Thermal quenching of tissue

• US 20030065313A1
• Filed: 05/31/2002
• Published: 04/03/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/1999
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Cooltouch Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Cooltouch Incorporated
• Inventors: Baumgardner, Jonathan M., Weiss, Robert A., Koop, Dale E.
• Application Number:
  US10/160,579
• Publication Number:
  US 20030065313A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/9
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/20 using laser
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/203 applying laser energy to the outside of the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00011 with fluids
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00041 Heating, e.g. defrosting
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00452 Skin

Abstract

The present invention provides a system for achieving erythema and/or mild edema in an upper layer of skin, without causing blisters, and without the risk of high fluence levels or critical need for cooling.

Claims

1. A device for treatment of skin, comprising:

an energy delivery system that directs energy to a target tissue for a predetermined time period and at a predetermined fluence such that a peak temperature reached in the target tissue causes a thermally mediated response resulting in transient erythema and/or mild edema, without blistering.

2. The device of claim 1, fuirther comprising cooling means for cooling a surface of the tissue after exposure to the energy.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the energy is electromagnetic energy with a wavelength about 1.3 microns.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the cooling means delivers cryogenic fluids to the target tissue or structure together with tissues adjacent to the target tissue or structure.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the predetermined fluence on the skin surface is less than about 30 joules per square centimeter and the predetermined time period is greater than 10 milliseconds.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the energy is ultrasound.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the energy is electromagnetic radiation.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the energy is provided by a laser.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the energy is provided by at least one a flashlamp and a filament lamp.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the energy comprises waves having a wavelength between a microwave and an ultraviolet wave, inclusive.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the cooling means delivers a short spurt of cryogenic fluid subsequent to delivery of the energy.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the energy has a pulse width between about 1 nanosecond and about 10 seconds.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein erythema and/or mild edema is achieved without the risk of high fluence levels or critical need for cooling.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the cooling means commences delivery of the cryogenic fluid after the peak temperature is reached in the target tissue.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the cooling means provides cooling beginning after the heating of target tissue to treatment temperature.

16. A method for treatment of skin, comprising:

selecting a source of energy in which attenuation of the energy as it passes through the skin is a function of depth;

heating the skin with the energy source for a predetermined time period and with a predetermined fluence such that the energy causes thermal mediated injury in skin below the epidermis resulting in transient erythema but does not blister the epidermis.

17. The method of claim 16, using light energy having a wavelength at about 1.3 microns.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the treatment is repeated serially with more than one day between any successive treatments.

19. The method of claim 16, using light energy having a wavelength between 1100 nm and 270 nm.

20. The method of claim 16, in which the selective thermally mediated treatment of the target tissue or structures is for the treatment of vascular tissue.

21. The method of claim 16, in which the selective thermally mediated treatment of the target tissue or structures is for the treatment of tissue containing collagen.

22. The method of claim 16, in which the selective thermally mediated treatment of the target tissue or structures is for the treatment of cartilage.

23. The method of claim 16, in which the selective thermally mediated treatment of the target tissue or structures is for the treatment of tissue containing pigment.

24. The method of claim 16, in which the selective thermally mediated treatment of the target tissue or structures is for the hair removal treatment.

25. A method for treatment of acne scars in skin, comprising:

heating the target skin portion with a source of energy which is uniformly attenuated with depth in skin for a predetermined time period and predetermined fluence such that the exposure time of the epidermis and the peak temperature reached by the epidermis are such that the epidermnis does not blister; and

causing thermally mediated injury in skin below the epidermis resulting in transient erythema to initiate a healing response which improves the appearance of the acne scars.

26. A method for treatment of photo damaged skin, comprising:

heating the skin with a source of energy which is uniformly attenuated with depth in skin for a predetermined time period and predetermined fluence such that the exposure time of the epidermis and the peak temperature reached by the epidermis are such that the epidermis does not blister; and

causing thermal mediated injury in skin below the epidermis resulting in transient erythema to initiate a healing response which improves the appearance of the photo damaged skin.

27. A method for treatment of wrinkled skin, comprising:

heating the skin with a source of energy which is uniformly attenuated with depth in skin for a predetermined time period and predetermined fluence such that the exposure time of the epidermis and the peak temperature reached by the epidermis are such that the epidermis does not blister; and

causing thermal mediated injury in skin below the epidermis resulting in transient erythema to initiate a healing response which improves the appearance of the wrinkled skin.

28. A method of thermal quenching of surface tissue during selective thermally mediated treatment of target tissue or structures, the method comprising the steps of:

delivering energy to the target tissue or structures to increase the temperature of the target tissue or structures to a predetermined treatment temperature, thereby, resulting in transient erythema; and

cooling the surface tissue or other tissue adjacent the target tissue or structures to prevent excessive heating of the surface tissue or other tissue adjacent the target tissue.

29. The method of claim 28 in which the step of cooling is initiated after elevation of the target tissue or structures to treatment temperature.

30. The method of claim 28 in which the step of cooling is initiated prior to elevation of the target tissue or structures to treatment temperature.

31. The method of claim 28 in which the step of cooling is initiated concurrently with elevation of the target tissue or structures to treatment temperature.

32. The method of claim 28 in which the step of cooling is initiated subsequent to an increase in the temperature of the surface tissue or other tissue adjacent the target tissue or structures.

33. The method of claim 28 in which the pulsed electromagnetic energy is delivered at a rate of between about 50 Joules per square centimeter and about 150 Joules per square centimeter.

34. The method of claim 28 in which the pulsed electromagnetic energy has a pulse width of between about 5 milliseconds and about 200 milliseconds.

35. The method of claim 28 in which the step of cooling includes delivery of refrigerant to the surface tissue for a period of between about 10 milliseconds and about 30 milliseconds.

36. The method of claim 28 in which the step of cooling the surface tissue or other tissue adjacent the target tissue or structures is performned using passive cooling means.

37. The method of claim 28 in which the step of cooling the surface tissue or other tissue adjacent the target tissue or structures is performed using dynamic cooling means.

38. The method of claim 28 wherein the target tissue or structures is veins and in which the treatment is vascular treatment.

39. The method of claim 28 wherein the target tissue or structures is hair follicles and wherein the treatment is hair removal.

40. The method of claim 37 wherein the dynamic cooling means cools the surface tissue or other tissue adjacent the target tissue or structures by delivering a liquid refnigerant to the surface tissue or other adjacent the target tissue or structures.

41. The method of claim 28 wherein the target tissue or structures is tissue containing pigmentation and in which the treatment is modification of the pigmentation.

42. The method of claim 37 in which the dynamic cooling means cools the surface tissue or other tissue adjacent the target tissue or structures by delivering a liquid refrigerant to the surface tissue or other tissue adjacent the target tissue or structures.

43. The method of claim 42 in which the liquid refrigerant is delivered to the surface tissue or other tissue adjacent the target tissue or structures for a period of time between about 10 milliseconds and about 30 milliseconds.