Method and system for ultrasound treatment of skin

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9694212-B2
Application number	US-201615260825-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 9, 2016
Priority date	Oct 6, 2004
Publication date	Jul 4, 2017
Grant date	Jul 4, 2017

Abstract

Methods and systems for treating stretch marks through deep tissue tightening with ultrasound are provided. An exemplary method and system comprise a therapeutic ultrasound system configured for providing ultrasound treatment to a shallow tissue region, such as a region comprising an epidermis, a dermis and a deep dermis. In accordance with various exemplary embodiments, a therapeutic ultrasound system can be configured to achieve depth from 0 mm to 1 cm with a conformal selective deposition of ultrasound energy without damaging an intervening tissue in the range of frequencies from 2 to 50 MHz. In addition, a therapeutic ultrasound can also be configured in combination with ultrasound imaging or imaging/monitoring capabilities, either separately configured with imaging, therapy and monitoring systems or any level of integration thereof.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An ultrasound treatment system for treating skin tissue, the system comprising:
a control system; and
an ultrasound probe comprising an ultrasound therapy component,
wherein the ultrasound therapy component consists of a single, focused ultrasound therapy element,
wherein the ultrasound therapy element is configured to provide a single mechanical focus,
wherein the single mechanical focus is configured to provide ultrasound therapy energy in a form of a single thermal focus in a tissue below a skin surface,
wherein the single thermal focus is formed without electronic focusing and without a lens,

wherein the ultrasound probe is configured for acoustic coupling to the skin surface,
wherein the ultrasound probe is configured for delivery of the ultrasound therapy energy to heat the tissue below the skin surface to a temperature of greater than 60 degrees Celsius,
wherein the tissue comprises at least a portion of a dermis and a fascia,
wherein the control system comprises a processor and power supply;
wherein the ultrasound therapy element is in communication with the control system,
wherein the ultrasound therapy element is configured for delivery of the ultrasound therapy energy at the temperature sufficient to denature at least a portion of the tissue in a region of interest,
wherein the ultrasound therapy element delivers the ultrasound therapy energy at a frequency of between 2 MHz to 25 MHz,
wherein the ultrasound therapy element forms a plurality of thermal lesions for treating the tissue.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the ultrasound therapy element is configured to deliver the ultrasound therapy energy at a depth below the skin surface, wherein the depth is up to 10 mm below the skin surface.

3. The system of claim 1 , further comprising an acoustic coupler between the ultrasound probe and the skin surface,
wherein the acoustic coupler comprises at least one of the group consisting of water, fluid, gel, and a solid,
wherein the skin surface comprises a scar.

4. The system of claim 1 ,
wherein the ultrasound probe is connected to the control system via a cable,
wherein the therapy transducer is housed within the ultrasound probe.

5. The system of claim 1 ,
wherein the ultrasound therapy element is configured to deliver the ultrasound therapy energy at a depth below the skin surface,
wherein the depth is up to 10 mm below the skin surface,
wherein the skin surface comprises a scar,
wherein the scar is a stretch mark.

6. The system of claim 1 ,
further comprising an ultrasound imaging element co-housed with the ultrasound therapy element in the probe,
wherein the ultrasound therapy element is configured to deliver the ultrasound therapy energy at a depth below the skin surface, wherein the depth is up to 10 mm below the skin surface.

7. The system of claim 1 ,
further comprising a motion mechanism for movement of the ultrasound therapy element to form a plurality of thermal lesions at a depth in the region of interest, wherein the depth is up to 10 mm below the skin surface.

8. The system of claim 1 ,
further comprising a motion mechanism configured for any one of the group consisting of linear, rotational, and variable movement of the ultrasound therapy element.

9. The system of claim 1 ,
further comprising a motion mechanism comprises an encoder for monitoring a position of the ultrasound therapy element, wherein the ultrasound therapy element is configured to deliver the ultrasound therapy energy at a depth below the skin surface, wherein the depth is up to 10 mm below the skin surface.

