A multifunctional nerve rehabilitation system applicable to a hyperbaric oxygen chamber

Abstract

The utility model belongs to the field of biomedical engineering discloses a kind of multifunctional nerve rehabilitation system for hyperbaric oxygen chamber, including central control system, off-chamber distributed wireless transmission network and multiple in-chamber terminals. Low voltage, low power consumption, low impedance, antistatic, fully enclosed design is adopted, and the multifunctional nerve rehabilitation electrical stimulation equipment capable of safely and stably working in the special environment of hyperbaric oxygen is designed. Wireless network technology is used, the function and treatment parameters of each terminal equipment in the chamber are selected and controlled by the off-chamber wireless central control system, and the working state of the equipment is monitored. By designing the special multifunctional nerve rehabilitation equipment capable of entering the chamber and the wireless network control method, the utility model perfectly solves the problems faced by the application of hyperbaric oxygen combined rehabilitation treatment technology and equipment, and will generate good social and economic benefits.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model belongs to the field of biomedical engineering, specifically relating to a multifunctional neurorehabilitation system that can be used in hyperbaric oxygen chambers. Background Technology

[0002] Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is an important clinical treatment method in hospitals, offering unique advantages in the treatment of cerebrovascular diseases, carbon monoxide poisoning, and central nervous system injuries. In recent years, rehabilitation techniques have also been gradually incorporated into hyperbaric oxygen therapy. Clinical application studies have shown that combining hyperbaric oxygen therapy with rehabilitation techniques within a hyperbaric oxygen chamber can achieve better therapeutic effects than using either therapy alone.

[0003] During hyperbaric oxygen therapy, the high pressure inside the chamber causes blood vessels to constrict, which weakens the therapeutic effect of hyperbaric oxygen and may even cause cerebral spasm in severe cases. However, when biomimetic electrical stimulation and transcranial direct current stimulation are performed simultaneously with hyperbaric oxygen therapy, they can connect with the cerebral cortex through special conduction pathways to dilate cerebral blood vessels, increase cerebral blood flow, minimize cerebral edema, improve cerebral metabolism and cerebral blood perfusion, promote the functional recovery of nerve cells, improve the activity of the autonomic nervous system, inhibit nerve cell apoptosis, protect nerve tissue, promote brain remodeling and functional reorganization during the recovery period, shorten the overall treatment cycle, improve neuropsychiatric symptoms, and thus significantly improve the effectiveness of hyperbaric oxygen therapy.

[0004] However, there is currently a lack of specialized rehabilitation equipment for combining hyperbaric oxygen therapy in clinical practice. Since ordinary rehabilitation equipment cannot be directly inserted into the chamber, the usual method involves threading the stimulation leads of the ordinary equipment through the chamber. This method has several problems: cumbersome deployment; patients can only receive treatment at fixed points; the limited number of signal interface lines in the oxygen chamber restricts the number of patients that can be treated simultaneously, making it impossible to treat multiple sites / conditions at the same time; the modification through the chamber may damage the structure, posing serious safety risks; and the equipment can only be operated from outside the chamber during treatment, making it impossible to select and adjust the equipment's functions and treatment parameters in real time inside the chamber as needed. These problems limit the widespread application of hyperbaric oxygen therapy combined with rehabilitation therapy. Utility Model Content

[0005] In view of this, the purpose of this utility model is to provide a multifunctional neurorehabilitation system that can be used in hyperbaric oxygen chambers, aiming to solve the current problems faced in the application of hyperbaric oxygen combined rehabilitation therapy technology and equipment.

[0006] This utility model provides a multifunctional neurorehabilitation system that can be used in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber, including a central control system, an external distributed wireless transmission network, and multiple in-chamber terminals. Each in-chamber terminal has a built-in communication module, and the central control system communicates bidirectionally with the in-chamber terminals through the external distributed wireless transmission network and the communication module.

[0007] The external distributed wireless transmission network is used to achieve wireless signal coverage inside and outside the hyperbaric oxygen chamber; it is used to receive instructions from the central control system and send them to the terminals inside the chamber for control, and at the same time receive monitoring data sent by the terminals inside the chamber and summarize them to the central control system.

