MACHINE AND METHOD FOR THE PROCESSING OF VISCERAL FAT

Abstract

A machine for therapeutic treatments related to visceral fat reduction in a patient, equipped with four channels, each connected to electrodes for applying electromagnetic currents to a specific area of ​​the patient. This is achieved through the management of specific software that delivers a power value to each channel asynchronously, allowing for simultaneous readjustment of the power value of each of the four channels, depending on at least the energy flux emitted by the active electrodes (6) of each channel and the energy flux received from each of the passive electrodes (7) of the corresponding channels. Figure for the abbreviation: Fig. 2

Description

Title of the invention: MACHINE AND METHOD FOR THE TREATMENT OF VISCERAL FAT

[0001] SUBJECT OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The purpose of this application is the registration of a machine for the treatment of visceral fat, as well as a method for the treatment thereof.

[0003] More specifically, the invention proposes the development of a machine for therapeutic treatments related to visceral fat, equipped with four channels, each connected to electrodes for the application of electromagnetic currents to be applied to a specific region of a patient through the management of specific software which allows synchronized operation through a single power source.

[0004] SCOPE OF APPLICATION

[0005] The field of application of the present invention falls within the technical sector of the industry dedicated to the manufacture of equipment, apparatus and devices for therapeutic medical treatments, focusing particularly on those which apply an electric current.

[0006] PRIOR STATE OF THE TECHNOLOGY

[0007] Currently, the existence of therapeutic machines and devices based on high-frequency electromagnetic currents or fields applied to the bones, muscles or tissues of the human body is well known, such that they use current-generating equipment connected to one or more electrodes mounted on an accessory specific to the area to be treated.

[0008] Although they have proven effective in various therapeutic treatments through the application of electrical currents, they have limitations for the application of treatments intended to act on fatty areas located in deep areas of the human body and which may involve a risk to a patient, such as visceral fat.

[0009] It should be mentioned that visceral fat is a relevant aspect because it can be harmful to health since it is a precursor of metabolic, cardiovascular diseases and even some types of cancer.

[0010] To this end, visceral fat is a public health problem that uses the metabolic pathway to affect several widespread pathologies. Having an excess of this type of fat generates insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, and is a catalyst for developing various types of cancer and accelerating aging. Currently, 52% of the world's population is overweight or obese, 30% 9% suffer from hypertension and 9% are diabetic, so reducing visceral fat is necessary to improve all these conditions.

[0011] Current methods for losing visceral fat in obese people are essentially focused on the practice of physical exercises and depend on the intensity, frequency and characteristics of the subject with heart rates above 160 beats / min, and oxygen consumption between 55 and more than 70%.

[0012] Although the existence of radiofrequency devices is known, generally applicable for treating skin, muscle, bone or other conditions, as well as for aesthetic treatments, the applicant is not aware of a radiofrequency-based device capable of reducing the volume of visceral fat.

[0013] Furthermore, the applicant is not aware of any invention currently possessing all the characteristics described in this memorandum.

[0014] DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0015] The present invention has been developed to provide a therapeutic or diathermy molecular electromagnetic resonance machine for therapeutic treatments which is configured as a novelty in the field of application and resolves the aforementioned disadvantages, in addition to providing other additional advantages which will be evident from the description which is accompanied below.

[0016] It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a machine for the application of therapeutic treatments in which the visceral fat of a patient is involved, of the type which includes a current generating equipment, first means of interface with the patient, a computerized control module connected to the patient interface, said computerized control module being empowered to automate the treatments according to a time and temperature model, after the introduction of necessary parameters.In particular, the invention is characterized by the fact that it comprises four channels, each of them being provided with a radio frequency generator connected to active electrodes, and to passive electrodes, a temperature control circuit connected to temperature sensors disposed in the monopolar active electrodes which make it possible to know the temperature value in the body area which is in contact with the electrodes, and specific software housed in the computerized control module which acts to deliver a power value for each of the channels and asynchronously between them, so that it readjusts the power value of each of the four channels simultaneously depending on the energy value emitted by the active electrodes of each channel and the energy value received from each of the passive electrodes of the corresponding channels, as well as other parameters such as the frequency value, the. temperature and lipid layer thickness.

[0017] Thanks to these characteristics, it is possible to provide the energy necessary to work deeply in the visceral fat of a patient, by means of the provision of four channels which can work simultaneously and asynchronously, without involving undesirable side effects on the patient's skin, nor generating visceral inflammation.

[0018] Thus, the machine makes it possible to concentrate energy in a targeted way on a specific area of ​​a patient's body, such as the abdomen, being able to liquefy the fat located around the viscera in a safe way.