10. An ultrasound treatment system for treating tissue, the system comprising:
an ultrasound probe and a control system;
wherein the ultrasound probe comprises an ultrasound therapy component,
wherein the ultrasound therapy component consists of a single, focused ultrasound therapy element,
wherein the ultrasound therapy element is configured to provide a single mechanical focus,
wherein the single mechanical focus is configured to provide ultrasound therapy energy in a form of a single thermal focus in a tissue below a skin surface,
wherein the single thermal focus is formed without electronic focusing and without a lens,

wherein the ultrasound probe is configured for acoustic coupling to the skin surface,
wherein the ultrasound probe is configured for delivery of the ultrasound therapy energy to heat the tissue below the skin surface to a temperature of greater than 60 degrees Celsius,
wherein the tissue comprises at least a portion of a dermis and a fascia,
wherein the ultrasound therapy element is in communication with the control system,
wherein the ultrasound therapy element forms a plurality of thermal lesions at the depth for treating the tissue.

11. The system of claim 10 , the ultrasound therapy element delivers the ultrasound therapy energy at a frequency of between 2 MHz to 25 MHz.

12. The system of claim 10 , wherein the control system comprises: a communication device, a processor, software, an input device, and a power supply.

13. The system of claim 10 ,
wherein the ultrasound probe is connected to the control system via a cable,
wherein the ultrasound therapy element delivers the ultrasound therapy energy at a frequency of between 2 MHz to 25 MHz,
wherein the depth is up to 10 mm below the skin surface, wherein the plurality of thermal lesions tightens the tissue.

14. The system of claim 10 ,
wherein the ultrasound probe comprises a housing containing an ultrasound imaging element,
wherein the ultrasound imaging element is configured for imaging a region of interest under the skin surface, wherein the region of interest comprises the tissue.

15. An ultrasound treatment system for treating skin tissue, the system comprising:
an ultrasound probe configured for acoustic coupling to a skin surface,
wherein the ultrasound probe comprises an ultrasound therapy component,
wherein the ultrasound therapy component consists of a single, focused ultrasound therapy element,
wherein the ultrasound therapy element is configured for delivery of energy at a temperature sufficient to treat at least a portion of a tissue, wherein the tissue comprises a dermis tissue and a fascia tissue;
wherein the ultrasound therapy element is configured to provide a single mechanical focus,
wherein the single mechanical focus is configured to provide ultrasound therapy energy in a form of a single thermal focus in the tissue,
wherein the single thermal focus is formed without electronic focusing and without a lens,
a control system connected to the ultrasound therapy element;
an input device connected to the control system; and
a power supply connected to the control system;
wherein the ultrasound therapy element forms a plurality of thermal lesions in the tissue.

16. The system of claim 15 , further comprising an imaging element configured for imaging at a frequency range of 2 MHz to 25 MHz,
wherein the imaging element and the ultrasound therapy element are co-housed within the ultrasound probe,
wherein the ultrasound therapy element is configured to increase the temperature of the tissue in the region of interest to greater than 60° C.

17. The system of claim 15 ,
wherein the ultrasound therapy element delivers the ultrasound therapy energy at a frequency of between 2 MHz to 25 MHz,
wherein the ultrasound therapy element is configured to deliver the ultrasound therapy energy at a depth below the skin surface,
wherein the plurality of thermal lesions tightens the tissue.

Assignees

• Guided Therapy Systems Llc

Inventors

• Barthe Peter G
• Slayton Michael H
• Makin Inder Raj S

Classifications

• G16H50/30

  for calculating health indices; for individual health risk assessment · CPC title

• A61H23/0245

  with ultrasonic transducers, e.g. piezoelectric · CPC title

• A61B8/4444

  related to the probe · CPC title

• A61B8/5223

  for extracting a diagnostic or physiological parameter from medical diagnostic data (for algorithms to analyse biomedical images G06T7/0012) · CPC title

• A61N2007/0056

  Beam shaping elements · CPC title