APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR THE DESTRUCTION OF ADIPOSE TISSUE

• US 20100042019A1
• Filed: 09/14/2009
• Published: 02/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Solta Medical, Inc. (Bausch Health Cos., Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Medicis Technologies Corporation
• Inventors: Desilets, Charles S., Pollock, Cameron
• Granted Patent: US 8,343,051 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 601/2
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/0858 involving measuring tissue layers, e.g. skin, interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2007/0008 Destruction of fat cells
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 7/02 Localised ultrasound hyperthermia hyperthermia in general A61F7/00

Abstract

Methods and apparatus are described for modifying unwanted tissue for cosmetic reasons. The methods provide a non-invasive manner to perform body contouring by destroying adipose tissue while simultaneously causing collagen contraction in a single procedure so that as destroyed tissue is removed from a treatment volume, the volume shrinks gradually to maintain the skin tone of the treatment area. The procedure may involve multiple treatments to the same treatment area or location.

Claims

1. A method of modifying adipose tissue using high intensity focused ultrasound, the method comprising:

determining a volume of adipose tissue to be treated;

identifying a corresponding surface area of skin over said volume of adipose tissue;

moving a HIFU therapy transducer on said surface area of skin; and

applying multiple treatments of therapeutic ultrasound energy into said volume of adipose tissue, each of the treatments being insufficient to provide necrosed tissue cells and denatured collagen fibrils, and the combined multiple treatments being sufficient such that a plurality of necrosed tissue cells and denatured collagen fibrils are produced.