[0019] Preferably, the first interface means include a touch-type screen, so that it does not require a mechanical push-button keyboard, although it is also possible to use a mechanical keyboard instead of a touch-type screen.

[0020] In addition, the machine may include a second brain-machine patient interface, so that the user / patient can exercise safety control over the temperature of the device, which has an EEG capture terminal, with a headband-shaped attachment element, configured to detect brain impulses of the patient or operator, the terminal being connected to the computerized control module.

[0021] The machine for therapeutic treatments described represents, therefore, an innovative structure with structural and constitutive characteristics unknown until now for the purpose for which it is intended, reasons which, with its practical utility, provide it with sufficient grounds to obtain the privilege of exclusivity which is requested.

[0022] The active and / or passive electrodes of the present invention may preferably be cutaneous application electrodes, and are provided for this purpose with a superficial contact area intended to come into contact with the patient's skin.

[0023] In one embodiment, the active and / or passive electrodes can be grouped on a strip which is configured to be placed on the patient's body surface, so as to simplify the placement of the electrodes on the patient.

[0024] According to the invention, the computerized control module can run the software to automatically adjust and / or stop the flow of energy to be transferred through at least one of the channels in order to perform the therapy or optimize it, depending on different bodily parameters of the patient to be treated.

[0025] Another object of the invention provides a method for treating visceral fat, which uses a machine like the one described above, comprising the application of an energy flow through the arrangement of a plurality of active electrodes on the patient's skin in such a way that the input of an energy flow is produced in a focused manner (i.e., the energy is directed so that it is concentrated in a specific region within the patient), each active electrode and passive electrode (intended for current output) being connected to a corresponding channel of the machine,

[0026] Each of the channels, through a software program, has the capacity to communicate data with each other and to apply an energy flow based on the ratio between the incoming energy flow value and the outgoing energy flow value. It should be noted that this adaptation occurs depending on the patient's body fat located between the antennas present on the active and passive electrodes.

[0027] According to another aspect of the invention, the software is executed to apply an energy flow with a specific temperature value as a function of the ratio between the value of the incoming energy flow and the value of the outgoing energy flow.

[0028] Preferably, the active and passive electrodes have a radial arrangement around the patient, such that active electrodes are opposite passive electrodes associated with the same energy flow channel, giving rise to energy interference in the central part of a patient's body, generating an amplified and focused signal pattern.

[0029] Other features and advantages of the machine for therapeutic treatments which are the subject of the present invention will be evident from the description of a preferred, but not exclusive, embodiment, which is illustrated by way of non-limiting example in the accompanying drawings, in which: Brief description of the drawings

[0030] [Fig-1] is a schematic isometric view of an embodiment of the machine for therapeutic treatments based on visceral fat in accordance with the present invention;

[0031] [Fig.2] is a schematic view of the machine according to the invention;

[0032] [Fig.3] is a perspective view of an embodiment of an active electrode used in the machine according to the invention;

[0033] [Fig.4] is a plan view showing an application of the machine on a patient, where only the active electrodes located in different parts of the patient are shown; and

[0034] [Fig. 5a] and [Fig. 5b] are views that show a cross-section of a patient before and after the application of a visceral fat loss treatment through a machine based on the use of therapeutic molecular electromagnetic resonance in accordance with the invention.

[0035] DESCRIPTION OF A FAVORITE ACHIEVEMENT

[0036] In view of the figures mentioned and in accordance with the numbering adopted, an example of a preferred embodiment of the invention can be observed therein, which includes the parts and elements which are indicated and described in detail below.

[0037] Furthermore, the terms first, second, third, and similar in the description and in the claims are used to distinguish similar elements and not necessarily to describe a sequential or chronological order. The terms may be interchanged in appropriate circumstances, and the embodiments of the invention may operate in sequences other than those described or illustrated in this specification.

[0038] Furthermore, the terms superior, inferior, top, bottom and similar in the description and claims are used for descriptive purposes and not necessarily to describe relative positions.

[0039] Thus, as can be seen in Figures 1 and 2, the machine, generally referred to by reference numeral (1), is intended for the treatment of body fat in different areas of the human body, as well as lipolysis, and is configured with a current-generating unit (2) located in a housing (4) which includes a touchscreen (3) for viewing and configuring the operating parameters. The housing (4) is supported by a base (13) which includes a series of wheels on its lower base to facilitate the movement of the machine (1).

[0040] Four channels, each formed by a radio frequency generator (5) to form radio waves, are provided, the signals being generated by the radio frequency generators at a frequency between 0.3 MHz and 3 MHz. This radio frequency generator (5) is connected to a temperature control circuit (9), active electrodes (6) which each provide 310 W of power and monopolar passive or return electrodes (7) (i.e., each of them is associated with an RF antenna) which are connected through connection ports (15).

