WO2002076552A1

WO2002076552A1 - Osteoporosis treatment unit

Info

Publication number: WO2002076552A1
Application number: PCT/KR2002/000500
Authority: WO
Inventors: Hong Goh Kim
Original assignee: Nbm Co., Ltd.
Priority date: 2001-03-27
Filing date: 2002-03-26
Publication date: 2002-10-03
Also published as: KR20020075655A; KR100405143B1

Abstract

Disclosed is an osteoporosis treatment apparatus which creates a bone cell in an osteoporosis occurring region of the body of an osteoporotic patient by using an IR laser and an ultrasonic wave, treats an osteoporosis by activating the surrounding bone tissues, and rapidly joins fracture regions of the patient while eliminating a pain owing to an anti-inflammatory effect. The osteoporosis treatment apparatus comprises; a bed adapted to allow an osteoporotic patient to lie down on the top surface thereof; at least one side probe mounted on each of both sides of the top surface of the bed in such a fashion that it is moved along the lateral direction thereof to be in close contact with both side faces of the body of the osteoporotic patient, the at least one side probe having an ultrasonic wave generator and a laser beam generator built therein; at least one spine probe mounted in a recess formed in the middle portion of the top surface of the bed in such a fashion that it is moved along the longitudinal direction of the bed to adhere closely to the spinal region of the body of the osteoporotic patient; a manipulator displaceably mounted to the upper edge of one of both side plates provided uprightly on both side edges of the bed and adapted to irradiate an IR laser beam toward the body of the osteoporotic patient, the manipulator having an IR laser beam generator built therein; and a control panel mounted to one side of the bed and adapted to control the driving of the ultrasonic wave generators and the laser beam generators of the side and spine probes, and the driving of the IR laser beam generator of the manipulator.

Description

QSIEOEORQSISJRE ATMENXJLINIT

Technical Field

The present invention relates to an osteoporosis treatment apparatus, and more particularly, to an osteoporosis treatment apparatus which creates a bone cell in an osteoporosis occurring region of the body of an osteoporotic patient by using an IR laser and an ultrasonic wave, treats an osteoporosis by activating the surrounding bone tissues, and rapidly joins fracture regions of the patient while eliminating a pain owing to an anti-inflammatory effect.

Background Art

Osteoporosis refers to a disease of the elderly in which bones that needs hardening become weak because of both a decrease in bone mass due to bone loss and destruction of a microstructure of bone tissue by various medical causes, leading to bone fragility and an increased susceptibility to fractures of the several bone regions despite of small impact applied. Also, osteoporosis is a common and fatal disease which often induces a severe arthralgia and easily causes fractures, making patients with osteoporosis crippled during their life time, and, therefore, leading to a sudden death of the osteoporotic patients.

The region in the human body where fractures may occur due to osteoporosis includes all bodily regions containing a bone, but examples of a typical fracture-occurring region among them includes the spine, thighbone, arms, legs and wrist.

In the case where osteoporosis is not prevented previously, a compression fracture inducing a collapse of the spine enables the body to be bent down and height to be lost. For this reason, the osteoporotic patients suffer from a severe lumbago just until they die. Spinal compression fracture puts pressure against heart, lungs and internal organs, so that the functions of heart and lungs are deteriorated, which causes an osteoporotic patient's breath to be lost and him or her to die due to heart failure. A digestive organ is also put under pressure so that regurgitant esophagitis is brought about and a chronic constipation is apt to break out.

In order to prevent such osteoporosis, there is proposed an approach in which prior to a climacteric, men and women take foods abundant in calcium, carry out an appropriate exercise persistently, and are sufficiently supplied with a nutriment. There is also proposed an approach in which after a climacteric, they are sufficiently supplied with a nutriment, perform an appropriate exercise persistently, and utilize Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT), and the like. But, in a present situation, for Hormone Replacement Therapy, treatment of osteoporosis only requires the use of a hormone curative medicine of osteoporosis, estrogen, alendronate, calcitonin, raloxifene, etc.,

However, in case of dosing an osteoporotic patient with such a hormone curative medicine, harmful side effects and a serious problem within a gastrointestinal tract are caused. Particularly, a mucous membrane of the gastrointestinal tract is locally stimulated so that bleeding occurs, harmful side effects are caused in a digestive system, or a sternum pain and a swallowing pain are provoked. Consequently, because there are many cases where the osteoporotic patient cannot be dosed with the hormone curative medicine according to the state of the osteoporotic patient, doctors must carefully prescribe for osteoporotic patients. Disclosure of Invention

