Patent ID: 8755894
Filing Date: 2014-06-17
Classification: A61N

Abstract:
1. A non-invasive method for promoting a localized increase in a flow of blood through a blood vessel in a limb segment on a lower leg of a body of a subject, by a series of electrically stimulated contractions of muscle tissue in the limb segment, the method comprising the steps of: (a) providing a device including: (i) a plurality of electrodes including a first electrode, a second electrode, and a third electrode, each of said plurality of electrodes adapted to operatively contact the limb segment; (ii) a signal generator, operatively connected to each said electrode, adapted to produce a series of electrical impulses to the limb segment via said plurality of electrodes, said signal generator connecting to a power supply, and (iii) a control unit, associated with said signal generator, adapted to control said signal generator to produce said series of electrical impulses; (b) positioning said plurality of electrodes on the limb segment, wherein said first electrode is positioned on a lower end of the lower leg, said second electrode is positioned on the lower leg, and said third electrode is positioned on an upper end of the lower leg, whereby said first electrode and said third electrode are disposed on opposite ends of the lower leg, and said second electrode and one of said first and third electrodes are disposed on a same end of the lower leg; (c) effecting a sequence of muscular contractions of the lower leg, by operations including: (i) applying at least a first electrical impulse of said impulses between said electrodes on said same end of the lower leg to induce a first muscular contraction of a first portion of the tissue in the lower leg; and (ii) applying at least a second electrical impulse of said impulses between said first and third electrodes to induce a longitudinal muscular contraction of a second portion of the muscular tissue in the lower leg; and (d) repeating operations (i) and (ii), to repeatedly induce at least said first muscular contraction and said longitudinal muscular contraction, to effect the localized increase in the flow of blood.