Vibrator appliance particularly useful for dialysis

Abstract

A vibrator apparatus is provided. The vibrator apparatus includes a body weight support to support the body weight of a subject. The body weight support is attached to at least one arm, which includes a first arm portion and a second arm portion. The second arm is adjustably positionable with respect to the first arm portion. The vibrator apparatus also includes a vibrator assembly mounted on the second arm portion of the arm. The second arm portion is positionable relative to the first arm portion to engage an abdominal region of the subject and apply localized inwardly-directed mechanical vibrations.

1 . An appliance to enhance the rate of removal of solutes during a peritoneal dialysis treatment of a subject, comprising: a holder to be applied to the subject; and at least one vibrator device carried by said holder at a location thereof to engage the subject's abdomen and to apply localized inwardly-directed mechanical vibrations thereto at a frequency of 1-15 Hz.  
     
     
         2 . The appliance according to  claim 1 , wherein said vibrator device applies said mechanical vibrations to the subject's abdomen at a frequency of 2-6 Hz.  
     
     
         3 . The appliance according to either of claims  1  or  2 , wherein there are at least two vibrator devices carried by said holder at locations to engage opposite sides of the subject's abdomen and oriented to apply inwardly-directed mechanical vibrations towards the central region of the subject's abdominal cavity.  
     
     
         4 . The appliance according to any one of claims  1 - 3 , wherein said holder includes a loop constructed to be worn in a self-supporting manner on the subject's body.  
     
     
         5 . The appliance according to  claim 4 , wherein said holder further includes a shoulder harness to be worn by the subject to aid in supporting the appliance in a self-supporting manner on the subject's body.  
     
     
         6 . The appliance according to any one of claims  1 - 3 , wherein said holder includes a backrest engageable with the back of the subject.  
     
     
         7 . The appliance according to  claim 6 , wherein said holder further includes a seat for seating the subject.  
     
     
         8 . The appliance according to any one of claims  1 - 7 , wherein each of said said vibratory devices includes a rotary motor driving an eccentric arm.  
     
     
         9 . The appliance according to any one of claims  1 - 7 , wherein each of said vibratory devices includes a solenoid oscillating an armature.  
     
     
         10 . The appliance according to any one of claims  1 - 7 , wherein each of said vibratory devices includes a rotary motor driving an eccentric weight.  
     
     
         11 . The appliance according to any one of claims  1 - 7 , wherein each of said vibratory devices includes a fluid driven piston reciprocatable within a cylinder.  
     
     
         12 . The appliance according to any one of claims  1 - 7 , wherein each of said vibratory devices includes an inflatable bag.  
     
     
         13 . The appliance according to any one of claims  1 - 7 , wherein said holder comprises a first belt dimensioned to enclose the wearer; a second belt dimensioned to enclose said first belt; each of said vibrator devices comprising at least one rigid plate pivotally mounted at its opposite ends to said first and second belts so as to be pivotal through a plurality of positions from substantially 0° to 180° with respect to said belts; and a drive for reciprocating said second belt with respect to said first belt to thereby oscillate said rigid plates through said plurality of positions.  
     
     
         14 . The appliance according to  claim 13 , wherein each of said vibrator devices comprises a group of said rigid plates pivotally mounted at their opposite ends to said first and second belts at spaced intervals therealong.  
     
     
         15 . The appliance according to  claim 14 , wherein said plurality of rigid plates are of decreasing length from one end of the group to the opposite end of the group.  
     
     
         16 . The appliance according to any one of claims  1 - 7 , wherein each of said vibrator devices includes a shaped vibrator head carried by said holder to be in contact with the subject's abdomen and cyclically movable inwardly and outwardly to apply said mechanical vibrations to the subject's abdomen.  
     
     
         17 . The appliance according to  claim 16 , wherein said holder includes a flexible belt and an electrical motor for tensioning and relaxing said belt; said vibrator heads being carried by said flexible belt and being movable inwardly and outwardly against the subject's abdomen by the tensioning and relaxing of said flexible belt by said electrical motor.  
     
     
         18 . The appliance according to  claim 16 , wherein said holder includes a mounting member mounting said vibrator heads, and further mounting an electrical motor coupled to said vibrator heads by coupling devices which, upon energization of the motor, cyclically move said vibrator heads inwardly and outwardly against the subject's abdomen.  
     
     
         19 . The appliance according to any one of claims  1 - 7 , wherein each of said vibrator devices includes a dashpot which is selectively adjustable to vary the phase of the mechanical vibrations applied thereby to the subject's abdomen.  
     
