JP2015047207A - Pneumatic massage device for edema treatment - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a pneumatic massage device that realizes more efficient drainage.SOLUTION: A pneumatic massage device 1 comprises: a massage tool 2 that is worn so as to wrap an arm or leg of a human and includes multiple air chambers arranged side by side along a proximal direction from a peripheral position of the arm or leg to a center of a body in a worn state; and a compressed-air controller 4 that supplies and discharges compressed air to and from the multiple air chambers of the massage tool 2. The compressed-air controller 4 includes: pressurization means that pressurizes each air chamber by supplying the compressed air to each air chamber; and depressurization means that depressurizes each air chamber by discharging the compressed air from each pressurized air chamber. With respect to any one pair of the air chambers arranged adjacently among the pressurized air chambers, the depressurization means starts depressurizing the air chamber on a proximal side out of the pair of the air chambers first and then starts depressurizing the air chamber on a distal side.

Description

  The present invention relates to a pneumatic massage apparatus. More specifically, the present invention relates to a pneumatic massage apparatus suitable for treating various edema (swelling) including lymphedema in the arms and legs.

  When lymphatic vessel function is reduced or lymphatic vessel is obstructed due to cancer treatment etc., the flow of lymph fluid deteriorates and the lymph fluid that was supposed to be absorbed by lymphatic vessels accumulates in the gaps of cellular tissues, mainly arm Swelling may occur in the legs. Such swelling due to inhibition of lymph circulation is called lymphedema. Similarly, edema may occur in the arms and legs due to some damage in the blood vessels.

  As a method for treating such edema, manual lymph drainage is known. Manual lymph drainage is effective not only for the lymphatic system but also for vascular edema. Body fluids such as lymph accumulated in the gaps between cellular tissues by massage by human hands can be used for lymphatic vessels with normal functions. It is guided toward the blood vessels to eliminate swelling. Such manual lymphatic drainage needs to be performed every day, and is burdensome both when performed by the patient and when performed by a nurse or the like.

  Therefore, in order to reduce the burden of performing manual lymph drainage, lymph drainage using a pneumatic massage device has been performed as an auxiliary role of manual lymph drainage. In the pneumatic massage device used for such applications, a plurality of air chambers are continuously arranged side by side in the proximal direction from the peripheral position of the arm or leg toward the center of the body. Compressed air is supplied and inflated, and the patient's arms and legs are compressed by air pressure and massaged. Since body fluid such as lymph basically needs to be guided from the periphery of the arm or leg toward the center of the body, usually pressurization starts from the air chamber at the distal end located at the periphery, and the The air chamber is pressurized, and the flow of body fluid is promoted by the pressure action on the arms and legs during the pressurization. (Non-Patent Document 1)

Catalog “Physical Medmer PM-8000” Nitto Kohki Co., Ltd.

  Although the conventional pneumatic massage apparatus as described above can provide a certain effect as an aid to manual lymph drainage, it is desired to further facilitate the flow of body fluid. . In view of the above, an object of the present invention is to provide a pneumatic massage apparatus that enables more efficient drainage.

That is, the present invention
A massage tool that is worn so as to wrap a person's arm or leg, and in which a plurality of air chambers are arranged side by side in a proximal direction from the distal position of the arm or leg to the center of the body when worn;
A compressed air control device for supplying and discharging compressed air to and from the plurality of air chambers of the massage device,
The compressed air control device supplies pressurized air to each air chamber to pressurize each air chamber, and depressurization that discharges compressed air from each pressurized air chamber and depressurizes each air chamber. Means,
The pressure-removing means sets any one set of adjacent air chambers out of the pressurized air chambers, and removes the pressure in the proximal air chamber of the set air chambers first. A pneumatic massage device is provided which starts at a later time and starts to decompress the distal air chamber later.