[0041] The housing (4) also incorporates, for each of the electrodes to be coupled, a graphic indicator (14) located on the same side wall as the screen (3), which allows for quick visualization of the frequency level applied to each electrode. The arrangement of an active electrode (6) and a passive electrode (7) for each of the operating channels creates a closed energy conduction circuit, promoting the greatest possible energy delivery to the area of ​​the body being treated.

[0042] The temperature control circuit (9) is connected to temperature sensors (10) incorporated in the monopolar active electrodes (6).

[0043] The current-generating equipment (2) incorporates a computerized control module (11) associated with a computer program (software), connected to the patient interface which integrates the touchscreen (3), as well as to the radiofrequency generator (5) and that of each channel, thus allowing, after the prior entry of operating parameters suitable for a specific treatment, the automation of the various treatments by following a determined schedule of time and temperatures which optimize The results are displayed so as to allow for the management of the treatment's progress and, furthermore, to enable the development of all its phases without the need for operator intervention. In an alternative embodiment not shown, instead of a touchscreen, a plurality of push buttons can be used.

[0044] The arrangement of this computer program (software) allows the machine to work automatically for a pre-established period of time (for example, sixty minutes) depending on the parameters received by the active (6) and passive electrodes for superficial skin application, as well as by the temperature sensors (10) and a series of physiological parameters previously entered into the computerized control module (11), such as age, weight, height, and abdominal circumference measurement.

[0045] In a functional alternative, the operator can order the machine to work manually by disconnecting the automated management applied by the software through a button on the machine's housing, so that the power application applied to each of the active electrodes (6) is set individually by an operator, so that the energy applied to each area of ​​the body is chosen by the operator depending on the treatment to be followed.

[0046] The software housed in the computerized control module (11) of the machine described in the documentation allows, based on the signals received by the various electrical and electronic components, the delivery of 1240 Watts of power through the simultaneous action of the four channels during a treatment. Thus, during a treatment on the abdominal area of ​​a patient, the software manages the sending of signals to each of the channels so that each of the active electrodes (6) delivers an energy value for an initial predetermined period of time, generating interference to multiply the energy delivery effect in depth. At this stage, the patient's skin temperature in the abdominal region is in the range of approximately 40 to 55 °C, a value which is recorded by the energy-emitting elements, without causing burns in the area where the active electrodes are located thanks to the contribution of the heat dissipation effect.

[0047] The computerized control module (11) executes the software to apply the energy flow to the patient's skin for a predetermined duration and then to stop the energy flow to be transferred through at least one of the channels. The stopping of the energy flow to be transferred through at least one of the channels is implemented automatically by the execution of the software, although it can be stopped manually via an adjustment button on the machine.

[0048] Optionally, the machine (1) may incorporate a second brain-machine patient interface consisting of an EEG capture terminal that detects the brain impulses of the patient or the operator, and which in the example shown is configured by a headband-shaped fastening element, although it is possible to use other configurations such as a cap or others, allowing the patient to influence the computerized control module (11), to which it is connected, when the temperature exceeds a determined value.

[0049] It should be noted that the active electrodes (6) and the passive electrodes have a coating of soft silicone material that prevents the patient from suffering burns during treatment with the machine described herein. To optimize energy transfer, a coating of encapsulated gel is also provided, which improves adaptation to the entire surface of the patient's skin. Thus, [Fig. 3] shows a preferred example of an active electrode (6) formed by a flexible, elongated body of polymer material that adopts a laminar shape, which is connected to a connector means for the passage of alternating current from the external power supply corresponding to the machine to the active electrode (6). Each of the connector means essentially consists of a cable (16) of variable length that protrudes from a protrusion (17) present on one face of the laminar plate (1), and a specific connection plug (18).

[0050] Figure 4 shows the application of the machine to a patient lying on a conventional stretcher (19), where only the active electrodes (6) located on different parts of the patient are shown. The passive electrodes located on the posterior part of the patient are not shown because they would not be visible due to their position in the patient's lumbar region. The arrangement thus allows the electromagnetic energy flows to intersect, generating a total of 1240 W from the sum of all the active electrodes (6) in the area where visceral fat reduction is performed, enabling visceral fat reduction without any negative effects on the patient.Namely, the energy flow applied by the active electrodes (6) is focused on a specific region where there is an interest in reducing the volume of visceral fat, the area of ​​application of the electrodes being detected by energy absorption.

