US4026304A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Bone generating method and device
Assignee: Valera Pharmaceuticals Inc
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Filing: 1974-11-06
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Granted: 1977-05-31
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Expires: 1994-11-06
Abstract
Abstract A method and apparatus for stimulating in vivo bone growth whereby a train of electrical pulses, rather than a direct current potential, is applied to the bone in vivo to produce faster and more satisfactory growth than a direct current voltage. In the embodiment described below, an astable multivibrator producing a pulse train with a duty cycle preferably between 1/10% and 10% is encapsulated in a corrosion resistant material which is, in turn, coated with a non-toxic, non-tissue reactive coating to produce a self-contained prosthetic which will stimulate bone growth. A second component of this prosthetic system is comprised of a suitable substrate material that can be electrically driven to induce tissue infiltration into the substrate pore structure. This second component of the prosthetic system is not required for the proper functioning of the active component of said prosthetic system but may be used as an adjunct aid if the attending physician so elects. In the embodiment described below, several classes of such materials are discussed. These materials are non-toxic and non-tissue reactive and are of such design as to readily permit tissue infiltration.
Inventors
- 👤 Didya D. Levy
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-22 23:51
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61N; A61N1/00; A61N1/18; A61N1/32; A61N1/36; A61N1/372; A61F; A61F2/00; A61F2/02; A61F2/28; A61F2002/2821; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S623/00; Y10S623/915; Y10S623/919
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 27
Claim 1
Independent Claim
62 words
A method of stimulating in vivo bone growth comprising the steps of generating a train of electrical pulses of a direct current and applying said train of electrical pulses to a bone within a living vertebrate, said train having a ratio between the time duration of a pulse and the time between adjacent pulses between 1 to 1000 and 1 to 10.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
62 words
A method of stimulating in vivo bone growth comprising the steps of generating a train of electrical pulses of a direct current and applying said train of electrical pulses to a bone within a living vertebrate, said train having a ratio between the time duration of a pulse and the time between adjacent pulses between 1 to 1000 and 1 to 10.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
56 words
A method as in claim 1 wherein said step of generating includes the steps of applying electrical energy to an oscillator circuit having input terminals for receiving said energy and output terminals for said train of electrical pulses and including the further step of placing said oscillator circuit in vivo adjacent the bone to be stimulated.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
31 words
A method as in claim 2 including the further step encapsulating said oscillator circuit with a corrosion resistant material and coating the corrosion resistant material with a non-toxic, non-tissue reactive coating.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
62 words
A method as in claim 3 wherein said coating is chosen from the group consisting of hydrophilic water insoluble polymers of hydroxy lower alkyl acrylates, hydroxy lower alkyl methacrylates, hydroxy lower alkoxy lower alkyl acrylates, hydroxy lower alkoxy lower alkyl methacrylates, vinyl pyrrolidone, lower alkyl substituted acrylamides, lower alkyl substituted methacrylamides, N-hydroxy lower alkyl acrylamides, N-hydroxy lower alkyl methacrylamides, and polyvinyl alcohol.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method, according to claim 4 wherein the polymer is a sparingly cross-linked 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate polymer.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
47 words
A method as in claim 1 wherein said step of generating includes the step of applying electrical energy to an oscillator circuit mounted exterior to the vertebrate body and including the further step of implanting means for connecting said oscillator circuit to said bone to be stimulated.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
20 words
A method as in claim 1 wherein said pulse train has a firing rate between 0.0005 Hertz and 10K Hertz.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
19 words
A method as in claim 1 wherein said pulse train has a frequency between 0.01 Hz and 1 KHz.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
33 words
A method as in claim 1 wherein said step of generating includes the step of applying a direct current voltage to an astable multivibrator to cause said multivibrator to produce said pulse train.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method as in claim 1 including the further step of implanting a non-toxic substrate adjacent to said bone so that viable bone will form on said substrate.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
59 words
An apparatus for stimulating in vivo bone growth comprising: means for generating a train of electrical pulses of a direct current, said train having a ratio between the time duration of a pulse and time between adjacent pulses between 1 to 1000 and 1 to 10 and means for applying said train to a bone within a living vertebrate.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
