Devices and methods for ultrasound therapy via dialysis systems

Abstract

This disclosure describes a dialysis-ultrasound system including an ultrasound therapy device combined with a catheter to integrate ultrasound therapy into the dialysis system. The ultrasound device may be a high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) device or a peripherally focused ultrasound stimulation (pFUS) device, or may include the above. The ultrasound therapy can target organs such as the liver, for example, for the treatment of diabetes. In one example, a system includes a catheter and an ultrasound device, the catheter being configured to be placed in a patient's abdominal cavity for performing peritoneal dialysis (PD), and the ultrasound device being configured to emit ultrasound waves, wherein the ultrasound device is combined with and disposed on the catheter for implantation in the patient's abdominal cavity to provide ultrasound therapy to the patient's target area. Other embodiments are also described herein.

Description

Cross-references to related applications

[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Patent Application No. 18 / 380,295, filed October 16, 2023, entitled “Apparatus and Method for Ultrasound Therapy via Dialysis System,” the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0002] This disclosure generally relates to apparatus and methods for performing in vivo ultrasound therapy on one or more organs of a patient to treat a condition, such as ultrasound stimulation of a portion of the liver to treat diabetes. In particular, it relates to combining an ultrasound therapy apparatus with a peritoneal dialysis (PD) system to enable patients to receive ultrasound therapy within existing dialysis treatment protocols. Background Technology

[0003] Kidney dysfunction or failure, such as end-stage renal disease (ESRD), causes the body to lose its ability to excrete water and minerals, eliminate harmful metabolites, maintain acid-base balance, and keep electrolyte and mineral concentrations within physiological ranges. Toxic uremic metabolic waste products, including urea, creatinine, and uric acid, accumulate in body tissues, adversely affecting health if the kidneys' filtration function cannot be replaced. Dialysis is a standard treatment to replace kidney function, working by removing these metabolic waste products and excess water.

[0004] Peritoneal dialysis (PD) is one of two common dialysis treatments (hemodialysis (HD) is the other major method). In peritoneal dialysis, dialysate is introduced into the peritoneal cavity, the abdominal cavity surrounding the intestines, through tubing (i.e., catheters). The peritoneum acts as a filter membrane, removing waste and excess water from the blood. The treatment involves a cycle of dialysate infusion, fluid retention, and dialysate drainage. Automated peritoneal dialysis systems (or circulators) can perform a series of cycles to complete a full treatment for a patient. Peritoneal dialysis can be performed at home (e.g., overnight with an automated peritoneal dialysis system), eliminating the need for patients to visit a dialysis clinic multiple times a week on a fixed schedule and reducing the manpower required for trained clinicians and other personnel to administer dialysis.

[0005] Dialysis patients are generally more likely to develop certain diseases than the general population. For example, diabetic patients are far more likely to require dialysis than non-diabetic patients. Diabetes makes it difficult for the pancreas (located in the abdominal cavity) to regulate glucose (sugar) levels in the body; therefore, diabetes is a comorbidity for dialysis patients who also have kidney dysfunction.

[0006] Therefore, in addition to dialysis, dialysis patients usually require treatment for other conditions. These separate treatments require specialized treatment devices, medications, visits to medical institutions, and / or the provision of various treatment services by doctors and / or other healthcare providers. Multiple treatment options for different conditions increase resource costs (economically and in terms of time), burdening patients and making it difficult for them to adhere to treatment protocols, thus reducing the success rate of treatment for each disease.

[0007] Based on the above and other considerations, this improvement plan has practical application value. Summary of the Invention

[0008] This abstract presents a series of ideas in a simplified form, which are further elaborated in the detailed embodiments described below. This abstract is not intended to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to serve as a basis for determining the scope of protection of the claimed subject matter.

[0009] In one example, a system may include: a catheter configured to be placed in a patient's abdominal cavity for peritoneal dialysis (PD); and an ultrasound device configured to emit ultrasound waves, which is combined with and placed on the catheter to be implanted in the patient's abdominal cavity to provide ultrasound therapy to the patient's target area.

[0010] In some examples of this system, the ultrasound device may include either a high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) device or a peripheral focused ultrasound stimulation (pFUS) device.

[0011] In various examples of this system, the target area may include a portion of at least one of the liver, pancreas, or intestine.

[0012] In some examples of this system, the ultrasound device may include a power supply unit configured to be wirelessly charged via a wireless power source.

[0013] In an exemplary example of the system, the power supply unit can operate via Electric Wireless Power Transfer (EWPT).

[0014] In some examples of this system, the power supply unit may operate through one or more of the following methods: triboelectric effect, photonic power transfer, or kinetic charging.

[0015] In various examples of the system, the system may also include: a patient sensor configured to detect patient indicators; and a dialysis machine fluidly coupled to a catheter and configured to perform PD on the patient, wherein at least one PD parameter is determined based on the patient indicators.

[0016] In some examples of this system, the patient sensor may include a blood glucose sensor.

[0017] In an exemplary example of this system, peritoneal dialysis parameters may include dialysate concentration.

[0018] In some examples of this system, the patient sensor may include a pressure sensor configured to detect intra-abdominal pressure.

[0019] In some examples of this system, ultrasound therapy has been configured to treat diabetes.

[0020] In one example, a method may include: implanting an ultrasound device configured to emit ultrasound waves into a patient's abdominal cavity via a peritoneal dialysis (PD) catheter implantation procedure, wherein the ultrasound device is combined with the catheter and positioned on the catheter to provide ultrasound therapy to a target area of ​​the patient after implantation into the abdominal cavity; and performing ultrasound therapy by causing the ultrasound device to emit ultrasound waves incident on the target area.

[0021] In some examples of this method, the ultrasound device may include either a high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) device or a peripheral focused ultrasound stimulation (pFUS) device.

[0022] In various examples of this method, the target area may include a portion of at least one of the liver, pancreas, or intestine.

[0023] In some examples of this method, the ultrasound device may include a power supply unit configured to be wirelessly charged via a wireless power source.

[0024] In various examples of this method, the power supply unit can operate via Electric Wireless Power Transfer (EWPT).

[0025] In some examples of this method, the power supply unit may operate through one or more of the following methods: triboelectric effect, photonic power transfer, or kinetic charging.

[0026] In an exemplary example of the method, it further includes: receiving detection values ​​of patient metrics determined by patient sensors; and implementing PD for the patient using at least one PD parameter determined based on the patient metrics.

[0027] In some examples of this method, the patient sensor may include a blood glucose sensor.

[0028] In various examples of this method, peritoneal dialysis parameters may include dialysate concentration.

[0029] In some examples of this method, the patient sensor may include a pressure sensor configured to detect intra-abdominal pressure.

[0030] In some examples of this method, ultrasound therapy is configured to treat diabetes. Attached Figure Description

[0031] The specific embodiments will now be described by way of example and in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1A and Figure 1B An exemplary peritoneal dialysis system according to this disclosure is shown; Figure 2 An exemplary peritoneal dialysis catheter implanted in a patient according to this disclosure is shown; Figure 3 An exemplary catheter-ultrasound system according to this disclosure is shown; Figure 4 A first exemplary operating environment according to this disclosure is shown; Figure 5 A second exemplary operating environment according to this disclosure is shown; and Figure 6 The process according to this disclosure is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0032] The present embodiment will be described more fully below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which several exemplary embodiments are illustrated. However, the subject matter of this disclosure can be implemented in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments described herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the subject matter to those skilled in the art. In the drawings, the same reference numerals consistently refer to the same elements.

[0033] The various features of an improved dialysis system incorporating ultrasound therapy (hereinafter referred to as the "dialysis-ultrasound system") will now be fully described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate and describe one or more features of the dialysis-ultrasound system. It should be understood that these various features may be used individually or in combination. It is understood that the dialysis-ultrasound system disclosed herein may take many forms and should not be construed as limited to the examples given herein. Rather, these examples are provided to convey certain features of the dialysis-ultrasound system to those skilled in the art.

[0034] This disclosure describes a dialysis-ultrasound system comprising an ultrasound device (or ultrasonic device) integrated with one or more portions of a dialysis system. In some embodiments, the dialysis system may be a peritoneal dialysis (PD) system, or may include a peritoneal dialysis system. In various embodiments, the ultrasound device may be integrated with, coupled to, or otherwise associated with a catheter of the peritoneal dialysis system, for example, with a portion of a catheter inserted into the patient during dialysis treatment. In some embodiments, the ultrasound device may be a high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) device or a peripherally focused ultrasound stimulation (pFUS) system / device, or may include such devices. In various embodiments, the ultrasound device may be configured to be integrated with a catheter placed within the patient to deliver ultrasound waves, ultrasound energy, ultrasound signals, etc., to a target area to treat diabetes. For example, the ultrasound device may selectively activate the hilar plexus via peripherally focused ultrasound stimulation (pFUS) to improve glucose homeostasis. In this way, the dialysis-ultrasound system can treat diabetes simultaneously with dialysis treatment.

[0035] During peritoneal dialysis, patients require the filling, retention, and drainage of dialysate via a catheter (see example...). Figure 1A , Figure 1B and Figure 2 Dialysis fluid is a liquid medication containing various salts, minerals, and sugars such as glucose or lactose. A peritoneal dialysis catheter is inserted into the patient by a surgeon. The catheter tubing is made of soft, flexible polyurethane or silicone resin and is secured to the patient's abdominal or chest wall by an outlet sheath (e.g., a polyester sheath). The dialysis system connects to the tubing tip outside the outlet. The catheter tip, located at the bottom of the abdominal cavity, can be coiled or cylindrical and has multiple openings through which dialysis fluid flows into and out of the patient's peritoneal cavity during dialysis treatment. Exemplary peritoneal dialysis systems include portable peritoneal dialysis (APD) systems and continuously portable peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) systems.

[0036] Dialysis patients are more likely to develop diabetes than the general population. For example, the average annual incidence of diabetes in dialysis patients is up to 12 times higher than in the general population, and more than half of new dialysis patients are diabetic. The average annual incidence of kidney failure in diabetic patients is 10 times higher than in the general population. Furthermore, diabetic patients often have more other comorbidities when they begin dialysis, and their survival rate is lower.

[0037] Because diabetes makes it difficult for the pancreas (also located in the abdominal cavity) to regulate glucose levels in the body, diabetes is a comorbidity for patients with both kidney dysfunction and diabetes. When the pancreas is unable to regulate the sugars (glucose or lactose) in the dialysate, doctors find it difficult to manage the patient's treatment plan, ultimately leading to the need for more expensive medications. Medication adherence is crucial; patients must strictly adhere to the dosages of the multiple medications they take daily without any deviation.

[0038] Focused ultrasound (FUS) holds promise for treating diabetes patients. For example, FUS can improve or even completely restore glucose homeostasis while reducing (or potentially eliminating) the types and / or dosages of medications used to regulate diabetes. Related studies have shown that selectively targeting the liver with ultrasound can improve diabetic complications. For instance, one study indicated that selective activation of the hilar plexus via peripheral focused ultrasound (pFUS) can improve glucose homeostasis. See Cotero et al., "Restoration of glucose homeostasis in diabetic mice, rats, and pigs by focused ultrasound stimulation of the hilar plexus" (hereinafter referred to as the "Cotero Study"), published in *Nature Biomedical Engineering*, Vol. 6, pp. 683-705, 2022, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0039] Cotterell's study employed non-invasive ultrasound-targeted technology. This research showed that pFUS can modulate hypothalamic sensory projection activity, alter the concentration of neurotransmitters regulating metabolism, and improve glucose tolerance and utilization. However, the glucose tolerance-improving effect of pFUS is lost if the liver-brain neural pathway is physically transcribed or chemically blocked. Cotterell's study also demonstrated that long-term multi-omics analysis of metabolic tissues revealed that pFUS can alter the expression of key metabolic functions in the liver, pancreas, muscle, fat, kidney, and intestinal tissues. For example, approximately three minutes of focused ultrasound stimulation of the liver daily is sufficient for the body to achieve (or better) self-regulation of blood glucose levels. Therefore, ultrasound activation of afferent autonomic nerves could serve as a non-pharmacological treatment for restoring glucose homeostasis in patients with diabetes (e.g., type 2 diabetes) and other metabolic diseases.

[0040] As Cotterell's study described, ultrasound therapy can be performed non-invasively, but the ultrasound equipment currently used to perform such pFUS treatments requires operation by specialized technicians. Even considering the high prevalence of diabetes among dialysis patients, and the fact that these patients need to visit dialysis clinics three times a week for in-hospital dialysis, employing thousands of ultrasound technicians to provide treatment for patients is neither practical nor cost-effective, and even then, it would be impossible to meet the demand for three minutes of ultrasound therapy per day.

[0041] For diabetic patients, long-term ultrasound therapy may be a lifelong and effective treatment. Existing ultrasound technology allows for the simplification and automation of related systems, enabling patients to use them at home. However, current systems do not allow for large-scale deployment and application of ultrasound-based diabetes treatment.

[0042] Most dialysis patients also have diabetes, and these two comorbidities can affect each other. Managing diabetes and kidney dysfunction using current technology requires separate treatment plans, each with its own medications, equipment, and healthcare providers, and patients need to commit time to fulfilling all treatment requirements. The health impacts of diabetes and kidney dysfunction increase the difficulty of treating both diseases, with diabetes primarily relying on expensive medications, and treatment effectiveness highly dependent on patient adherence.

[0043] Peritoneal dialysis patients already require an intraperitoneal catheter. Therefore, invasive treatment combining an ultrasound device with the catheter eliminates the need for a separate surgery for the ultrasound device, as the catheter-ultrasound device (e.g., an ultrasound device integrated with the catheter according to some embodiments) can be implanted simultaneously during the PD dialysis catheter implantation procedure. Since the PD catheter required for dialysis can be reliably positioned across the liver (or in a location where the ultrasound device can cover the liver) after implantation, dialysis-ultrasound systems according to some embodiments offer technological advantages over existing systems by integrating the ultrasound device onto the implantable PD catheter. By combining the ultrasound device with the PD catheter and wirelessly powering it, diabetic patients can eliminate the need for medication and tolerate higher concentrations of dialysate, thereby improving ultrafiltration efficiency. Combined ultrasound-dialysis therapy can significantly improve patient health outcomes while reducing healthcare costs due to reduced diabetes medication use.

[0044] Figure 1A and Figure 1B An example of a peritoneal dialysis (PD) system 101 is shown, configured according to an exemplary embodiment of the system described herein. In some embodiments, the PD system 101 may be a home PD system, for example, a PD system configured for use by a patient at home. The PD 101 may include a dialysis machine 100 (e.g., a peritoneal dialysis machine 100, also referred to as a PD circulation device), which in some embodiments may be placed on a trolley 134.

[0045] The dialysis machine 100 may include a housing 106, a door 108, and a cartridge interface including pump heads 142, 144 for contacting disposable cartridges (or cassettes) 115, wherein the disposable cartridge 115 is arranged within a cavity (e.g., cavity 105) formed between the cartridge interface and the closed door 108. A fluid line 125 may be connected to the disposable cartridge 115 via a known means (e.g., through a connector) and may include valves for controlling the inflow and outflow of fluid into and out of reservoir bags (including fresh dialysate reservoir bags and heated fluid reservoir bags). In another embodiment, at least a portion of the fluid line 125 may be integrally formed with the disposable cartridge 115. Before operation, the user can open the door 108 to insert a new disposable cartridge 115; after operation, the used disposable cartridge 115 can be removed.

[0046] A disposable cartridge 115 can be placed within the cavity 105 of the dialysis machine 100 for equipment operation. During operation, dialysate is injected into the patient's peritoneal cavity through the disposable cartridge 115, and used dialysate, metabolic waste, and / or excess body fluids are drained from the patient's peritoneal cavity through the disposable cartridge 115. The door 108 can be securely closed onto the dialysis machine 100. A single peritoneal dialysis treatment for a patient requires a total dialysate volume of approximately 10 to 30 liters, of which approximately 2 liters of dialysate are pumped into the patient's peritoneal cavity each time, remain for a period of time (e.g., approximately one hour, i.e., residence time), and then pumped out. This process is repeated continuously until the total therapeutic volume of dialysis is completed, for example, during the patient's sleep at night.

[0047] A heating tray 116 may be positioned on top of the housing 106, and its size and shape may be designed according to the dialysate bag (e.g., a 5-liter capacity dialysate bag) to enable batch heating of the dialysate. The dialysis machine 100 may also include a user interface, such as a touchscreen 118 and a control panel 120, through which users (e.g., caregivers or patients) can perform operations such as setting, starting, and / or terminating dialysis treatment. In some embodiments, the heating tray 116 may include a heating element 135 for heating the dialysate before it is infused into the patient.

[0048] The dialysate bag 122 can be suspended from hooks on both sides of the trolley 134, and the heated bag 124 can be placed on the heated tray 116. Suspending the dialysate bag 122 improves gas management because the gas inside the bag can accumulate at the top of the dialysate bag 122 due to gravity. Although Figure 1BFour dialysate bags 122 are shown, but the dialysis machine 100 can connect to any number of "n" dialysate bags (e.g., 1 to 5 or more), and the mention of the first and second bags does not limit the total number of dialysate bags used in the dialysis system 101. For example, the dialysis machine can connect dialysate bags 122a...122n in system 101. In some embodiments, connectors and tubing interfaces can connect the dialysate bags 122 to tubing for delivering dialysate. Dialysate can be delivered in batches from the dialysate bags 122 to the heated bag 124, for example, a batch of dialysate is delivered from the dialysate bags 122 to the heated bag 124 and heated by a heating element 135; when the batch of dialysate reaches a predetermined temperature (e.g., about 98-100°F, 37°C), it is injected into the patient. The dialysate bag 122 and the heating bag 124 can be connected to the disposable container 115 via the dialysate bag tubing 125 and the heating bag tubing 128, respectively. During use, the dialysate bag tubing 125 can be used to deliver dialysate from the dialysate bag 122 to the disposable container 115, and the heating bag tubing 128 can be used to transfer dialysate back and forth between the disposable container and the heating bag 124. Furthermore, the patient tubing 136 and the drainage tubing 132 can be connected to the disposable container 115. The patient tubing 136 can be connected to the patient's abdominal cavity via a catheter. During use, the pump heads 142 and 144 can transfer dialysate back and forth between the disposable container and the patient's abdominal cavity via this tubing. The drainage tubing 132 can be connected to a drain outlet or a waste collection container. During use, the dialysate can be transferred from the disposable container to the drain outlet or the waste collection container via this tubing.

[0049] While in some embodiments the dialysate may be heated in batches as described above, in other embodiments the dialysis machine may heat the dialysate via online heating, for example, by continuously flowing the dialysate through heating bags arranged between heating elements before injection into the patient. For example, the heating bags used for batch heating may be replaced with one or more heating elements built into the dialysis machine. The heating bags may be inserted into the dialysis machine through openings, and it is understood that the heating bags may be connected to the dialysis machine via tubing (e.g., tubing 125) or fluid tubing through a disposable cartridge. This tubing connection allows the dialysate to flow from the dialysate bag, be heated by the heating bags, and then be injected into the patient.

[0050] In the above-described online heating embodiments, the heating bag can be configured to allow a continuous flow of dialysate through the bag (rather than batch heating in portions) to reach a predetermined temperature before flowing into the patient. For example, in some embodiments, the flow rate of dialysate through the heating bag can be maintained at approximately 100-300 ml / min. An internal heating element (not shown) can be positioned above and / or below the opening, so that when the heating bag is inserted into the opening, the one or more heating elements can heat the dialysate flowing through the heating bag. In some embodiments, the internal heating bag can also be replaced by a section of tubing in the system that is attached to, surrounds, or otherwise configured to be connected to the heating element.

[0051] The touchscreen 118 and control panel 120 allow operators to input various treatment parameters into the dialysis machine 100 and control the dialysis machine 100 in other ways. Furthermore, the touchscreen 118 can be used as a display device to show relevant information to patients and operators of the dialysis system 101; for example, the touchscreen 118 can display information related to the dialysis treatment to be performed on the patient, including details of the treatment prescription.

[0052] The dialysis machine 100 may include a processing module 102 disposed therein, which is configured to communicate with a touch screen 118 and a control panel 120, and is also configured to receive data from the touch screen 118, the control panel 120 and various sensors (such as weight sensors, gas sensors, flow sensors, temperature sensors and / or pressure sensors), and control the operation of the dialysis machine 100 based on the received data. For example, the processing module 102 may adjust the operating parameters of the dialysis machine 100.

[0053] The dialysis machine 100 may be configured to connect to a network 103, which may be a wired connection and / or a wireless connection. The dialysis machine 100 may include a connection component 104 configured to enable connection to the network 103; this component may be a transceiver for wireless connection and / or another signal processor for processing signals transmitted and received via a wired connection. Other medical devices (e.g., other dialysis machines) or components may be configured to connect to the network 103 and communicate with the dialysis machine 100.

