Skin abrasion growth factor fluid delivery system and method

• US 20030208159A1
• Filed: 05/20/2003
• Published: 11/06/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Edge Systems Corporation (Edge Systems LLC)
• Original Assignee: Edge Systems Corporation (Edge Systems LLC)
• Inventors: Cohen, William, Herrera, Alejandro, Ignon, Roger G.
• Application Number:
  US10/442,498
• Publication Number:
  US 20030208159A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/140
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/545 using a stream or spray of abrasive particles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00761 Removing layer of skin tissue, e.g. wrinkles, scars or cancerous tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00893 pharmaceutically effective

Abstract

A human growth factor delivery system for use in connection with dermabrasion includes a source of human growth factors in fluid. The growth factor fluid may be applied to the target skin area simultaneously with the step of abrading the skin by a single handpiece. Furthermore, the fluid is caused to penetrate by a combination of the abrasive elements, a vacuum, and a positive pressure applied in bursts, which produces a massaging effect. The fluid source may be contained in a removable cartridge adapted to fit within the handpiece. The fluid is drawn from the cartridge by the vacuum. The vacuum also draws a portion of target skin into a space of the handpiece for contact with an abrasion element. The vacuum furthermore draws excess fluid and removed skin cells into a disposable or reusable canister.

Claims

1. A fluid delivery handpiece, comprising:

a body having structure defining a chamber;

a cartridge containing the fluid at a first pressure, wherein the cartridge is removably supported in the body;

a second pressure source in fluid communication with the chamber;

a third pressure source in fluid communication with the chamber;

wherein;

the second and third pressure sources provide a fourth pressure in the chamber during use;

the fourth pressure creates a pressure differential with the first pressure; and

the pressure differential causes the fluid to flow from the cartridge.

2. The fluid delivery handpiece of claim 1, wherein:

at least one of the second pressure source and the third pressure source provides a pressure to the chamber in pulses;

the other one of the second pressure source and the third pressure source continuously provides a steady pressure to the chamber;

the chamber has an opening for sealing engagement with a patient'"'"'s skin; and

the fourth pressure is a variable pressure with respect to time and provides a massage to the skin.

3. The fluid delivery handpiece of claim 2, wherein the second pressure source is a vacuum source that continuously provides a steady vacuum pressure to the chamber to draw the skin of a patient into the opening when the chamber is in sealed engagement with the skin.

4. The fluid delivery handpiece of claim 3, wherein:

the third pressure source is a pressurized source that provides pressurized pulses to the chamber; and

the fourth pressure is a summation of the second and third pressures, wherein the fourth pressure;

rises to a level equal to or greater than the first pressure and thus stops the fluid from flowing out of the canister during pulses and

falls to a level below the first pressure between pulses.

5. The fluid delivery handpiece of claim 4, further comprising:

means for adjusting the magnitude of the second pressure; and

means for adjusting a magnitude, duration, and frequency of the pulses;

wherein the fourth pressure facilitates a flow of the fluid from the canister at a selected rate.

6. The fluid delivery handpiece of claim 3, further comprising an abrasion element disposed in the opening and adapted for engagement by the skin.

7. A growth factor delivery handpiece having a proximal and a distal end, comprising:

a body having a vacuum source connection for connecting to a vacuum;

a growth factor cartridge received in the body; and

an applicator cap enclosing the cartridge in the body;

wherein;

the applicator cap is at the distal end and has at least one vacuum delivery port for presenting a vacuum pressure at an interface of the handpiece with a patient'"'"'s skin;

the applicator cap includes a pressurized fluid source connection for receiving a pressurized fluid; and

the body and the applicator cap form an interior vacuum chamber providing fluid communication between the vacuum source connection and the vacuum delivery port of the applicator cap.

8. The handpiece of claim 7, wherein:

the cartridge has a fluid permeable applicator through which a growth factor in a liquid form can pass; and

the applicator is in fluid communication with the vacuum chamber, wherein a vacuum pressure in the vacuum chamber is less than the pressure inside the cartridge during use, wherein the growth factor is drawn out of the cartridge through the applicator by suction.