[0008] The central control system is used to regulate the treatment functions and parameters of each in-cabin terminal and to centrally display the monitoring data, working status and treatment parameters of each in-cabin terminal.

[0009] The central control system also has functions for patient information management, monitoring data analysis and evaluation, and report generation and printing.

[0010] The in-cabin terminal is used to administer electrical stimulation to the patient according to the set treatment functions and parameters.

[0011] Furthermore, the in-cabin terminal includes a microcontroller (MCU), a stimulation generation circuit, an impedance and energy monitoring circuit, a wireless communication circuit, a button circuit, and a display circuit, with the MCU electrically connected to each circuit.

[0012] The stimulation generating circuit uses low-impedance electrodes.

[0013] The microcontroller (MCU) is used to control the stimulation, collect and monitor human skin impedance and stimulation energy, communicate with the distributed wireless transmission network outside the cabin, receive button commands, and display treatment parameters and working status.

[0014] The button circuit and display circuit are used to control the in-chamber terminal inside the hyperbaric oxygen chamber and to monitor the working status of the in-chamber terminal at any time.

[0015] The button circuit and display circuit work together to achieve the following operations: selection of various treatment functions; adjustment of parameters such as stimulation current, stimulation frequency and stimulation pulse width; and start, stop and pause of the in-cabin terminal.

[0016] Furthermore, the stimulation chip of the stimulation generation circuit is the ENS1QFN64L88A3 four-channel highly integrated programmable stimulation chip from Nanochap, which has short-circuit protection.

[0017] Furthermore, the impedance and energy monitoring circuit includes a stimulation current monitoring and amplification circuit, a stimulation current waveform envelope extraction circuit, and a stimulation current acquisition circuit. The impedance and energy monitoring circuit obtains skin impedance and energy values ​​by processing and acquiring the stimulation current.

[0018] The impedance and energy monitoring circuit is used to prevent excessive stimulation from burning the patient's skin and to prevent the danger caused by overcurrent and overheating of the circuit; when the impedance and energy monitoring circuit detects that the temperature is too high, i.e. the energy exceeds the set threshold, it automatically disconnects the power supply.

[0019] Furthermore, the battery of the in-cabin terminal is a 3.7V polymer lithium battery.

[0020] Furthermore, the in-cabin terminal is equipped with an electrostatic discharge circuit.

[0021] Furthermore, the circuit board and battery of the in-cabin terminal are sealed in a closed insulating cavity. Only the stimulation lead wire and charging interface terminal are brought out from the circuit board and battery sealed in the insulating cavity. The stimulation lead wire and charging interface are equipped with anti-static protection circuits.

[0022] Beneficial effects:

[0023] Based on the significant value of hyperbaric oxygen therapy combined with rehabilitation, and addressing the current state of clinical hyperbaric oxygen therapy combined with rehabilitation treatment techniques and the problems existing in the application of current equipment, this invention proposes a multifunctional neurorehabilitation system that can be used in hyperbaric oxygen chambers. It employs a low-voltage, low-power, low-impedance, anti-static, and fully enclosed design, creating a multifunctional neurorehabilitation electrical stimulation device that can operate safely and stably in the special environment of hyperbaric oxygen therapy. Utilizing wireless network technology, an external wireless central control system selects and adjusts the functions and treatment parameters of each terminal device within the chamber, and monitors the equipment's operating status. By designing a dedicated multifunctional neurorehabilitation device that can be placed inside the chamber and employing a wireless network control method, this invention perfectly solves the problems faced in the application of hyperbaric oxygen therapy combined with rehabilitation treatment techniques and equipment, and will generate significant social and economic benefits.

[0024] Other advantages, objectives, and features of this invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the following examination, or may be learned from practice of this invention. The objectives and other advantages of this invention can be realized and obtained through the following description. Attached Figure Description

[0025] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a multifunctional neurorehabilitation system that can be used in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber according to the present invention.

[0026] Figure 2This is a circuit block diagram of the in-cabin terminal.

[0027] Figure 3 This is a circuit block diagram of the electrical stimulation generation circuit;

[0028] Figure 4 This is a circuit block diagram of the impedance and energy monitoring circuit;

[0029] Figure 5 This is a flowchart of the central monitoring system software.

