ISBN 1-59693-077-2
George D. OClock
Approx. 256 pages.
Available December 2006

Description

Here is the first scientifically rigorous yet accessible guide to electrotherapeutic devices that combines essential technical, biological, and clinical background with hands-on guidelines for designing the most effective devices and treatment protocols. Rooted in accepted physics, chemistry, biology, and electrical engineering principles, this definitive one-stop resource introduces electrotherapeutic fundamentals and discusses the electrical properties of cells, tissues, and organs and how they respond to electrotherapy. It explains how these mechanisms of action impact device design, and provides computer simulations useful in developing device output characteristics and predicting device performance. All considerations involved in the design and analysis of devices and protocols are addressed, including such issues as waveform design, frequency selection, maximum and minimum current output, patient tissue impedance considerations, probe and electrode design, treatment intervals, reliability and consistency, safety, and cost. You get heads-up knowledge of clinical trial considerations and constraints, and of legal issues that can add significant costs to device development.

This unique guide also brings you up to speed on the latest electrotherapy trends and developments in visual disease, wound and fracture healing, cancer, neurological disorders, and connective tissue disease, and reviews the growing body of clinical results that demonstrate its effectiveness. Supported by 87 illustrations, this timely work puts the state of the art in electrotherapy design and applications at your fingertips in a single convenient volume.

Table of Contents

Introduction to Electrotherapy — Motivating Factors. Electrotherapy Device/Technique Overview. Assessment, Versatility, Acceptance and Therapeutic Efficacy of Electrotherapy. The Evolution of Electrotherapy in the Face of Medical Dogma.

Fundamentals of Electrotherapy — Answering the Basic Questions. Simple Bioelectric System Models Based on Wound Healing. Electrotherapeutic Device Design Implications.

Electrical Properties and Response Characteristics of Cells, Tissues and Organs — Electrical Properties of Cells. Electrical Properties of Tissues and Organs. Patient Tissue Impedance Considerations in Device and Protocol Design. Becker's Theories. Nordenstrom's Theories. Ion Transport and Electron Transport in Healing and Regulation. Impact on Electrotherapeutic Device Design.

Electrotherapy and Magnetotherapy Comparisons.

Primary Design Drivers for Electrotherapeutic Devices — Electrotherapeutic Device Design Concept. Electrotherapeutic Device Output: Constant Current, Voltage Range, Frequency Choices and Waveform Design. Window Phenomena. Clinical Trial Considerations and Constraints. Reliability and Safety. Performance Specifications. Probe and Electrode Design Considerations. Cost Considerations.

Simulation Results: Theoretical Performance Compared With Actual Performance.

Clinical Studies in Electrotherapy — Clinical Study Planning Overview. Wound Healing. Neurological Disorders. Cancer and Hemangioma. Visual Disease. Fracture Healing. Connective Tissue Disease. Compatibility Issues With Conventional and Non-Conventional Therapies.

Recent Developments and Trends.

Author Bio

George D. O'Clock is Emeritus Professor of electrical engineering, Minnesota State University at Mankato. He is a member of the IEEE, Order of the Engineer, and the Bioelectromagnetics Society. He earned his Ph.D. in electrical engineering at the South Dakota School of Mines & Technology.