Selective fat removal using photothermal heating
First Claim
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1. A method for selective removal of fat in a subject in need thereof, comprising:
- distributing photo-absorbing nanoparticles uniformly within a target area comprising adipose tissue located beneath a skin surface of the subject by injecting a solution comprising gold nanorods suspended in a biocompatible liquid at a concentration range of 1011 to 1013 GNR/mL; and
delivering a series of pulses of near infrared light across the skin surface and into the target area for an exposure duration to induce surface plasmon resonance in the nanoparticles, wherein the near infrared light has a combination of optical parameters selected from the group consisting of beam energy, pulse duration, emission wavelength within a range of 700 to 900 nm, emission intensity, beam focus and beam area, the optical parameters and the exposure duration selected to excite the nanoparticles to liquefy fat within the target area.
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Abstract
A system and method are provided for minimally-invasive selective fat removal from a target area by injecting the area with a solution of photo-absorbing nanoparticles and irradiating the injected area with a beam of near infrared (NIR) light. The NIR emission wavelength excites the nanoparticles to melt fat within the target area so that the liquefied fat can be aspirated from the target area. The nanoparticles may be gold nanorods having aspect ratios selected to produce surface plasmon resonance when irradiated with NIR light around 800 nm.
51 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for selective removal of fat in a subject in need thereof, comprising:
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distributing photo-absorbing nanoparticles uniformly within a target area comprising adipose tissue located beneath a skin surface of the subject by injecting a solution comprising gold nanorods suspended in a biocompatible liquid at a concentration range of 1011 to 1013 GNR/mL; and delivering a series of pulses of near infrared light across the skin surface and into the target area for an exposure duration to induce surface plasmon resonance in the nanoparticles, wherein the near infrared light has a combination of optical parameters selected from the group consisting of beam energy, pulse duration, emission wavelength within a range of 700 to 900 nm, emission intensity, beam focus and beam area, the optical parameters and the exposure duration selected to excite the nanoparticles to liquefy fat within the target area. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method for subcutaneous fat removal and skin tightening in a person in need thereof, the method comprising:
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subcutaneously injecting a suspension of photo-absorbing gold nanorods in solution into a target region of adipose tissue of the person, wherein the nanorods have an aspect ratio in the range of 1;
3 to 1;
5; andscanning pulses of NIR light energy for a plurality of passes across a skin surface overlying the target region and into the injected suspension for an exposure duration, the NIR light energy having optical parameters selected from the group consisting of beam energy, pulse duration, emission wavelength within a range of 700 to 900 nm, emission intensity, beam focus and beam area, the optical parameters and the exposure duration selected to excite the nanoparticles to liquefy fat within the target region. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification