JPH04295362A - Controller for ultrasonic therapy - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To enable an optimum dosage of drugs to be constantly administered supplying ultrasonic waves of predetermined magnitude for a predetermined period of time in enhancing therapeutic effects by means of ultrasonic vibration. CONSTITUTION:Ultrasonic signals from an ultrasonic wave generating circuit 1 are supplied to an ultrasonic vibrator 2 and ultrasonic vibration is applied to drugs when the drugs are dosed. An ultrasonic controlling circuit 3 is connected to the ultrasonic wave generating circuit 1 and control patterns stored in progress in a control pattern storage device 7 are read and the output and timing, etc., of the ultrasonic signals from the ultrasonic wave generating circuit 1 are controlled as time elapses.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a device for controlling the frequency, waveform, output, etc. of ultrasonic waves when performing various treatments using ultrasonic vibrations.

0002

2. Description of the Related Art It is known to treat various diseases using ultrasonic vibrations.

For example, it is known from Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 115591/1983 that drugs can be absorbed transdermally using ultrasonic vibrations. In addition, a drug injection device which increases the diffusion and penetration effect of drugs by applying ultrasonic vibration when injecting drugs into the body through a catheter or drug injection conduit was proposed by the present applicant in Japanese Patent Application No. 63-333397. The application has been filed as No.

[0004] As mentioned above, in the treatment methods using ultrasonic vibrations, the frequency and output of the ultrasonic waves used are often fixed values determined in advance depending on the type of treatment. For example, in the local drug administration method described in JP-A No. 52-115591, the ultrasound used is a continuous wave with a frequency of 1000 kHz, and the output is in the range of about 1 W/cm2 to about 3 W/cm2. I am using fixed output in . Although these values may be changed by the physician, the values themselves remain fixed during the treatment period.

[0005]

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, if a drug is administered while applying ultrasonic waves of a constant output or frequency, it is not always possible to administer the optimal amount of the drug, and on the contrary, inconveniences may occur. be.

[0006] For example, when administering insulin by transdermal absorption for the treatment of diabetes, it is necessary to increase the insulin concentration during the period of 2 to 3 hours immediately after a meal when glucose needs to be consumed. However, if the frequency and output of the ultrasound are set to accommodate this, insulin may become excessive during a period other than immediately after a meal, leading to hypoglycemia, which can cause hypoglycemic attacks such as tremors, cold sweats, and a state of scattering. If hypoglycemia continues further, the patient may become comatose.

[0007] Furthermore, in the treatment of thrombosis in the coronary arteries, if the tip of the catheter is inserted close to the thrombus and ultrasound is applied while injecting a dissolving agent (urokinase, etc.), the dissolution rate of the thrombolytic agent will be significantly enhanced, making it clinically viable. Although results improved, the problem was that the ultrasonic vibrations stimulate the sinus node of the heart, which could lead to fatal arrhythmias.

[0008] Therefore, the present invention improves the therapeutic effect by applying ultrasonic vibrations by controlling the frequency, output, etc. of the ultrasonic waves in a predetermined pattern or according to the patient's condition. The aim is to further improve the effect.

[0009]

[Means for Solving the Problems] The ultrasonic therapy control device of the present invention includes an ultrasonic vibration element that applies ultrasonic vibration to a drug during drug administration, and an ultrasonic wave signal to the ultrasonic vibration element. an ultrasonic oscillation circuit that supplies an ultrasonic signal, a control pattern storage device that stores a control pattern of an ultrasonic signal to be generated in the ultrasonic oscillation circuit, and a control pattern storage device that reads out the control pattern stored in the control pattern storage device and It is characterized by comprising an ultrasonic control circuit that controls the output, timing, etc. of ultrasonic signals in the ultrasonic oscillation circuit.

[0010] Furthermore, the ultrasonic treatment control device of the present invention includes:
An ultrasonic vibration element that applies ultrasonic vibrations to the drug when administering the drug, an ultrasonic oscillation circuit that supplies ultrasonic signals to the ultrasonic vibration element, and detects the state of the object to which the drug is administered. and an ultrasonic control circuit that controls the output, timing, etc. of the ultrasonic signal in the ultrasonic oscillation circuit based on the output of the detection means.

[0011]

[Operation] For example, in the treatment of diabetes, insulin is administered into the body while ultrasound is applied. In the ultrasonic treatment control device of the present invention, the output of ultrasonic waves is intensified for a predetermined period of time immediately after meal time. The dose of insulin is related to the magnitude of the ultrasound output, and this increased dose of insulin prevents an excessive rise in blood sugar concentration after a meal.

[0012] Furthermore, when treating coronary artery thrombosis, the beating state of the heart is detected, and ultrasonic waves are applied in a pulsed manner for a short time during the refractory period immediately after the heart contracts. Therefore, the thrombolytic agent can be dissolved without adversely affecting cardiac operation.