[0054] The user interface portion, such as the touchscreen 118 and / or control panel 120, may include one or more buttons for selecting and / or inputting user information. The touchscreen 118 and / or control panel 120 may be operatively connected to a controller (not shown) and arranged within the dialysis machine 100 to receive and process operational input to control the operation of the dialysis machine 100.

[0055] Figure 1A and Figure 1BThe dialysis system 101 shown may be the same as or similar to the Liberty® Circulation System manufactured by Fresenius Medical Care North America, Waltham, Massachusetts, USA. However, the implementation is not limited to this, because... Figure 1A and Figure 1B Only one exemplary dialysis system is shown as an example. Implementations may include, use, or be combined with various dialysis systems currently known to or to be developed in the future by those skilled in the art, including PD systems.

[0056] Figure 2 An exemplary PD catheter implanted in a patient according to this disclosure is shown. Figure 2 As shown, catheter 210 can be inserted into the abdominal cavity 202 of patient 201. Catheter 210 can be connected to switching device 212, which is fluidly connected to patient tubing 136 and ultimately connected to dialysis system 101 to perform PD for patient 201.

[0057] The catheter 210 exits the patient 201 through an outlet 211. The location of the outlet 211 can be determined based on the patient's anatomy, the preferences of medical professionals, and / or similar factors, and it has a lateral / longitudinal and vertical distance from the umbilicus. For example, the lateral distance between the outlet 211 and the umbilicus can be approximately 6 inches, 5 inches, 4 inches, 3 inches, 2 inches, 1 inch, or 0.5 inches, and / or any value or range between any two of these values ​​(including endpoint values). In another example, the distance between the outlet 211 and the lower (or upper) distance from the umbilicus can be approximately 6 inches, 5 inches, 4 inches, 3 inches, 2 inches, 1 inch, or 0.5 inches, and / or any value or range between any two of these values ​​(including endpoint values).

[0058] Figure 3 An exemplary catheter-ultrasound system according to this disclosure is shown. Figure 3As shown, the catheter-ultrasound system 301 may include an ultrasound device 320 coupled to the catheter 210. In some embodiments, the ultrasound device 320 may be coupled to the catheter 210 via a coupling element 325, non-limiting examples of which include clips, fasteners, interference fit elements, clamps, fasteners, and / or the like. In various embodiments, the coupling element 325 may be omitted; for example, the ultrasound device 320 may be molded, shaped, or otherwise arranged to be coupled to the catheter 210. Specifically, the ultrasound device 320 may include a hollow portion configured to receive the catheter 210 (e.g., the catheter 210 may pass through the hollow portion, within which the ultrasound device 320 is coupled to the catheter). In some embodiments, the ultrasound device 320 may be secured to the catheter 210 with an adhesive. In various embodiments, the conduit 210 may be formed with a coupling element (not shown) configured to mount, secure, or otherwise couple the ultrasound device 320 to the conduit 210. The conduit coupling element may be a flange, protrusion, groove, clip, clamp, and / or the like, or may include the above-described components.

[0059] In various embodiments, the placement of the ultrasound device 320 along the catheter 210 (e.g., distance from the catheter tip) can be determined so that it is positioned in a predetermined area within the patient's abdominal cavity 202, for example, so that ultrasound waves can be incident on the target area at a sufficient frequency.

[0060] The ultrasonic device 320 can be configured to emit sound waves of different frequencies. In various embodiments, the ultrasonic device can be configured to operate in a frequency range of about 50 kHz to 10 MHz; in some embodiments, it can be configured to operate in a frequency range of about 100 kHz to 1 MHz. Non-limiting exemplary frequencies include about 1 Hz, 5 Hz, 10 Hz, 50 Hz, 100 Hz, 500 Hz, 1 MHz, 2 MHz, 5 MHz, 10 MHz, 100 MHz, 500 MHz, 1 kHz, 5 kHz, 10 kHz, 100 kHz, and / or any value or range (including endpoints) between any two of the above values.

[0061] In some embodiments, the ultrasound device 320 may be configured to emit ultrasound energy in different pulse or burst modes (e.g., activation durations). Non-limiting examples of burst modes include once every 1 second, 2 seconds, 3 seconds, 4 seconds, 5 seconds, 6 seconds, 7 seconds, 8 seconds, 9 seconds, 10 seconds, 15 seconds, 20 seconds, 30 seconds, and / or any value or range (including endpoints) between any two of the above values. In some embodiments, the burst interval may be about 1 to 10 seconds; in various embodiments, the burst interval may be about 1 to 5 seconds.

[0062] The ultrasound device 320 may include various ultrasound emitting devices, ultrasound emitting elements, and / or the like. In various embodiments, the ultrasound device 320 may be an ultrasound transducer, or may include an ultrasound transducer; in some embodiments, the ultrasound device 320 may be a high-intensity focused ultrasound device, a peripheral focused ultrasound stimulation device, and / or the like, or may include the above-mentioned devices. A non-limiting example of an ultrasound emitting device is an ultrasound transducer manufactured by SoundVeX Concepts, Inc., Bothell, Washington, USA, including but not limited to H-series transducers (e.g., the H-106 model).

[0063] In some embodiments, the ultrasound device 320 may include or be operatively coupled to one or more auxiliary devices 321 configured to assist the operation of the ultrasound device 320. Non-limiting examples include amplifiers, radio frequency (RF) amplifiers, networks (e.g., RF impedance matching networks for maintaining the efficiency and bandwidth of the ultrasound device 320), and / or the like. In exemplary embodiments, one or more auxiliary devices 321 may be integrated within or on the ultrasound device 320.

[0064] In various embodiments, the ultrasound device 320 may include or be operatively coupled to a control unit 322. In some embodiments, the control unit 322 may include hardware, software, circuitry, and / or the like configured to control the operation of the ultrasound device 320. For example, the control unit 322 may include software and / or hardware configured to control the operating frequency, signal duration, signal burst period (e.g., burst interval), burst duration, and / or similar values ​​of the ultrasound device 320 (see, for example...). Figure 5 In an exemplary embodiment, the control unit 322 may be wirelessly coupled to an external computing device for control, communication, viewing device status, and / or similar operations by a patient, healthcare professional, or other operator. In an exemplary embodiment, the control unit 322 may be integrated within or on the ultrasound device 320.

[0065] In exemplary embodiments, the ultrasound device 320 may include or be operatively coupled to a power supply unit 323. In some embodiments, the power supply unit 323 may be used to power the ultrasound device 320, the control unit 322, and / or any auxiliary device 321. In various embodiments, the power supply unit 323 may be a battery, or may include a battery, such as a rechargeable battery. In some embodiments, the power supply unit 323 may be configured to be wirelessly charged via a remote power source. In various embodiments, the power supply unit 323 may operate as a wireless power transfer (WPT) system, configured to receive wireless power signals, energy, and / or the like from a power source 330.

