METHOD AND KIT FOR TREATMENT OF TISSUE

• US 20070255274A1
• Filed: 06/06/2007
• Published: 11/01/2007
• 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: Weber, Bryan, Stern, Roger, Levinson, Mitchell
• Granted Patent: US 8,685,017 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 2017/003 Steerable
• 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 2018/0047 Upper parts of the skin, e.g. skin peeling or treatment of wrinkles
• 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 2018/00714 Temperature
• 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: A61F 7/007 : characterised by electric heating
• 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 1/0468 : Specially adapted for promoting wound healing
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0472 : Structure-related aspects
• 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 1/32 : alternating or intermittent currents applying electric fields by inductive or capacitive coupling A61N1/40; microwave apparatus A61N5/02
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/403 : for thermotherapy, e.g. hyperthermia
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0645 : Applicators worn by the patient

Abstract

These and other objects of the present invention are achieved in a method for creating a desired tissue effect. An RF electrode is provided that includes a conductive portion. The RF electrode is coupled to a fluid delivery member that delivers a cooling fluidic medium to a back surface of the RF electrode. A dielectric is positioned on a skin surface. The RF electrode is coupled with the dielectric. RF energy is delivered from the RF electrode and the dielectric to the skin surface.

Claims

1. A method for creating a desired tissue effect using an RF electrode that includes a conductive portion, the method comprising:

positioning a dielectric on a skin surface;

coupling the RF electrode on the dielectric; and

delivering RF energy from the conductive portion of the RF electrode to tissue beneath a skin surface by capacitive coupling through the dielectric and into the skin surface.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the RF electrode is positioned on the dielectric.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the RF electrode is coupled to a support structure.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the RF energy is delivered to the tissue without creating substantial necrosis at the skin surface.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

cooling a back surface of the RF electrode.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

supplying an atomizing delivery of a cooling fluidic medium to the back surface of the RF electrode.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

evaporatively cooling the back surface of the RF electrode with a cooling fluidic medium; and

conductively cooling the skin surface in contact with the dielectric.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the desired tissue effect is selected from the group consisting of skin remodeling, skin resurfacing, wrinkle removal, treatment of the sebaceous glands, treatment of hair follicles, treatment of adipose tissue, treatment of acne, and treatment of spider veins.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

creating a reverse thermal gradient on at least a portion of the skin surface, the reverse thermal gradient cooling the skin surface while heating the tissue, wherein a temperature of the skin surface is lower than a temperature of the tissue.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

creating a reverse thermal gradient through at least a portion of the skin surface where a temperature of the skin surface is lower than collagen in the tissue.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein delivering RF energy comprises:

directing RF energy through the skin surface to the tissue for a sufficient time to induce a change in collagen in the tissue while minimizing cellular necrosis at the skin surface to create the desired tissue effect.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the conductive portion of the RF electrode includes a metal.

13. A kit, comprising:

an RF electrode including a conductive portion and a back surface;

a device for cooling the back surface of the RF electrode; and

a dielectric member.

14. The kit of claim 13, wherein the conductive portion of the RF electrode and the dielectric member are configured to capacitively couple energy to tissue beneath a skin surface when at least a portion of the dielectric member is in contact with the skin surface.

15. The kit of claim 13, wherein the RF electrode further includes a support structure.

16. The kit of claim 13, further comprising:

at least one of a sensor or a non-volatile memory coupled with the RF electrode.

17. A kit, comprising:

an RF electrode including a conductive portion and a flex circuit; and

a dielectric member.

18. The kit of claim 17, wherein the RF electrode and the dielectric member are configured to capacitively couple energy to tissue beneath a skin surface when at least a portion of the dielectric member is in contact with the skin surface.

19. The kit of claim 17, further comprising:

a support structure coupled to the RF electrode.

20. The kit of claim 19, wherein the RF electrode includes a back surface, and further comprising:

a fluid delivery member coupled to the support structure and configured to deliver a cooling fluidic medium to the back surface of the RF electrode.

21. The kit of claim 17, wherein the support structure includes a proximal portion, and further comprising:

a back plate positioned at the proximal portion of the support structure, the black plate coupled to a plurality of electrical contact pads.

22. The kit of claim 17, further comprising wherein the support structure includes a body with first and second engagement members configured to provide engagement and disengagement with a handpiece support structure.

23. The kit of claim 22, wherein each of the first and second engagement members is snap member.

24. The kit of claim 22, wherein each of the first and second engagement members includes an aperture configured to receive a snap member of a handpiece support structure.

25. A kit, comprising:

an RF electrode device including a support structure, an RF electrode coupled to the support structure, and a first sensor coupled to the RF electrode; and

a dielectric member.

26. The kit of claim 25, wherein the RF electrode and the dielectric member are configured to capacitively couple energy to tissue beneath a skin surface when at least a portion of the dielectric member is in contact with the skin surface.

27. The kit of claim 25, further comprising:

a fluid delivery member coupled to the support structure.

28. The kit of claim 27, wherein the RF electrode includes a back surface, and the fluid delivery member is configured to deliver a cooling fluidic medium to the back surface of the RF electrode.

29. The kit of claim 25, further comprising:

a second sensor coupled to the RF electrode.

30. The kit of claim 26, further comprising:

a non-volatile memory coupled to the RF electrode.

31. A kit, comprising:

an RF electrode device including a support structure, an RF electrode coupled to the support structure, a first sensor coupled to the RF electrode, and a non-volatile memory coupled to the support structure; and

a dielectric member.

32. The kit of claim 31, wherein the RF electrode and the dielectric member are configured to capacitively couple energy to tissue beneath a skin surface when at least a portion of the dielectric member is in contact with the skin surface.

33. The kit of claim 31, further comprising:

a fluid delivery member coupled to the support structure.

34. The kit of claim 33, wherein the fluid delivery member is configured to deliver a controllable amount of cooling fluidic medium to the RF electrode.

35. The kit of claim 31, wherein the RF electrode includes a back surface and a skin interface surface, and the fluid delivery member is configured to deliver a cooling fluidic medium to the back surface of the RF electrode to evaporatively cool the RF electrode and conductively cool a skin surface in contact with the skin interface surface of the RF electrode.

36. The kit of claim 31, further comprising:

a back plate positioned at a proximal portion of the support structure.

37. The kit of claim 36, further comprising:

a plurality of electrical contact pads coupled to the back plate.

38. The kit of claim 31, wherein the support structure includes a body with first and second engagement members, the first and second engagement members configured to provide engagement and disengagement with a handpiece support structure.

39. The kit of claim 38, wherein each of the first and second engagement members is snap member.

40. The kit of claim 38, wherein each of the first and second engagement members includes an aperture configured to receive a snap member of a handpiece support structure.