59 words
An apparatus for stimulating in vivo bone growth comprising: means for generating a train of electrical pulses of a direct current, said train having a ratio between the time duration of a pulse and time between adjacent pulses between 1 to 1000 and 1 to 10 and means for applying said train to a bone within a living vertebrate.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
32 words
An apparatus as in claim 11 wherein said generating means includes an electrical oscillator circuit and said applying means includes a pair of electrodes connected to the output of said oscillator circuit.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
25 words
An apparatus as in claim 12 wherein said oscillator circuit includes an astable multivibrator and means for supplying a direct current voltage to said multivibrator.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
35 words
An apparatus as in claim 12 for stimulating in vivo bone growth further including a layer of corrosion resistant material encapsulating said circuit, and a coating of a non-toxic, non-tissue reactive material about said layer.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
47 words
An apparatus as in claim 14 wherein said electrodes are substantially insulated along their length, exposing portions of the electrodes for applying said pulses to said bone and said electrodes and extend from said circuit through said layer and coating for applying said pulses to a bone.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
17 words
An apparatus as in claim 15 further including a substantially rigid sleeve member about each said electrode.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
57 words
An apparatus as in claim 14 wherein said coating is chosen from the group consisting of hydroxy lower alkyl acrylate, hydroxy lower alkyl methacrylate, hydroxy lower alkoxy lower alkyl acrylate, hydroxy lower alkoxy lower alkyl methacrylate, vinyl pyrrolidone, lower alkyl substituted acrylamides, lower alkyl substituted methacrylamides, N-hydroxy lower alkyl methacrylamides, N-substituted lower alkyl acrylamides, and polyvinyl alcohol.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
92 words
An apparatus for stimulating in vivo bone growth comprising: an electrical oscillator circuit including means for generating a train of electrical pulses of a direct current having a ratio between the time duration of a pulse and the time between adjacent pulses between 1 to 1000 and 1 to 10, a layer of corrosion resistant material encapsulating said circuit, a coating of a non-toxic, non-tissue reactive material about said layer and a pair of insulated electrodes extending from said circuit through said layer and coating for applying said pulses to a bone.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
92 words
An apparatus for stimulating in vivo bone growth comprising: an electrical oscillator circuit including means for generating a train of electrical pulses of a direct current having a ratio between the time duration of a pulse and the time between adjacent pulses between 1 to 1000 and 1 to 10, a layer of corrosion resistant material encapsulating said circuit, a coating of a non-toxic, non-tissue reactive material about said layer and a pair of insulated electrodes extending from said circuit through said layer and coating for applying said pulses to a bone.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
17 words
An apparatus as in claim 18 further including a substantially rigid sleeve member about each said electrode.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
25 words
An apparatus as in claim 18 wherein said oscillator circuit includes an astable multivibrator and means for supplying a direct current voltage to said multivibrator.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
59 words
An apparatus as in claim 18 wherein said coating is chosen from the group consisting of polymers of hydroxy lower alkyl acrylates, hydroxy lower alkyl methacrylates, hydroxy lower alkoxy lower alkyl acrylates, hydroxy lower alkoxy lower alkyl methacrylates, vinyl pyrrolidone, lower alkyl substituted acrylamides, lower alkyl substituted methacrylamides, N-hydroxy lower alkyl methacrylamides, N-hydroxy lower alkyl acrylamides, and polyvinyl alcohol.
Claim 25
Independent Claim
73 words
A method of stimulating in vivo bone growth comprising the steps of implanting a non-toxic substrate in the body of a living vertebrate and applying an electrical signal consisting of a train of direct current pulses having a ratio between the time duration of a pulse and the time between adjacent pulses between 1 to 1000 and 1 and 10 to said implanted substrate to cause viable bone to form on said substrate.
Claim 26
Independent Claim
73 words
A method of stimulating in vivo bone growth comprising the steps of implanting a non-toxic substrate in the body of a living vertebrate and applying an electrical signal consisting of a train of direct current pulses having a ratio between the time duration of a pulse and the time between adjacent pulses between 1 to 1000 and 1 and 10 to said implanted substrate to cause viable bone to form on said substrate.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method as in claim 22 wherein said step of implanting includes the step of implanting a substrate of hydrophilic material.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1980-05-30 | 1980-11-29 | 1981-05-31 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1984-05-30 | 1984-11-29 | 1985-05-31 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1988-05-30 | 1988-11-29 | 1989-05-31 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |