Light energy delivery head

• US 20060161143A1
• Filed: 12/12/2005
• Published: 07/20/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Palomar Medical Technologies Incorporated (Hologic Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Palomar Medical Technologies Incorporated (Hologic Incorporated)
• Inventors: Altshuler, Gregory B., Zenzie, Henry H.
• Granted Patent: US 7,763,016 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/9
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/203 applying laser energy to the outside of the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00005 Cooling or heating of the probe or tissue immediately surrounding the probe
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00458 Deeper parts of the skin, e.g. treatment of vascular disorders or port wine stains
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00476 Hair follicles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/065 for measuring contact or contact pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/005 for cooling the radiator
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/007 for cooling the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/0617 Hair treatment

Abstract

A light energy delivery head is provided which, in one aspect, mounts laser diode bars or other light energy emitters in a heat sink block which is adapted to cool both the emitters and a surface of a medium with which the head is in contact and to which it is applying light energy. In another aspect, various retroreflection configurations are provided which optimize retroreflection of back-scattered light energy from the medium. The size of the aperture through which light energy is applied to the medium is also controlled so as to provide a desired amplification coefficient as a result of retroreflection.

Claims

1. A light energy treatment head comprising:

at least one optical energy emitting element mounted within the head and oriented to direct optical energy to a target region of skin;

a transparent element disposed between the energy emitter and the target region of skin during use, the transparent element having good thermal transfer properties; and

at least one cooling mechanism for extracting heat from both the emitter and the transparent element.

2. The light energy treatment head of claim 1, wherein the at least one cooling mechanism comprises at least one coolant flow channel.

3. The light energy treatment head of claim 1, further comprising a reflective mask disposed between the energy emitter and the target skin region, wherein said mask has an opening formed therein through which optical energy may be applied to said target region.

4. The light energy treatment head of claim 3, wherein the reflective mask is a coating of reflective material.

5. The light energy treatment head of claim 3, wherein the reflective mask has an area at least substantially as large as an aperture of reflection for scattered optical energy from said target region.

6. The light energy treatment head of claim 1, wherein said transparent element is a waveguide.

7. The light energy treatment head of claim 6, wherein said waveguide further comprises an angle dependent reflecting layer on at least one wall of said waveguide capable of attenuating angled optical energy entering said waveguide.

8. The light energy treatment head of claim 1, wherein the at least one optical energy emitting element is at least one of laser diode bars, filament lamps, and light pipes.

9. The light energy treatment head of claim 1, wherein the at least one optical energy emitting element is mounted in a mount.

10. The light energy treatment head of claim 9, wherein the mount is thermally conductive.

11. The light energy treatment head of claim 9, wherein the mount is a heat sink for sinking heat from both the emitter and the transparent element.

12. The light energy treatment head of claim 9, wherein the mount has at least one groove, wherein at least one optical energy emitting element is mounted in said at least one groove.

13. The light energy treatment head of claim 9, further comprising a reflecting layer in proximity to the transparent element, wherein said reflecting layer has an opening formed therein under at least one optical energy emitting element through which optical energy may be applied to said target region.

14. The light energy treatment head of claim 9, wherein the transparent element has a larger surface area than the surface area of said mount.

15. The light energy treatment head of claim 9, further comprising a reflecting layer in proximity to the transparent element, wherein the reflecting layer has a larger area than the area of said mount.

16. The light energy treatment head of claim 1, wherein the cooling mechanism is further capable of cooling the target region.