Ultrasound probe for tissue treatment

• US 10,603,523 B2
• Filed: 02/11/2019
• Issued: 03/31/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Guided Therapy Systems Llc
• Original Assignee: Guided Therapy Systems Llc
• Inventors: Slayton, Michael H., Barthe, Peter G., Makin, Inder Raj S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Peng, Bo Joseph
• Application Number:
  US16/272,453
• Publication Number:
  US 20190184205A1
• Time in Patent Office: 414 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/378 using ultrasound
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/14 Echo-tomography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/429 characterised by determining or monitoring the contact between the transducer and the tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4455 Features of the external shape of the probe, e.g. ergonomic aspects
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4483 characterised by features of the ultrasound transducer
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/461 Displaying means of special interest
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/483 involving the acquisition of a 3D volume of data
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2007/0008 Destruction of fat cells
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 7/00 Ultrasound therapy lithotripsy A61B17/22, A61B17/225; massage using supersonic vibration A61H23/00 ; using ultrasound for introducing media into the body A61M37/0092
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 7/02 Localised ultrasound hyperthermia hyperthermia in general A61F7/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/8906 Short-range imaging systems; Acoustic microscope systems using pulse-echo techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/8936 using transducers mounted for mechanical movement in three dimensions

Abstract

A method and system for providing ultrasound treatment to a tissue that contains a lower part of dermis and proximal protrusions of fat lobuli into the dermis. An embodiment delivers ultrasound energy to the region creating a thermal injury and coagulating the proximal protrusions of fat lobuli, thereby eliminating the fat protrusions into the dermis. An embodiment can also include ultrasound imaging configurations using the same or a separate probe before, after or during the treatment. In addition various therapeutic levels of ultrasound can be used to increase the speed at which fat metabolizes. Additionally the mechanical action of ultrasound physically breaks fat cell clusters and stretches the fibrous bonds. Mechanical action will also enhance lymphatic drainage, stimulating the evacuation of fat decay products.

Claims

1. An ultrasound probe, comprising:

a piezoelectric ultrasound therapy element connected to a motion mechanism,

wherein the piezoelectric ultrasound therapy element is configured for acoustic coupling through the probe to a skin surface,

wherein the piezoelectric ultrasound therapy element is configured for focusing ultrasound energy with a frequency to produce a temperature at a depth under the skin surface to coagulate fat cells in fat lobuli that protrude into a dermis tissue that creates an appearance of dimpling of the skin surface associated with cellulite,

wherein the motion mechanism is configured to operate with an encoder configured to determine movement of the piezoelectric ultrasound therapy element within the probe,

wherein the motion mechanism moves the piezoelectric ultrasound therapy element to form one or more thermal foci at the depth for coagulating fat thereby reducing the appearance of dimpling of the skin associated with cellulite.

2. The probe of claim 1,

wherein the encoder is configured for monitoring a position of the piezoelectric ultrasound therapy element on the motion mechanism in a housing of the ultrasound probe,

wherein the piezoelectric ultrasound therapy element is a single element that focuses the ultrasound energy operating at the frequency ranging from 2 MHz to 10 MHz,

wherein the ultrasound energy is delivered with a treatment power ranging from 20 W to 200 W,

wherein the piezoelectric ultrasound therapy element is configured to deliver the ultrasound energy at the depth below the skin surface,

wherein the ultrasound energy generates a thermal lesion with a dimension of between 100 microns to 55 mm in a region of interest.

3. The probe of claim 1, wherein the piezoelectric ultrasound therapy element is at least one of the group consisting of spherically focused and cylindrically focused.

4. The probe of claim 1, wherein the ultrasound energy increases a speed at which fat metabolizes according to Arrhenius Law:

Y=A·

e<sup>−

B/T</sup>, where Y is a yield of metabolic reaction, A and B are constants, and T is a temperature in degrees Kelvin.

5. The probe of claim 1, wherein the piezoelectric ultrasound therapy element is configured to operate with a control system comprising a processor, wherein the piezoelectric ultrasound therapy element is configured for communication with the control system, wherein the probe is disposable.

6. The probe of claim 1, wherein the motion mechanism is a linear motion mechanism for linear movement of the piezoelectric ultrasound therapy element to form a plurality of thermal lesions along a line at the depth in a region of interest.

7. The probe of claim 1, further comprising a imaging device selected from the group consisting of:

ultrasound, MRI, X-ray, PET, and infrared.

8. The probe of claim 1, further comprising an imaging device co-housed with the piezoelectric ultrasound therapy element.