     
         20 . The appliance according to any one of claims  1 - 19 , wherein said vibrator devices operate at the same frequency and phase.  
     
     
         21 . The appliance according to any one of claims  1 - 19 , wherein said vibrator devices operate at the same frequency but at different phases.  
     
     
         22 . The appliance according to any one of claims  1 - 19 , wherein said vibrator devices operate at different frequencies to produce alternating in-phase and out-of-phase movements of the subject's abdomen.  
     
     
         23 . A method of administering a peritoneal dialysis treatment to a subject comprising a vibration session, including: 
 instilling a dialysate solution into the peritoneal cavity of the subject;    applying external localized mechanical vibrations to the abdomen of the subject at a frequency of 1-15 Hz and an amplitude of 1-20 mm;    and draining said dialysate solution from the subject's abdominal cavity.    
     
     
         24 . The method according to  claim 23 , wherein said mechanical vibrations are applied at a frequency of 2-6 Hz and at amplitudes of 5-10 mm.  
     
     
         25 . The method according to either of claims  23  or  24 , wherein said external mechanical vibrations are applied by at least two vibrator heads to opposite sides of the subject's abdomen on opposite sides of its center line and oriented towards the central region of the subject's abdominal cavity.  
     
     
         26 . The method according to any one of claims  23 - 25 , wherein said mechanical vibrations are applied at the same frequency and phase.  
     
     
         27 . The method according to any one of claims  23 - 25 , wherein said mechanical vibrations are applied at the same frequency but at different phases.  
     
     
         28 . The method according to any one of claims  23 - 25 , wherein said mechanical vibrations are applied at different frequencies to produce alternating in-phase and out-of-phase movements of the subject's abdomen.  
     
     
         29 . The method according to any one of claims  23 - 28 , wherein each 24-hour day is divided into two 12-hour periods, each period including a said vibration session for 15-60 minutes, and a non-vibration session with fresh dialysate solution for the remainder of the period.  
     
     
         30 . The method according to any one of claims  23 - 28 , wherein each 24-hour day includes four vibration sessions of 15-60 minutes each, spaced about six hours apart.  
     
     
         31 . The method according to any one of claims  23 - 28 , wherein each 24-hour day is divided into four 6-hour periods, at least one of said periods including a vibration session for 15-60 minutes, and a non-vibration session with fresh dialysate solution for the remainder of the period, each of the remaining ones of said periods being a non-vibration session with fresh dialysate.  
     
     
         32 . The method according to any one of claims  23 - 28 , wherein each 24-hour day includes a said vibration session for 15-60 minutes, a non-vibration session with fresh dialysate solution for 10-11.5 hours, and another said vibration session with fresh dialysate for 15-60 minutes.  
     
     
         33 . The method according to any one of claims  23 - 28 , wherein each 24-hour day includes six equally-spaced periods of 1-1.5 hours each, each period including instilling fresh dialysate solution for 10-15 minutes, a dwell accompanied by vibrations for 30-60 minutes, and removing the dialysate solution for 15-20 minutes.  
     
     
         34 . The method according to any one of claims  23 - 33 , wherein said mechanical vibrations are applied by vibrator devices carried by a holder worn in a self-supporting manner on the subject's body.  
     
     
         35 . The method according to any one of claims  23 - 33 , wherein said mechanical vibrations are applied by vibrator devices carried by a backrest engageable with the back of the subject.  
     
     
         36 . The method according to  claim 35 , wherein said mechanical vibrations are applied while the subject is seated on a seat carrying said backrest and said vibrator devices.  
     
     
         37 . A dialysis set particularly useful with the apparatus of any one of claims  1 - 22  and method of any one of claims  23 - 36 , comprising: 
 two supply bags for a peritoneal dialysis solution to be instilled into a subject's abdominal cavity;  
 a drainage bag for receiving the dialysis solution to be drained from the subject's abdominal cavity;  
 and tubing connecting said two supply bags and said drainage bag to a catheter to be used for the peritoneal dialysis;  
 said tubing including first and second tubes each connected at one of their ends to one of said supply bags and at their opposite ends to one end of a third tube;  
 said third tube being connected at its opposite end to a connector for a catheter, and at an intermediate point to a fourth tube connected to said drainage bag;  
 said tubing further including a breakaway valve in each of said first and second tubes for selectively controlling the flow of fluid from the supply bags to said catheter.