[0030] Figure 6 This is a diagram of a closed circuit structure. Detailed Implementation

[0031] To make the technical solutions, advantages, and objectives of this utility model clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of this utility model will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some, not all, of the embodiments of this utility model. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the described embodiments of this utility model without creative effort are within the protection scope of this application.

[0032] The unique environment of a hyperbaric oxygen therapy chamber places strict requirements on the operating voltage, power, and anti-static properties of medical equipment entering the chamber, necessitating specialized design. Furthermore, for ease of treatment, the functions and treatment parameters of the equipment should be selectable and adjustable both inside and outside the chamber, allowing for monitoring of the equipment's operational status. Additionally, equipment deployment should be as flexible, simple, and quick as possible, avoiding damage to the chamber and potential safety risks. Based on these considerations, this invention designs a multifunctional neurorehabilitation system capable of safe and stable operation in the special environment of hyperbaric oxygen therapy. It also employs wireless network technology, allowing an external wireless central control system to select and adjust the functions and treatment parameters of each piece of equipment within the chamber, and monitor their operational status. The overall system architecture is as follows: Figure 1 As shown.

[0033] This utility model provides a multifunctional neurorehabilitation system that can be used in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber, including a central control system (including a computer, software, printer, etc.), an external distributed wireless transmission network (including AP, router, etc.) and multiple in-chamber terminals. Each in-chamber terminal has a built-in communication module. The central control system communicates bidirectionally with the in-chamber terminals through the external distributed wireless transmission network and the communication module.

[0034] External distributed wireless transmission network: used to achieve wireless signal coverage inside and outside the hyperbaric oxygen chamber; used to receive instructions from the central control system and send them to the terminals inside each chamber for control, and at the same time receive monitoring data sent by the terminals inside each chamber and summarize them to the central control system.

[0035] Central control system: used to regulate the treatment functions and parameters of each terminal in the cabin, and to centrally display the monitoring data, working status and treatment parameters of each terminal in the cabin;

[0036] The central control system also has functions for patient information management, monitoring data analysis and evaluation, and report generation and printing;

[0037] In-cabin terminal: used to administer electrical stimulation to the patient according to the set treatment functions and parameters;

[0038] The design of this utility model multifunctional neurorehabilitation system is flexible in deployment. Each device has multiple functions and works independently inside the chamber, which can meet the requirements of treating multiple people and multiple parts / diseases. The monitoring equipment can be controlled from both inside and outside the chamber, which also avoids the problem of damage to the chamber and potential safety hazards that may occur when the device is moved through the chamber.

[0039] As a preferred embodiment, the in-cabin terminal is the core device of the entire system, which performs rehabilitation electrical stimulation therapy on the patient. For example... Figure 2 As shown, the in-cabin terminal includes a microcontroller (MCU), a stimulation generation circuit, an impedance and energy monitoring circuit, a wireless communication circuit, a button circuit, and a display circuit. The MCU is electrically connected to each circuit.

[0040] The stimulation generation circuit uses low-impedance electrodes.

[0041] The microcontroller (MCU) is used to control the generation of stimulation, collect and monitor human skin impedance and stimulation energy, communicate with the distributed wireless transmission network outside the cabin, receive button commands, and display treatment parameters and working status.

[0042] Wireless communication circuit: To facilitate operation and achieve better treatment results, the terminal is designed with a dedicated wireless communication circuit. The wireless signal passes through the cabin and achieves two-way communication with the external wireless central control system through a relay. Using a wireless control method not only allows for the selection and adjustment of treatment functions and parameters and monitoring of equipment operating status from outside the cabin, but also solves the problems of complex deployment within the cabin and potential safety hazards.

[0043] The button circuit and display circuit are used to operate the in-chamber terminal inside the hyperbaric oxygen chamber and to monitor the working status of the in-chamber terminal at any time.

[0044] The button circuit and display circuit work together to achieve the following operations: selection of various treatment functions; adjustment of parameters such as stimulation current, stimulation frequency and stimulation pulse width; start, stop and pause of the in-cabin terminal.

