METHODS OF HARVESTING AND IMPLANTING FOLLICULAR UNITS USING A COAXIAL TOOL

• US 20070078473A1
• Filed: 05/31/2006
• Published: 04/05/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Venus Concept, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Restoration Robotics, Inc. (Venus Concept, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bodduluri, Mohan, Hsel, Paul
• Granted Patent: US 7,621,934 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/167
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 10/0283 with vacuum aspiration, e.g. caused by retractable plunger or by connected syringe A61B10/025, A61B10/0266 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/32053 Punch like cutting instruments, e.g. using a cylindrical or oval knife A61B17/326 takes precedence; trepans A61B17/1695; for use on the cornea A61F9/007
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2010/0225 for taking multiple samples
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00544 pneumatically
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00561 creating a vacuum
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00752 Hair removal or transplantation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2055 Optical tracking systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/065 for measuring contact or contact pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/10 Computer-aided planning, simulation or modelling of surgical operations
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/20 Surgical navigation systems; Devices for tracking or guiding surgical instruments, e.g. for frameless stereotaxis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/30 Surgical robots
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/70 Manipulators specially adapted for use in surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/36 Image-producing devices or illumination devices not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/361 Image-producing devices, e.g. surgical cameras

Abstract

A method of transplanting a hair follicular units includes aligning a longitudinal axis of a harvesting cannula of a tool assembly with a longitudinal axis of a selected follicular unit, advancing the harvesting cannula relative to the body surface so that a tissue coring distal end of the harvesting cannula penetrates the body surface surrounding the selected follicular unit to a depth sufficient to substantially encapsulate the follicular unit, withdrawing the harvesting cannula distal end from the body surface with the follicular unit retained in an interior lumen of the harvesting cannula, advancing an implanting cannula of the tool assembly over the harvesting cannula relative to the body surface so that a tissue piercing distal end of the implanting cannula punctures the body surface and forms an implantation cavity therein, and displacing the follicular unit from the harvesting cannula lumen into the implantation cavity.

Claims

1. A method of transplanting a hair follicular unit using a multi-part tool assembly, the tool assembly comprising coaxially disposed harvesting and implanting cannulas, the method comprising:

aligning a longitudinal axis of the harvesting cannula with a longitudinal axis of a selected follicular unit to be harvested from a donor area of a body surface;

advancing the harvesting cannula relative to the body surface so that an open, tissue coring distal end of the harvesting cannula penetrates the body surface surrounding the selected follicular unit to a depth sufficient to substantially encapsulate the follicular unit;

withdrawing the harvesting cannula from the body surface with the follicular unit engaged by and retained in an interior lumen of the harvesting cannula;

advancing the implanting cannula over the harvesting cannula so that a tissue piercing distal end of the implanting cannula punctures a recipient area in the body surface and forms an implantation cavity therein; and

displacing the follicular unit from the harvesting cannula lumen into the implantation cavity.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the tool assembly is attached to a moveable arm of an automated system.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the automated system is a robotic system, and the moveable arm is a robotic arm.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein advancing the distal end of the harvesting cannula into the body surface comprises rotating harvesting cannula about its longitudinal axis.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the follicular unit is displaced from the harvesting cannula lumen by an obturator positioned in the harvesting cannula lumen.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the follicular unit is displaced from the harvesting cannula lumen by pressurized air.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the harvesting and implanting cannulas is advanced into the body surface by actuating one or more motors of a motor drive assembly operatively coupled to the tool assembly to thereby cause translational movement of the respective harvesting or implanting cannula relative to the other.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the motor drive assembly is processor-controlled.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the processor determines relative positions of the harvesting and implanting cannulas based at least in part on image data received from one or more cameras.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the processor determines relative positions of the harvesting and implanting cannulas based at least in part on positional data received from one or more encoders operatively associated with the motor drive assembly.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein displacing the follicular unit from the harvesting cannula lumen into the implantation cavity comprises

advancing an obturator positioned in the harvesting cannula lumen relative to the harvesting cannula so as to displace the follicular unit from the harvesting cannula lumen into the implantation cavity within the lumen of the implanting cannula, and

withdrawing the distal end of the implanting cannula from the implantation cavity while the obturator retains the follicular unit therein.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein displacing the follicular unit from the harvesting cannula lumen into the implantation cavity comprises

advancing the harvesting cannula relative to the implanting cannula so that their respective distal ends are approximately coextensive in the implantation cavity, and

retaining the follicular unit in the implantation cavity, while withdrawing each of the harvesting and implanting cannulas from the implantation cavity.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the follicular unit is retained in the implantation cavity by an obturator positioned in the harvesting cannula lumen.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the harvesting cannula is advanced so that its distal end is approximately coextensive with the implanting cannula distal end prior to when the implanting cannula punctures the body surface to create the implantation site.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising placing the harvesting cannula lumen in communication with a source of negative pressure to help extract retain the follicular unit therein.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the follicular unit is displaced from the harvesting cannula lumen by an obturator positioned in the harvesting cannula lumen.