[0066] For example, in one embodiment, the power supply unit 323 may be an electrically wireless power transfer (EWPT) system, or may include an electrically wireless power transfer system configured to employ a receiver (e.g., disposed within the power supply unit 323) with a mechanically resonant or rotating permanent magnet. When the receiver is in a time-varying magnetic field, the mechanical motion of the resonant magnet can be converted into electrical energy through one or more electromechanical conversion methods (e.g., electromagnetic / induction, piezoelectric, capacitive). EWPT systems operate using low-frequency magnetic fields (below 1 kHz), which can safely pass through conductive media and have higher human exposure limits (approximately 2 mMtescals at 1 kHz), making them suitable for biomedical environments.

[0067] In embodiments employing EWPT, a receiver with a mechanically resonant or rotating magnet may be positioned within the ultrasound device 320 (e.g., the receiver of power supply unit 323). When a patient or other operator positions a complementary magnetic field generator (e.g., power supply 330) in the corresponding location, the low-frequency magnetic field generated by this generator is incident on the receiver, thereby powering the device. In various embodiments, the magnetic field generator may be designed as a battery-powered belt, chair, cushion, dialysis machine itself, and / or similar, or integrated into such devices. The magnetic field generator may include a chipset or other control unit to control the transmission of power (magnetic field), and in some examples, may also be equipped with foreign object detection technology to ensure that other objects not paired with the charger are not accidentally charged.

[0068] In another example, in some embodiments, the power supply unit 322 can be charged via triboelectric effect, i.e., static electricity is generated when certain materials rub against each other. Specifically, externally applied ultrasonic waves or other wireless energy (e.g., from power source 330) can be incident on the power supply unit 322, causing a thin layer of triboelectric material, ferroelectric material, etc., to vibrate back and forth between two electrode layers, thereby generating current to power the ultrasonic device 320, charge the battery of the power supply unit 322, and / or similarly. In various embodiments, a hydrogel can be placed under the action of ultrasonic waves or other wireless energy to generate a triboelectric effect inside the power supply unit 322.

[0069] In other examples or alternative examples, in some implementations, biocompatible charging methods may include light energy (photonic power transfer), heartbeat kinetic energy, kinetic energy, etc., for example, charging is achieved through human activity. Specifically, for photonic power transfer, a light source can be attached to the patient or otherwise made to emit light towards the patient (e.g., a micro-LED patch). The light passes through the patient's tissue and is incident on an optoelectronic device electrically connected to the power supply unit 322. For a heartbeat-based charging system, the motion generated by the heartbeat can be converted into kinetic energy for charging, for example, by winding a mechanical spring. When the spring is fully wound, it releases elastic potential energy to power a micro-generator inside the heartbeat-based charging system. This micro-generator can be electrically connected to the power supply unit 322 to power the ultrasound device 320 and / or charge the battery. For a kinetic energy-based charging system, a flexible piezoelectric nanogenerator can be used to convert the mechanical energy generated by the patient's body activity into electrical energy to achieve energy harvesting. The implementation is not limited to this.

[0070] In some embodiments, the catheter-ultrasound system 301 may include one or more sensors for detecting patient-related information, such as body temperature, pressure, and / or similar values. In various embodiments, the one or more sensors may be powered by a power supply unit 323 and / or a power source 330; in an exemplary embodiment, a portion of the power output from the power supply unit 323 may be used to power the sensors; in other embodiments, the sensors may have their own power supply unit (e.g., a battery that can be charged via the power source 330 and / or the like).

[0071] In one example, according to various embodiments, the catheter-ultrasound system 301 may include a pressure sensor 340. In some embodiments, the pressure sensor 340 may be part of, integral with, coupled to, or otherwise associated with the ultrasound device 320; in other embodiments, the pressure sensor 340 may not be part of the ultrasound device 320, for example, it may be coupled to the catheter 320. In some embodiments, since the pressure sensor 340 is located in the abdominal cavity, it may be configured to monitor intra-abdominal pressure. For example, the pressure sensor 340 can reduce or even avoid dialysate overfilling by monitoring pressure and determine the therapeutic effect during the fluid retention phase of the dialysis cycle (e.g., when the glucose concentration in the dialysate causes body fluid to seep into the abdominal cavity from other parts of the body, the intra-abdominal pressure increases until the body reaches fluid balance and begins to return fluid, at which point the PD machine can drain the fluid from the abdominal cavity and start a new cycle to achieve optimal treatment efficiency). In some implementations, the pressure readings from the pressure sensor 340 can be used to control the PD machine, for example, to initiate a drainage cycle, start a new dialysis cycle, and / or similar procedures based on the intra-abdominal condition reflected by the pressure readings.

[0072] Figure 4 An exemplary operating environment according to this disclosure is shown. For example... Figure 4 As shown, the operating environment 400 may include a dialysis-ultrasound system 401, which includes a catheter-ultrasound system 301 and a PD dialysis system 101. The catheter-ultrasound system 301 includes a catheter 201 coupled to an ultrasound device 320. The catheter 202 can be placed in the abdominal cavity 202 of the patient 201 and is fluidly connected to the peritoneal dialysis system 101 to provide peritoneal dialysis treatment to the patient 201.

[0073] After catheter 210 is implanted into patient 201, ultrasound device 320 is also placed within the patient's body, for example, in abdominal cavity 202. The implantation location of ultrasound device 320 within patient 201 ensures that the emitted ultrasound waves are incident on target area 322 with sufficient power and / or frequency (e.g., 50 kHz to 5 MHz), for example, to achieve treatment of diabetes (e.g., regulation of glucose homeostasis). Target area 322 can be any organ, organ system, organ region, and / or similar object that ultrasound device 320 can target to achieve a therapeutic effect, according to some embodiments. Non-limiting examples include the liver, pancreas, intestine, and any part thereof. For example, target area 322 can be, or may include, the hilar plexus of the liver.

[0074] In some embodiments, the ultrasound device 320 may include an ultrasound head and a wireless power receiver, and a wireless power transmitter 410 (e.g., a power supply 330) may be used to provide wireless power signals to the receiver, power the ultrasound device 320, and / or charge a battery or other electronic component configured to power the ultrasound device 320. In some embodiments, the wireless power transmitter 410 may be configured to provide radio frequency signals, magnetic energy, electromagnetic energy, optical energy, and / or the like.

[0075] In one embodiment, the power supply unit of the ultrasound device 320 (e.g., power supply unit 322) may be powered at least partially via a wired connection. For example, the power supply unit may include a wire arranged along the catheter 210 (and / or other peritoneal dialysis tubing) and connected to an external wired power source. In some embodiments, the wire may be configured to be connected to a power source on the PD dialysis system 101 and / or to other external wired power sources. In various embodiments, the wire may be embedded inside the catheter 202, for example, arranged within the outer surface of the catheter 202 tubing.

[0076] In some embodiments, the patient sensor 440 may be configured to detect one or more patient physiological parameters. In one embodiment, the patient sensor 440 may be a blood glucose detection unit or a blood glucose sensor, or may include the aforementioned devices, configured to detect the patient's blood glucose level. Other patient sensors may include devices for detecting blood pressure, body temperature, body fluid volume, and / or similar values.

[0077] In some embodiments, the PD system 101 can correlate the results from the blood glucose detection unit 440 with periodic blood glucose monitoring values ​​to assess treatment effectiveness and advise clinicians that the patient can currently tolerate higher concentrations of glucose / lactose dialysate. Non-limiting examples of the blood glucose detection unit 440 include a patient-worn continuous glucose monitor (CGM). In some embodiments, blood glucose monitoring values ​​can be transmitted to a control unit or related application, which automatically determines various PD parameters, such as dialysate concentration (e.g., glucose / lactose concentration), dialysate volume, residence time, peritoneal dialysis cycles, and / or similar values. For example, the PD system 101 can determine various PD parameters based on the patient's blood glucose level; specifically, when the patient's blood glucose level is X (e.g., average blood glucose level, highest blood glucose level, lowest blood glucose level, and / or similar values), the dialysate concentration is set to Y, or the residence time is set to Z, etc. In various embodiments, blood glucose monitoring values ​​can be read to a control unit or related application, which automatically determines various ultrasound treatment parameters, such as when the patient's blood glucose level is X, the ultrasound frequency is set to Y, or the burst cycle is set to Z, etc.

[0078] Figure 5 A second exemplary operating environment according to this disclosure is shown. For example... Figure 5 As shown, the operating environment 500 may include a dialysis-ultrasound system 401. In various embodiments, the dialysis-ultrasound system 401 may include a computing device 510, which is communicatively connected to a network 570 via a transceiver 560.

[0079] In some embodiments, computing device 510 may be a server computer, personal computer, workstation, or other type of computing device. In various embodiments, computing device 510 may be configured to control aspects of the operation of PD system 101 and / or ultrasound apparatus and its components (e.g., ultrasound apparatus 320, auxiliary apparatus 321, control unit 322, power supply unit 323, power supply 330, and / or the like). In some embodiments, computing device 510 may operate as a control unit (e.g., control unit 322) for ultrasound apparatus (e.g., ultrasound apparatus 320) and / or dialysis machine (e.g., dialysis machine 100).

[0080] For example, a computing device 510 may be arranged within the housing 106 of the dialysis machine 100 to provide user interaction and / or control operations for the dialysis machine 100 and / or the ultrasound device 320 corresponding to the patient using the dialysis machine. Specifically, the computing device 510 may implement the functions of a touch screen 118 and a control panel 120. In another example, the computing device 510 may provide user interaction and control operations for the ultrasound device 320. For example, the computing device 510 may include a display screen 562 (which may be or may include a user interface 118), through which an operator can input commands to control the operation of the ultrasound device 320 and its components (e.g., auxiliary devices 321, control units 322, power supply units 323, power supplies 330, and / or the like). For example, a user can view and adjust the ultrasound frequency, burst cycle, burst duration, and / or similar parameters of the ultrasound device 320 via the display screen 562 using the computing device 510.

[0081] In various embodiments, the functions, operations, configurations, data storage functions, applications, logic, etc., related to computing device 510 described herein may be executed and / or stored by one or more other computing devices (not shown), for example, one or more computing devices connected to computing device 510 via network 570 (e.g., one or more client devices 574a to 574n). For the sake of simplicity, only a single computing device 510 is shown herein, and the embodiments are not limited thereto.

[0082] The computing device 510 may include a processor circuit 520, which may include and / or access various logic units, software, instructions, hardware, etc., to execute relevant processes according to some implementations. Specifically, the processor circuit 520 may include and / or access a dialysis logic unit 522 and / or an ultrasound therapy logic unit 524. The processor circuit 520, the dialysis logic unit 522, the ultrasound therapy logic unit 524, and any part thereof may be implemented in hardware, software, or a combination of hardware and software. In this application, the terms "logic unit," "component," "layer," "system," "circuit," "decoder," "encoder," "control loop," and / or "module" are intended to refer to computer-related entities, which may be hardware, a combination of hardware and software, software, or software in operation. For example, the logic unit, circuit, or module may be and / or may include processes running on a processor, a processor, a hard disk drive, multiple storage drives (optical and / or magnetic storage media), objects, executable files, execution threads, programs, computers, hardware circuits, integrated circuits, application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), programmable logic devices (PLDs), digital signal processors (DSPs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), system-on-a-chip (SoCs), memory cells, logic gates, registers, semiconductor devices, chips, microchips, chipsets, software components, programs, application programs, firmware, software modules, computer code, control loops, computational models or application programs, artificial intelligence models or application programs, machine learning models or application programs, proportional-integral-derivative (PID) controllers, and variations, combinations, and / or analogs of the above devices. In some embodiments, for example, dialysis logic unit 522 and / or ultrasound therapy logic unit 524 may be instructions executed by processor circuit 520 (e.g., when executing dialysis application 540 and / or ultrasound therapy application 542), or may include the above instructions.

[0083] although Figure 5 The dialysis logic unit 522 and the ultrasound therapy logic unit 524 are shown as being located inside the processor circuit 520, but the implementation is not limited thereto. For example, the dialysis logic unit 522, the ultrasound therapy logic unit 524, and any components thereof may be located within an accelerator, a processor core, an interface, a single processor die, or implemented entirely through software applications (such as dialysis application 540 and / or ultrasound therapy application 542) and / or similar means.

[0084] Although dialysis application 540 and ultrasound therapy application 542 are shown as separate applications in the figure, these applications can also be integrated into a single application (e.g., dialysis-ultrasound application), for example, implemented as modules and / or similar forms.

[0085] Storage unit 530 may include various computer-readable storage media and / or storage systems in the form of one or more high-speed storage units, such as read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), dynamic random access memory (DRAM), double data rate dynamic random access memory (DDRAM), synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM), static random access memory (SRAM), programmable read-only memory (PROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), flash memory, polymer memory (e.g., ferroelectric polymer memory), austenite memory, phase change or ferroelectric memory, silicon-oxide-nitride-oxide-silicon memory (SONOS), magnetic cards or optical cards, device arrays (e.g., redundant array drive (RAID)), solid-state storage devices (e.g., universal serial bus memory, solid-state drive (SSD)), and any other type of storage media suitable for storing information. In addition, storage unit 530 may include various computer-readable storage media in the form of one or more low-speed storage units, including internal (or external) hard disk drives (HDDs), floppy disk drives (FDDs), and optical disk drives, solid-state drives (SSDs), and / or the like for reading data from or writing data to removable optical disks (such as read-only optical disks or digital video optical disks).

[0086] Storage unit 530 may store various information and / or applications related to the dialysis-ultrasound treatment process according to some embodiments. For example, storage unit 530 may store patient information 532, dialysis information 534, ultrasound treatment information 536, dialysis treatment application 540, and / or ultrasound treatment application 542. In some embodiments, some or all of the patient information 532, dialysis information 534, ultrasound treatment information 536, dialysis treatment application 540, and / or ultrasound treatment application 542 may be stored in one or more data repositories 572a to 572n, which computing device 510 may access via network 570. For example, one or more data repositories 572a to 572n may be a Health Information System (HIS), an Electronic Medical Record (or Health Record) (EMR) system, a Dialysis Information System (DIS), a Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS), a Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) database, a US Renal Data System (USRDS), a proprietary database, and / or the like, or may include the aforementioned systems / databases.

