Field of the invention The invention concerns a digitally controlled magneto-light medical instrument for surface therapy, formed by two independent systems of pulse generators to which an applicator is connected.

Background of the invention Modern pulse low-frequency magneto-therapy and pulse non-invasive light therapy are two of the numerous currently used procedures of biophysical treatment. Both methods are products of modern electronic technologies, which in medical practice represent effective and proven therapies. Both the magnetic and the light field, i.e. electromagnetic field in the optical and near-optical frequency bands, hit the human body without contact, and their specific biophysical effects are different. The subject matter of the pulse low- frequency magnetotherapy are the induction and force effects of a variable magnetic field on the formation and motion of electrically charged particles in the dissociated medium of human tissue. Since the human body is magnetically neutral, magnetic field permeates it without limitation or deformation. This variable magnetic field produces electro-dynamic forces, which affect the behaviour of ions in the cells and colloidal systems of human tissue. Due to the variable magnetic field the permeability of the intercellular membrane increases and thus increases also the supply of nutrients and oxygen to the cell, and the removal of products of metabolism is improved. Unless the cell is irreversibly pathologically changed, it is able to renew, partially or completely, its functions by means of a variable magnetic field. Since a living organism is mostly diamagnetic, magnetic field can permeate it without limitation. This fact, however, limits the therapy in the region of cranium, in addition to other limiting contraindications, because variable magnetic field can stimulate undesirable phenomena in the brain. Present-day instruments consist of a source of variable, mostly pulsed electric signal of a relatively low frequency of 10° to 102 Hz, and an applicator. The applicator is usually formed by a large air coil of insulated conductor that generates a scattered variable magnetic field, the induction of which is 10° to 10 ' mT. The excited variable magnetic field hits the tissue in an area determined by the geometrical dimensions of the coil at a certain point of time in only one direction, which is identical with the direction of induced electromagnetic forces. A disadvantage of the existing magneto-therapeutic instruments is that the magnetic field generated by them penetrates deep below the surface of the organism. For this reason the application of pulsed magnetic field, for example, in cosmetic, plastic or eye surgery or in the treatment of skin diseases on the head, etc. is almost out of the question. For the safety of applied treatment the active presence of skilled staff is required. The essence of non-invasive pulse light therapy is the effect of electromagnetic radiation in the optic and near-optic frequency bands produced by light sources of coherent or incoherent radiation and focused on a small area of the surface of the organism. In addition to a negligible heat effect, this field has a pronounced biochemical effect supporting cell regeneration, and also anti- inflammatory and analgesic effects. Professional non-invasive pulse light therapeutic instruments of whatever origin contain mostly one source of light, which is placed right in the applicator head and connected via an electric connection to the supply unit. Instruments with a different type of light source have the source placed in the supply unit, and via an optic connection the light is conveyed into the applicator. There is a number of contraindications for this method too. Since the penetration of radiation into the skin is not great, major contraindications concern mainly the region right below the surface, as in the case of the occurrence of a malign skin disease. A general contraindication is the direct irradiation of the retina when the light applicator is being moved close to unprotected eyes. The treatment absolutely requires the active presence of a therapist. The disadvantages of the current instruments consist particularly in that a) they do not provide for combined action of the two fields on the living organism, whether simultaneously or separately, in synchronous or asynchronous operation, b) they do not provide for program-generated changes in the planar configuration of the action of both fields, i.e. the creation of area-variant concentration of the two types of energy, the limitation of activated area, and changes in the direction of magnetic field and radiation flow, c) they do not allow the variable magnetic field to act on a large area of skin without affecting the tissue deep below the surface. d) they do not allow the variable light field to act on a large area of skin without the risk of undesirable irradiation of non-treated areas, e) they mostly do not allow refraining from the physical presence and intervention of a skilled staff, and f) they do not provide for any remote control of the instrument via a data communication channel.