16. A method of transplanting a hair follicular unit using a multi-part tool assembly carried on a moveable arm of an automated system, the tool assembly comprising coaxially disposed harvesting and implantation cannulas and one or more motors configured to move at least one of the cannulas relative to the moveable arm, the method comprising:

positioning the moveable arm so as to align a longitudinal axis of the harvesting cannula with a longitudinal axis of a selected follicular unit to be harvested from a donor area of a body surface;

advancing the harvesting cannula relative to the body surface so that an open, tissue coring distal end of the harvesting cannula penetrates the body surface surrounding the selected follicular unit to a depth sufficient to substantially encapsulate the follicular unit;

withdrawing the harvesting cannula from the body surface with the follicular unit engaged by and retained in an interior lumen of the harvesting cannula;

positioning the moveable arm so that a tissue-piercing distal end of the implanting cannula is located adjacent a recipient area of the body surface;

advancing the tissue piercing distal end of the implanting cannula to puncture the body surface and form an implantation cavity therein; and

displacing the follicular unit from the harvesting cannula lumen into the implantation cavity.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the automated system is a robotic system, and the moveable arm is a robotic arm.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein at least one of the harvesting and implanting cannulas is advanced into the body surface by actuating the one or more motors to thereby cause translational movement of the respective harvesting or implanting cannula relative to the other.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein advancing the distal end of the harvesting cannula into the body surface comprises rotating the harvesting cannula about its longitudinal axis.

21. The method of claim 16, wherein the follicular unit is displaced from the harvesting cannula lumen by pressurized air.

22. The method of claim 16, wherein displacing the follicular unit from the harvesting cannula lumen into the implantation cavity comprises

advancing an obturator positioned in the harvesting cannula lumen relative to the harvesting cannula so as to displace the follicular unit from the harvesting cannula lumen into the implantation cavity within the lumen of the implanting cannula, and

withdrawing the distal end of the implanting cannula from the implantation cavity while the obturator retains the follicular unit therein.

23. The method of claim 16 wherein displacing the follicular unit from the harvesting cannula lumen into the implantation cavity comprises

advancing the harvesting cannula relative to the implanting cannula so that their respective distal ends are approximately coextensive in the implantation cavity, and

retaining the follicular unit in the implantation cavity, while withdrawing each of the harvesting and implanting cannulas there from, wherein the follicular unit is retained in the implantation cavity by an obturator positioned in the harvesting cannula lumen.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the harvesting cannula is advanced so that its distal end is located approximately coextensive with the implanting cannula distal end prior to when the implanting cannula punctures the body surface to create the implantation site.

25. A method of transplanting a hair follicular unit using a tool assembly comprising a pair of coaxially disposed cannulas and an automated positioning system operatively coupled to the cannulas, the method comprising:

aligning a longitudinal axis of an harvesting cannula of the tool assembly with a longitudinal axis of a selected follicular unit to be harvested from a donor area of a body surface;

advancing the harvesting cannula relative to the body surface so that an open, tissue coring distal end of the harvesting cannula penetrates the body surface surrounding the selected follicular unit to a depth sufficient to substantially encapsulate the follicular unit;

withdrawing the harvesting cannula distal end from the body surface with the follicular unit engaged by and retained in an interior lumen of the harvesting cannula;

advancing an implanting cannula of the tool assembly relative to a recipient area of the body surface so that a tissue piercing distal end of the implanting cannula punctures the body surface and forms an implantation cavity therein; and

displacing the follicular unit from the harvesting cannula lumen into the implantation cavity using an obturator slidably positioned in the harvesting cannula lumen,

wherein at least one of the harvesting and implanting cannulas is advanced into the body surface by actuating one or more motors of the automated positioning system to cause translational movement of the respective harvesting or implanting cannula relative to the other.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein displacing the follicular unit from the harvesting cannula lumen into the implantation cavity comprises

advancing the obturator relative to the harvesting cannula so as to displace the follicular unit from the harvesting cannula lumen into the implantation cavity within the lumen of the implanting cannula, and

withdrawing the distal end of the implanting cannula from the implantation cavity while the obturator retains the follicular unit therein.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein displacing the follicular unit from the harvesting cannula lumen into the implantation cavity comprises

advancing the harvesting cannula relative to the implanting cannula so that their respective distal ends are approximately coextensive in the implantation cavity, and

retaining the follicular unit in the implantation cavity with the obturator, while withdrawing each of the harvesting and implanting cannulas there from.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the harvesting cannula is advanced so that its distal end is approximately coextensive with the implanting cannula distal end prior to when the implanting cannula punctures the body surface to create the implantation site.