  In the pneumatic massage device, when the pressurized air chamber is depressurized, the air chamber on the proximal side (central side) of any one of the adjacent air chambers is removed. Since the pressure is started first, the distal (peripheral) air chamber is still in a pressurized state at the time when the decompression of the proximal air chamber is started. This creates a pressure difference between the body part that was compressed by the decompressed proximal air chamber and the body part that is still compressed by the distal air chamber that is still pressurized. Thus, body fluid flows in a proximal direction from the distal body part toward the proximal body part. In this way, the flow of the body fluid in the proximal direction can be promoted not only when the air chamber is pressurized but also when the pressure is released, so that more efficient drainage can be performed. As described above, in the conventional pneumatic massage apparatus, pressurization is started from the air chamber at the distal end located at the distal end, and the proximal air chamber is sequentially pressurized so that the arm at the time of pressurization It is designed to promote the flow of body fluids mainly by the pressure action on the legs. The decompression of the massage chamber is performed in order to re-promote the flow of body fluid by such pressurization. In the conventional pneumatic massage device, the first pressurized air chamber from the distal side is used. The pressure is released or all the air chambers are released at once. In the pneumatic massage apparatus according to the present invention, as described above, the flow of body fluid in the direction of the body center is promoted also by the decompression of the air chamber.

  Preferably, the depressurizing means has the pressure of the pressurized air chamber prior to depressurization of the distal end air chamber disposed at the most distal end of the pressurized air chamber. Decompression of at least one of the air chambers other than the distal end air chamber can be started.

  Specifically, the pressure removing means includes the air chambers that are even numbers when the pressurized air chambers are numbered in the order in which they are arranged in the proximal direction with the distal end air chamber as the first. It is possible to start depressurization in descending order of numbers, and then start depressurization of the odd-numbered air chambers in descending order of the numbers.

  Alternatively, when the pressure removing means assigns numbers to the pressurized air chambers in the order in which they are arranged in the proximal direction with the distal end air chamber as the first, an odd-numbered air chamber has a larger number. It is also possible to start depressurization in order, and then start to depressurize even-numbered air chambers in descending order.

  Alternatively, when the pressure release means assigns numbers to the pressurized air chambers in the order in which they are arranged in the proximal direction with the distal end air chamber as the first, the pressure release starts in descending order of the numbers. You can also

  As a result of the inventors' diligent research, it has been found that particularly efficient drainage can be performed by the above-described decompression pattern.

  Specifically, when the pressurizing means assigns numbers in the order in which the pressurized air chambers are arranged in the proximal direction with the distal end air chamber as the first, pressurization is performed in ascending order of the numbers. Can be started.

Alternatively, the pressurizing means may start pressurization of the plurality of air chambers simultaneously.

  Preferably, the plurality of air chambers may be arranged such that adjacent air chambers overlap each other.

  Since adjacent air chambers are arranged to overlap each other, body parts that are not pressurized by the air chambers are reduced and pressure is applied to the entire arm or leg, so that more efficient drainage is performed. Is possible.

  Preferably, the compressed air control device further includes a pressurized state maintaining unit that maintains a pressurized state of the pressurized air chamber for a predetermined time after the pressurization of each air chamber by the pressurizing unit is completed. Can be.

  DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, embodiments of a pneumatic massage apparatus according to the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 is an overall view showing a pneumatic massage device of the present invention. It is a figure which shows the massage tool of the pneumatic massage apparatus of FIG. It is the schematic which shows the outline | summary of experiment. It is a figure which shows the drive sequence of the solenoid valve of the conventional pneumatic massage apparatus. It is a figure which shows the drive sequence of the solenoid valve of the pneumatic massage apparatus of this invention. It is a graph which shows the result of a 1st experiment. It is a graph which shows the result of a 2nd experiment.

  As shown in FIG. 1, a pneumatic massage device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention is connected by a cylindrical massage device 2 that is mounted so as to wrap a patient's leg, and the massage device 2 and an air tube 3. The compressed air control device 4 is provided. As shown in FIG. 2, the massage device 2 includes first to sixth air chambers 5 a-that are continuously arranged from a distal portion covering from the toes to the vicinity of the heel to a central portion covering the thigh. 5f. These six air chambers 5a-5f are arranged so as to partially overlap each other with adjacent air chambers. The air tube 3 connects between the air chambers 5a-5f of the massage device 2 and the compressed air control device 4, respectively. In the compressed air control device 4, an air pump for discharging compressed air (not shown), six electromagnetic valves arranged between the air pump and each air tube 3, and the pressure of each air chamber 5a-5f are measured. These six pressure sensors and a control circuit for controlling the driving of the six solenoid valves are provided. Each solenoid valve is a three-way valve, and has a first opening communicating with the air pump, a second opening communicating with the air chamber via the air tube 3, and a third opening communicating with the atmosphere. When the solenoid valve is OFF, the first opening is closed and the second opening and the third opening are communicated, and the compressed air is discharged. When the solenoid valve is ON, the third opening is closed and the first opening and the second opening are closed. Compressed air supply state in which is communicated. That is, when the solenoid valve is turned ON by the control circuit while the air pump is in operation, the solenoid valve is in a compressed air supply state, and the compressed air from the air pump is supplied to the corresponding air chamber. When the solenoid valve is turned off and the solenoid valve is turned off, the solenoid valve is in a compressed air discharge state, the corresponding compressed air in the air chamber is discharged to the atmosphere, and the air chamber is depressurized and contracted. ing.

