Pulsed electromagnetic field method of treating soft tissue wounds
View Patent ↗A pulsed electromagnetic field method of treating a soft tissue wound, wherein, in one embodiment, a patient in need of treatment for a soft tissue wound is administered a pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) having repetitive pulse bursts less than approximately 30 ms in duration, with a pulse burst repetition rate greater than approximately 5 Hz, the pulse bursts generated with a drive signal including pulses each having a first-polarity portion with a pulse width less than 1 ms and a second-polarity portion with a shorter pulse width, the electromagnetic field having a maximum amplitude less than approximately 4 mT and rising to its maximum amplitude during the first-polarity portion. According to another aspect of the invention, a soft tissue wound is treated by administering a pulsed electromagnetic field having substantially unipolar magnetic field pulses generated with a drive signal including a series of pulses each having a first-polarity portion with a pulse width less than 1 ms and a second-polarity portion with a longer pulse width, the electromagnetic field having a maximum amplitude less than 4 mT and rising to its maximum amplitude during the first-polarity portion.
1. A pulsed electromagnetic field method of treating a soft tissue wound, comprising administering to a patient in need of such treatment a pulsed electromagnetic field having substantially unipolar magnetic field pulses generated with a drive signal including a series of pulses each having a first-polarity portion with a pulse width less than 1 ms and a second-polarity portion with a longer pulse width, said electromagnetic field having a maximum amplitude less than 4 mT and rising to said maximum amplitude during said first-polarity portion.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said pulses are repetitive single pulses with a repetition rate greater than 30 Hz.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein said pulse width of said first-polarity portion is in the range of 300-500 μs, and said pulse width of said second-polarity portion is greater than 3 ms.
4. The method of claim 3 , wherein said repetition rate is in the range of approximately 65-80 Hz.
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein said maximum amplitude of said electromagnetic field is in the range of approximately 2-3 mT.
6. A pulsed electromagnetic field method of treating a soft tissue wound, comprising:
identifying a soft tissue wound on a subject;
indicating the use of a pulsed electromagnetic field for treatment of the identified soft tissue wound on the subject in need of such treatment, the indicated electromagnetic field characterized by substantially unipolar magnetic field pulses generated with a drive signal including a series of pulses each having a first-polarity portion with a pulse width less than 1 ms and a second-polarity portion with a longer pulse width, said electromagnetic field having a maximum amplitude less than 4 mT and rising to said maximum amplitude during said first-polarity portion.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein said pulses are repetitive single pulses with a repetition rate greater than 30 Hz.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein said pulse width of said first-polarity portion is in the range of 300-500 μs, and said pulse width of said second-polarity portion is greater than 3 ms.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein said repetition rate is in the range of approximately 65-80 Hz.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein said maximum amplitude of said electromagnetic field is in the range of approximately 2-3 mT.
11. A pulsed electromagnetic field method of treating a soft tissue wound, comprising:
placing a treatment coil on the body of a subject at the site of an identified soft tissue wound; and
applying a pulsed electromagnetic field to said soft tissue wound via said treatment coil for treatment of the identified soft tissue wound, said electromagnetic field characterized by substantially unipolar magnetic field pulses generated with a drive signal including a series of pulses each having a first-polarity portion with a pulse width less than 1 ms and a second-polarity portion with a longer pulse width, said electromagnetic field having a maximum amplitude less than 4 mT and rising to said maximum amplitude during said first-polarity portion.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein said pulses are repetitive single pulses with a repetition rate greater than 30 Hz.
13. The method of claim 12 , wherein said pulse width of said first-polarity portion is in the range of 300-500 μs, and said pulse width of said second-polarity portion is greater than 3 ms.
14. The method of claim 13 , wherein said repetition rate is in the range of approximately 65-80 Hz.
15. The method of claim 14 , wherein said maximum amplitude of said electromagnetic field is in the range of approximately 2-3 mT.
16. A pulsed electromagnetic field method of treating a soft tissue wound, comprising administering to a patient in need of such treatment a pulsed electromagnetic field having repetitive pulse bursts less than approximately 30 ms in duration, with a pulse burst repetition rate greater than approximately 5 Hz, said pulse bursts generated with a drive signal including pulses each having a first-polarity portion with a pulse width less than 1 ms and a second-polarity portion with a shorter pulse width, said electromagnetic field having a maximum amplitude less than approximately 4 mT and rising to said maximum amplitude during said first-polarity portion.