9. The probe of claim 1, wherein the motion mechanism is configured for at least one of the group consisting of linear and rotational movement of the piezoelectric ultrasound therapy element.

10. An ultrasound probe, comprising:

a piezoelectric ultrasound therapy element configured for acoustic coupling through the ultrasound probe to a skin surface,

wherein a fat chamber containing a plurality of fat cells protrudes into a dermis under the skin surface,

wherein the piezoelectric ultrasound therapy element is configured to focus energy with a frequency to produce a temperature sufficient to coagulate the plurality of fat cells in the fat chamber at a depth under the skin surface, thereby reducing an appearance of dimpling on the skin surface.

11. The probe of claim 10,

wherein the piezoelectric ultrasound therapy element is a single element that focuses ultrasound energy with the frequency ranging from 2 MHz to 10 MHz,

wherein the ultrasound energy is delivered with a treatment power ranging from 20 W to 200 W,

wherein the piezoelectric ultrasound therapy element is configured to focus the ultrasound energy up to 3.5 cm below the skin surface,

wherein the ultrasound energy generates a thermal lesion with a dimension of between 100 microns to 55 mm in a region of interest.

12. The probe of claim 10,

wherein the ultrasound probe comprises a housing containing an imaging device,

wherein the imaging device is configured for imaging a region of interest under the skin surface, wherein the region of interest comprises a tissue, wherein the tissue comprises the fat chamber,

wherein the probe is disposable.

13. The probe of claim 10,

wherein the piezoelectric ultrasound therapy element is a single element that delivers ultrasound energy, wherein the frequency ranges from 750 kHz to 10 MHz, and

wherein the ultrasound energy increases a speed at which fat metabolizes according to Arrhenius Law:

Y=A·

e<sup>−

B/T</sup>, where Y is a yield of metabolic reaction, A and B are constants, and T is a temperature in degrees Kelvin.

14. The probe of claim 10, further comprising a storage system configured to contain at least one of the group consisting of:

probe identification and probe usage history,

wherein the piezoelectric ultrasound therapy element is configured for connection to a control system,

wherein the control system comprises;

a processor, software, a power supply, and a communication device.

15. An ultrasound probe, comprising:

a housing, a piezoelectric ultrasound therapy element, and a motion mechanism,

wherein the piezoelectric ultrasound therapy element focuses ultrasound energy to a tissue below a skin surface at a frequency ranging from 2 MHz to 10 MHz,

wherein the tissue comprises a plurality of fat chambers that protrude into a dermis to create an appearance of dimpled skin,

wherein the piezoelectric ultrasound therapy element is configured for delivery of the ultrasound energy at a temperature sufficient to coagulate at least a portion of a plurality of fat chambers at a depth under the skin surface,

wherein the piezoelectric ultrasound therapy element is connected to the motion mechanism inside the housing,

wherein the motion mechanism is configured to operate with an encoder,

wherein the motion mechanism moves the piezoelectric ultrasound therapy element to form a plurality of thermal lesions at the depth for reducing an appearance of dimpled skin.

16. The probe of claim 15, wherein the piezoelectric ultrasound therapy element is a single element, wherein the piezoelectric ultrasound therapy element is configured to deliver the ultrasound energy at the depth below the skin surface, wherein the depth is a single, fixed depth, wherein the ultrasound energy generates a thermal lesion with a dimension of between 100 microns to 55 mm in a region of interest.

17. The probe of claim 15, wherein the piezoelectric ultrasound therapy element is configured to operate with a control system that comprises a spatial control and a temporal control, the spatial control and the temporal control controlling the delivery of the ultrasound energy at a temperature sufficient to cause coagulation of at least the portion of the plurality of fat chambers at the depth under the skin surface, wherein the ultrasound energy is delivered with a treatment power ranging from 20 W to 200 W.

18. The probe of claim 17, further comprising a storage system comprising probe identification and probe usage history, wherein the probe is disposable.

19. The probe of claim 15, wherein the ultrasound energy increases a speed at which fat metabolizes according to Arrhenius Law:

Y=A·

e<sup>−

B/T</sup>, where Y is a yield of metabolic reaction, A and B are constants, and T is a temperature in degrees Kelvin.

20. The probe of claim 15, wherein the piezoelectric ultrasound therapy element is configured to deliver the ultrasound energy at an energy level for causing at least one of ablating tissue, stretching fibrous bonds, or stimulating evacuation of fat decay products in a region of interest.