Methods for creating tissue effect utilizing electromagnetic energy and a reverse thermal gradient

• US 20040002705A1
• Filed: 03/31/2003
• Published: 01/01/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/1996
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Thermage Incorporated (Bausch Health Cos., Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Thermage Incorporated (Bausch Health Cos., Inc.)
• Inventors: Knowlton, Edward W., Weber, Bryan, Levinson, Mitchell
• Granted Patent: US 7,473,251 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/41
• CPC Class Codes: A45D 44/22 Face shaping devices, e.g. chin straps; Wrinkle removers, e.g. stretching the skin skin stretchers for shaving A45D27/38
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/00 Surgical instruments, devices or methods for transferring non-mechanical forms of energy to or from the body eye surgery A61F9/007; ear surgery A61F11/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/12 by passing a current through the tissue to be heated, e.g. high-frequency current
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1206 Generators therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/14 Probes or electrodes therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1402 Probes for open surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/148 having a short, rigid shaft for accessing the inner body transcutaneously, e.g. for neurosurgery or arthroscopy
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00011 with fluids
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00023 closed, i.e. without wound contact by the fluid
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00452 Skin
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00488 Esophagus
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/0066 without feedback, i.e. open loop control
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00702 Power or energy
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00779 Power or energy
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00791 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00875 Resistance or impedance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1495 Electrodes being detachable from a support structure
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/064 for measuring force, pressure or mechanical tension
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/02 Devices for expanding tissue, e.g. skin tissue implements for holding wounds open, surgical tractors A61B17/02; implantable mammary prosthesis A61F2/12; dilators A61M29/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2007/0021 Female breast
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/10 : with further special therapeutic means, e.g. electrotherapy, magneto therapy or radiation therapy, chromo therapy, infrared or ultraviolet therapy
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 7/001 : without substantial movement between the skin and the device
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 9/005 : Pneumatic massage
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 9/0071 : by localized pressure, e.g. air streams or jets
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3606 : cooled
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/06 : for high-frequency therapy
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/28 : Apparatus for applying thermoelectric currents
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/30 : Apparatus for iontophoresis, i.e. transfer of media in ionic state by an electromotoric force into the body, or cataphoresis
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/403 : for thermotherapy, e.g. hyperthermia

Abstract

A method of creating a tissue effect at a tissue site delivers electromagnetic energy through a skin surface from an electromagnetic energy delivery device coupled to an electromagnetic energy source. At least one of the electromagnetic energy delivery device or electromagnetic energy source includes a memory. A reverse thermal gradient is created through the skin surface to sufficiently heat an underlying tissue site to provide that a temperature of the skin surface is lower than a temperature of the underlying tissue. Information is stored from the memory to facilitate operation of at least one of the electromagnetic energy delivery device or the electromagnetic energy source. Electromagnetic energy is applied through the skin surface to the underlying tissue. A tissue effect is created on at least a portion of the tissue site.

Claims

17-1. The method of claim 1, wherein the stored information is utilized to assist in controlling an amount of energy delivered from the electromagnetic energy device

18-2. The method of claim 1, wherein the stored information is utilized to assist in controlling energy delivery duration time of the electromagnetic energy delivery device.

19-3. The method of claim 1, wherein the stored information is utilized to assist in controlling a temperature of the electromagnetic energy delivery device relative to a target temperature

36-4. The method of claim 34, wherein the stored information is utilized to assist in providing a maximum number of firings of the RF electrode.

38. A method of creating a tissue effect at a tissue site, comprising:

providing an electromagnetic energy delivery device;

delivering electromagnetic energy through a skin surface;

creating a reverse thermal gradient through the skin surface to sufficiently heat an underlying tissue, wherein a temperature of the skin surface is lower than a temperature of the underlying tissue;

detecting a temperature of the skin surface;

heating the skin surface and underlying tissue in response to a detected temperature of the skin surface; and

creating a tissue effect on at least a portion of the tissue site.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein the tissue effect is dermal remodeling.

40. The method of claim 38, wherein the tissue effect is dermal tightening.

41. The method of claim 38, wherein the tissue effect is wrinkle reduction.

42. The method of claim 38, wherein the tissue effect is elastosis reduction.

43. The method of claim 38, wherein the tissue effect is scar reduction.

44. The method of claim 38, wherein the tissue effect is sebaceous gland removal or deactivation.

45. The method of claim 38, wherein the tissue effect is a reduction of sebaceous gland activity

46. The method of claim 38, wherein the tissue effect is hair follicle modification.

47. The method of claim 38, wherein the tissue effect is adipose tissue remodeling or removal.

48. The method of claim 38, wherein the tissue effect is spider vein removal

49. The method of claim 38, wherein the tissue effect is modification of skin irregularities

50. The method of claim 38, wherein the tissue effect is a creation of scar or nascent collagen

51. The method of claim 38, wherein the tissue effect is a reduction of skin bacteria activity.

52. The method of claim 38, wherein the tissue effect is a modification of skin pore size.

53. The method of claim 38, wherein the tissue effect is an unclogging of skin pores.

54. The method of claim 38, wherein the tissue effect is a modification of fat tissue.

55. The method of claim 38, wherein the tissue effect is a modification of muscle tissue.

56. The method of claim 38, wherein the tissue effect is a modification of facial tissue.

57. A method for creating a tissue effect at a tissue site, comprising:

providing an RF energy delivery device with an energy delivery surface;

coupling the RF energy delivery surface with a skin surface;

creating a reverse thermal gradient through the skin surface to sufficiently heat the tissue, wherein a temperature of the skin surface is lower than a the temperature of the underlying tissue;

detecting a temperature of the skin surface;

delivering energy through the skin surface to the underlying tissue in response to a detected temperature of the skin surface; and

creating the tissue effect on at least a portion of the tissue site.