  The order of operation of each solenoid valve, that is, the order of pressurization and depressurization of each air chamber 5a-5f can be arbitrarily set by the control circuit. In the pneumatic massage apparatus 1, after all the air chambers have been pressurized by turning on the solenoid valves in the order set by the pressurization program (pressurization means) of the control circuit, the pressurization state holding program ( Each air chamber is maintained in a pressurized state for a certain period of time (5 seconds) by the pressurizing state holding means), and the solenoid valves are turned off in the order set by the subsequent decompression program (decompression means). The air chambers 5a-5f are depressurized. After the depressurization of all the air chambers 5a-5f is completed, the pressurization program starts again to perform pressurization and depressurization in the same order, and thereafter this cycle is repeated.

  As a typical pressurizing pattern in the pneumatic massage apparatus 1, the first pressurizing pattern that simultaneously pressurizes all the air chambers 5a-5f by simultaneously turning on all the electromagnetic valves, and the first electromagnetic valve. There is a second pressurization pattern in which pressurization is sequentially started in the proximal direction from the most distal first air chamber to the nearest sixth air chamber by sequentially turning ON the six solenoid valves. However, the pressurization pattern in the present invention is not limited to these, and the air chambers 5a-5f may be pressurized by driving the first to sixth electromagnetic valves in any order.

  The depressurization pattern in the pneumatic massage device 1 is basically that any one set of air chambers arranged adjacent to each other is preceded by the depressurization of the proximal air chamber. And the decompression of the distal air chamber is started thereafter. In this way, a pressure gradient is formed between the part of the body where the decompressed proximal air chamber is compressed and the part of the distal air chamber, and the part of the distal air chamber is It is possible to encourage body fluid to flow from the air chamber portion to the proximal air chamber. As a typical depressurization pattern in the pneumatic massage apparatus 1, the depressurization of the sixth air chamber 5f is started first, and thereafter, the fourth air chamber 5d, the second air chamber 5b, The first depressurization pattern for starting depressurization in the order of the air chamber 5e, the third air chamber 5c, and the first air chamber 5a, first depressurization of the fifth air chamber 5e, and thereafter the third depressurization pattern A second decompression pattern for starting decompression in the order of the air chamber 5c, the first air chamber 5a, the sixth air chamber 5f, the fourth air chamber 5d, and the second air chamber 5b; and a sixth air chamber There is a third depressurization pattern in which depressurization is sequentially started in the order lined up in the distal direction from 5f to the first air chamber 5a. However, the depressurization pattern in the present invention may be such that each air chamber 5a-5f is depressurized so that a portion where the pressure applied to the body decreases from distal to proximal is generated. As will be described later, the present invention is not limited to the above three decompression patterns.

  In order to verify the effect of the pneumatic massage device 1 as lymph drainage, the flow of lymph fluid in a state where massage by the pneumatic massage device 1 is performed was observed by ICG (Indocyanine Green) fluorescence method. . In the ICG fluorescence method, ICG having the property of being excited by infrared light having a wavelength of 760 nm and emitting infrared fluorescence having a wavelength of 830 nm is injected intradermally into the body, and ICG is emitted by irradiating infrared excitation light from outside the body. This is a technique for observing the fluorescence with an infrared observation camera and observing the ICG flowing together with the lymph to identify the flow of the lymph and the position of the lymph vessel. Since infrared light having a long wavelength is relatively easily transmitted through a living body, the flow of lymph in the deep part of the skin can be observed by the ICG fluorescence method. In this experiment, a transparent massage device 2 having six air chambers 5a-5f on the subject's legs is mounted as shown in FIG. 3, and ICG is injected intradermally between each footpad of the subject. The massage by No. 1 was started, and the flow of ICG was observed by observing the calf area of the subject at this time with an infrared observation camera while illuminating with the infrared excitation light. Specifically, five measurement regions R1-R5 are provided in the observation region by the infrared observation camera as shown in FIG. 3, and the average value of the fluorescence intensity in each measurement region R1-R5 is set every 0.2 seconds. And the ICG flow, that is, the size of the lymph fluid flow was evaluated from the change in the average fluorescence intensity.