[0013]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, features of the present invention will be specifically explained based on embodiments with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a first embodiment of the ultrasonic therapy control device of the present invention.

The ultrasonic oscillation circuit 1 has a frequency of 20kHz to several MHz.
Oscillation is possible at a frequency in the range of z, and the ultrasonic signal from the ultrasonic oscillation circuit 1 is supplied to the ultrasonic vibration element 2 provided in the drug administration device. An ultrasonic control circuit 3 is connected to the ultrasonic oscillation circuit 1, and controls the oscillation frequency, output, timing, etc. in the ultrasonic oscillation circuit 1 based on instructions from a microcomputer 4. The microcomputer 4 also includes a keyboard 5, a display device 6,
A control pattern storage device 7 and the like are connected. The control pattern storage device 7 is, for example, a non-volatile memory or a magnetic disk device, in which a generation pattern of the ultrasonic signal to be output from the ultrasonic oscillation circuit 1 is written.

For example, taking insulin administration for diabetes treatment as an example, as shown in FIG. 2, a control pattern is written in which the output of ultrasound is temporarily increased immediately after meal time. . A plurality of types of control patterns are prepared depending on symptoms, individual differences, degree of recovery, concentration of insulin to be administered, etc., and can be switched by instructions from the keyboard 5.

FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of a drug administration device used for transdermal administration.

This transdermal drug administration device 11 includes an ultrasonic vibration element 12 such as a disc-shaped ceramic oscillator.
A drug layer 13 is provided on the lower surface of the plastic cover 1, and a drug-permeable adhesive layer 14 is laminated thereunder to cover the plastic cover 1.
It is covered by 5. The ultrasonic vibration element 12 is supplied with an ultrasonic signal from the ultrasonic oscillation circuit 1 shown in FIG. 1 via the connector 16.

Next, the operation of the ultrasonic therapy control device shown in FIG. 1 will be explained.

When administering a drug, first, the adhesive layer 14 of the drug administration device 11 shown in FIG. 3 is attached to the skin. Next, when a predetermined control pattern is selected from the keyboard 5 and an instruction is given to start operation, the selected control pattern is displayed on the display device 6 as a number or as a curve indicating the pattern itself, and the ultrasonic oscillation circuit 1 is activated. The oscillation operation is started, an ultrasonic signal is supplied to the ultrasonic vibrating element 12, and the ultrasonic vibrating element 12 starts vibrating. Ultrasonic vibrations from the ultrasonic vibration element 12 are applied to the drug layer 13 and the skin, and due to the ultrasonic vibrations, the drug in the drug layer 13 passes through the adhesive layer 14 and the skin and is administered into the tissue. The dose of the drug at this time is controlled by changing the output level of the ultrasonic signal supplied to the ultrasonic vibration element 12.

The microcomputer 4 has a built-in clock, reads out a control amount corresponding to the current time from the control pattern storage device 7, and controls the output of the ultrasonic oscillation circuit 1 in accordance with this control amount. Here, the frequency of the ultrasound is constant and the level of output is controlled. That is, the specified control pattern is read from the control pattern storage device 7, the level of the output from the ultrasonic oscillation circuit 1 is controlled by the ultrasonic control circuit 3, and the level of this output is displayed on the display device 6. be done. That is, the ultrasound output temporarily increases immediately after meal time. This results in
The amount of insulin administered after meals is increased, which can suppress the rise in blood sugar levels. Furthermore, when the glucose is consumed, the amount of insulin administered decreases, so there is no risk of insulin overload. As described above, according to this embodiment, the amount of drug administered through the skin can be adjusted over time.

Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 4, the blood sugar level in the patient's blood is detected by the blood sugar level sensor 8 and the detection output is supplied to the microcomputer 4, so that the blood sugar level actually detected by the blood sugar level sensor 8 is detected. The output level may be controlled so that the change in the output matches the control pattern written in the control pattern storage device 7. In this case, since the drug dosage is controlled in a closed loop while measuring blood sugar levels, optimal therapeutic effects can always be achieved.

Next, an embodiment of an ultrasonic therapy control device suitable for treating coronary artery thrombosis will be described with reference to the block diagram of FIG. Note that the same reference numerals are given to the members corresponding to those of the embodiment shown in FIG.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 5, an electrocardiograph 21 is connected to the microcomputer 4.
The electrocardiogram shown in a) is detected. The microcomputer 4 then controls the ultrasound control circuit 3 so that the ultrasound oscillation circuit 1 transmits the refractory period P of the heart as shown in FIG. 6(b).
An ultrasonic signal is generated within r for a short period of time.

In the case of treatment of thrombosis, a drug administration device 31 as shown in FIG. 7, which injects the drug directly into tissue, is used as the drug administration device.

