Patent ID: 7203984

Claim:
A medical apparatus comprising: an inflatable/deflatable support for manipulating the spine of a patient, wherein the support comprises: an inflatable central volume divided in to two compartments stacked one on top of the other; and one or more other volumes adjoining the central volume on on at least one of three lateral sides of the central volume, and a fluid pump connected with the support, wherein said fluid pump comprises a two channel inflation/deflation coupling for inflating said central volume and said one or more other volumes, said two channel inflation/deflation coupling being arranged to control periodic cyclic movement of a portion of the patient relative to the rest of the patient with a fore-and-aft and/or side-to-side motion by selective inflation/deflation of said two compartments of said central volume and said one or more other volumes, whereby said central volume and said one or more other volumes are arranged to cause opposing bone surfaces of the spine to move relative to each other.