TISSUE TREATMENT APPARATUS AND SYSTEMS WITH PAIN MITIGATION AND METHODS FOR MITIGATING PAIN DURING TISSUE TREATMENTS

• US 20100179531A1
• Filed: 12/30/2009
• Published: 07/15/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Solta Medical, Inc. (Bausch Health Cos., Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Solta Medical, Inc. (Bausch Health Cos., Inc.)
• Inventors: Nebrigic, Dragan, Markiewicz, Thomas
• Granted Patent: US 8,882,758 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/33
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/14 Probes or electrodes therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00011 with fluids
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00452 Skin
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1467 using more than two electrodes on a single probe
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/403 for thermotherapy, e.g. hyperthermia
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/00 Radiation therapy ultrasound therapy A61N7/00; devices or apparatus applicable to both therapy and diagnosis A61B6/00

Abstract

Methods, apparatus, and systems for delivering electromagnetic energy to a patient'"'"'s tissue with a reduction in the pain experienced by the patient. Electromagnetic energy is delivered from a treatment electrode through the skin surface to the tissue at a plurality of power levels over a treatment time. During the energy delivery, a portion of the treatment electrode is in a contacting relationship with the skin surface. A dielectric member may be disposed between the treatment electrode and the skin surface when the electromagnetic energy is delivered.

Claims

1. A method of operating a tissue treatment apparatus to transcutaneously treat tissue located beneath a skin surface with electromagnetic energy delivered from a treatment electrode, the method comprising:

contacting a portion of the treatment electrode with the skin surface; and

while maintaining contact between the portion of the treatment electrode and the skin surface, delivering the electromagnetic energy from the treatment electrode through the skin surface to the tissue at a plurality of differing power levels over a treatment time.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein a power of the electromagnetic energy delivered at each of the differing power levels decreases with increasing treatment time.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the treatment electrode includes a plurality of active electrodes, and delivering the electromagnetic energy from the treatment electrode comprises:

delivering the electromagnetic energy from each of the active electrodes through the skin surface to the tissue at the differing power levels over an iteration of the treatment time while maintaining the portion of the treatment electrode in contact with the skin surface.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the treatment time is divided into a plurality of time intervals, and a respective one of the power levels is associated with each of the time intervals.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the time intervals are isochronal.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the differing power levels range from a first power that is at least 20 percent above a nominal power to a second power that is at least 20 percent below a nominal power.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the nominal power is about 200 joules per second.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the portion of the treatment electrode is maintained stationary relative to the skin surface while delivering the electromagnetic energy.

9. A system for transcutaneously treating tissue located beneath a skin surface with electromagnetic energy, the system comprising:

a handpiece;

a treatment tip coupled in a removable manner with the handpiece, the treatment tip including a treatment electrode having a portion configured to be placed in a contacting relationship with the skin surface, and the treatment electrode configured to deliver the electromagnetic energy through the skin surface to the tissue;

a generator electrically coupled with the treatment electrode, the generator adapted to energize the treatment electrode to deliver the electromagnetic energy from the treatment electrode to the tissue; and

a controller in operative connection with the generator, the controller configured to deliver the electromagnetic energy from the treatment electrode through the skin surface to the tissue at a series of differing power levels over a treatment time while the portion of the treatment electrode is in contact with the skin surface.

10. An apparatus for use in treating tissue located beneath a skin surface, the apparatus comprising:

a treatment tip including a treatment electrode configured to deliver electromagnetic energy transcutaneously through the skin surface to the tissue; and

a dielectric member coupled with the treatment tip and composed of an electrically-insulating material, the dielectric member including a frame and an aperture in the frame that exposes a portion of the treatment electrode,

wherein the frame is disposed between the treatment electrode and the skin surface when the electromagnetic energy is transcutaneously delivered from the treatment electrode through the skin surface to the tissue.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the electrically-insulating material is a polyimide.

12. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the treatment electrode has an outer peripheral edge, the treatment tip includes a housing configured to support the treatment electrode, the treatment electrode is arranged relative to the housing such that a gap is defined between a portion of the housing and the outer peripheral edge of the treatment electrode, and the frame overlaps the gap.

13. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the treatment tip includes a housing configured to support the treatment electrode, and the dielectric member includes a skirt that has a contacting relationship with the housing.

14. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the dielectric member is physically attached to the treatment electrode or the dielectric member is integral with the treatment electrode.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the dielectric member has an outer peripheral edge, the treatment tip includes a housing configured to support the treatment electrode, and the housing has a rim arranged about the outer peripheral edge of the dielectric member.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the outer peripheral edge of the dielectric member is flush with the rim.

17. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the treatment electrode includes a plurality of active electrodes configured to be individually energized to deliver the electromagnetic energy, and the dielectric member includes a plurality of openings each registered with a respective one of the active electrodes.

18. A method of operating a tissue treatment apparatus to transcutaneously treat tissue located beneath a skin surface with electromagnetic energy delivered from a treatment electrode, the method comprising:

contacting a first portion of the treatment electrode with the skin surface;

separating a second portion of the treatment electrode from the skin surface with a spacer; and

while maintaining contact between the first portion of the treatment electrode and the skin surface, transcutaneously delivering the electromagnetic energy from the treatment electrode through the skin surface to the tissue.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the electromagnetic energy is delivered from the treatment electrode through the skin surface to the tissue at a plurality of different energy levels.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein the treatment electrode is supported by a housing, and separating the second portion of the treatment electrode from the skin surface with the spacer comprises:

covering a gap between an outer peripheral edge of the treatment electrode and a rim of the housing with a sheet of a dielectric material.