17. The method of claim 16 , wherein said pulse width of said first-polarity portion is in the range of approximately 100-300 μs.
18. The method of claim 17 , wherein said pulse burst repetition rate is in the range of approximately 5-20 Hz.
19. The method of claim 18 , wherein said pulse burst duration is in the range of approximately 2.5-5 ms.
20. The method of claim 19 , wherein said maximum amplitude of said electromagnetic field is in the range of approximately 1-3 mT.
21. The method of claim 16 , wherein said pulse width of said first-polarity portion is in the range of approximately 200-250 μs, and said pulse width of said second-polarity portion is approximately 25 μs.
22. The method of claim 21 , wherein said pulse burst repetition rate is approximately 15 Hz.
23. The method of claim 22 , wherein said pulse burst duration is approximately 5 ms.
24. The method of claim 23 , wherein said maximum amplitude of said electromagnetic field is approximately 1.5 mT.
25. A pulsed electromagnetic field method of treating a soft tissue wound, comprising:
identifying a soft tissue wound on a subject;
indicating the use of a pulsed electromagnetic field for treatment of the identified soft tissue wound on the subject in need of such treatment, the indicated electromagnetic field characterized by repetitive pulse bursts less than approximately 30 ms in duration, with a pulse burst repetition rate greater than approximately 5 Hz, said pulse bursts generated with a drive signal including pulses each having a first-polarity portion with a pulse width less than 1 ms and a second-polarity portion with a shorter pulse width, said electromagnetic field having a maximum amplitude less than approximately 4 mT and rising to said maximum amplitude during said first-polarity portion.
26. The method of claim 25 , wherein said pulse width of said first-polarity portion is in the range of approximately 100-300 μs.
27. The method of claim 26 , wherein said pulse burst repetition rate is in the range of approximately 5-20 Hz.
28. The method of claim 27 , wherein said pulse burst duration is in the range of approximately 2.5-5 ms.
29. The method of claim 28 , wherein said maximum amplitude of said electromagnetic field is in the range of approximately 1-3 mT.
30. The method of claim 25 , wherein said pulse width of said first-polarity portion is in the range of approximately 200-250 μs, and said pulse width of said second-polarity portion is approximately 25 μs.
31. The method of claim 30 , wherein said pulse burst repetition rate is approximately 15 Hz.
32. The method of claim 31 , wherein said pulse burst duration is approximately 5 ms.
33. The method of claim 32 , wherein said maximum amplitude of said electromagnetic field is approximately 1.5 mT.
34. A pulsed electromagnetic field method of treating a soft tissue wound, comprising:
placing a treatment coil on the body of a subject at the site of an identified soft tissue wound; and
applying a pulsed electromagnetic field to said soft tissue wound via said treatment coil for treatment of the identified soft tissue wound, said electromagnetic field characterized by repetitive pulse bursts less than approximately 30 ms in duration, with a pulse burst repetition rate greater than approximately 5 Hz, said pulse bursts generated with a drive signal including pulses each having a first-polarity portion with a pulse width less than 1 ms and a second-polarity portion with a shorter pulse width, said electromagnetic field having a maximum amplitude less than approximately 4 mT and rising to said maximum amplitude during said first-polarity portion.
35. The method of claim 34 , wherein said pulse width of said first-polarity portion is in the range of approximately 100-300 μs.
36. The method of claim 35 , wherein said pulse burst repetition rate is in the range of approximately 5-20 Hz.
37. The method of claim 36 , wherein said pulse burst duration is in the range of approximately 2.5-5 ms.
38. The method of claim 37 , wherein said maximum amplitude of said electromagnetic field is in the range of approximately 1-3 mT.
39. The method of claim 34 , wherein said pulse width of said first-polarity portion is in the range of approximately 200-250 μs, and said pulse width of said second-polarity portion is approximately 25 μs.
40. The method of claim 39 , wherein said pulse burst repetition rate is approximately 15 Hz.
41. The method of claim 40 , wherein said pulse burst duration is approximately 5 ms.
42. The method of claim 41 , wherein said maximum amplitude of said electromagnetic field is approximately 1.5 mT.