TARGETED MUSCLE ABLATION FOR REDUCING SIGNS OF AGING

• US 20070032784A1
• Filed: 08/03/2006
• Published: 02/08/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Massachusetts Eye And Ear Infirmary (Foundation of The Massachusetts Eye and EAR Infirmary Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Massachusetts Eye And Ear Infirmary (Foundation of The Massachusetts Eye and EAR Infirmary Incorporated)
• Inventors: White, William, Gliklich, Richard
• Granted Patent: US 8,128,618 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/27
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/14 Probes or electrodes therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4411 Device being modular
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 7/02 Localised ultrasound hyperthermia hyperthermia in general A61F7/00

Abstract

A method and system for delivering energy to affect the signs of aging is described. Energy is delivered to a target volume of a muscle such that the energy creates a lesion in the target volume. A characteristic of the lesion is controlled to affect movement of the muscle.

Claims

1. A method for reducing signs of aging, the method comprising:

producing a map of a muscle;

using the map, locating a target volume of the muscle; and

delivering energy to the target volume such that the energy creates a lesion in the target volume, the lesion having a characteristic selected for affecting movement of the muscle.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising selecting the characteristic to reduce movement of the muscle.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising selecting the characteristic to produce a contraction of the muscle.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the characteristic comprises at least one of:

a size, a shape, a depth below an epidermal surface, and a location relative to another lesion.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein delivering energy comprises selecting the energy to be ultrasound.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein delivering energy comprises selecting the energy to be radio frequency electromagnetic energy.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

selecting a frequency of the ultrasound to be a value within a range of 4 to 8 MHz; and

selecting a power of the ultrasound to be a value within a range of 60 to 80 W.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein producing a map of a muscle comprises acquiring an echo image of the muscle from echoes generated by reflections of ultrasound pulses directed towards the muscle.

9. A method for reducing signs of aging, the method comprising:

producing a map of SMAS tissue;

using the map, locate a target volume of the SMAS tissue; and

delivering energy to the target volume such that the energy creates a lesion in the target volume, the lesion having a characteristic selected for affecting movement of the SMAS tissue.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising selecting the characteristic to induce contraction of the SMAS tissue in a desired direction.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising selecting the characteristic to release the SMAS tissue from muscle tissue causing skin attached to the SMAS tissue to be pulled in a desired direction.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the characteristic comprises at least one of:

a size, a shape, an orientation, a depth below an epidermal surface, and a location relative to another lesion.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein delivering energy comprises selecting the energy to be ultrasound.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein delivering energy comprises selecting the energy to be radio frequency electromagnetic energy.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

selecting a frequency of the ultrasound to be a value within a range of 4 to 8 MHz; and

selecting a power of the ultrasound to be a value within a range of 60 to 80 W.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein producing a map of a muscle comprises acquiring an echo image of the muscle from echoes generated by reflections of ultrasound pulses directed towards the muscle.

17. A method for reducing signs of aging, the method comprising:

producing a map of target tissue including muscle and SMAS tissue;

using the map, locating a target volume of the target tissue;

delivering energy to the target volume such that the energy creates a pattern of lesions in the target volume; and

selecting the pattern to impact the degree and direction of movement of the target tissue.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising selecting the pattern to be one of:

a square, triangle, polygon, grid, criss-cross pattern, circle, oval, and coil.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising selecting the pattern to be a matrix of lesions spaced approximately equidistant from each other.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

selecting the lesions to be approximately 1 mm³ in volume; and

selecting spacings between the lesions to be approximately 1 mm.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein delivering energy comprises selecting the energy to be ultrasound.

22. The method of claim 17 wherein delivering energy comprises selecting the energy to be radiofrequency electromagnetic energy.

23. The method of claim 17, wherein selecting the pattern to impact the degree and direction of movement of the target tissue comprises selecting a density of the lesions to achieve a desired degree of contraction of the SMAS tissue within the target volume.

24. The method of claim 17, wherein selecting the pattern to impact the degree and direction of movement of the target tissue comprises selecting spacings between the lesions to achieve a desired degree of paralysis of the muscle tissue within the target volume.

25. A system for delivering energy to affect the signs of aging, the system comprising:

an ablating transducer configured to deliver ablative radiation at a power sufficient to ablate muscle tissue of a muscle;

control circuitry in communication with the ablating transducer, the control circuitry configured to receive lesion pattern specifications and stimulate the ablating transducer to produce a pattern of lesions within a target volume of the muscle, the pattern being in accordance with the lesion pattern specifications and selected to impact a degree of paralysis of the muscle.

26. The system of claim 25, further comprising an imaging transducer configured to deliver ultrasound radiation at a power sufficient to produce an echo image of the target volume without damaging tissue within the target volume.

27. The system of claim 25, wherein the ablative radiation is ultrasound radiation.

28. The system of claim 25, wherein the lesion pattern specifications include size and depth specifications of the lesions of the pattern.

29. The system of claim 25, wherein the pattern comprises lesions of approximately 1 mm³ in size and spaced approximately 1 mm apart from each other.

30. The system of claim 25, wherein the target volume includes SMAS tissue and the pattern is further selected to impact the degree and direction of movement of SMAS tissue.