Electrochemical Probe for In Situ Tissue Dehydration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current treatments for back joint disc or tendon pain, such as disc herniation and inflammatory conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, often involve invasive procedures that are harsh on tissues, have high costs, and come with side effects like infection and slower recovery times, necessitating a more efficient and less invasive solution.
Innovation Solution
The use of oxygen-ozone mixtures or excited, energetic, pure oxygen for dehydrating, electro-oxidizing, or electro-reducing tissues through an electrochemical probe with electrodes and a power source, which applies low-frequency voltage for in situ electrolysis to reduce tissue volume and inflammation, while minimizing tissue damage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If conventional invasive procedures (ablation, burning, cutting) are used to reduce tissue volume, then tissue volume reduction is achieved, but tissue damage and harshness to surrounding tissues increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical cutting and thermal ablation with electrochemical reactions. Electrodes deliver electrical current to trigger electrolysis and electro-oxidation reactions that decompose disc material chemically rather than mechanically or thermally, reducing direct tissue damage and harshness to surrounding tissues.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical and chemical parameters of the treatment process by using controlled electrical current density, voltage, and electrochemical reactions. These parameter changes enable selective decomposition of target tissue through chemical reactions rather than mechanical force or extreme heat, thereby reducing collateral damage.
2Reliability
If surgical intervention is performed to treat severe disc herniation, then pain relief and herniation correction are achieved, but recovery time and hospital stay duration increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces open surgical procedures with percutaneous electrochemical treatment. By delivering electrodes through small needle punctures rather than large incisions, the procedure minimizes tissue disruption, reduces postoperative recovery time, and shortens hospital stays while maintaining effective herniation correction.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies treatment locally at the herniation site through inserted electrodes, concentrating the electrochemical effect precisely where needed. This localized approach avoids the widespread tissue disruption of open surgery, enabling faster recovery while achieving reliable pain relief and herniation correction.
3Reliability
If repeated steroid or lidocaine injections are administered to treat inflammation, then anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects are achieved, but risk of infection and serious side effects increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces pharmacological injection with electrochemical treatment. By using electrical current to drive electro-oxidation reactions that directly decompose inflammatory mediators and pain substances at the tissue level, the method achieves anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects without introducing foreign substances that carry infection risk or cause systemic side effects.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables the body's own tissues to be treated through electrochemical reactions that occur in situ. The electro-oxidation process utilizes water and dissolved gases already present in the tissue, converting them into therapeutic agents locally without requiring external drug administration, thereby eliminating injection-related infection risks.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach allows for efficient, sterile, and less harsh treatment of tissues, reducing inflammation and tissue volume, potentially shortening recovery times and decreasing complication rates, with anti-infective and analgesic properties.
Implementation Method 1
The power source supplies a low frequency electrical potential to the first and second electrodes causing in situ electrolysis within the tissue in the body. Causing the in situ electrolysis includes dehydrating the tissue by forming at least one of hydrogen and hydrogen ions, and forming at least one of oxygen, ozone, and oxygen ions.
Implementation Method 2
Causing the in situ electrolysis includes causing electro-oxidation of a material of the tissue.
Implementation Method 3
The in situ electrolysis may cause electro-reduction of the material of the tissue.
Implementation Method 4
The membrane is configured to at least partially contain the electrolyte.
Data Source
AI summary
A method and apparatus for dehydrating, electro-oxidizing, or electro-reducing a target tissue is described. The apparatus utilizes an electrochemical probe or other device to deliver one or more beneficial agents into the target tissue. Water from the target tissue provides a precursor that may be split by electrolysis to generate the beneficial agent. Alternatively, water is provided from an external source to generate the beneficial agent. The beneficial agent facilitates in situ oxidation and/or reduction of a material within the tissue. One type of beneficial agent is ozone.