Patent SG-11201804631V-A (SG)
Title: Wearable non-invasive apparatus for and method of enhancing lower limbs venous return of a subject
Inventor: NG XU WEN
IPC: A61B5/00
Filed: 2016-11-24
Abstract: 12) INTERNATIONAL APPLICATION PUBLISHED UNDER THE PATENT COOPERATION TREATY (PCT) (19) World Intellectual Property Organization International Bureau 111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111 1111111111111111111111111111111 (10) International Publication Number WO 2017/095330 Al WIPO I PCT (43) International Publication Date 8 June 2017 (08.06.2017) (51) International Patent Classification: A61N 1/36 (2006.01) A61B 5/00 (2006.01) A61N 1/04 (2006.01) (21) International Application Number: PCT/SG2016/050580 (74) Agent: VIERING, JENTSCHURA & PARTNER LLP; P.O. Box 1088, Rochor Post Office, Rochor Road, Singa- pore 911833 (SG). (81) Designated States (unless otherwise indicated, for every kind of national protection available): AE, AG, AL, AM, AO, AT, AU, AZ, BA, BB, BG, BH, BN, BR, BW, BY, BZ, CA, CH, CL, CN, CO, CR, CU, CZ, DE, DJ, DK, DM, DO, DZ, EC, EE, EG, ES, FI, GB, GD, GE, GH, GM, GT, HN, HR, HU, ID, IL, IN, IR, IS, JP, KE, KG, KN, KP, KR, KW, KZ, LA, LC, LK, LR, LS, LU, LY, MA, MD, ME, MG, MK, MN, MW, MX, MY, MZ, NA, NG, NI, NO, NZ, OM, PA, PE, PG, PH, PL, PT, QA, RO, RS, RU, RW, SA, SC, SD, SE, SG, SK, SL, SM, ST, SV, SY, TH, TJ, TM, TN, TR, TT, TZ, UA, UG, US, UZ, VC, VN, ZA, ZM, ZW. (84) Designated States (unless otherwise indicated, for every kind of regional protection available): ARIPO (BW, GH, GM, KE, LR, LS, MW, MZ, NA, RW, SD, SL, ST, SZ, TZ, UG, ZM, ZW), Eurasian (AM, AZ, BY, KG, KZ, RU, TJ, TM), European (AL, AT, BE, BG, CH, CY, CZ, DE, DK, EE, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, HR, HU, IE, IS, IT, LT, LU, LV, MC, MK, MT, NL, NO, PL, PT, RO, RS, SE, SI, SK, SM, TR), OAPI (BF, BJ, CF, CG, CI, CM, GA, GN, GQ, GW, KM, ML, MR, NE, SN, TD, TG). Published: — with international search report (Art 21(3)) (22) International Filing Date: 24 November 2016 (24.11.2016) (25) Filing Language: English (26) Publication Language: English (30) Priority Data: 10201509867X 1 December 2015 (01.12.2015) SG (71) Applicant: AGENCY FOR SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND RESEARCH [SG/SG]; 1 Fusionopolis Way, #20-10 Connexis, Singapore 138632 (SG). (72) Inventors: NG, Xu Wen; Science and Engineering Insti- tutes c/o Singapore-Stanford Biodesign, 79 Ayer Rajah Crescent, #05-03, Singapore 139955 (SG). MOK, Wan Loong James; Science and Engineering Institutes c/o Singapore-Stanford Biodesign, 79 Ayer Rajah Crescent, #05-03, Singapore 139955 (SG). KAN, Enci Mary; Sci- ence and Engineering Institutes c/o Singapore-Stanford Biodesign, 79 Ayer Rajah Crescent, #05-03, Singapore 139955 (SG). CHEE, Ka Mung; Science and Engineering Institutes c/o Singapore-Stanford Biodesign, 79 Ayer Rajah Crescent, #05-03, Singapore 139955 (SG). (54) Title: WEARABLE NON-INVASIVE APPARATUS FOR AND METHOD OF ENHANCING LOWER LIMBS VENOUS RETURN OF A SUBJECT FIG. 7E 700e MECHANISM OF ACTION Venous feedback monitoring LEFT LEG 0.0 1.0 2.0 Venous pooling REFILL: 30 sec Sensor of venous state the nerve yr 1 40 1 : . Deliver stimulus W O 20 17 /095 330 Al (57) : In various embodiments, a wearable non -invasive apparatus for enhancing lower limb venous return of a subject may be provided. The apparatus may include a monitoring device configured to determine a venous state of a subject such as a pho - toplethysmography (PPG) sensor. The apparatus may also include a neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) device configured to generate an electrical stimulus in response to the determinedvenous state and concurrently stimulate the triceps surae and the deep posterior calf muscle of the subject with the generated electrical stimulus to enhance lower limb venous return. In an alternative em- bodiment, electrical stimulation can be at the tibial nerve of the subject to retrograde target the triceps surae and the deep posterior calf muscle of the subject.