9. The handpiece of claim 7, further comprising:

at least one pressurized fluid delivery port;

wherein the pressurized fluid delivery port is in fluid communication with the vacuum chamber and with the pressurized fluid source connection.

10. The handpiece of claim 7, further comprising means for causing a growth factor to penetrate a portion of the skin of a patient being treated.

11. The handpiece of claim 7, wherein:

the vacuum delivery port is located on a distal end of the applicator cap; and

the handpiece further comprises;

at least one pressure delivery port on the distal end of the applicator cap; and

at least one abrasion element on the distal end of the applicator cap proximate to the pressure delivery port.

12. The handpiece of claim 11, wherein:

the pressure delivery port is one of a plurality of pressure delivery ports;

the vacuum delivery port is one of a plurality of vacuum delivery ports;

the pressure delivery ports and vacuum delivery ports are positioned on the distal end of the applicator cap;

the vacuum delivery ports are disposed circumferentially at positions radially outward from the pressure delivery ports and the abrasion elements; and

the applicator cap further comprises an opening in which an applicator of the cartridge is disposed.

13. A dermabrasion and growth factor delivery system for treating the skin of a patient, comprising:

a handpiece having a dermabrasion means for abrading the skin and a growth factor delivery means for delivering a growth factor to the skin and for causing the growth factor to penetrate the skin;

a vacuum connected to the handpiece;

a pressurized fluid source connected to the handpiece; and

a control means connected to the vacuum and the pressurized fluid source for independently controlling a pressure of a vacuum fluid and a pressure of a pressurized fluid of the pressurized fluid source.

14. The system of claim 13, the handpiece having a proximal end and a distal end and comprising:

a body having a vacuum source connection, the vacuum connected to the vacuum source connection;

a growth factor cartridge received in the body; and

an applicator cap enclosing the cartridge in the body;

wherein;

the applicator cap is at the distal end and has at least one vacuum delivery port for presenting the vacuum fluid pressure at an interface of the handpiece with a patient'"'"'s skin;

the applicator cap includes a pressurized fluid source connection receiving the pressurized fluid; and

the body and the applicator cap form an interior vacuum chamber providing fluid communication between the vacuum connection and the vacuum delivery port of the applicator cap.

15. The system of claim 14, comprising:

a disposable or a reusable debris canister downstream of the vacuum chamber; and

wherein the debris canister is in fluid communication with the vacuum chamber for collecting excess growth factor and dead skin cells from the vacuum chamber.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein:

the cartridge has a fluid permeable applicator through which a growth factor in a liquid form can pass; and

the applicator is in fluid communication with the vacuum chamber, wherein a vacuum pressure in the vacuum chamber is less than the pressure inside the cartridge during use, wherein the growth factor is drawn out of the cartridge through the applicator by suction.

17. The system of claim 14, further comprising:

at least one pressurized fluid delivery port in fluid communication with the vacuum chamber and with the pressurized fluid source connection.

18. The system of claim 14, further comprising means for causing a growth factor to penetrate a portion of the skin of a patient being treated.

19. The system of claim 14, wherein:

the vacuum delivery port is located on a distal end of the applicator cap; and

the handpiece further comprises;

at least one pressure delivery port on the distal end of the applicator cap; and

at least one abrasion element on the distal end of the applicator cap proximate to the pressure delivery port.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein:

the pressure delivery port is one of a plurality of pressure delivery ports;

the vacuum delivery port is one of a plurality of vacuum delivery ports;

the pressure delivery ports and vacuum delivery ports are positioned on the distal end of the applicator cap;

the vacuum delivery ports are disposed circumferentially at positions radially outward from the pressure delivery ports and the abrasion elements; and

the applicator cap further comprises an opening in which an applicator of the cartridge is disposed.

