K121059 · Zimmer Medizinsystems GmbH · IMG · Aug 7, 2012 · Physical Medicine
Device Facts
Record ID
K121059
Device Name
SOLEOLINE, SOLEO STIM, SOLEO SONO, SOLEO SONOSTIM
Applicant
Zimmer Medizinsystems GmbH
Product Code
IMG · Physical Medicine
Decision Date
Aug 7, 2012
Decision
SESE
Submission Type
Abbreviated
Regulation
21 CFR 890.5860
Device Class
Class 2
Attributes
Therapeutic, 3rd-Party Reviewed
Indications for Use
The Soleoline is a device family consisting of Soleo Stim and Soleo SonoStim, Soleo Sono includes an ultrasound module, Soleo Stim includes a stimulation current therapy module and Soleo SonoStim includes a combination of a stimulation current module and an ultrasound module. The stimulation current module is used for stimulation current therapy according to the standard medical practices. It offers multiple waveforms; Monophasic, High Voltage, Micro Current, Asymmetrical Biphasic, Interferential, Medium Frequency, Premodulated currents for nerve stimulation and muscle therapy for mono channel and dual channel operation. The regulated output of the current stimulation module may be chosen from Constant Current (CC) or Constant Voltage (CV). The dual frequency ultrasound module (800kHz and 2.4MHz) offers two different size ultrasound heads, 1cm² and 5cm² and pulsed and continuous duty cycles. At combination therapy (simultaneous procedure) the features for ultrasound can be used together with the different stimulation waveforms. All functions of the 0.8MHz and 2.4MHz ultrasound can be combined with the following waveforms: Monophasic, High Voltage, Micro Current, Symmetrical Biphasic, Medium Frequency, Premodulated. The therapy menu helps the clinicians to assign the indications of each body region to the appropriate therapy program. It is a prescription device administered to patients by a licensed healthcare provider in hospitals, post acute care facilities, nursing homes and outpatient clinics.
Device Story
Soleoline is a prescription-only device family (Soleo Stim, Soleo Sono, Soleo SonoStim) for electrotherapy and ultrasound therapy. Used in clinical settings (hospitals, clinics, nursing homes) by licensed healthcare providers. Inputs include user-selected therapy parameters via a color touch-screen interface. The device generates electrical stimulation waveforms (e.g., Interferential, High Voltage, Microcurrent, Biphasic) and ultrasound energy (0.8MHz/2.4MHz). It features 120 storage bins for custom programs and a therapy menu for region-specific guidance. Outputs are delivered via ultrasound heads or stimulation electrodes. The device provides symptomatic pain relief, muscle spasm reduction, and improved circulation. Benefits include non-invasive management of chronic/acute pain and muscle rehabilitation. The system supports combination therapy, allowing simultaneous application of ultrasound and electrical stimulation.
Clinical Evidence
Bench testing only. No clinical data provided. Substantial equivalence is supported by comparative technical specifications, validation documentation, and adherence to relevant safety standards (IEC/EN 60601-1, 60601-1-2, 60601-2-5, 60601-2-10).
Technological Characteristics
Molded PC-ABS plastic housing. Dual-channel electrotherapy (CC/CV) and dual-frequency ultrasound (0.8MHz/2.4MHz). Color LCD touch screen. Universal power supply (100-240VAC). Connectivity: Standalone. Software-controlled microprocessor. Compliant with IEC/EN 60601-1, 60601-1-2, 60601-2-5, 60601-2-10. Features automatic overload trip and patient override.
Indications for Use
Indicated for relief of pain, muscle spasms, and joint contractures (e.g., adhesive capsulitis, bursitis, myositis, soft tissue injuries, scar tissue). Electrotherapy indicated for relaxation of muscle spasm, prevention/retardation of disuse atrophy, increasing local blood circulation, muscle re-education, post-surgical calf muscle stimulation to prevent venous thrombosis, maintaining/increasing range of motion, and symptomatic relief/management of chronic, intractable, post-traumatic, or post-surgical acute pain.
Regulatory Classification
Identification
An ultrasound and muscle stimulator for use in applying therapeutic deep heat for selected medical conditions is a device that applies to specific areas of the body ultrasonic energy at a frequency beyond 20 kilohertz and that is intended to generate deep heat within body tissues for the treatment of selected medical conditions such as relief of pain, muscle spasms, and joint contractures, but not for the treatment of malignancies. The device also passes electrical currents through the body area to stimulate or relax muscles.
Two short videos show you everything — or skip straight to the written tutorial if you'd rather read. You can reopen this any time from the Tutorial button in the top bar.
Part 1 — Search, results, and everyday workflows 16 min
Part 2 — Embeddings: the galaxy map 3 min
1. Search: exact and fuzzy
Type a phrase like "coronary artery calcification" into the search box. You get two kinds of results. Exact results match the literal phrase — prefix searches work ("coronary artery calcificati") but suffix searches do not. Fuzzy results match on the meaning and intent of your phrase rather than the exact words, and are sorted by relevance score. Hover over the Exact or Fuzzy badge on any row to see exactly why it matched.
Use the checkboxes above the results to narrow: SaMD keeps only software-only devices, AI / ML keeps only devices with AI.
Exact vs. fuzzy search: what's the difference?
Exact matches on the literal phrase (prefix search works, suffix does not). Fuzzy matches on the meaning and intent of the phrase rather than the exact words. Hover over the badge on any row to see why it matched.
You search "coronary artery calcification" and want only software devices with AI. What two filters do you apply?
Narrow by SaMD (software-only devices), then narrow by AI/ML (devices with AI).
