Systems for treating skin laxity

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9827449-B2
Application number	US-201715625700-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 16, 2017
Priority date	Oct 6, 2004
Publication date	Nov 28, 2017
Grant date	Nov 28, 2017

Abstract

A system and method for ultrasound treatment of skin laxity are provided. Systems and methods can include ultrasound imaging of the region of interest for localization of the treatment area, delivering ultrasound energy at a depth and pattern to achieve the desired therapeutic effects, and/or monitoring the treatment area to assess the results and/or provide feedback. In an embodiment, a treatment system and method can be configured for producing arrays of sub-millimeter and larger zones of thermal ablation to treat the epidermal, superficial dermal, mid-dermal or deep dermal components of tissue.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An ultrasound device for treatment of skin laxity, the device comprising:
an ultrasound probe comprising a housing, wherein inside the housing comprises a motion mechanism and an ultrasound transducer,
wherein the ultrasound transducer comprises a therapy component,
wherein the therapy component comprises:
a single active focused piezoelectric ultrasound therapy element,
wherein the piezoelectric 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 at a depth below a skin surface,
wherein the depth is a single, fixed depth below the skin surface to treat the tissue,

wherein the tissue comprises a combination of any of the group consisting of: an epidermal tissue, a superficial dermal tissue, a mid-dermal tissue, a deep dermal tissue, a muscle tissue, and an adipose tissue,
wherein the single thermal focus is formed without electronic focusing and without a lens,

wherein a portion of the ultrasound probe is configured for acoustic coupling to the skin surface;
wherein the piezoelectric ultrasound therapy element is configured for delivery of energy at a temperature sufficient to tighten at least a portion of the tissue at the depth under the skin surface,
wherein the piezoelectric ultrasound therapy element is connected to the motion mechanism,
wherein the motion mechanism comprises an encoder,
wherein the motion mechanism moves the piezoelectric ultrasound therapy element to form a plurality of thermal lesions at the depth for tighten at least a portion of the tissue for reducing an appearance of skin laxity.

2. The device of claim 1 ,
wherein the piezoelectric ultrasound therapy element is configured to increase the temperature of the tissue in the region of interest to greater than 60° C.,
wherein the piezoelectric ultrasound therapy element is a single element that delivers ultrasound energy at a frequency of between 2 MHz to 25 MHz.

3. The device of claim 1 , further comprising a control system, an input device, and a power supply,
wherein the control system is connected to the motion mechanism and the piezoelectric ultrasound therapy element;
wherein the input device is connected to the control system; and
wherein the power supply is connected to the control system.

4. The device of claim 3 , wherein the control system comprises a spatial control and a temporal control,
wherein the spatial control and the temporal control are configured for controlling the delivery of energy at a temperature sufficient to cause denaturation of at least the portion of the tissue at the depth under the skin surface,
wherein the spatial control and the temporal control are configured for controlling the delivery of energy at a frequency of between 2 MHz to 25 MHz.

5. The device of claim 1 , wherein the housing contains a monitoring sensor and a control system,
wherein the control system comprises a processor, software, and a communication device,
wherein the ultrasound probe is connected to the control system via a cable,
wherein the processor relays data from the monitoring sensor via the communication device.

6. The device of claim 1 ,
wherein the motion mechanism comprises an encoder and the ultrasound therapy energy is configured to deliver an energy level for causing at least one of shrinking collagen and denaturing the tissue in the region of interest under a wrinkle,
wherein the piezoelectric ultrasound therapy element delivers the ultrasound therapy energy at a frequency of between 2 MHz to 25 MHz.

7. An ultrasound device for treatment of skin laxity, the device comprising:
an ultrasound probe configured for delivery of an ultrasound therapy energy at a temperature sufficient to heat at least a portion of a tissue at a depth under a skin surface,
wherein the tissue comprises a combination of any of the group consisting of: an epidermal tissue, a superficial dermal tissue, a mid-dermal tissue, a deep dermal tissue, a muscle tissue, and an adipose tissue;
wherein the ultrasound probe comprises a housing, wherein the housing comprises an ultrasound transducer,
wherein the ultrasound transducer comprises a therapy component,
wherein the therapy component comprises:
a single active piezoelectric ultrasound therapy element,
wherein the single active piezoelectric ultrasound therapy element is configured to provide a single mechanical focus,
wherein the single mechanical focus is configured to provide ultrasound therapy energy in the form of a single thermal focus in the tissue at a depth below a skin surface,
wherein the single thermal focus is formed without electronic focusing and without a lens,

wherein the piezoelectric ultrasound therapy element is configured for delivery of the ultrasound therapy energy at the temperature sufficient to heat the at least a portion of the tissue at the depth under the skin surface,
wherein the ultrasound probe forms a plurality of thermal lesions at the depth for reducing the appearance of skin laxity.

8. The device of claim 7 , wherein the region of interest comprises the tissue, wherein the skin surface comprises a wrinkle, and wherein the plurality of thermal lesions tightens the tissue.

9. The device of claim 7 , further comprising a control system,
wherein the piezoelectric ultrasound therapy element is in communication with the control system,
wherein the piezoelectric ultrasound therapy element delivers the ultrasound therapy energy at a frequency of between 2 MHz to 75 MHz.

10. The device of claim 9 , wherein the ultrasound probe is connected to the control system via a cable, and wherein the control system comprises:
a communication device;
a processor, software, an input device, and a power supply.

11. The device of claim 7 ,
wherein the piezoelectric ultrasound therapy element is a single element that delivers the ultrasound therapy energy at a frequency of between 2 MHz to 25 MHz,
wherein the piezoelectric ultrasound therapy element is configured to increase the temperature of the tissue in the region of interest to greater than 60° C.

12. An ultrasound device for treatment of skin laxity, the device comprising:
an ultrasound probe comprising a housing and an ultrasound transducer, wherein the ultrasound transducer is inside the housing,
wherein the ultrasound transducer comprises a therapy component,
wherein the therapy component comprises:
a single active focused piezoelectric ultrasound therapy element,
wherein the piezoelectric ultrasound therapy element is configured to provide a single mechanical focus,
wherein the single mechanical focus is configured to provide ultrasound therapy energy in the form of a single thermal focus in a tissue at a depth below a skin surface,
wherein the depth is up to 5 mm below the skin surface,
wherein the tissue comprises a combination of any of the group consisting of: an epidermal tissue, a superficial dermal tissue, a mid-dermal tissue, a deep dermal tissue, an adipose tissue, and a muscle tissue,
wherein the single thermal focus is formed without electronic focusing and without a lens,

wherein the piezoelectric ultrasound therapy element is configured for delivery of the ultrasound therapy energy at a temperature sufficient to denature at least a portion of the tissue in the region of interest at a depth under the skin surface,
wherein the piezoelectric ultrasound therapy element forms a plurality of thermal lesions at the depth for tightening the tissue for reducing skin laxity.

13. The device of claim 12 , fu

Assignees

• Guided Therapy Systems Llc

Inventors

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

Classifications

• A61B2017/320089

  node location · CPC title

• A61B17/320068

  using mechanical vibrations, e.g. ultrasonic (A61B17/22012 takes precedence; dental tooth drilling devices operated by vibration A61C3/03; removing intra-ocular material using mechanical vibrations A61F9/00745) · CPC title

• A61B8/0858

  involving measuring tissue layers, e.g. skin, interfaces · CPC title

• A61B8/546

  involving monitoring or regulation of device temperature · CPC title

• A61B8/4209

  by using holders, e.g. positioning frames · CPC title