[0087] In some embodiments, the computing device 510 may be a specially programmed computing device, or may include the computing device configured to control the operation of the dialysis machine and / or ultrasound device according to various embodiments. In various embodiments, the computing device 510 may be embedded inside the dialysis machine, or may be an integral part of the dialysis machine (e.g., disposed within the housing 106 of the dialysis machine 100).

[0088] In various embodiments, the dialysis logic unit 522 can control various functions of the dialysis machine by executing the dialysis treatment application 540 to implement the dialysis process. For example, the dialysis logic unit 522 can control the dialysis machine 100 to implement the PD process (e.g., control filling and drainage steps, monitor residence time, prepare dialysate, and / or similar methods). In various embodiments, the ultrasound treatment logic unit 524 can control various functions of the ultrasound device by executing the ultrasound treatment application 542 to implement the ultrasound treatment process. For example, the ultrasound treatment logic unit 524 can control the ultrasound device 320 to perform ultrasound treatment.

[0089] In some embodiments, patient information 532 may include patient-related information, test values, and / or historical information, including demographic information, health information (e.g., PD parameters, blood glucose levels, ultrasound parameters, etc.), physiological information, and / or the like. In various embodiments, dialysis information 534 may include information related to administering dialysis treatment to the patient, including but not limited to PD parameters such as dialysate concentration, filling volume, residence time, and / or the like. In an exemplary embodiment, ultrasound therapy information 536 may include information related to administering ultrasound therapy to the patient, including the target area and ultrasound therapy parameters such as ultrasound frequency, burst cycle, burst duration, ultrasound therapy duration, and / or similar values.

[0090] In various embodiments, the dialysis application 540 may include a software application configured to manage a patient's dialysis treatment, for example, by controlling the operation of a dialysis machine according to some embodiments. In an exemplary embodiment, the ultrasound therapy application 542 may include a software application configured to manage a patient's ultrasound treatment, for example, by controlling the operation of an ultrasound device and its components according to some embodiments.

[0091] In various implementations, patient information 532, dialysis information 534, and / or ultrasound treatment information 536 may include one or more data structures, tables, databases, or computational models (e.g., machine learning and / or artificial intelligence models) configured to control the dialysis and / or ultrasound treatment procedures based on one or more patient indicators. Non-limiting examples of patient indicators include blood glucose information, such as blood glucose information reflecting the severity of a patient's diabetes condition, which may include, but is not limited to, current blood glucose levels, historical blood glucose levels, blood glucose trends, highest blood glucose levels, lowest blood glucose levels, and average blood glucose levels. Another non-limiting example of a patient indicator is a prescription (e.g., an insulin prescription), which may reflect the severity of a patient's diabetes condition.

[0092] For example, a computational model or other data structure may be configured to receive a patient's blood glucose information to determine ultrasound treatment parameters. Specifically, ultrasound frequency, burst cycle, and / or burst duration may be determined based on the patient's blood glucose level. In some embodiments, blood glucose values ​​may be correlated with ultrasound frequency, burst cycle, and / or burst duration (e.g., higher blood glucose levels correlate with higher signal strength and / or burst duration / frequency). In various embodiments, ultrasound treatment parameters may be automatically and / or dynamically adjusted based on patient indicators (e.g., blood glucose levels). For example, ultrasound treatment application 542 may receive or determine a patient's blood glucose level and control the ultrasound frequency accordingly. In various embodiments, the dialysis process may be controlled based on patient indicators. Specifically, dialysis application 540 may receive or determine a patient's blood glucose level and control one or more PD parameters (e.g., dialysate concentration) accordingly.

[0093] In some implementations, computing device 510 can control the dialysis and / or ultrasound therapy processes via dialysis application 540 and / or ultrasound therapy application 542, based on parameters of the treatment process, the currently executed process step, and / or similar values. For example, ultrasound device 320 can only perform ultrasound therapy during the fluid retention and / or drainage phases of PD; in another example, the dialysate concentration for PD treatment can be determined at least in part based on one or more ultrasound parameters.

[0094] In some implementations, PD treatment and ultrasound treatment may be performed at least partially simultaneously; in various implementations, PD treatment and ultrasound treatment may also be performed separately at different times.

[0095] In various implementations, at least a portion of the information, software, hardware, and / or functions related to the ultrasound treatment process of the computing device 510 may be stored in and / or executed by the control unit 322.

[0096] This document contains one or more logic and / or processes that exemplify implementation methods of novel aspects of the disclosed embodiments. For simplicity, the one or more methods shown herein are illustrated and described as a series of actions, but those skilled in the art will understand and appreciate that these methods are not limited to the order in which the actions are performed. According to this disclosure, some actions may be performed in a manner different from the order shown and described herein, and / or performed synchronously with other actions. For example, those skilled in the art will understand and appreciate that a method may also be embodied alternatively as a series of interrelated states or events, for example, presented in the form of a state diagram. Furthermore, not all actions shown in the methods are necessary to implement the novel embodiments. Steps indicated by dashed lines may be optional steps in the logic or process.

[0097] The logical flow can be implemented through software, firmware, hardware, or any combination thereof. In software and firmware implementations, the logical flow can be implemented through computer-executable instructions stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium or a machine-readable medium. The implementation is not limited to this.

[0098] Figure 6 One embodiment of a process or logical flow 600 is illustrated. Logical flow 600 may embody some or all of the operations performed by one or more embodiments described herein (e.g., dialysis system 101 and / or computing device 510). In some embodiments, logical flow 600 may embody some or all of the operations of a dialysis-ultrasound process according to some embodiments. In various embodiments, a dialysis-ultrasound process may include dialysis treatment and ultrasound treatment performed at least partially simultaneously; in other embodiments, a dialysis-ultrasound process may include dialysis treatment and ultrasound treatment performed at different times. Therefore, the steps of logical flow 600 are not necessarily performed sequentially and / or synchronously.

[0099] In step 602, logic flow 600 may determine dialysis parameters. For example, dialysis information 534 may include information related to performing dialysis treatment, such as dialysate concentration or formulation, residence time, drainage time, number of cycles, and / or similar values. In step 604, logic flow 600 may determine ultrasound treatment parameters. For example, ultrasound treatment information 536 may include information related to performing ultrasound treatment, such as ultrasound frequency (or frequency range), burst cycle, burst duration, and / or similar values.

[0100] In various embodiments, one or more parameters determined in steps 602 and / or 604 may be based on a treatment prescription; in other embodiments, one or more parameters determined in steps 602 and / or 604 may be based on patient indicators. In some embodiments, logic flow 600 may perform the operation of determining or acquiring patient indicators 620. In various embodiments, patient indicators may include current and / or historical measured indicators of the patient, including but not limited to blood glucose levels, blood pressure, body temperature, patient fluid volume, and / or similar values. Figure 6 As shown, the determined patient indicator 620 can be used to determine one or more parameters in steps 602 and / or 604; furthermore, in some embodiments, the determined patient indicator 620 can be used to guide the implementation of dialysis treatment (step 606) and / or ultrasound treatment (step 608), for example, the patient's blood glucose level can trigger the cessation, initiation and / or adjustment of dialysis treatment and / or ultrasound treatment steps.