[0045] As a preferred embodiment, the circuit block diagram of the stimulation generating circuit is as follows: Figure 3As shown in the diagram. The core of the stimulation generation circuit is the stimulation chip, which features short-circuit protection. In this embodiment, the stimulation chip is the Nanochap ENS1QFN64L88A3 four-channel highly integrated programmable stimulation chip. This chip integrates an ARM core, on-chip charging circuit, a 10V–60V boost DC-DC converter, and a multi-channel, highly flexible stimulation drive circuit. Combined with a stimulation waveform polarity switching circuit, it can provide various electrical stimulations with up to 50kHz sine / triangle / square waves or arbitrary waveforms, 33uA–67mA 255-level stimulation current, 10us–1s stimulation pulse width, and unidirectional or bidirectional polarity. Based on rehabilitation needs, each channel is independently designed with multiple functional modes, including transcutaneous, neuromuscular, cerebellar parietal nucleus (EEG bionics), transcranial DC, and awakening electrical stimulation, to meet the needs of simultaneous treatment of multiple sites / diseases.

[0046] Multiple functional working modes include:

[0047] Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS)

[0048] This is the most common and basic form of non-invasive electrical stimulation. Low-intensity, high-frequency or low-frequency pulsed currents are applied through electrodes attached to the skin surface.

[0049] Main mechanism of action:

[0050] Gating control theory: By stimulating large sensory nerve fibers, the transmission of signals from small pain fibers to the spinal cord is inhibited, thereby "closing" the gate to pain.

[0051] Endogenous opioid peptide release: Low-frequency TENS can stimulate the body to release natural pain-relieving substances (such as endorphins).

[0052] Main applications: Acute and chronic pain management (such as low back pain, arthritis pain, postoperative pain, neuralgia).

[0053] Neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES)

[0054] Using a current stronger than TENS, it penetrates the skin and directly stimulates motor nerves, causing the muscles they control to contract passively and involuntarily.

[0055] Main mechanism of action: By bypassing higher-level commands from the brain and spinal cord, it directly activates motor neurons, triggering muscle contraction and simulating voluntary movement.

[0056] Main applications: prevention and treatment of muscle atrophy (such as postoperative fixation, hemiplegia after stroke); enhancement of muscle strength and endurance; improvement of blood circulation and prevention of deep vein thrombosis; and auxiliary functional training (such as foot drop stimulation in gait training).

[0057] Cerebellar parietal nuclear electrical stimulation (FNS)

[0058] A special central nervous system stimulation technique. Electrodes are placed on the mastoid process behind the ear (the surface projection area of ​​the cerebellar parietal nucleus), and specific low-intensity pulsed currents are applied to stimulate the cerebellar parietal nucleus region.

[0059] Main mechanism of action: Stimulation of the cerebellar parietal nucleus can increase cerebral blood flow and improve cerebral circulation through complex neural pathways; inhibit excessive apoptosis of nerve cells; regulate neurotransmitter release and enhance neural plasticity.

[0060] Main applications: rehabilitation treatment of ischemic cerebral diseases (such as cerebral infarction and cerebral hemorrhage); improvement of neurological deficits after stroke (such as motor and speech functions); adjunctive treatment of vascular cognitive impairment and vascular depression; and as one of the auxiliary means to promote awakening in cases of impaired consciousness.

[0061] Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS)

[0062] A non-invasive brain stimulation technique. A weak, constant direct current (typically 1-2 mA) is applied by placing electrodes in specific areas of the scalp.

[0063] Main mechanism of action: It does not directly induce nerve discharge, but rather regulates the excitability of the cerebral cortex.

[0064] Anodic stimulation (+): usually increases cortical excitability and enhances neural activity.

[0065] Cathodic stimulation (-): usually reduces cortical excitability and inhibits neural activity.

[0066] Main applications:

[0067] Rehabilitation of neuropsychiatric disorders: depression, anxiety, substance addiction.

[0068] Cognitive enhancement: Improves learning, memory, and attention.

[0069] Post-stroke rehabilitation: improving motor function, aphasia, neglect, etc.

[0070] Chronic pain management.

