METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR FAT REDUCTION AND/OR CELLULITE TREATMENT

• US 20100160782A1
• Filed: 12/23/2009
• Published: 06/24/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Guided Therapy Systems Llc
• Original Assignee: Guided Therapy Systems Llc
• Inventors: Slayton, Michael H., Barthe, Peter G.
• Granted Patent: US 8,663,112 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/439
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/378 using ultrasound
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4869 Determining body composition
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/0858 involving measuring tissue layers, e.g. skin, interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/14 Echo-tomography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/429 characterised by determining or monitoring the contact between the transducer and the tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4455 Features of the external shape of the probe, e.g. ergonomic aspects
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4483 characterised by features of the ultrasound transducer
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/483 involving the acquisition of a 3D volume of data
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2007/0008 Destruction of fat cells
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2007/0052 using the same transducer for therapy and imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2007/027 with multiple foci created simultaneously
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: B06B 1/0607 using multiple elements B06B1/064 and B06B1/0688 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B06B 1/0622 on one surface
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/8906 Short-range imaging systems; Acoustic microscope systems using pulse-echo techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/899 Combination of imaging systems with ancillary equipment
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/8993 Three dimensional imaging systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/5208 with integration of processing functions inside probe or scanhead
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 999/99 dummy group

Abstract

A method can include targeting a region of interest below a surface of skin, which contains fat lobuli and delivering ultrasound energy to the region of interest. The ultrasound energy generates a conformal lesion with said ultrasound energy on a surface of a fat lobuli. The lesion creates an opening in the surface of the fat lobuli, which allows the draining of a fluid out of the fat lobuli and through the opening. In addition, by applying ultrasound energy to fat cells to increase the temperature to between 43 degrees and 49 degrees, cell apoptosis can be realized, thereby resulting in reduction of fat.

Claims

1. A method of non-invasive treatment of cellulite, the method comprising:

targeting a region of interest below a surface of skin, said region of interest containing a fat lobuli;

delivering ultrasound energy to said region of interest;

generating a conformal lesion with said ultrasound energy, said conformal lesion on a surface of said fat lobuli;

creating an opening in said surface of said fat lobuli; and

releasing a fluid out of said fat lobuli and through said opening in reducing an appearance of the cellulite on said surface of skin.

2. The method according to claim 1 further comprising heating said region of interest to a temperature in a range from about 43°

C. to about 49°

C.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein said heating said region of interest to a temperature in a range from about 43°

C. to about 49°

C., stimulates apoptosis of at least one fat cell in said fat lobuli.

4. The method according to claim 2 further comprising monitoring a tissue temperature of said region of interest.

5. The method according to claim 1 further comprising applying a physical treatment to said surface of skin.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein said physical treatment is at least one of massage, suction, pneumatic pressure, low frequency ultrasound, and RF energy.

7. The method according to claim 1 further comprising imaging said fat lobuli.

8. The method according to claim 7 further comprising imaging said fat lobuli during targeting of fat lobuli and during releasing fluid out of said fat lobuli.

9. The method according to claim 1 further reducing a layer of fat within said region of interest.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein said ultrasound energy is in a frequency range of about 750 kHz to about 20 MHz.

11. The method according to claim 1 further comprising delivering a second energy to said region of interest, said second energy generated from a RF source.

12. A method of non-invasively reducing fat located in a subcutaneous fat layer, the method comprising:

targeting a plurality of fat cells in a subcutaneous layer below a skin surface;

delivering an energy to said fat cells;

raising a temperature of said fat cells into a range from about 43°

C. to about 49°

C.; and

stimulating apoptosis of said fat cells, wherein a reduction in fat occurs through the dying off of said fat cells.

13. The method according to claim 12 further comprising imaging a portion of said plurality of fat cells.

14. The method according to claim 12 further comprising reducing a volume of said subcutaneous fat layer through applying a probe for delivering said energy along the skin surface.

15. The method according to claim 12 further comprising generating a conformal lesion into said plurality of fat cells.

16. The method according to claim 15 further comprising creating an opening in said plurality of fat cells.

17. The method according to claim 16 further comprising moving a material out of said plurality of fat cells and through said openings.

18. The method according to claim 12, wherein said energy is in a frequency range of about 750 kHz to about 20 MHz.

19. The method according to claim 17 further delivering a second energy to said plurality of fat cells to facilitate movement of said material.

20. The method according to claim 19 wherein said delivering a second energy to said plurality of fat cells is at least one of before, after, and concurrent with said delivering an energy to said plurality of fat cells.

21. A non-invasive method for treatment of cellulite on and for fat reduction beneath and the skin, the method comprising:

targeting fat lobuli within a region of interest;

delivering ultrasound energy to said region of interest to generate a conformal lesion in a portion of said fat lobuli;

creating an opening in a surface of said fat lobuli with said conformal lesion;

removing a fluid out of said fat lobuli and through said opening thereby reducing appearance of cellulite on the skin;

targeting fat cells in a subcutaneous layer below a skin surface;

delivering a second energy to said fat cells in said region of interest;

raising a temperature of said fat cells to a range from about 43°

C. to about 49°

C.; and

stimulating apoptosis of said fat cells to destroy said fat cells thereby reducing fat beneath the skin.

22. The method according to claim 21 further comprising imaging at least one of said fat lobuli and said fat cells.

23. The method according to claim 21 further comprising applying a physical treatment to said surface of skin.

24. The method according to claim 23, wherein said physical treatment is at least one of massage, suction, pneumatic pressure, low frequency ultrasound, and RF energy.

25. The method according to claim 21 further reducing said appearance of cellulite on said skin.

26. The method according to claim 21 further comprising reducing an amount of fat in a subcutaneous fat layer.

27. The method according to claim 21, wherein at least one of said first energy and said second energy is in a frequency range of about 750 kHz to about 20 MHz.

28. The method according to claim 21, wherein said generating a conformal lesion provides at least one of physically breaking fat cell clusters and stretching fibrous bonds of said cellulite.

29. A method for a non-invasive treatment of cellulite, the method comprising:

identifying a fat lobuli,

creating a sharp focal of ultrasound energy onto said fat lobuli; and

piercing said fat lobuli to create an opening to facilitate removal of a material out of said fat lobuli through said opening.

30. The method according to claim 29 further comprising applying a physical treatment to said fat lobuli.

31. The method according to claim 30, wherein said physical treatment is at least one of massage, suction, pneumatic pressure, low frequency ultrasound, and RF energy.

32. The method according to claim 29 further reducing an appearance of cellulite on a skin surface.

33. The method according to claim 29 further comprising imaging said fat lobuli.