Medical electrode glove with partially insulating layer

Abstract

A medical device treats diseases of the hand, wrist, and arm, including osteoarthritis and osteoarthrosis of the joints of the human hand. The medical device includes a multi-layer glove system, an arm wrap, a signal generator, lead wires, and a garment. The multi-layer glove system serves as the treatment electrode. One of the layers electrically insulates a portion of the hand, allowing a different portion to make electrical contact with a conductive layer. The arm wrap serves as the return electrode. The signal generator produces a specific, spike shaped electrical signal, together with the multi-layer glove system, at the treatment site. The device can reduce pain and increase joint function of the treated joints.

1 . A medical device comprising: 
 a lead wire for providing an electrical signal to at least one portion of a patient's body, the lead wire having at least two electrically conductive paths for the creation of an electrical circuit, the electrical circuit including at least a portion of the patient's body;    a non-invasive conductive electrode for contacting the patient's skin;    a multi-layered glove system, the glove system having an electrically insulating layer and a non-invasive conductive layer, the electrically insulating layer insulating a portion of a hand and not the entirety of the hand of the patient from contact with the non-invasive conductive layer, the non-invasive conductive layer having an inner surface and an outer surface, the inner surface making electrical contact with at least a portion of the hand of the patient;    a signal generator for producing a desired electrical signal in at least a portion of the patient's body, the signal generator being releasably electrically coupled to the non-invasive conductive electrode via one of the electrically conductive paths of the lead wire, and the signal generator being releasably electrically coupled to the non-invasive conductive layer via another of the electrically conductive paths of the lead wire.    
   
   
       2 . The medical device of  claim 1 , wherein the electrically insulating layer is designed such that when worn on a hand, the skin of the fingers and thumb distal to the metacarpophalangeal joints are not covered by the electrically insulating layer, and the metacarpophalangeal joints, the back of the hand, and the palm of the hand are covered by the electrically insulating layer.  
   
   
       3 . The medical device of  claim 1 , wherein the non-invasive conductive electrode contacts the surface of the skin about halfway between the elbow and the shoulder.  
   
   
       4 . The medical device of  claim 1 , wherein the desired electrical signal is a periodic signal selected to rebuild cartilage of a joint when applied to a joint of the human body.  
   
   
       5 . The medical device of  claim 1 , wherein the desired electrical signal is a voltage-sourced, spike-shaped, monophasic, repeating, and asymmetrical DC signal characterized by an exponential decay and having a frequency of about 95 to 105 hertz, a voltage of about 0 to 12 volts at the peak, a voltage and current pulse width of about 1.8 ms at the 10% point of peak and about 0.64 ms at the 50% point of peak, and a current of about 0 to 24 mA at 500 ohms resistive load with an average of about 0.2 mA at 500 ohms resistive load.  
   
   
       6 . The medical device of  claim 1 , wherein the desired electrical signal is subsensory.  
   
   
       7 . The medical device of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the electrically insulating layer includes one of vinyl, neoprene, or polyurethane.  
   
   
       8 . The medical device of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the non-invasive conductive layer includes silver plated nylon.  
   
   
       9 . A medical device comprising: 
 a multi-layered glove system having an electrically insulating layer and a non-invasive conductive layer for use over the electrically insulating layer, the insulating layer formed to cover and insulate a portion of a wearer's hand and not the entirety of the hand from contact with the non-invasive conductive layer to leave an exposed portion, the non-invasive conductive layer having an inner surface and an outer surface, the inner surface making electrical contact with at least part of the exposed portion; and    a conductive lead for allowing a lead wire to be manually connected and disconnected from the non-invasive conductive layer.    
   
   
       10 . The medical device of  claim 9 , wherein the electrically insulating layer is designed such that when worn on a hand, the skin of the fingers and thumb distal to the metacarpophalangeal joints are not covered by the electrically insulating layer, and the metacarpophalangeal joints, the back of the hand, and the palm of the hand are covered by the electrically insulating layer.  
   
   
       11 . The medical device of  claim 9 , further comprising a conductive electrode for contacting the surface of the skin below the shoulder.  
   
   
       12 . The medical device of  claim 9 , where the non-invasive conductive layer receives a desired electrical signal selected to rebuild cartilage of a joint when applied to a joint of the human body.  
   
   
       13 . The medical device of  claim 9 , wherein at least a portion of the electrically insulating layer includes one of vinyl, neoprene, or polyurethane.  
   
   
       14 . The medical device of  claim 9 , wherein at least a portion of the non-invasive conductive layer includes silver plated nylon.  
   
   
       15 . A method comprising: 
 covering a portion of a hand and not the entirety of the hand of a patient with an electrically insulating layer;    covering the hand of the patient and electrically insulating layer with a non-invasive conductive layer such that the non-invasive conductive layer makes electrical contact with at least a portion of the hand not covered by the electrically insulating layer;    contacting the patient's skin with a non-invasive conductive electrode; and    providing a desired electrical signal in at least a portion of the patient's body by electrically connecting the non-invasive conductive layer and non-invasive conductive electrode to a signal generator.    
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the electrically insulating layer is designed such that when worn on a hand, the skin of the fingers and thumb distal to the metacarpophalangeal joints are not covered by the electrically insulating layer, and the metacarpophalangeal joints, the back of the hand, and the palm of the hand are covered by the electrically insulating layer.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the non-invasive conductive electrode contacts the surface of the skin about halfway between the elbow and the shoulder.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the desired electrical signal is a periodic signal selected to rebuild cartilage of a joint when applied to a joint of the human body.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the desired electrical signal is a voltage-sourced, spike-shaped, monophasic, repeating, and asymmetrical DC signal characterized by an exponential decay and having a frequency of about 95 to 105 hertz, a voltage of about 0 to 12 volts at the peak, a voltage and current pulse width of about 1.8 ms at the 10% point of peak and about 0.64 ms at the 50% point of peak, and a current of about 0 to 24 mA at 500 ohms resistive load with an average of about 0.2 mA at 500 ohms resistive load.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the desired electrical signal is subsensory.  
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein at least a portion of the electrically insulating layer includes one of vinyl, neoprene, or polyurethane.  
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein at least a portion of the non-invasive conductive layer includes silver plated nylon.