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to solve the problem and to provide an osteoporosis treatment apparatus for preventing the progress of osteoporosis and treating the disease, which excludes a drug therapy through the use of a hormone curative medicine and adopts a physical therapy scheme using an IR laser and an ultrasonic wave, thereby eliminating the cause of generation of drug side effects of the human body.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an osteoporosis treatment apparatus which irradiates an ultrasonic wave and a laser beam toward an osteoporotic patient so as to prevent the progress of osteoporosis and treat the disease and rapidly progress a junction of a fracture region of a fracture patient.

To achieve the above object of the present invention, there is provided an osteoporosis treatment apparatus, comprising: a bed (10) adapted to allow an osteoporotic patient to lie down on the top surface thereof; at least one side probe (20) mounted on each of both sides of the top surface of the bed (10) in such a fashion that it is moved along the lateral direction thereof to adhere closely to both sides of the body of the osteoporotic patient, the at least one side probe having an ultrasonic wave generator and a laser beam generator built therein; at least one spine probe(30) mounted in a recess formed in the middle portion of the top surface of the bed(lθ) in such a fashion that it is moved along the longitudinal direction of the bed(lθ) to adhere closely to the spinal region of the body of the osteoporotic patient; a manipulator (40) displaceably mounted to the upper edge of one of both side plates provided uprightly on both side edges of the bed and adapted to irradiate an IR laser beam toward the body of the osteoporotic patient, the manipulator having an IR laser beam generator(41) built therein; and a control panel (50) mounted to one side of the bed (10) and adapted to control the driving of the ultrasonic wave generators (21,31) and the laser beam generators (22,32) of the probes (20,30), and the driving of the IR laser beam generator (41) of the manipulator (40).

According to the present invention, after an osteoporotic patient lies down on a bed, at least one probe for generating an ultrasonic wave and a laser beam is moved and stopped such that it adheres closely to both side faces and the spine region of the body of the osteoporotic patient. Then, the manipulator is slidably moved along the peripheral side of the bed while irradiating an IR laser beam toward the diseased part of the patient.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Further objects and advantages of the invention can be more fully understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an osteoporosis treatment apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view thereof;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of an osteoporosis treatment apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention in a state in which a patient lies down on the top surface thereof; FIG. 4 is a sectional side elevation view of a side probe according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a top plan view thereof; FIG. 6 is a front elevational view thereof;

FIG. 7 is a top plan view of a spine probe for treating a spine of a patient according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a side elevational view thereof; FIG. 9 is a sectional view thereof;

FIG. 10 is a partially cutaway side elevation view of a manipulator according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 11 is a partially sectional view of a feed means of a manipulator according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 12 is a top plan view of an osteoporosis treatment apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 13 is a front elevational view of a side probe according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

The present invention will now be described in detail in connection with preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings. For reference, like reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout several views.

Referring to the FIGs. 1 to 6, a bed 10 is fixedly mounted on legs 11 in such a fashion that it is spaced apart by a predetermined height from the bottom of the legs 11. A reversed N-shaped leg fixing member 15 is fixedly mounted on the top surface of the bed 10. When the patient 1 lies down thereon, the leg fixing member 15 is interposed between both his or her groins and the inner sides of two legs in such a fashion that it is in close contact with them to prevent the movement of a patient 1. Herein, the leg fixing member 15 doesn't always need to be mounted a prerequisite, but, preferably, may be of such a protruded structure as to prevent the movement of the patient 1.