[0101] In step 606, logic flow 600 can implement dialysis treatment. For example, computing device 510 can control dialysis machine 101 to perform a dialysis procedure for the patient using determined peritoneal dialysis parameters. In step 608, logic flow 600 can implement ultrasound treatment. For example, computing device 510 can control ultrasound device 320 to perform an ultrasound procedure for the patient using determined ultrasound parameters. Specifically, computing device 510 can control the ultrasound target area (e.g., achieved through targeting or focusing of ultrasound waves), ultrasound frequency, burst cycle, and / or burst duration. During ultrasound treatment, a therapeutically effective dose of ultrasound waves (e.g., pulsed focused ultrasound) is applied to the target area. In some embodiments, this therapeutically effective dose is sufficient to stimulate insulin production / secretion, promote or achieve glucose homeostasis, and / or similar behaviors.

[0102] In some implementations, logic flow 600 can monitor the treatment phase of an ongoing treatment (e.g., dialysis and / or ultrasound therapy) and can stop, start, and / or adjust the implementation of one of the treatments. For example, logic flow 600 can determine that the filling phase of dialysis therapy has begun (e.g., the infusion of PD fluid into the patient) and can stop or adjust the ongoing ultrasound therapy; in another example, logic flow 600 can prevent another treatment from being performed during the implementation of one treatment. Specifically, logic flow can determine that the patient's PD cycle will begin at a specific time and can prohibit ultrasound therapy from being performed for the duration of the PD cycle and / or treatment.

[0103] This document has described numerous specific details to provide a comprehensive understanding of the various embodiments. However, those skilled in the art will understand that the embodiments can be implemented without these specific details. In other instances, well-known operations, components, and circuits have not been described in detail to avoid obscuring the content of the embodiments. It is understood that the specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are merely exemplary and do not necessarily limit the scope of protection of the embodiments.

[0104] Some implementations may be described using the terms “coupled” and “connected” and their derivatives, which are not intended to be synonyms with each other. For example, some implementations may be described using “connected” and / or “coupled” to indicate that two or more elements are in direct physical or electrical contact with each other; while the term “coupled” may also indicate that two or more elements are not in direct contact with each other, but still cooperate or interact with each other.

[0105] Unless otherwise expressly stated, terms such as “processing,” “computing,” “operation,” and “determining” refer to the actions and / or processes of a computer or computing system, or a similar electronic computing device, that manipulates and / or converts data represented in physical quantities (e.g., electrical signals) in the registers and / or memory of the computing system into other data represented in similar physical quantities in the memory, registers, or other such information storage, transmission, or display devices of the computing system. Implementation is not limited thereto.

[0106] It should be noted that the methods described herein are not necessarily to be performed in the order described or in a specific order. Furthermore, the various related operations of the methods defined herein may be performed serially or in parallel.

[0107] Although specific embodiments have been illustrated and described herein by way of example, those skilled in the art will understand that any arrangement designed to achieve the same purpose may replace the specific embodiments shown herein. This disclosure covers any modifications or variations of the embodiments. It should be understood that the above description is made by way of example and not by way of limitation. Combinations of the above embodiments, as well as other embodiments not specifically described herein, will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon review of the above description. Therefore, the scope of protection of the embodiments includes any other application scenarios of the above compositions, structures, and methods.

[0108] Although the subject matter has been described herein in conjunction with language relating to structural features and / or method actions, it should be understood that the subject matter as defined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific features or actions described above. Rather, the specific features and actions described above are disclosed as exemplary forms for implementing the claims.

[0109] As used herein, an element or operation described in the singular and beginning with "a" should be understood to not exclude multiple elements or operations unless such exclusion is explicitly stated. Furthermore, references to "one embodiment" in this disclosure are not intended to exclude the existence of other embodiments that also include the described features.

[0110] The scope of this disclosure is not limited to the specific embodiments described herein. In fact, various other embodiments and modifications of this disclosure, besides those described herein, will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the foregoing description and drawings. Therefore, such other embodiments and modifications are intended to fall within the scope of this disclosure. Furthermore, although this disclosure has been described in conjunction with specific embodiments for a specific purpose in a specific environment, those skilled in the art should recognize that its applicability is not limited thereto, and this disclosure can be beneficially implemented in any number of environments for any number of purposes.

[0111] Therefore, the appended claims should be interpreted in conjunction with the full scope and spirit of this disclosure.

Claims

1. A system comprising: A catheter, configured to be placed inside a patient's abdominal cavity, for peritoneal dialysis (PD); as well as An ultrasound device configured to emit ultrasound waves, the ultrasound device being combined with and disposed on the catheter for implantation into the patient's abdominal cavity to provide ultrasound therapy to the patient's target area.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein, The ultrasound device includes either a high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) device or a peripheral focused ultrasound stimulation (pFUS) device.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein, The target area includes a portion of at least one of the liver, pancreas, or intestines.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein, The ultrasound device includes a power supply unit configured to be wirelessly charged via a wireless power source.

5. The system according to claim 4, wherein, The power supply unit operates via Electric Wireless Power Transfer (EWPT).

6. The system according to claim 4, wherein, The power supply unit operates through one or more of the following methods: triboelectric effect, photonic power transmission, or kinetic energy charging.

7. The system according to claim 1, further comprising: Patient sensors, which are configured to detect patient indicators; as well as A dialysis machine fluidly coupled to the catheter and configured to perform PD on the patient, wherein at least one PD parameter is determined based on the patient's indicators.

8. The system according to claim 7, wherein, The patient sensors include a blood glucose sensor.

9. The system according to claim 7, wherein, The PD parameters include dialysate concentration.

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein, The ultrasound therapy is configured to treat diabetes.

11. A method comprising: A peritoneal dialysis PD catheter implantation procedure involves inserting an ultrasound device configured to emit ultrasound waves into the patient's peritoneal cavity. The ultrasound device is integrated with the catheter and positioned on the catheter to provide ultrasound therapy to the patient's target area after implantation into the peritoneal cavity. Ultrasound therapy is performed by emitting ultrasound waves into the target area using the ultrasound device.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein, The ultrasound device includes either a high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) device or a peripheral focused ultrasound stimulation (pFUS) device.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein, The target area includes a portion of at least one of the liver, pancreas, or intestines.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein, The ultrasound device includes a power supply unit configured to be wirelessly charged via a wireless power source.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein, The power supply unit operates via Electric Wireless Power Transfer (EWPT).

16. The method of claim 14, wherein, The power supply unit operates through one or more of the following methods: triboelectric effect, photonic power transmission, or kinetic energy charging.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising: Receives detection values ​​of patient indicators determined by patient sensors; PD is performed on the patient using at least one PD parameter determined based on the patient's indicators.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein, The patient sensors include a blood glucose sensor.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein, The PD parameters include dialysate concentration.

20. The method according to claim 11, wherein, The ultrasound therapy is configured to treat diabetes.

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