[0071] CAES (Arousal-Promoting Electrical Stimulation)

[0072] This is a treatment goal, not a single technique. It refers to using various electrical stimulation methods to promote awakening and recovery of consciousness in patients with impaired consciousness (such as those in a vegetative state or minimally conscious state). It usually involves the combined application of multiple techniques mentioned above.

[0073] Common combination methods:

[0074] Central arousal techniques include: deep brain stimulation (DBS) – an invasive procedure involving surgical electrode implantation; spinal cord stimulation (SCS) – a minimally invasive procedure; and non-invasive methods such as tDCS and FNS.

[0075] Peripheral arousal: NMES stimulates the peripheral nerves (median nerve, trigeminal nerve, vagus nerve, etc.) to transmit a large number of sensory feedback signals to the brain, activating the brainstem reticular activating system.

[0076] Main mechanism of action: Through multimodal stimulation, it increases whole brain blood flow, regulates neural network connections, and enhances neurotransmitter transmission, thereby activating brain cells in a "dormant" state and promoting the recovery of consciousness.

[0077] In a preferred embodiment, the impedance and energy monitoring circuit includes a stimulation current monitoring and amplification circuit, a stimulation current waveform envelope extraction circuit, and a stimulation current acquisition circuit. The impedance and energy monitoring circuit processes and acquires the stimulation current to obtain skin impedance and energy values. The circuit block diagram of the impedance and energy monitoring circuit is shown below. Figure 4 As shown;

[0078] Wherein, the monitoring energy = voltage across the electrode × stimulation current × pulse width.

[0079] In constant current bioelectric stimulation, the stimulation voltage equals the product of the stimulation current and the skin impedance. When the output voltage of the stimulation chip's boost DC-DC converter is fixed, the greater the required stimulation current, the lower the required skin impedance. Due to the special environment of a hyperbaric oxygen chamber, the maximum voltage inside the equipment cannot exceed 24V. Therefore, compared to ordinary rehabilitation electrostimulation equipment, it has higher requirements for the stimulation electrodes and skin impedance. At the same time, the safety of rehabilitation treatment is also crucial; excessive stimulation should be avoided to prevent skin burns. Therefore, in addition to selecting low-impedance electrodes, this invention specifically designs an impedance and energy monitoring circuit.

[0080] Impedance and energy monitoring circuits are used to prevent excessive stimulation from burning the patient's skin and to prevent the danger of overheating due to circuit overcurrent. When the impedance and energy monitoring circuit detects that the temperature is too high, i.e., the energy exceeds the set threshold, it will automatically disconnect the power supply.

[0081] As a preferred embodiment, the software flow of the central control system is as follows: Figure 5As shown, during use, first, bind each terminal device to the wireless transmission network and the central control system. Next, access the patient management function, set the patient information, and associate it with the device. Then, enter the main monitoring interface, select each device, choose the treatment function, set the treatment parameters, and confirm to start the treatment. Afterward, during treatment, the treatment parameters of each terminal device, the patient's skin impedance, and the stimulation energy status are dynamically displayed. During treatment, treatment parameters can be adjusted inside or outside the treatment chamber as needed, and treatment at a specific terminal can be paused or stopped. Finally, close and exit the program.

[0082] As a preferred embodiment, the circuits of the in-cabin terminal use an ultra-low operating voltage of 3V, far below the requirement of no more than 24V for the internal equipment operating voltage of a hyperbaric oxygen chamber. Simultaneously, low-power design and time-sharing operation of each channel ensure that the total power consumption of the terminal is less than 0.5W. Furthermore, skin impedance and energy monitoring circuits are added to avoid skin burns caused by excessive stimulation and the danger of overheating due to circuit overcurrent. The power supply can be disconnected immediately if the temperature is detected as too high. In addition, the stimulation chip designed by Nanochap has a dedicated short-circuit protection function, further ensuring safety.

[0083] As a preferred embodiment, the battery of the in-cabin terminal is a 3.7V polymer lithium battery, which has higher safety than ordinary liquid polymer lithium batteries and will not explode.

[0084] As a preferred embodiment, the in-cabin terminal is equipped with an electrostatic discharge circuit.

