Methods of Skin Grafting Using Ultrasound

• US 20100022919A1
• Filed: 07/22/2009
• Published: 01/28/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Celleration, Inc. (Adynxx, Inc)
• Original Assignee: Celleration, Inc. (Adynxx, Inc)
• Inventors: Peterson, Michael T.
• Application Number:
  US12/507,289
• Publication Number:
  US 20100022919A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 601/2
• 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

The present invention provides improved methods for skin grafting using ultrasonic energy.

Claims

1-14. -14. (canceled)

15. A method of preparing tissue for skin grafting, comprising

providing a transducer which can emit low frequency ultrasonic energy;

delivering said ultrasonic energy to a skin graft donor site;

wherein said ultrasonic energy is delivered from a non-contact distance between a vibrating tip of the transducer and treated patient tissue, and wherein the delivered ultrasonic energy provides a therapeutic effect.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the ultrasonic energy is delivered prior to removing a skin graft from said donor site, following removing a skin graft from said site, or both prior to and following removing a skin graft from said site.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the ultrasonic energy is delivered via a liquid spray, and the method comprises delivering the low frequency ultrasonic energy and the liquid spray to said skin graft donor site and/or skin graft recipient site.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the liquid spray is generated by delivering liquid to a distal portion of the transducer.

21. The method of claim 15, wherein the low frequency ultrasonic energy is delivered in the absence of a liquid spray or coupling agent.

22. The method of claim 15, wherein said method further comprises delivering ultrasonic energy to a skin graft recipient site.

23. The method of claim 15, wherein the method further comprises

harvesting a skin graft from said donor site;

and

transplanting said skin graft to a recipient site.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the skin graft is a full-thickness skin graft or a partial thickness skin graft.

25. The method of claim 16, wherein the skin graft is an autograft or an allograft.

27. The method of claim 15, wherein the method is part of a therapeutic regimen combining one or more additional treatment modalities.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the one or more additional treatment modalities comprises applying a topical medicament to the skin graft donor site and/or skin graft recipient site prior to and/or following delivering said ultrasonic energy to said skin graft donor site.

30. The method of claim 15, wherein the method comprises delivering said ultrasonic energy to both the skin graft donor site and a skin graft recipient site, and wherein said ultrasonic energy is delivered simultaneously or at differing times.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the skin graft donor site and skin graft recipient site are on the same patient.

32. The method of claim 30, wherein the skin graft donor site and skin graft recipient site are on different individuals.

33. The method of claim 15, wherein the therapeutic effect is selected from one or more of:

decreasing bacteria at the donor site and/or the recipient site;

promoting wound healing of a wound produced at the donor site;

promoting wound healing of the recipient site;

promoting epithelial cell proliferation at the donor site following graft removal;

promoting epithelial cell proliferation at the recipient site following graft transplantation;

promoting graft survival;

decreasing inflammation at the donor site and/or recipient site;

decreasing pain at the donor site and/or recipient site;

decreasing or preventing scarring at the donor site and/or recipient site;

decreasing or preventing biofilm formation;

reducing pain associated with removal and/or receipt of a skin graft; and

decreasing the risk of infection.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the delivered ultrasonic energy penetrates treated patient tissue to provide said therapeutic effect.

35. The method of claim 33, wherein the delivered ultrasonic energy provides said therapeutic effect at the surface of the donor site and/or recipient site.

77. The method of claim 15, wherein the ultrasonic energy is delivered at a frequency of approximately 20 kHz to approximately 200 kHz.

78. The method of claim 15, wherein the ultrasonic energy is delivered at a frequency of approximately 30 kHz to approximately 50 kHz.

79. The method of claim 15, wherein the ultrasonic energy is delivered at a frequency of approximately 40 kHz.

80. The method of claim 15, wherein the ultrasonic energy level provided to patient tissue is approximately 0.1 watts/cm²-1.0 watts/cm².

81. The method of claim 15, wherein the ultrasonic energy level provided to patient tissue is approximately 0.1 watts/cm²-0.7 watts/cm².

82. The method of claim 15, wherein the delivered ultrasonic energy penetrates patient tissue to a depth of at least about 2 millimeters.

83. The method of claim 15, wherein the delivered ultrasonic energy penetrates patient tissue to a depth of at least about 4 millimeters.

84. The method of claim 15, wherein the delivered ultrasonic energy decreases the healing time of a wound at the recipient site and/or a wound at the donor site.

85. The method of claim 19, wherein the liquid spray is selected from a saline solution or other substantially inert liquid.

86. The method of claim 19, wherein the liquid spray includes a therapeutic medicament.

87. The method of claim 15, wherein the ultrasonic energy is delivered without direct contact with treated patient tissue.

17. (canceled)

18. (canceled)

26. (canceled)

29. (canceled)

36. A method of preparing a skin graft donor site, comprising:

providing a transducer which can emit low frequency ultrasonic energy;

delivering said ultrasonic energy to a skin graft donor site at least one of prior to or following removing a skin graft from said site;

wherein said ultrasonic energy is delivered from a non-contact distance between a vibrating tip of the transducer and the skin graft donor site, and wherein the delivered ultrasonic energy provides a therapeutic effect.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein said ultrasonic energy is delivered to said skin graft donor site and to a periwound area adjacent to said skin graft donor site.

38. The method of claim 36, wherein said ultrasonic energy is delivered for a time proportional to one of an area of the skin graft donor site or an area of the skin graft donor site plus a periwound area.

40. The method of claim 36, wherein the method further comprises:

harvesting a skin graft from said donor site; and

transplanting said skin graft to a recipient site.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein the skin graft is a full-thickness skin graft or a partial-thickness skin graft.

43. The method of claim 40, wherein the skin graft is an autograft or an allograft.

47. The method of claim 40, wherein the method further comprises delivering ultrasonic energy to the recipient site following transplantation of said skin graft to said recipient site, wherein said ultrasonic energy is delivered from a non-contact distance between a vibrating tip of the transducer and the skin graft recipient site, and wherein the delivered ultrasonic energy provides a therapeutic effect.

48. The method of claim 36, wherein the ultrasonic energy is delivered via a liquid spray, and the method comprises delivering the low frequency ultrasonic energy and the liquid spray to said skin graft donor site.

49. The method of claim 48, wherein the liquid spray is generated by delivering liquid to a distal portion of the transducer.

50. The method of claim 36, wherein the low frequency ultrasonic energy is delivered in the absence of a liquid spray or coupling agent.

51. The method of claim 36, wherein the method is part of a therapeutic regimen combining one or more additional treatment modalities.

52. The method of claim 51, wherein the one or more additional treatment modalities comprises applying a topical medicament to the skin graft donor site prior to and/or following delivering said ultrasonic energy to said skin graft donor site.

53. The method of claim 36, wherein the method comprises at least one treatment multiple treatments of ultrasonic energy prior to removing the skin graft from the skin graft donor site.

55. The method of claim 36, wherein the method comprises multiple treatments of ultrasonic energy following removing the skin graft from the skin graft donor site.

56. The method of claim 55, wherein the method comprises delivering ultrasonic energy at least twice per week for at least two weeks following removing the skin graft from the skin graft donor site.

57. The method of claim 36, wherein the therapeutic effect is selected from one or more of:

decreasing bacteria at the donor site;

promoting wound healing of a wound produced at the donor site;

promoting epithelial cell proliferation at the donor site following graft removal;

decreasing or preventing scarring at the donor site;

decreasing inflammation at the donor site;

decreasing pain at the donor site;

decreasing or preventing biofilm formation; and

decreasing the risk of infection.

58. The method of claim 47, wherein the therapeutic effect is selected from one or more of:

decreasing bacteria at the donor site and/or the recipient site;

promoting wound healing of a wound produced at the donor site;

promoting wound healing of the recipient site;

promoting epithelial cell proliferation at the donor site following graft removal;

promoting epithelial cell proliferation at the recipient site following graft transplantation;

promoting graft survival;

decreasing inflammation at the donor site and/or recipient site;

decreasing pain at the donor site and/or recipient site;

decreasing or preventing scarring at the donor site and/or recipient site;

decreasing or preventing biofilm formation; and

decreasing the risk of infection.

59. The method of claim 57, wherein the delivered ultrasonic energy penetrates treated patient tissue to provide said therapeutic effect.

60. The method of claim 57, wherein the delivered ultrasonic energy provides said therapeutic effect at the surface of the donor site and/or recipient site.

39. (canceled)

42. (canceled)

44-46. -46. (canceled)

54. (canceled)

61-76. -76. (canceled)