FOLLICULAR EXTRACTION METHOD AND DEVICE

• US 20100114118A1
• Filed: 10/06/2009
• Published: 05/06/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hsc Development LLC
• Original Assignee: Hsc Development LLC
• Inventors: Harris, James A.
• Granted Patent: US 9,005,218 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/133
• 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 17/3468 for implanting or removing devices, e.g. prostheses, implants, seeds, wires devices for implanting seeds A61M37/0069
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00752 Hair removal or transplantation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320044 Blunt dissectors blunt suture needles A61B2017/06085

Abstract

A method and device for the extraction of follicular units from a donor area on a patient. The method includes aligning a dissecting punch over a follicular unit and rotating the dissecting punch to score the epidermis layer of the skin so that hair follicles are disposed within the lumen. The dissecting punch is then moved through the dermis layer and fatty tissue layer of the skin to dissect the follicular unit from the tissue surrounding the follicular unit.

Claims

1. A method for the extraction of a follicular unit from a donor area, comprising the steps of:

aligning a blunt dissecting punch over a follicular unit in a donor area, the blunt dissecting punch comprising a lumen along its elongated axis and a dissecting edge disposed at a distal end of the lumen;

rotating the blunt dissecting punch at a first rotational speed;

scoring the epidermis layer of the skin with the rotating blunt dissecting punch, whereby one or more hair follicles of a follicular unit are at least partially disposed within the lumen;

moving the rotating blunt dissecting punch through the dermis layer and into the fatty tissue layer of the skin, whereby at least a portion of the follicular unit is disposed within the lumen, to bluntly dissect the follicular unit from tissue surrounding the follicular unit; and

extracting the follicular unit from the donor area.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the dissecting edge is substantially circular.

3. A method as recited in claim 2, wherein the circular dissecting edge has an inner diameter of at least about 0.1 mm and not greater than about 1.1 mm.

4. A method as recited in claim 2, wherein the circular dissecting edge has an inner diameter of at least about 0.7 mm and not greater than about 1.1 mm.

5. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the blunt dissecting punch is moved through a total skin depth of at least about 1.5 mm and not greater than about 8 mm.

6. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the blunt dissecting punch is moved through a total skin depth of at least about 4 mm and not greater than about 7 mm.

7. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the step of extracting the follicular unit from the donor area comprises pulling the follicular unit from the donor area.

8. A method as recited in claim 7, wherein the step of removing the follicular unit comprises pulling the follicular unit from the donor area using forceps.

9. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the first rotational speed is at least about 3000 rpm.

10. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the first rotational speed is at least about 3500 rpm.

11. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein during the step of moving the rotating blunt dissecting punch through the dermis layer and into the fatty tissue layer, the rotational speed of the blunt dissecting punch is decreased to a second rotational speed.

12. A method as recited in claim 11, wherein the second rotational speed is not greater than about 70% of the first rotational speed.

13. A method as recited in claim 11, wherein the second rotational speed is not greater than about 50% of the first rotational speed.

14. A method as recited in claim 11, wherein the rotational speed of the blunt dissecting punch is decreased manually to the second rotational speed.

15. A method as recited in claim 11, wherein the second rotational speed is not greater than about 2000 rpm.

16. A method as recited in claim 11, wherein the second rotational speed is not greater than about 1500 rpm.

17. A method as recited in claim 11, wherein the step of rotating the blunt dissecting punch comprises rotating the blunt dissecting punch at a torque that is sufficiently low such that the friction between the blunt dissecting punch and the skin layers causes the rotational speed of the blunt dissecting punch to decrease to the second rotational speed, which is not greater than about 60% of the first rotational speed.

18. A method as recited in claim 11, wherein the step of rotating the blunt dissecting punch comprises rotating the blunt dissecting punch at a torque that is sufficiently low such that the friction between the blunt dissecting punch and the skin layers causes the rotational speed of the blunt dissecting punch to decrease to the second rotational speed, which is not greater than about 50% of the first rotational speed.

19. A method as recited in claim 17, wherein the torque is not greater than about 0.03 N·

m.