  The first experiment verifies the effect of a conventional pneumatic massage device. In this first experiment, as shown in FIG. 4, the first to sixth solenoid valves corresponding to the first to sixth air chambers are sequentially turned on from the first solenoid valve to the sixth solenoid valve. On the other hand, the first solenoid valve to the sixth solenoid valve were sequentially turned off at the timing after the third solenoid valve was turned on. As a result, the air chambers are sequentially pressurized in the order in which they are arranged in the proximal direction from the first air chamber to the sixth air chamber, and when the third air chamber starts to be pressurized, the most distal first air The decompression of the chamber is started, and the decompression is sequentially performed up to the sixth air chamber. The pressure at the time of pressurization of each air chamber was 8 kPa.

  The second experiment verifies the effect of the pneumatic massage device 1 of the present invention. In the second experiment, as a representative example of the pressurization / decompression pattern of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 5, the above-described first pressurization pattern and the first depressurization pattern are combined to form six air chambers 5a. −5f is pressurized simultaneously, and then the pressurized state is maintained for 5 seconds, and then the decompression of the sixth air chamber 5f is started. Thereafter, the fourth air chamber 5d, the second air chamber 5b, The first to sixth solenoid valves are controlled so as to start depressurization in the order of the air chamber 5e, the third air chamber 5c, and the first air chamber 5a. The pressure at the time of pressurization of each air chamber 5a-5f was 8 kPa as in the first experiment.

  The results of the first and second experiments shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, respectively, show the change in the average fluorescence intensity in the first to fifth measurement regions R1-R5 for the time of about two cycles of each pressure release pattern. Is shown. In the graphs of FIGS. 6 and 7, the air chambers 5a to 5f are pressurized when the fluorescence intensity increases, and the pressure is removed when the fluorescence intensity decreases. The fluorescence intensity of ICG during massage by the pneumatic massage apparatus 1 of the present invention shown in FIG. 7 is larger than the amount of change in fluorescence intensity of ICG during massage by the conventional pneumatic massage apparatus shown in FIG. I understand. Since the amount of change in the fluorescence intensity correlates with the change in the amount of ICG, it can be considered from the above results that more ICG passed through the measurement region R1-R5 in the second experiment. That is, it is considered that more lymph fluid passed through the present invention. In addition, in the result of the second experiment shown in FIG. 7, the fluorescence intensity decreased more steeply, especially at the time of decompression, which suggests that the lymph fluid was flowing faster. From these experimental results, it is suggested that the massage by the pneumatic massage apparatus 1 according to the present invention can flow a larger amount of lymph fluid faster than the conventional massage.

表１において、矢印はその左の番号の空気室の除圧を開始した後にその右の番号の空気室の除圧を開示することを意味し、括弧に囲まれた番号の空気室は同時に除圧を開始することを意味する。なお、除圧を開始するタイミングは、その前の空気室の除圧が完了するのを待って次の空気室の除圧を開始するようにしても良いし、前の空気室の除圧の途中で次の空気室の除圧を開始するようにしても良い。 The present invention forms a pressure gradient in the body that decreases in the proximal direction from the periphery of the body toward the center by appropriately setting the order of the decompression of the air chambers 5a to 5f. It promotes the flow of lymph not only during pressurization but also during decompression. As the depressurization pattern for forming such a pressure gradient, the first to third depressurization patterns have been specifically shown above, but naturally the present invention can be realized by other depressurization patterns. is there. An example of another decompression pattern is shown below together with the first to third decompression patterns described above. However, the decompression pattern in the present invention is not limited to these.

