Method and apparatus for injury treatment
An electrical stimulation apparatus provides an electrical stimulation signal as a DC pulse train at a frequency between 20 kHz and 50 kHz, with the electrical stimulation signal applied to the body of a patient at an injury site, based on sequentially activating respective subsets among a set of electrodes included in an electrode carrier that places the electrodes in contact with the body of the patient. An electrical stimulation method sequentially activates, via an electrical stimulation signal, respective subsets of electrodes among a set of electrodes contacting the body of a patient at an injury site on the body of the patient. Advantageously, in one or more embodiments, the sequential activation follows an activation sequence that “moves” the sources and sinks for the electrical stimulation signal around the injury site, thereby creating spatially distributed signal paths through or across the injury over time.
1 . An apparatus configured for therapeutic electrical stimulation of a patient, the apparatus comprising:
an electrode carrier configured to place a set of electrodes into contact with the body of the patient at an injury site on the body of the patient; and
a stimulation module comprising:
signal generation circuitry-configured to generate an electrical stimulation signal as a Direct Current (DC) pulse train at a frequency of between 10 kHz and 50 kHz; and
control circuitry that is configured to activate one or more individual subsets of electrodes in the set of electrodes, each subset including one or more electrodes activated as a signal source for the electrical stimulation signal and one or more electrodes-activated as a signal sink for the electrical stimulation signal,
wherein the electrode carrier is configured for conformable placement on an exterior portion of the body of the patient at the injury site.
2 . The apparatus in claim 1 , wherein each subset of electrodes comprises a pair of electrodes.
3 . The apparatus in claim 1 , wherein the set of electrodes comprises a plurality of subsets of electrodes.
4 . The apparatus in claim 3 , wherein each of the plurality of subsets of electrodes comprises a pair of electrodes.
5 . The apparatus in claim 3 , wherein any one or more of the plurality of subsets of electrodes is connectable for a treatment regimen.
6 . The apparatus in claim 3 , wherein the control circuitry is configured to sequentially activate the plurality of subsets of electrodes.
7 . The apparatus in claim 1 , wherein the electrode carrier comprises a flexible sheet or membrane that conforms to the body of the patient at the injury site.
8 . The apparatus in claim 1 , wherein the electrode carrier has a top surface facing away from the body of the patient and a patient-facing surface that includes the set of electrodes.
9 . The apparatus in claim 8 , wherein the patient-facing surface of the electrode carrier comprises an adhesive.
10 . The apparatus in claim 1 , wherein the electrode carrier is wearable by the patient.
11 . The apparatus in claim 1 , wherein the electrode carrier comprises at least two plies.
12 . The apparatus in claim 11 , wherein wiring for the set of electrodes is embedded in the at least two plies.
13 . The apparatus in claim 1 , wherein the one or more electrodes in the one or more subsets of electrodes comprises a hemispherical tip.
14 . The apparatus in claim 13 , wherein the electrode carrier is formed as a wearable sleeve.
15 . The apparatus in claim 14 , wherein the wearable sleeve includes a cutout to avoid covering the injury site.
16 . The apparatus in claim 14 , wherein the one or more individual subsets of electrodes are arrayed throughout the wearable sleeve.
17 . The apparatus in claim 14 , wherein the wearable sleeve includes a flexible sleeve.
18 . The apparatus in claim 14 , wherein the wearable sleeve includes a strap.
19 . The apparatus in claim 14 , wherein the wearable sleeve includes a fastener.
20 . The apparatus in claim 14 , wherein the wearable sleeve includes a compartment.