Subject matter of the invention The drawbacks of the present-day state of the art as given above are eliminated to a considerable extent when using the digitally controlled pulse magneto-light therapeutic instrument for surface therapy consisting of two independent systems of pulse generators, to which an applicator is connected; the substance of the invention consists in that the applicator is in the form of an electrically insulating non-magnetic pad on which a system of coils is placed whose front parts touch the surface of non-conducting non-magnetic pad, together with a system of light sources, with the coils being connected individually to the outputs of the first system of pulse generators whose control input is connected to the computer output, while the light sources are connected individually to the outputs of the other system of pulse generators, whose control input is connected to the computer output. In an advantageous execution of the instrument according to the invention, each system of pulse generators contains a register whose input together with the demultiplexer input forms the input of the system of pulse generators, and whose output is connected via a digital-to-analog converter to the input of a pre-amplifier whose output is connected to the demultiplexer, to each output of which always one power amplifier is individually connected, with the power amplifier outputs being the outputs of the system of pulse generators. In another advantageous execution of the instrument according to the invention, the applicator is provided with at least one supporting non-magnetic insulation pad for fixing the fronts of coils and light sources coated with a transparent protective layer. In yet another advantageous execution of the instrument according to the invention, the applicator is provided with a non-conducting non-magnetic pad in the shape of hollow horseshoe enabling it to be fixed onto human teeth, whose opposite sides touching closely the gum of human teeth carry the coils and light sources coated with a transparent protective layer. In still another advantageous execution of the instalment according to the invention, the applicator is provided with a non-conducting non-magnetic pad in the shape of cylinder, into the surface of which the coils and light sources coated with a protective layer are placed. Finally in yet another advantageous execution of the instrument according to the invention, the applicator is provided with a non-conductive non-magnetic pad in the shape of mask with openings for the eyes, nose and mouth, to be applied to the human face, and on the surface of which the coils and light sources coated with a transparent protective layer are fixed. Semiconductor lasers or light-emitting diodes can serve with advantage as the light sources.

Brief description of the drawings The invention will be described in detail using the drawings enclosed, where Fig. 1 shows the block diagram of the digitally controlled pulse magneto-light therapeutic instrument for surface therapy according to the invention, Fig. 2 gives the applicator design for planar dermatology application, Fig. 3 shows the applicator design for stomatology applications, Fig. 4 gives the applicator design for gynaecology applications, and Fig. 5 shows the applicator design for cosmetics and corrective dermatology applications.