20. A method for the extraction of a follicular unit from a donor area, comprising the steps of:

aligning a blunt dissecting punch over a follicular unit in a donor area, the blunt dissecting punch comprising a lumen along its elongated axis and a circular blunt dissecting edge disposed at a distal end of the lumen, the circular blunt dissecting edge having an inner diameter of at least about 0.7 mm and not greater than about 1.1 mm;

rotating the blunt dissecting punch at a first rotational speed that is at least about 2500 rpm;

scoring the epidermis layer of the skin with the rotating blunt dissecting punch, whereby one or more hair follicles of a follicular unit are at least partially disposed within the axially disposed lumen;

moving the rotating blunt dissecting punch through the dermis layer and into the fatty tissue layer of the skin, whereby at least a portion of the follicular unit is disposed within the lumen to bluntly dissect the follicular unit from tissue surrounding the follicular unit, and wherein the rotational speed of the blunt dissecting punch is decreased to a second rotational speed that is not greater than about 70% of the first rotational speed when the blunt dissecting punch is moved through the dermis layer and into the fatty tissue layer; and

extracting the follicular unit from the donor area.

21. A method as recited in claim 20, wherein the step of rotating the blunt dissecting punch comprises rotating the blunt dissecting punch at a torque that is sufficiently low such that the friction between the blunt dissecting punch and the skin layers causes the rotational speed of the blunt dissecting punch to decrease to the second rotational speed when the blunt dissecting punch is moved through the dermis layer and into the fatty tissue layer.

22. A method as recited in claim 20, wherein the second rotational speed is not greater than about 1000 rpm.

23. A method as recited in claim 20, wherein the rotational speed of the blunt dissecting punch is decreased manually.

24. A device adapted for the dissection of a follicular unit from a donor area, comprising:

a blunt dissecting punch comprising a lumen along its elongated axis and a circular blunt dissecting edge disposed at a distal end of the lumen, the circular blunt dissecting edge having an inner diameter of at least about 0.1 mm and not greater than about 1.1 mm; and

a rotation mechanism for rotating the blunt dissecting punch.

25. A device as recited in claim 24, wherein the rotation mechanism is adapted to rotate the blunt dissecting punch at a rotational speed of at least about 3000 rpm.

26. A device as recited in claim 24, wherein the circular blunt dissecting edge has an inner diameter of at least about 0.7 mm.

27. A device as recited in claim 24, wherein the lumen has a length of at least about 8 mm.

28. A device as recited in claim 24, wherein a distal end of the blunt dissecting punch comprises a dissecting tip that is tapered to ease insertion of the blunt dissecting punch into the skin.

29. A device as recited in claim 24, further comprising a depth-limiting mechanism that is adapted to limit the depth of insertion of the blunt dissecting punch into the skin.

30. A device as recited in claim 29, wherein the depth-limiting mechanism is adapted to limit the depth of insertion of the blunt dissecting punch into the skin to not greater than about 5 mm.

31. A device as recited in claim 29, wherein the blunt dissecting punch comprises a dissecting tip at a distal end of the blunt dissecting punch and the depth-limiting mechanism comprises a shoulder disposed above the dissecting tip to limit the depth of insertion of the blunt dissecting punch into the skin.

32. A device as recited in claim 24, wherein the rotation mechanism comprises a motor operatively coupled to the blunt dissecting punch.

33. A device as recited in claim 32, wherein the motor is adapted to rotate the blunt dissecting punch at a rotational speed of at least about 3500 rpm.

34. A device as recited in claim 33, wherein the rotation mechanism is adapted to rotate the blunt dissecting punch at a torque that is sufficiently low such that during insertion of the blunt dissecting punch into the skin, friction between the blunt dissecting punch and the skin layers causes the initial rotational speed of the blunt dissecting punch to decrease to a speed that is not greater than about 70% of the initial rotational speed.

35. A device as recited in claim 34, wherein the rotation mechanism is adapted to rotate the blunt dissecting punch at a torque that is at least about 0.01 N·

m and is not greater than about 0.04 N·

m.

36. A device as recited in claim 24, wherein said rotation mechanism comprises a drill body that is adapted to be gripped by a user to position the blunt dissecting punch over a follicular unit.

37. A device as recited in claim 24, wherein the circular dissecting edge is serrated.

38. A device as recited in claim 24, wherein the blunt dissecting punch is removable from the rotation mechanism.

39. A device as recited in claim 38, wherein the blunt dissecting punch is operatively coupled to the rotation mechanism using a chuck.

40. A device as recited in claim 24, wherein the rotational speed of the blunt dissecting punch is manually adjustable.

41. A device as recited in claim 24, wherein the torque of the rotating blunt dissecting punch is manually adjustable.