[0051] As can be seen, the active and passive electrodes that are part of the machine are grouped or coupled to a belt (12) whose size can be adjusted to fit the contours of each patient, using conventional fastening means, such as, for example, Velcro® strips. This belt accessory incorporates the radiofrequency transmitting and receiving elements into its structure, eliminating the need to apply individual antennas that transfer the radiofrequency.

[0052] Treatment in a patient An adult patient underwent visceral fat reduction treatment using the previously described machine, consisting of 10 sessions over a period of 12 days, with each session lasting between 50 and 120 minutes. observe in table 1 the total energy applied through each of the active electrodes (6) of the four channels during sessions 1, 5 and 10, as well as the average temperature value obtained from the temperature sensor present in the four active electrodes (6).

[0053] [Tables] Data per session Session 1 Session 5 Session 10 Total kilojoules 192 267 232 Average temperature in °C 44 47 45

[0054] The results obtained from the treatment of the patient through the machine are shown below using Table 2 and Figures 5a and 5b, during the first and tenth treatment sessions.

[0055] So, we can see on [Fig.5a] an image of a magnetic resonance before the application of the treatment, while [Fig.5b] shows a magnetic resonance after completing the treatment of 10 sessions, so that we can see how the volume of visceral fat which corresponds to the central part of figures 5a and 5b has varied, the volume of visceral fat, which is indicated by the reference (GV), being smaller on [Fig.5b] compared to [Fig.5a].

[0056] [Tables2] Patient Session 1 Session 10 Change in % Visceral fat (in grams) 1515.0 955.0 -36.96% Subcutaneous fat (in grams) 7563.0 6788.0 -10.25% Visceral fat (in cm3) 1683.0 1061.0 -36.96% Subcutaneous fat (in cm3) 7542.0 8403.0 11.42%

[0057] The results in Table 2 show a significant loss of visceral and subcutaneous fat after the ten sessions and, consequently, of the patient's weight, resulting in a significantly slimmer silhouette, with a 16 cm reduction in length around the patient's waist and a 4 kg weight loss. This type of body modification has not been achieved or scientifically demonstrated with magnetic resonance diagnostic systems to date, representing a significant advancement in the state of the art. This case is limited to a scientific study conducted on twenty subjects, all of whom experienced a statistically significant reduction in their visceral fat within a short period of time, such as twelve days, and without undergoing dieting or exercise. For these reasons, this technology represents a state-of-the-art innovation that enables the delivery of a solution to a public health problem for which no other resources are currently available beyond diet and exercise.

[0058] The details, shapes, dimensions and other accessory elements used in the manufacture of the machine of the invention may be conveniently replaced by others which do not deviate from the scope defined by the claims which are included below.

Claims

Demands

1. A machine (1) for the treatment of visceral fat, comprising a current-generating device, initial means of interfacing with the patient, a computerized control module (11) connected to the patient interface, said computerized control module (11) being capable of automating treatments according to a time and temperature model, after the input of necessary parameters, characterized in that it comprises four channels, each of them being provided with a radiofrequency generator (5) connected to active electrodes (6), and to passive electrodes (7), a temperature control circuit (9) connected to temperature sensors (10) disposed on the active electrodes (6), and specific software housed in the computerized control module (11) which acts to deliver a power value for each of the channels and asynchronously between them,in such a way that it readjusts the power value of each of the four channels simultaneously depending on at least the value of the energy flux emitted by the active electrodes (6) of each channel and the value of the energy flux received from each of the passive electrodes (7) of the corresponding channels.

2. Machine (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the first interface means comprise a touch screen (3).

3. Machine (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the signals generated by the radio frequency generators of each of the channels are wave signals at a frequency between 0.3 MHz and 3 MHz.

4. Machine according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized (1) in that the active electrodes (6) and passive electrodes (7) are of the cutaneous application type because they are provided with a superficial contact area intended to come into contact with the patient's skin.

5. Machine (1) according to claims 1 or 4, characterized in that the active electrodes (6) and the passive electrodes (7) are located on a belt (12) intended to be placed around a patient.

6. Machine (1) according to claims 1 or 5, characterized in that the computerized control module (11) executes software to apply the energy flow to the patient's skin for a predetermined duration and then to stop the energy flow to be transferred by the minus one of the channels.

7. Machine (1) according to claim 6, characterized in that the computerized control module (11) executes the software to automatically regulate and / or stop the flow of energy to be transferred through at least one of the channels.

8. Machine (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that each of the outputs of the active electrodes (6) has a maximum power of 310 W.

9. Machine (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the total output of the four channels has a maximum power of 1240 W.

10. Machine (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the active electrodes (6) are grouped on a strip intended to be placed on the patient's body surface.

11. Machine (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the passive electrodes (7) are grouped on a strip intended to be placed on the patient's body surface.

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