2. The results table
Scroll right in the results table. The intended use is extracted for you — no need to open the PDF. The device story gives a high-level snapshot of what the device does and how it's used. The AI Performance sub-table shows each output name, acceptance criteria, observed values, and development/test dataset descriptions — the same format Innolitics uses for regulatory strategy outputs, and the fastest high-level fingerprint of an AI device. It is AI-generated but has been very reliable in practice.
Where do you find a device's intended use without opening the PDF?
Scroll right in the search results table. The intended use column is extracted for you; no need to dig into the 510(k) summary PDF.
What does the AI Performance sub-table show, and why is it useful?
Output name, acceptance criteria, observed values, development dataset description, and test dataset description. It's the same format we use for regulatory strategy output and Fast 510(k) input, and the fastest high-level fingerprint of an AI device. AI-generated but reliable in practice.
3. Judging fuzzy relevance
Fuzzy results trail off in relevance as you scroll. Use three signals to decide how far down to go: the fuzzy badge explanations, the intended use column, and whether your target output (e.g., Cobb angle) still appears in the AI Performance sub-table. Once it stops appearing, you're past the relevant zone. A top hit with a low score (~0.4) and a stretched explanation is a hint the closest predicates are far away — the project may be headed for De Novo. Note the fuzzy search is a pattern match: it doesn't handle negation ("not") well, and hardware devices can appear — filter by SaMD/AI ML to cut them.
How do you judge how far down fuzzy search results to go?
Use the relevancy signals: the fuzzy badge explanations, the intended use column, and whether the target output (e.g., Cobb angle) still appears in the AI Performance sub-table. Once it stops appearing, results are trailing off in relevancy.
4. Device detail page: chat and citations
Click a device name to open its detail page: device facts on the left, a chat window on the right. Ask something like "Describe the training data". The answer carries little citation bubbles — click one to jump to the highlighted passage in the source PDF, so you can verify every AI answer against the document. There's also a Download PDF button for sharing.
How do you verify an AI chat answer on the device detail page?
Click the citation bubbles to jump to the relevant highlight in the source document.
Reading rule for every project: how many summaries do you read in full?
At least the three most relevant 510(k) or De Novo summaries, in full. After that, use targeted chat questions to confirm your memory quickly. The tool supports this professional habit — it doesn't replace it.
5. Side-by-side comparison
Select multiple rows in the results table (aim for under ~10), then open the PDF Viewer tab. Ask one question — it goes to all selected devices in parallel, each with citations. This is the fastest way to compare and contrast devices: training data, PCCP scope, how they handled adding new scanners, and so on.
What does the side-by-side PDF viewer mode do?
Select multiple devices, open the PDF viewer tab, and ask one question (e.g., "Describe the training data"). It queries all selected devices simultaneously with citations, so you can compare and contrast quickly.
6. Collections
With rows selected, go to the Collections tab and create a labeled collection (e.g., "Cobb Angle Project"). Reload that selection any time — before a client call, pull up the collection and ask questions across all of its devices at once.
How do you save a set of selected devices for later use?
Select the rows, go to the Collections tab, and create a labeled collection (e.g., "Cobb Angle Project"). You can reload the selection anytime and carry it into the PDF viewer and other tabs that support selections.
7. Product codes and the regulations tree
Click a product code in the results to jump to it in the regulations tree — identification text, sibling product codes, and devices you can open in a PDF viewer on the right. Click a regulation number to see its identification, special controls, and related product codes. You can also search by product code or regulation number at the top of the tree. Always read the special controls if any exist for your device — it broadens your search and sharpens pre-kickoff research.
What can you do from the regulations tree view?
Browse product codes and regulation numbers, read the identification text and special controls, browse sibling product codes, open device PDFs on the right, and search by product code or regulation number at the top of the tree.
8. Chart view
Click Show Chart and segment by regulation number (or product code) to see which regulations dominate your result set. Clicking a regulation takes you into the regulations tree. Great for spotting that most matches are, say, hardware laparoscopic devices — a cue to go back and filter.
How do you see which regulations dominate a search result set?
Click "Show Chart" and segment by Regulation Number. Clicking a regulation takes you to the regulations tree.
9. The predicate graph
Open the Predicates tab for a family-tree view of predicate relationships. Click a node to trace its parents and children; selections from search carry over pre-selected. Commonly predicated devices are worth reading — a lot of people predicated them for a reason. The visual lineage is also handy on client calls, e.g. to show how a predicate family evolved and justify why your predicate still holds.
In the predicate graph, why are commonly predicated devices worth reading?
A lot of people predicated them for a reason. Clicking a node traces parents and children, and selections from search carry over pre-selected.
10. Embeddings: the galaxy map
The Embeddings tab plots every matching document in a 2-D "galaxy map" where semantically similar devices cluster together. Hover or click clusters to explore, and let AI label the clusters for you. Embeddings beat product codes for grouping: two devices can carry different product codes (LLZ vs. QIH) yet do the same thing — the embedding captures the meaning of the intended use and device story. This is also exactly how retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) works under the hood, and it makes a great visual on client calls.
Try it yourself
Head to the search page and work through a few of these AI/ML fuzzy searches to build intuition: perivascular fat on CT · aortic valve calcification opportunistic screening on noncontrast CT · breast cancer prediction on digital pathology slides · autism detection · gestational age prediction · a hearing aid that can also detect a pulse · foundation model based analysis of ECG · large language models · penetration test. Watch how the relevance scores, intended use, and AI Performance tables tell you when results stop being meaningful.