Mounted to one side of the bed 10 is a control pad 50 which serves to control the operations of ultrasonic wave generators 21, 31 of side and spine probes 20, 30 and IR laser beam generators 22, 32 and 41 of side and spine probes and a manipulator 40. The control panel 50 is designed such that an operator can optionally adjust the positioning angle thereof to easily set an operating time and an intensity of the generators. The side probe 20 is mounted on both sides of the top surface of the bed 10 in such a fashion that it is moved by a certain distance along the lateral direction thereof. In this case, preferably, four side probes 20 are disposed on each of both sides thereof, but the number of the side probes may be increased or decreased, if necessary. That is, as shown in FIG. 12, two side probes 20 may be mounted on each of both sides of the top surface of the bed 10. In this case, two D -shaped feed channels 28a are formed on each of both side of the top surface of the bed 10 so that each side probe 20 is moved along the longitudinal direction of the bed 10, and then is moved along the lateral direction thereof toward the body of a patient. Each side probe 20 is coupled at both sides thereof to a D -shaped probe fixing element 23 by a hinge 24 so that it can rotate upward and downward to some extent while being coupled to the probe fixing element 23. The probe fixing element 23 is coupled to a probe frame 26 through a spring 25 in such a fashion that the probe fixing element 23 and the probe frame 26 are fitted into the spring 25, and a rail coupling member 27 is fittedly coupled to the lower portion of the probe frame 26 so that it is slidably moved in the lateral direction of the bed

10 along a feed rail 28 while being fitted into the feed rail 28 formed below the top surface of the bed 10. The probe frame 26 can be fixed at a desired position on the bed 10 using a clamping screw 29.

Herein, also, the probe frame 26 is coupled to the rail coupling member 27 in such a fashion that it rotates in the right and left direction while being fitted into the rail coupling member 27.

When the probe frame 26 is clamped relative to the top surface of the bed 10 by means of the clamping screw 29, the probe frame 26, its movement is stopped. On the contrary, when the clamping screw 29 is released, the rail coupling member 27 coupled to the probe frame 26 is slidably moved in the lateral and longitudinal directions of the bed 10 along the feed rail 28 and the feed channel 28a (see FIG. 12).

The ultrasonic wave generator 21 is embedded into the side probe 20 to be directed toward the center of the bed 10, and the laser beam generator 22 is built- in on the one side of the ultrasonic wave generator 21. Herein, although three laser beam generators 22, each of which has one laser diode, are illustrated, only one laser beam generator 22 may be employed as shown in FIG. 13.

Namely, the number of laser diodes can be varied. As the number of laser diodes is increased, the cost of the laser diodes is raised while the time taken to treat the patient is shortened. All the probes 20, 30 mounted on the bed 10 have the same construction.

As shown in FIGs, 7 to 9, a recess 13 is formed in the central portion of the bed 10, i.e., at the place where the spine of the patient is positioned, and then at least one spine probe 30 is mounted in the recess 13 in such a fashion that it is moved along the longitudinal direction of the bed 10. A feed rail 33 is provided within the recess 13 of the bed 10 along the longitudinal direction of the bed 10, and a number of spherical fixing grooves34 are formed on one side end of the feed rail 33 in such a fashion that they are disposed equidistant from each other. A rail coupling member 35 is slidably moved along the feed rail 33. A ball 37 elastically supported by a spring 36 in the inner side end of the rail coupling member 35 is fitted into a fixing groove 34 of the feed rail 33. When the ball 37 is snap-fitted into the fixing groove 34, it is maintained in a fixed state unless an external force is applied to the rail coupling member 35. On the contrary, if the external force is applied to the rail coupling member 35, the ball 37 escapes from the fixing groove 34 immediately so that it is again snap- fitted into an adjacent fixing groove 34. A supporting plate 39 is elastically fixed to the rail coupling member 35 by means of a spring 38. The spine probe 30 is fixedly mounted on the top surface of the supporting plate 39 in such a fashion that it is provide with an ultrasonic wave generator 31 and a laser beam generator 32 which face upwardly.

Herein, the ultrasonic wave generators 21, 31 and the laser beam generators 22, 32 of the probes 20, 30 are designed so that the positions of ultrasonic waves and laser beams emitted to the patient 1 from the ultrasonic wave generators 21, 31 and the laser beam generators 22, 32 are identical, and the number of laser diodes of the laser beam generators 22, 32 can be increased or decreased.

A manipulator 40 is mounted to the upper edge of one of both side plates 12 provided uprightly on both side edges of the bed 10 so that a laser probe 48 of the manipulator 40 having a laser^" beam generator 41 built therein is horizontally moved over the patient 1.

The manipulator 40 is constituted such that each of two four-joint links 43, 44 is coupled at one end thereof to a coupling plate 42. At this time, the four- joint link 43 is coupled at the other end thereof to a laser probe 48, and the four- joint link 44 is coupled at the other end thereof to a fixing member 45. The lower portion of the fixing member 45 is rotatably mounted to a feed member 46, and a roller 46 is rotatably mounted to the inner side of the lower portion of the feed member 46 so that it can be horizontally slidably moved along a feed groove 16 formed on the side plate 12.