Description of preferred embodiments of invention The block diagram of the connection of digitally controlled pulse magneto- light therapeutic instrument in Fig. 1 consists of a computer 1. to the outputs of which a first system 2 of pulse generators and a second system 3 of pulse generators are connected, and which are connected to an applicator 4. The applicator 4 contains a non-magnetic pad in a shape adapted to the given application with a system 5 of coils 6 and a system 7 of light sources 8. One supply terminal of each coil 6 is connected to the output of its own pulse generator and the other terminal is connected to a supply source 9. The first system 2 of pulse generators contains a system ∏. of power amplifiers W whose outputs form the outputs of the first system 2 of pulse generators and whose inputs are connected to the outputs of a demultiplexer _12. The demultiplexer 12 is connected through its inputs on one hand to an output a pre¬ amplifier 13 and, on the other hand, to the output of the computer 1. The input of the pre-amplifier ,13 is connected to the output of an analog-to-digital converter 14_, whose input is connected to the output of a register Ij5. The register 15 has its input connected to the output of the computer I^ A second system 3 of pulse generators is connected similarly. It contains a system ∏. of power amplifiers 10, whose outputs form the outputs of the second system 3 of the pulse generators and whose inputs are connected to the outputs of a demultiplexer 12. The demultiplexer 12 has its inputs connected on one hand to an output of a pre-amplifier 13 and, on the other hand, to the output of the computer 1. The pre-amplifier 13 has its input connected to the output of an analog-to-digital converter 14, whose input is connected to the output of a register .15. The input of the register 15 is then connected to the output of the computer \. The computer 1 is connected to a data communication channel 16. The design of an applicator 4 for planar application as shown in Fig. 2 is made up of an electrically insulating non-magnetic pad, on which the coils 6 of the system 5 and the light sources 8_of the system 7 are fixed. The fronts of the coils 6 touch the electrically insulating non-magnetic pad. The system 5 of the coils 6 and the system 7 of the light sources 8 are coated with a transparent protective layer 1_8. The design of an applicator 19 for stomatology applications as shown in Fig. 3 is made of electrically insulating non-magnetic material in the shape of hollow horseshoe, on whose opposite sides, resting on the gum of human teeth, there are the coils 6 of the system 5 and the light sources 8 of the system 7. The system 5 of the coils 6 and the system 7 of the light sources 8 are coated with a transparent protective layer 20. The design of an applicator 2I- for gynaecology applications as shown in Fig. 4 consists of a cylinder made of an electrically insulating non-magnetic material into the surface of which the coils 6 of the system 5 and the light sources 8 of the system 7 are fixed. The system 5 of the coils 6 and the system 7 of the light sources 8 are coated with a transparent protective layer 22. The design of an applicator 23 for cosmetics applications as shown in Fig. 5 consists of an elastic electrically insulating non-magnetic mask on which the coils 6 of the system 5 and the light sources 8 of the system 7 are fixed. The system 5 of the coils 6 and the system 7 of the light sources 8 are coated with a transparent protective layer 24. The essence of the working of the digitally controlled pulse magneto-light therapeutic instrument for surface therapy according to the invention consists in sequentially generating planar pulse magnetic and light fields, with the two fields being formed either simultaneously or separately, synchronously or asynchronously, using the applicator 4, 19, 21 or 23. The time dependence of the distribution of the two fields is determined by the computer 1 according to the therapy programme. The working proper of the digitally controlled pulse magneto-light therapeutic instrument for a surface therapy according to the invention proceeds such that the computation program of the computer J. set by the therapist entering the input data at the beginning of the therapy, and possibly corrected in the course of the therapy, controls both systems 11 of the power amplifiers IJ) via the registers IS, the digital-to-analog converters 14, the pre-amplifiers 13_ and the demultiplexers 12. The systems 11 of the power amplifiers IjO supply pulses to the individual coils 6 of the system 5 and to the individual light sources 8 of the system 7. Coils 6 of the system 5 generate a successive pulse magnetic field that can be regarded as planar with a small penetration depth in view of the size, shape and positioning of these coils 6 and the magnitude of the supply current pulses. The light sources 8 of the system 7 generate a successive light field which in view of the amount and position of simultaneously active light sources 8 and the magnitude of supply current pulses can be regarded as planar. Since both independent systems 2 and 3 of the pulse generators are identical, they do not depend on the type of the loading of the power amplifiers 10, and the applicators 4, 19, 21 and 23 can be used as magneto- light or magnetic or light applicators. The digitally controlled pulse magneto-light therapeutic instrument for the surface therapy according to the invention is thus designed for therapies in which the planar pulsed magnetic or light field is required to act only to small depths below the surface of live tissue, which is of advantage particularly in dermatology, corrective dermatology, cosmetics, eye surgery, stomatology, gynaecology, etc. The application of the instrument depends on the different therapeutic requirements, which is reflected in the design of the instrument proper, in the shape and properties of applicators 4, 19, 21_and 23, and in the specific software. The mosaic-structured distribution of magnetic and electromagnetic energies as regards their amount, direction of action, duration and mutual coordination, determined by a selected therapeutic algorithm, makes it possible to exclude the necessity of the physical presence or activity of the therapist during the treatment. This fact provides for remote therapy of long-term patients in their homes, for example via the Internet.

Industrial applicability The digitally controlled pulse magneto-light therapeutic instrument for the surface therapy according to the invention can be manufactured industrially and applied in a therapeutic practice.