[0085] In a preferred embodiment, the circuit board and battery of the in-cabin terminal are sealed within a closed insulating cavity. Only the stimulation lead wire and charging interface terminal are exposed from the circuit board and battery sealed within the insulating cavity. Figure 6 As shown in the figure. The stimulation leads and charging interface are equipped with anti-static protection circuits.

[0086] It is hereby declared that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of this utility model and are not intended to limit it. Although this utility model has been described in detail with reference to preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications or equivalent substitutions can be made to the technical solutions of this utility model without departing from the spirit and scope of this technical solution, and all such modifications or substitutions should be covered within the scope of the claims of this utility model.

Claims

1. A multifunctional neurorehabilitation system that can be used in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber, characterized in that: It includes a central control system, an external distributed wireless transmission network, and multiple in-cabin terminals. Each in-cabin terminal has a built-in communication module. The central control system communicates bidirectionally with the in-cabin terminals through the external distributed wireless transmission network and the communication module. The external distributed wireless transmission network is used to achieve wireless signal coverage inside and outside the hyperbaric oxygen chamber; it is used to receive instructions from the central control system and send them to the terminals inside the chamber for control, and at the same time receive monitoring data sent by the terminals inside the chamber and summarize them to the central control system. The central control system is used to regulate the treatment functions and parameters of each in-cabin terminal and to centrally display the monitoring data, working status and treatment parameters of each in-cabin terminal. The central control system also has the functions of patient information management, monitoring data analysis and evaluation, and report generation and printing. The in-cabin terminal is used to administer electrical stimulation to the patient according to the set treatment functions and parameters.

2. A multifunctional neurorehabilitation system applicable to hyperbaric oxygen chambers according to claim 1, characterized in that: The in-cabin terminal includes a microcontroller (MCU), a stimulation generation circuit, an impedance and energy monitoring circuit, a wireless communication circuit, a button circuit, and a display circuit. The microcontroller (MCU) is electrically connected to each circuit. The stimulation generating circuit uses low-impedance electrodes. The microcontroller (MCU) is used to control the stimulation, collect and monitor human skin impedance and stimulation energy, communicate with the distributed wireless transmission network outside the cabin, receive button commands, and display treatment parameters and working status. The button circuit and display circuit are used to control the in-chamber terminal inside the hyperbaric oxygen chamber and to monitor the working status of the in-chamber terminal at any time. The button circuit and display circuit work together to achieve the following operations: selection of various treatment functions; adjustment of parameters such as stimulation current, stimulation frequency and stimulation pulse width; and start, stop and pause of the in-cabin terminal.

3. A multifunctional neurorehabilitation system that can be used in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber according to claim 2, characterized in that: The stimulation chip used in the stimulation generation circuit is the Nanochap ENS1QFN64L88A3 four-channel highly integrated programmable stimulation chip, which has short-circuit protection.

4. A multifunctional neurorehabilitation system that can be used in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber according to claim 2, characterized in that: The impedance and energy monitoring circuit includes a stimulation current monitoring and amplification circuit, a stimulation current waveform envelope extraction circuit, and a stimulation current acquisition circuit. The impedance and energy monitoring circuit obtains skin impedance and energy values ​​by processing and acquiring the stimulation current. The impedance and energy monitoring circuit is used to prevent excessive stimulation from burning the patient's skin and to prevent the danger caused by overcurrent and overheating of the circuit; when the impedance and energy monitoring circuit detects that the temperature is too high, i.e. the energy exceeds the set threshold, it automatically disconnects the power supply.

5. A multifunctional neurorehabilitation system for use in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber according to claim 4, characterized in that: The battery in the in-cabin terminal is a 3.7V polymer lithium battery.

6. A multifunctional neurorehabilitation system for use in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber according to claim 5, characterized in that: The in-cabin terminal is equipped with an electrostatic discharge circuit.

7. A multifunctional neurorehabilitation system for use in hyperbaric oxygen chambers according to claim 6, characterized in that: The circuit board and battery of the in-cabin terminal are sealed in a closed insulating cavity. Only the stimulation lead wire and charging interface terminal are brought out from the circuit board and battery sealed in the insulating cavity. The stimulation lead wire and charging interface are equipped with anti-static protection circuit.

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