PORTABLE ORTHOPEDIC ELECTOMAGNETIC (POME) SYSTEM

THE POEM PROGRAM WILL DEVELOP A PATIENT-ORIENTED/ LIGHT-WEIGHT PORTABLE STIMULATOR FOR TREATMENT OF HIP DISORDERS. THE PROGRAM IS DERIVATIVE OF BASIC RESEARCH IN THIS AREA OF DR'S. LECHNER 1, BASSETT (10) AND OTHERS. THE THRUST IS TO PRODUCE A SIMPLIFIED BATTERY-OPERATED EASY-TO-USE DEVICE SUITABLE FOR CLINICAL APPLICATIONS. PRESENT DEVICES ARE LINE OPERATED AND INCONVENIENT TO USE, OVER THE LONG DURATION OF THE RECOMMENDED THERAPY. THE BASIC DESIGN WILL ENCOMPASS THE TWO PROVEN MODALITIES OF EM STIMULATION I.E, THE PULSED STIMULATOR OF LOW DUTY CYCLE, AND THE LOW FREQUENCY CONTINUOUS SYSTEM. THE ACHIEVEMENT OF THE "PORTABLE" OBJECTIVE WILL RESULT FROM PROPRIETARY ENERGY RECOVERY CIRCUITRY. ADDITIONALLY, EFFORT WILL BE DIRECTED AT EVALUATION OF A CLINICALLY EQUIVALENT ALTERNATIVE WAVESHAPE WITH LOWER POWER REQUIREMENTS. THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF THIS PROGRAM WILL ALSO BE RELEVANT TO EXISTING EM STIMULATOR THERAPY WHICH HAS HERETOFORE PRIMARILY CONCERNED WITH FRACTURE HEALING. PHASE 1 WILL RESTRICT ITSELF TO EVALUATION AND DESIGN OF PROTOTYPE UNITS. WE HAVE BEEN ADVISED THAT CLINICAL PROGRESS IN THE AREA OF EM HIP THERAPY HAS BEEN HELD BACK BY THE ABSENCE OF A CONVENIENT, SIMPLE, PATIENT ORIENTED DEVICE AND THAT THE PROPOSED POEM SYSTEM WILL SATISFY THE NEEDS OF THE CLINICIAN. THE SUCCESS OF EM THERAPY IN TREATING FEMORAL HEAD AND ARTIFICIAL JOINT DISORDERS WILL BE A MAJOR MEDICAL ACCOMPLISHMENT.