Patent ID: 6254553
Filing Date: 2001-07-03
Classification: A61B,A61N

Abstract:
A method for the non-invasive treatment of sciatica comprising the steps of:creating ultrasonic fields from at least two laterally spaced therapeutic ultrasonic transducers of the phased array type, which therapeuthic ultrasonic transducers can be controlled in response to an external signal so as to generate a varying intensity of their ultrasonic fields,focusing these ultrasonic fields in a focal area defined between the plates of the intervertebral disc by providing the focal area between these plates from the therapeutic ultrasonic transducers, arranging the therapeutic ultrasonic transducers obliquely with respect to a plane containing the patient's spinal cord and the centerline of the patient's intervertebral discs,heating the tissue in the focal area of the ultrasonic fields to a temperature in the range of 45.degree. C. to 80.degree. C.,controlling the ultrasonic fields from at least two laterally spaced therapeutic ultrasonic transducers in both strength and time so as to avoid heating the spinal cord and other surrounding biological tissue outside the focal area between the disc plates to tissue-degenerating temperatures, andmonitoring the patient's physical location relative to the transducers, and moving the focal area in response to patient movement, so that the ultrasonic fields from the two laterally spaced obliquely directed therapeutic ultrasonic transducers are accurately focused in the area between the patient's intervertebral disc plates.