The laser probe 48 is embedded with an IR laser beam generator 41 which serves to irradiate an IR laser beam. The IR laser beam generator 41 enables the

IR laser beam to scan the body of the patient 1 upward, downward, rightward and leftward. At this time, the control panel 50 controls the scan of the IR laser beam.

The present invention allows an osteoporotic or fracture patient 1 to lie down on the bed 10 in such a fashion that the leg fixing member 15 is interposed between both his or her groins and the inner sides of his or her two legs to prevent the movement of a patient 1.

At this time, the rail coupling member 35 is horizontally moved along the feed rail 33 in the recess 13 to locate the treating region of the spine of the patient 1 so that the spine probe 30 can be in close contact with the spine region to be treated of the patient 1.

Also, the probe frame 26 of the side probe 20 is laterally slidably moved along the feed rail 28 so that the side probe 20 is in close contact with a side face of the body of the patient 1 , and then the clamping screw is tightened to prevent the movement of the side probe 20. At this time, the side probe 20 is disposed in such a fashion that it is focused on the arm and leg regions where osteoporosis occurs at the most frequent intervals.

Then, since the side probe 20 exerts pressure on both side faces of the body of the patient 1 and the leg fixing member 15 is interposed between his or her two legs, an operator can treat the diseased part of the patient 1 in a state in which the patient 1 is not moved during the treatment.

In this state, the manipulator 40 is slidably moved over the patient along the longitudinal direction of the bed 10 so that the laser probe 48 is positioned over a predicted osteoporosis or fracture region of the body of the patient 1. At this time, the use of the control panel 50 adjusts both the driving time of the ultrasonic wave generators 21, 31 and the driving time and the intensity of the IR laser beam generators 22, 32 and 41.

Also, the control panel 50 adjusts the scan direction and the intensity of a laser beam generated from the laser beam generator 41.

Then, the ultrasonic waves generated from the ultrasonic wave generators 21, 31 and the laser beams generated from the laser beam generators 22, 32 and 41 are propagated to the corresponding bone region where osteoporosis progresses so that bone cells contained in the bone region are reinforced. In addition, the amount of the blood is increased and the surrounding cells are activated, so that the progress of osteoporosis can be prevented and the disease can be treated while enabling the anti-inflammatory treatment and the rapid joining of the fracture region of the body of the patient 1.

That is, when an IR laser beam is irradiated to the bone region to be treated, a painless and anti-inflammatory treatment is possible in terms of the characteristics of the IR laser beam. Moreover, the circulation of the blood is improved, the surrounding cells are activated, and 3 -phosphoric acid (an essential ingredient which significantly contributes to the acquisition and utilization of energy within an organism) is created so that the number of the bone cells is increased to prevent and treat osteoporosis and rapidly join the fracture region of the body of the patient.

In the present invention, the side probe 20 embedded with the ultrasonic wave generator 21 rotates in the vertical and horizontal directions, i.e., upward and downward, and rightward and leftward so that it can be in close contact with the body of the patient 1 irrespective of the positioned state of the patient 1, and particularly the elasticity of the spring 25 installed in the side probe 20 improves a contacting ability.

The shape and structure of the bed 10, the side and spine probes 20, 30 and the manipulator 40 according to the present invention may be modified, but if the present invention has the construction in which an IR laser beam or an ultrasonic wave is irradiated to arm and leg bones, and the spine, i.e., osteoporosis occurring region by using an IR laser beam generator or an ultrasonic wave generator, but not a curative medicine in a state in which a patient lies down on the bed 10 so that bone cells increase in number and the surrounding cells are activated, such variations are intended to be within the scope of the present invention and the appended claims.

Industrial Applicability

As described above, the present invention has an advantage in that osteoporosis is prevented and treated by means of a physical therapy method using an IR laser beam or an ultrasonic wave, but not a curative medicine, thereby preventing drug side effects which may occur upon the dosing of a curative medicine. Further, osteoporosis can be prevented by using the osteoporosis treatment apparatus of the present invention prior to the occurrence of the disease, and in the case where a fracture patient makes use of the osteoporosis treatment apparatus, the time taken to join the fracture regions of the body of the patient can be shortened. Particularly, the treatment of osteoporosis is possible without the need of taking a curative medicine, and anxiety about side effects upon the dosing of the medicine is eliminated so that an osteoporotic patient can also escape from the π fear of the dosing of the curative medicine.