58. The method of claim 57, wherein the tissue effect is dermal remodeling.

59. The method of claim 57, wherein the tissue effect is dermal tightening.

60. The method of claim 57, wherein the tissue effect is wrinkle reduction.

61. The method of claim 57, wherein the tissue effect is elastosis reduction.

62. The method of claim 57, wherein the tissue effect is scar reduction.

63. The method of claim 57, wherein the tissue effect is sebaceous gland removal or deactivation.

64. The method of claim 57, wherein the tissue effect is a reduction of sebaceous gland activity

65. The method of claim 57, wherein the tissue effect is hair follicle modification.

66. The method of claim 57, wherein the tissue effect is adipose tissue remodeling or removal.

67. The method of claim 57, wherein the tissue effect is spider vein removal

68. The method of claim 57, wherein the tissue effect is modification of skin irregularities

69. The method of claim 57, wherein the tissue effect is a creation of scar or nascent collagen

70. The method of claim 57, wherein the tissue effect is a reduction of skin bacteria activity.

71. The method of claim 57, wherein the tissue effect is a modification of skin pore size.

72. The method of claim 57, wherein the tissue effect is an unclogging of skin pores.

73. The method of claim 57, wherein the tissue effect is a modification of fat tissue.

74. The method of claim 57, wherein the tissue effect is a modification of muscle tissue.

75. The method of claim 57, wherein the tissue effect is a modification of facial tissue.

76. A method of creating a tissue effect, comprising:

providing an electromagnetic energy source;

reducing a temperature of at least a portion of a skin surface, wherein the temperature of the skin surface is less than the temperature of an underlying tissue when the temperature of the skin surface is reduced;

non-continuously delivering energy through the skin surface to the underlying tissue; and

creating a tissue effect on at least a portion of the underlying tissue.

77. The method of claim 76, wherein the tissue effect is dermal remodeling.

78. The method of claim 76, wherein the tissue effect is dermal tightening.

79. The method of claim 76, wherein the tissue effect is wrinkle reduction.

80. The method of claim 76, wherein the tissue effect is elastosis reduction.

81. The method of claim 76, wherein the tissue effect is scar reduction.

82. The method of claim 76, wherein the tissue effect is sebaceous gland removal or deactivation.

83. The method of claim 76, wherein the tissue effect is a reduction of sebaceous gland activity

84. The method of claim 76, wherein the tissue effect is hair follicle modification.

85. The method of claim 76, wherein the tissue effect is adipose tissue remodeling or removal.

86. The method of claim 76, wherein the tissue effect is spider vein removal

87. The method of claim 76, wherein the tissue effect is modification of skin irregularities

88. The method of claim 76, wherein the tissue effect is a creation of scar or nascent collagen

89. The method of claim 76, wherein the tissue effect is a reduction of skin bacteria activity.

90. The method of claim 76, wherein the tissue effect is a modification of skin pore size.

91. The method of claim 76, wherein the tissue effect is an unclogging of skin pores.

92. The method of claim 76, wherein the tissue effect is a modification of fat tissue.

93. The method of claim 76, wherein the tissue effect is a modification of muscle tissue.

94. The method of claim 76, wherein the tissue effect is a modification of facial tissue.

95. A method of creating a tissue effect, comprising:

providing an electromagnetic energy source;

non-continuously reducing a temperature of at least a portion of a skin surface, wherein the temperature of the skin surface is less than the temperature of an underlying tissue;

creating a tissue effect on at least a portion of the underlying tissue.

96. The method of claim 95, wherein the tissue effect is dermal remodeling.

97. The method of claim 95, wherein the tissue effect is dermal tightening.

98. The method of claim 95, wherein the tissue effect is wrinkle reduction.

99. The method of claim 95, wherein the tissue effect is elastosis reduction.

100. The method of claim 95, wherein the tissue effect is scar reduction.

101. The method of claim 95, wherein the tissue effect is sebaceous gland removal or deactivation.

102. The method of claim 95, wherein the tissue effect is a reduction of sebaceous gland activity

103. The method of claim 95, wherein the tissue effect is hair follicle modification.

104. The method of claim 95, wherein the tissue effect is adipose tissue remodeling or removal.

105. The method of claim 95, wherein the tissue effect is spider vein removal

106. The method of claim 95, wherein the tissue effect is modification of skin irregularities

107. The method of claim 95, wherein the tissue effect is a creation of scar or nascent collagen

108. The method of claim 95, wherein the tissue effect is a reduction of skin bacteria activity.

109. The method of claim 95, wherein the tissue effect is a modification of skin pore size.

110. The method of claim 95, wherein the tissue effect is an unclogging of skin pores.

111. The method of claim 95, wherein the tissue effect is a modification of fat tissue.

112. The method of claim 95, wherein the tissue effect is a modification of muscle tissue.

113. The method of claim 95, wherein the tissue effect is a modification of facial tissue.