The drug administration device 31 includes a proximal tubular body 32 to which a dissolving agent such as urokinase is supplied, and an end tubular body 33 that is inserted into tissue and injects the drug into the affected area. There is. An ultrasonic vibration element 34 such as a cylindrical ceramic oscillator is attached to the tip of the end tubular body 33 . This ultrasonic vibration element 34 receives an ultrasonic signal of 20 kHz to several MHz from the ultrasonic oscillation circuit 1.
It is supplied via a conducting wire 35a, connectors 36a and 36b provided on the side of the base tubular body 32, and a conducting wire 35b passing through a part of the base tubular body 32 and the inside of the end tubular body 33.

When injecting the drug, the liquid drug is injected into the tube from the supply port 37 provided at the upper end of the proximal tubular body 32, and flows through the flow path 38 of the proximal tubular body 32 and the end tubular body 33. The liquid passes through the flow path 39 and is administered to the affected area from the injection port 40 provided at the lower end of the end-side tubular body 33.

[0028] In the treatment of coronary artery thrombosis, the
The distal end of the end-side tubular body 33 of the drug administration device 31 shown in FIG. When an instruction to start operation is given from the keyboard 5, the ultrasonic oscillation circuit 1 starts oscillation, but this oscillation is intermittent, and as shown in FIG. 6(b),
The oscillation timing is controlled so that the ultrasonic signal is generated for a short period of time within the refractory period Pr of the heart.

The ultrasonic signal from the ultrasonic oscillation circuit 1 is supplied to the ultrasonic vibration element 34 provided on the injection port 40 side of the drug administration device 31, and the ultrasonic vibration element 34 vibrates intermittently. Therefore, when a drug is administered to the affected area from the injection port 40, ultrasonic vibrations are applied to the drug from the ultrasonic vibration element 34, promoting diffusion and penetration of the drug. Furthermore, this ultrasonic vibration facilitates melting of the thrombus. At this time, since the ultrasonic signal is supplied to the ultrasonic vibrating element 34 only within the refractory period Pr, even if the ultrasonic wave is emitted near the heart, it is safe because no premature contraction occurs.

Furthermore, the ultrasonic treatment control device of the present invention includes:
It can also be applied to the treatment of other diseases. for example,
While using the ultrasonic treatment control device shown in Figure 1,
When treating allergies using the transdermal drug administration device 11 shown in FIG. 3, it is possible to manage the dosage over a long period of time by storing control patterns in units of several weeks in the control pattern storage device 7. becomes.

[0031]

[Effect of the invention] When administering a drug using ultrasound to increase the efficiency of drug diffusion and absorption, the output and timing of the ultrasound can be controlled according to the type of treatment and the patient's condition. , overdosing, underdosing, side effects, etc. of drugs are eliminated. This allows the use of ultrasound to be highly effective in treatment without compromising patient safety.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of an ultrasonic treatment control device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a graph showing a control pattern of ultrasound output in the ultrasound therapy control device shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of a drug administration device used for transdermal administration of drugs.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing another embodiment of the ultrasonic therapy control device of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing still another embodiment of the ultrasonic treatment control device of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a waveform diagram showing the timing of ultrasound output during treatment of coronary artery thrombosis.

FIG. 7 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of a drug administration device used when injecting a drug.

[Explanation of symbols] 1 Ultrasonic oscillation circuit 2 Ultrasonic vibration element 3 Ultrasonic control circuit 4 Microcomputer 5 Keyboard 6 Display device 7 Control pattern storage device 8 Blood sugar level sensor 11 Drug administration device 12 Ultrasonic vibration element 13 Drug layer 14 Adhesive layer 15 Plastic cover 16 Connector 21 Electrocardiograph 31 Drug administration device 32 Base side tubular body 33 End side tubular body 34 Ultrasonic vibration element 35a, 35b Conductor wire 36a, 36b connector 37 Supply port 38, 39 Distribution path 40 Inlet

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. An ultrasonic vibration element that applies ultrasonic vibration to a drug during drug administration, an ultrasonic oscillation circuit that supplies an ultrasonic signal to the ultrasonic vibration element, and an ultrasonic oscillation circuit that includes: A control pattern storage device storing a control pattern of an ultrasonic signal to be generated, and reading out the control pattern stored in the control pattern storage device to control the output, timing, etc. of the ultrasonic signal in the ultrasonic oscillation circuit. 1. A control device for ultrasonic treatment, comprising an ultrasonic control circuit that performs the following steps. 2. An ultrasonic vibrating element that applies ultrasonic vibration to a drug when administering the drug, an ultrasonic oscillation circuit that supplies an ultrasonic signal to the ultrasonic vibrating element, and an object to which the drug is administered. means for detecting the state of an object; outputting an ultrasonic signal in the ultrasonic oscillation circuit based on the output of the detecting means;
1. A control device for ultrasonic treatment, comprising an ultrasonic control circuit that controls timing and the like.