PROCESS FOR IMPROVING APPEARANCE AND REGENERATION AND TREATMENT DEVICE

Abstract

A process for the cosmetic improvement of physical appearance and for the non-therapeutic acceleration of regeneration after physical stress includes intermittent vacuum therapy with intermittent compression therapy, in which the pressure difference between the negative pressure and an overpressure is at the same time set, depending on the condition of the person's tissues, to a value between 30 mbar and 80 mbar, but preferably between 30 and 50 mbar. The vacuum therapy and compression therapy are each carried out in a chamber for admitting the lower limbs or the lower limbs and parts of the abdomen of a person that can be sealed gas-tight and is connected by a gas-flow conduit to at least one turbo machine to alternately generate the negative pressure and the overpressure in the chamber.

Claims

1. A process for improving physical appearance and for accelerating regeneration after physical stress, comprising the steps of: admitting at least one limb of a person into a chamber connected to at least one turbo machine, which is then sealed gas-tight; and changing a pressure in the chamber by alternatingly reducing the pressure in the chamber to a negative pressure relative to ambient atmospheric pressure and increasing the pressure in the chamber to an overpressure relative to ambient atmospheric pressure, wherein a pressure difference between the negative pressure and the overpressure is between 30 mbar and 80 mbar, the negative pressure and the overpressure meet the following conditions: the negative pressure is not more than 70 mbar below ambient atmospheric pressure and the overpressure not more than 10 mbar above the ambient atmospheric pressure, or the negative pressure is not more than 10 mbar below ambient atmospheric pressure and the overpressure not more than 70 mbar above the ambient atmospheric pressure, a first phase of the step of changing includes short time periods, in which the negative pressure is maintained in the chamber for 5-9 seconds and the overpressure is maintained for 3-5 seconds, to boost arterial blood flow, a second phase of the step of changing includes medium length time periods, in which the negative pressure is maintained in the chamber for 11-17 seconds and the overpressure is maintained for 5-9 seconds, to boost venous return, a third phase of the step of changing includes long time periods, in which the negative pressure is maintained in the chamber for 17-23 seconds and the overpressure is maintained for 7-12 seconds, to boost lymphatic return, and the step of changing includes sequentially cycling between the first phase, the second phase, and the third phase within a time interval.

2. The process according to claim 1, wherein the negative pressure is not more than 70 mbar below ambient atmospheric pressure and the overpressure not more than 10 mbar above the ambient atmospheric pressure.

3. The process according to claim 1, wherein the negative pressure is not more than 10 mbar below ambient atmospheric pressure and the overpressure not more than 70 mbar above the ambient atmospheric pressure.

4. The process according to claim 1, wherein the pressure difference between the negative pressure and the overpressure is between 30 mbar and 50 mbar.

5. The process according to claim 1, wherein the time interval is between 2 to 10 minutes.

6. The process according to claim 1, wherein the step of admitting at least one limb of a person into a chamber includes admitting lower limbs or the lower limbs and a part of an abdomen of the person into the chamber.

7. A treatment device, comprising: a chamber for admitting at least one limb or the lower limbs and parts of the abdomen of a person, wherein the chamber has an entrance opening with a closure that is capable of producing a gas-tight against the at least one limb or the abdomen of the person; at least one turbo machine connected to the chamber for effecting a negative pressure or an overpressure relative to ambient atmospheric pressure; and a controller configured to control the at least one turbo machine to change a pressure in the chamber by alternatingly reducing the pressure in the chamber to a negative pressure relative to ambient atmospheric pressure and increasing the pressure in the chamber to an overpressure relative to ambient atmospheric pressure, wherein a pressure difference between the negative pressure and the overpressure is between 30 mbar and 80 mbar, the negative pressure and the overpressure meet the following conditions: the negative pressure is not more than 70 mbar below ambient atmospheric pressure and the overpressure not more than 10 mbar above the ambient atmospheric pressure, or the negative pressure is not more than 10 mbar below ambient atmospheric pressure and the overpressure not more than 70 mbar above the ambient atmospheric pressure, a first phase includes short time periods, in which the negative pressure is maintained in the chamber for 5-9 seconds and the overpressure is maintained for 3-5 seconds, to boost arterial blood flow, a second phase includes medium length time periods, in which the negative pressure is maintained in the chamber for 11-17 seconds and the overpressure is maintained for 5-9 seconds, to boost venous return, a third phase includes long time periods, in which the negative pressure is maintained in the chamber for 17-23 seconds and the overpressure is maintained for 7-12 seconds, to boost lymphatic return, and the control unit is further configured to sequentially cycle between the first phase, the second phase, and the third phase within a time interval.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] In the drawings:

[0012] FIG. 1 is a flow diagram of the process according to an embodiment of the invention; and