In Table 1, the arrow means that after starting the decompression of the left numbered air chamber, the decompression of the right numbered air chamber is disclosed. It means starting pressure. It should be noted that the timing of starting the decompression may be such that the decompression of the next air chamber is started after the decompression of the previous air chamber is completed, or the decompression of the previous air chamber may be started. You may make it start the decompression of the following air chamber in the middle.

  In addition, in the above-mentioned pressurization / decompression pattern, all six air chambers 5a to 5f included in the massage device 2 are used. For example, edema occurs only in the calf portion, and drainage of the thigh is performed. When it is not necessary, only the first to fourth air chambers 5a to 5d may be used, and only necessary portions may be used. Further, the applied pressure may be appropriately changed according to the severity of edema, or a different pressure value may be set for each of the air chambers 5a to 5f. These conditions can be appropriately changed according to the patient's condition.

  In the above embodiment, the massage device 2 is provided with six air chambers 5a to 5f, but the number and size of the air chambers may be changed as appropriate. Since a small amount of lymph flows in a narrow lymphatic vessel having a valve structure and cannot flow a long distance at a time, the living body's lymph flow is an air chamber on the central side of a few centimeters to at least 20 centimeters from the portion where the lymph fluid should flow. It is effective to remove the pressure. Therefore, when the pneumatic massage device is used for the treatment of lymphedema, there are cases where lymph drainage can be performed more efficiently by increasing the number of air chambers to 8 or 12 to reduce the size. Or in order to make it a small massage tool for performing partial drainage, you may make it provide fewer four air chambers. In the above embodiment, the leg massage device 2 is used, but the shape of the massage device can be changed to be used for the arm.

Pneumatic massage device 1; Massage tool 2; Air tube 3; Compressed air control device 4; First air chamber 5a; Second air chamber 5b; Third air chamber 5c; Air chamber 5e; sixth air chamber 5f

Claims (9)

A massage tool that is worn so as to wrap a person's arm or leg, and in which a plurality of air chambers are arranged side by side in a proximal direction from the distal position of the arm or leg to the center of the body when worn;
A compressed air control device for supplying and discharging compressed air to and from the plurality of air chambers of the massage device,
The compressed air control device supplies pressurized air to each air chamber to pressurize each air chamber, and depressurization that discharges compressed air from each pressurized air chamber and depressurizes each air chamber. Means,
The pressure-removing means sets any one set of adjacent air chambers out of the pressurized air chambers, and removes the pressure in the proximal air chamber of the set air chambers first. Pneumatic massage device that started at a later time and started to decompress the distal air chamber later.   The distal end of the pressurized air chamber is depressurized prior to depressurization of a distal end air chamber disposed at the most distal end of the pressurized air chamber. The pneumatic massage apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the pressure cancellation of at least one of the air chambers other than the air chamber is started.   The pressure removing means removes the air chambers that are even numbers when the pressurized air chambers are numbered in the order in which they are arranged in the proximal direction with the distal end air chamber as the first, in descending order of the numbers. The pneumatic massage apparatus according to claim 2, wherein pressure is started, and then the pressure of the odd-numbered air chambers is started to be released in descending order of the numbers.   When the pressure removing means assigns numbers to the pressurized air chambers in the order in which they are arranged in the proximal direction with the distal end air chamber as the first, the odd numbered air chambers are removed in descending order of the numbers. The pneumatic massage apparatus according to claim 2, wherein pressure is started, and then the pressure of the even-numbered air chamber is started in descending order of the number.   When the pressure removing means is numbered in the order in which the pressurized air chambers are arranged in the proximal direction with the distal end air chamber as the first, the pressure depressurization means starts depressurization in descending order. The pneumatic massage apparatus according to claim 2.   The pressurizing means starts the pressurization in ascending order of numbers when the pressurized air chambers are numbered in the order in which they are arranged in the proximal direction with the distal end air chamber as the first. The pneumatic massage device according to any one of claims 1 to 5.   The pneumatic massage apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the pressurizing unit starts to pressurize the plurality of air chambers simultaneously.   The pneumatic massage device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the plurality of air chambers are arranged such that adjacent air chambers overlap each other.   The compressed air control device further includes a pressurized state maintaining unit that maintains a pressurized state of the pressurized air chamber for a predetermined time after the pressurization of each air chamber by the pressurizing unit is completed. The pneumatic massage apparatus as described in any one of thru | or 8.

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