A/ja active Pending

Patent Citations (4)

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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