Furthermore, if the middle-aged and the manhood of the climactic undergo the treatment process by means of the osteoporosis treatment apparatus of the present invention once or twice per 1 -2 months, they can be freed from the fear of osteoporosis.

While the present invention has been described with reference to the particular illustrative embodiments, it is not to be restricted by the embodiments but only by the appended claims. It is to be appreciated that those skilled in the art can change or modify the embodiments without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention.

Claims

What JsjClaimed Js :

1. An osteoporosis treatment apparatus, comprising: a bed adapted to allow an osteoporotic patient to lie down on the top surface thereof; at least one side probe mounted on each of both sides of the top surface of the bed in such a fashion that it is moved along the lateral direction thereof to be in close contact with both side faces of the body of the osteoporotic patient, the at least one side probe having an ultrasonic wave generator and a laser beam generator built therein; at least one spine probe mounted in a recess formed in the middle portion of the top surface of the bed in such a fashion that it is moved along the longitudinal direction of the bed to adhere closely to the spinal region of the body of the osteoporotic patient; a manipulator displaceably mounted to the upper edge of one of both side plates provided uprightly on both side edges of the bed and adapted to irradiate an IR laser beam toward the body of the osteoporotic patient, the manipulator having an IR laser beam generator built therein; and a control panel mounted to one side of the bed and adapted to control the driving of the ultrasonic wave generators and the laser beam generators of the side and spine probes, and the driving of the IR laser beam generator of the manipulator.

2. The osteoporosis treatment apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the side probe has the ultrasonic wave generator and the laser beam generator built therein and is coupled at both sides thereof to a D -shaped probe fixing element by a hinge, and wherein the probe fixing element is coupled to a probe frame through a spring in such a fashion that the probe fixing element and the probe frame are fitted into the spring.

3. The osteoporosis treatment apparatus according to claim 2, wherein a rail coupling member is fittedly coupled to the lower portion of the probe frame in such a fashion that the probe frame rotates relative to the rail coupling member, so that the rail coupling member is slidably moved in the lateral direction of the bed along a feed rail while being fitted into the feed rail formed below the top surface of the bed, and wherein the probe frame has a clamping screw embedded therein, which serves to fix the position of the probe frame.

4. The osteoporosis treatment apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the spine probe is mounted within a recess formed in the central portion of the bed in such a fashion that it is slidably moved along a feed rail provided within the recess in the longitudinal direction of the bed to hold the spine region of the patient.

5. The osteoporosis treatment apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the spine probe is fixedly mounted on the top surface of a supporting plate which is elastically fixed to a rail coupling member by means of a spring, and the rail coupling member is coupled to the feed rail in such a fashion that it is slidably moved along the feed rail.

6. The osteoporosis treatment apparatus according to claim 5, wherein a number of spherical fixing grooves are formed on one side ends of the feed rail in such a fashion that they are disposed equidistant from each other, and a ball is elastically supported by a spring in the inner side end of the rail coupling member so that when it is fitted into a fixing groove the movement of the rail coupling member is stopped.

7. The osteoporosis treatment apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the manipulator is constituted such that each of two four-joint links is coupled at one end thereof to a coupling plate, and wherein a first four-joint link is coupled at the other end thereof to a laser probe having a laser beam generator built therein, and a second four-joint link is coupled at the other end thereof to a fixing member which is rotatably mounted to a feed member which is slidably moved along the upper edge of the side plate.

8. The osteoporosis treatment apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a leg fixing member is fixedly mounted on the top surface of the bed so that it is interposed between both groins and the inner sides of two legs of the patient to prevent the movement of the patient.

9. The osteoporosis treatment apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the laser beam generator built in the laser probe of the manipulator enables an IR laser beam emitted therefrom to scan the body of the patient upward and downward, and rightward and leftward.

10. The osteoporosis treatment apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least one feed channel is provided on each of both sides of the top surface of the bed so that the side probe is slidably moved along the lateral and longitudinal directions of the bed.