DEVICES AND METHODS FOR SELECTIVELY LYSING CELLS

• US 20080248554A1
• Filed: 06/29/2007
• Published: 10/09/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ulthera Inc. (Merz Pharma GmbH & Company Kgaa)
• Original Assignee: Cabochon Aesthetics, Inc. (Merz Pharma GmbH & Company Kgaa)
• Inventors: Merchant, Adnan I., Deem, Mark E.
• Granted Patent: US 9,248,317 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 435/259
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00747 Dermatology
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22008 used or promoted
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/327 for enhancing the absorption properties of tissue, e.g. by electroporation
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2007/0008 Destruction of fat cells
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2007/0039 using microbubbles
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 7/00 Ultrasound therapy lithotripsy A61B17/22, A61B17/225; massage using supersonic vibration A61H23/00 ; using ultrasound for introducing media into the body A61M37/0092

Abstract

A device for generating microbubbles in a gas and liquid mixture and injection device, the device comprising: a housing defining a mixing chamber; means for mixing solution contained in the mixing chamber to generate microbubbles in the solution; a needle array removably attached to the housing and in fluid connection with the mixing chamber, the needle array including at least one needle; and a machine readable identifier on the needle array.

Claims

1. A device for generating microbubbles in a gas and liquid mixture and injection device, said device comprising:

a housing defining a mixing chamber;

means for mixing solution contained in said mixing chamber to generate microbubbles in the solution;

a needle array removably attached to the housing and in fluid connection with said mixing chamber, said needle array including at least one needle; and

a machine readable identifier on said needle array.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein said identifier uniquely identifies the needle array.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the identifier identifies characteristics of the needle array.

4. A device for generating microbubbles in a gas and liquid mixture and injection device, said device comprising:

a housing defining a mixing chamber;

means for mixing solution contained in said mixing chamber to generate microbubbles in the solution;

a needle array removably attached to the housing and in fluid connection with said mixing chamber, said needle array including at least one needle;

a needle deployment mechanism operably connected to said needle array for deploying said at least one needle(s) between a retracted and an extended position.

a machine readable identifier on said needle array; and

means for reading the identifier operably connected to the needle deployment mechanism.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein said needle deployment mechanism inhibits deployment of the at least one needle unless said identifier reading means authenticates the identifier.

6. The device of claim 4, wherein the needle deployment mechanism accumulates the number of times said needle array associated with a given identifier is deployed.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein the needle deployment mechanism inhibits deployment of the at least one needle if the accumulated number needle deployments associated with the identifier exceeds a predetermined value.

8. A device, comprising:

a housing defining a mixing chamber;

means for mixing solution contained in said mixing chamber to generate microbubbles in the solution;

a needle array removably attached to the housing and in fluid connection with said mixing chamber, said needle array including at least one needle, said needle array includes a tissues apposition surface;

said at least one needle includes a distal end, said at least one needle being moveable between a retracted position in which said distal end of the needle is maintained beneath the tissue apposition surface and an extended position in which said distal end of the needle extends beyond said tissue apposition surface;

a machine readable identifier on said needle array; and

means for reading the identifier operably connected to the fluid pressurization mechanism.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein said fluid pressurization mechanism adjusts the fluid injection pressure in response to information read from the identifier.