21. The system of claim 13, further comprising:

means for adjusting the vacuum fluid pressure and the pressurized fluid pressure; and

means for pulsing at least one of the vacuum fluid pressure and the pressurized fluid pressure.

22. The system of claim 13, further comprising a pressure burst timing adjustment mechanism connected to the pressurized fluid source and enabling an adjustment in a frequency of bursts of the pressurized fluid in the range from 0 through 100 bursts per minute.

23. The system of claim 13, further comprising:

means for massaging the skin; and

means for causing the growth factor to penetrate into the skin.

24. A method for simultaneously abrading skin and promoting healing of the skin, comprising:

delivering a growth factor to a portion of the skin;

abrading the portion of the skin;

massaging the portion of the skin to facilitate penetration of the skin by the growth factor; and

wherein the steps of delivering, abrading, and massaging are performed simultaneously.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

providing a handpiece that holds a growth factor cartridge;

providing the cartridge with an applicator; and

wherein the delivering step further comprises;

drawing the growth factor out of the applicator by establishing a vacuum pressure outside the cartridge relative to a pressure inside the cartridge.

26. The method of claim 24, the step of causing further comprising massaging the skin by:

applying a vacuum from a first source at a substantially constant first pressure to the skin; and

applying bursts of pressurized fluid from a second pressurized fluid source to the skin.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the steps of applying a vacuum and applying bursts further comprise manually adjusting at least one of the first pressure and the second pressure.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein the step of applying bursts comprises applying bursts at a rate not greater than about 100 bursts per minute.

29. The method of claim 26, wherein the step of massaging comprises causing a repeated push-pull of the skin by a sum of effects of the vacuum and the pressurized fluid bursts.

30. The method of claim 26, wherein the step of abrading comprises bringing the portion of the skin into contact with an abrasion element.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the step of delivering further comprises applying the growth factor at least in part by the abrasion element.

32. The method of claim 30, further comprising additionally causing the growth factor to penetrate the portion of the skin by the step of abrading the portion.

33. The method of claim 24, further comprising causing the growth factor to penetrate deeper by impinging a pressurized burst of fluid on the portion.

34. The method of claim 24, wherein the step of causing further comprises abrading a portion of the skin to which the growth factor has been applied.

35. The method of claim 24, further comprising removing skin cells of the skin and at least a portion of the growth factor by:

abrading the skin cells from the skin; and

suctioning the skin cells and the portion of the growth factor by a vacuum.

36. The method of claim 34, wherein:

providing a handpiece that holds a growth factor cartridge;

providing the cartridge with an applicator; and

the step of delivering further comprises;

establishing a vacuum pressure outside the cartridge relative to a pressure inside the cartridge, thereby drawing the growth factor out of the applicator by the vacuum pressure;

wherein the step of establishing a vacuum pressure outside the cartridge and the step of suctioning with the vacuum are accomplished by the vacuum.

37. A dermabrasion and growth factor delivery kit comprising:

a first pressurized fluid pump for providing a source of pressurized fluid;

a pressure burst timing control mechanism; and

a handpiece having a pressurized fluid source connection and a vacuum source connection.

38. The kit of claim 37, further comprising:

a pressure gauge;

a pressure adjustment mechanism;

a pressurized fluid holding chamber; and

at least one pressure line for connecting the handpiece to the first pressurized fluid pump, the pressure gauge, and the pressurized fluid holding chamber.

39. The kit of claim 37, further comprising at least one replaceable of refillable cartridge containing a fluid growth factor.

40. The kit of claim 39, further comprising a return fluid canister for filtering or otherwise collecting skin cells and an excess of the fluid growth factor.

41. The kit of claim 40, further comprising:

a second vacuum fluid pump;

a vacuum adjustment mechanism;

a vacuum gauge; and

at least one vacuum line for connecting the handpiece to the second vacuum fluid pump, the vacuum adjustment mechanism, and the vacuum gauge.