[0013] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the components of the treatment device according to an embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0014] A process according to an embodiment of the invention is described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. A limb of a person to be treated is inserted in a chamber 100 (step S10). The pressure in the chamber alternates between a negative pressure and an overpressure (step S20). By defining the time periods during which the negative pressure and the overpressure are maintained, before the negative pressure is raised to an overpressure/the overpressure is lowered to a negative pressure, the principal focus of the effect of the process according to the invention may be varied according to first, second, and third phases as follows:

[0015] a first phase including short time periods of negative pressure for 5-9 seconds and overpressure for 3-5 seconds that boosts arterial blood flow;

[0016] a second phase including medium-length time periods of negative pressure for 11-17 seconds and overpressure for 5-9 seconds that boosts venous return; and

[0017] a third phase including long time periods of negative pressure for 17-23 seconds and overpressure for 7-12 seconds that boosts lymphatic return.

[0018] The optimal time periods for boosting arterial blood flow were determined by thermography, TcPO2 measurement (oxygen content of blood) and acral pulsation.

[0019] The optimal time periods for boosting venous return were determined by Doppler ultrasound, duplex ultrasonography and LRR (light reflection rheography).

[0020] The optimal time periods for boosting lymphatic return were determined by lymphofluoroscopy with indocyanine green as contrast medium, impedance measurement and ultrasonography.

[0021] By cycling the phases for maintaining the negative pressure and the overpressure as defined by the above short time periods, medium-length time periods and long time periods within a time interval in accordance with the invention, in particular a time interval of between two to ten minutes (step S30), the principal focus of the effect of the process can be successively changed, thereby achieving a particularly effective regenerative effect while at the same time improving physical appearance, and the appearance of the skin in particular. In routine use, the phases defining the time periods for maintaining the negative pressure and the overpressure may be sequentially changed from short to long, with the result that a boost to arterial blood flow is initially favored, followed by a boost to venous return and finally a boost to lymphatic return. The cycle then starts all over again.

[0022] The negative pressure, the overpressure and the time periods for maintaining the negative pressure and the overpressure are controlled by an electronic controller 120 for at least one turbo machine 110, i.e., a compressor or any other machine or machines which can be used to reduce/increase the pressure in the chamber 100.

[0023] The electronic controller 120 is a constituent of a treatment device according to the present invention. The chamber 100 of the treatment device for admitting at least one limb or the lower limbs or the lower limbs and parts of the abdomen of a person has an entrance opening that, by means of a closure, can be sealed gas-tight against the lower limb(s) or abdomen of the person.

[0024] One such closure element is disclosed per se in DE 199 12 611 C2 and comprises a flexible tube composed of a largely gas-tight material that is attached at either of the two ends to the chamber. The tube is twisted by a ring attached to the other end of the tube until it is pressing firmly against the limbs or abdomen of the person.

[0025] A chamber for admitting the lower half of the body of a person having an entrance opening that can be sealed gas-tight against the person's trunk by a closure element has likewise previously been disclosed per se in WO 2015/043878 A1.

[0026] In addition, DE 10 2013 11 208 A1 discloses a treatment device comprising a first chamber suitable for admitting the lower half of the body of a person and a second chamber suitable for admitting an upper limb, with both chambers having entrance openings that can be sealed gas-tight against the person's upper limb or trunk by means of a closure element.

[0027] The negative pressure/overpressure in the chamber is generated by the turbomachine, for example one having at least one lateral air blower that is driven by a three-phase motor. The controller is able to reverse the direction of rotation of the three-phase motor so that the lateral air blower is set up for generation of both the negative pressure and the overpressure. The controller can be used to change the duration of the time periods during which the negative pressure/overpressure in the chamber is exerted. Alternatively, the chamber 100 may be connected to two turbo machine, with the negative pressure generated by a first turbo machine and the overpressure by a second turbo machine.

[0028] The process according to the invention is elucidated in more detail hereinbelow with reference to exemplary embodiments.

Exemplary Embodiment 1

[0029] The lower limbs and parts of the abdomen of a person with weak connective tissue are admitted in a gas-tight manner into a chamber in which the pressure relative to ambient atmospheric pressure was alternately increased to a negative pressure of 10 mbar below, and an overpressure of 20 mbar above, ambient atmospheric pressure.

[0030] The pressure difference was 30 mbar in accordance with the weak connective tissue. The treatment period was 30 minutes in total. During the treatment period, two treatment cycles of 15 minutes each were carried out. In each of these treatment cycles, the time periods for maintaining the negative pressure and the overpressure were changed after five minutes and 10 minutes. The time periods were changed in each cycle such that a boost to arterial blood flow was initially prioritized in the process, followed by a boost to venous return and finally a boost to lymphatic return.

[0031] After an appropriate training stimulus, the process according to the invention contributed to a measurable shortening of the regeneration time in athletes; restoration of performance was demonstrated by a bicycle ergometer test at a fixed time interval after the appropriate training stimulus with and without execution of the process.