METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR INVASIVE SKIN TREATMENT

• US 20100185193A1
• Filed: 02/09/2010
• Published: 07/22/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/01/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Syneron Medical Limited (Syneron Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Syneron Medical Limited (Syneron Incorporated)
• Inventors: Kreindel, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 8,900,231 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/33
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/0218 with open-end cryogenic probe, e.g. for spraying fluid directly on tissue or via a tissue-contacting porous tip
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/14 Probes or electrodes therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1477 Needle-like probes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/18 by applying electromagnetic radiation, e.g. microwaves radiation therapy A61N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00452 Skin
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/0293 using an instrument interstitially inserted into the body, e.g. needle
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1425 Needle
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/143 multiple needles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1467 using more than two electrodes on a single probe

Abstract

A system and method for simultaneously heating a plurality of discrete skin volumes to a coagulation temperature. The system comprises an applicator containing an electrode having a plurality of spaced apart protruding conducting elements configured to contact the skin surface at a plurality of discrete locations. A controller applies a voltage to the electrode so as to simultaneously heat a plurality of skin volumes to a coagulation temperature when the applicator is applied to the skin surface.

Claims

1. A method for heating a plurality of discrete dermis volumes to a coagulation temperature, said method comprising:

applying to skin surface an applicator comprising at least one electrode having a plurality of spaced apart protruding conducting pins configured to penetrate the skin surface reaching a plurality of discrete located in dermis volumes; and

applying a voltage to the electrode so as to generate an electrical current in the dermis simultaneously heating a plurality of dermis volumes to a coagulation temperature.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising adjusting RF energy to selectively damage dermis volumes adjacent to sharp tips of the pins so that the treatment of the dermis occurs simultaneously at a plurality of discrete volumes.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said volumes are completely located within the dermis below the skin surface.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the volumes located below skin tissue surface do not include an epidermal tissue volume.

5. The method according to claim 2, wherein the selectively damaged dermal volumes located underneath skin surface are separated by not damaged volumes of dermal tissue.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising avoiding skin heating and redness around the pins by coating the sides of the pins with insulating material.

7. A method for heating a plurality of discrete skin tissue volumes to a collagen thermal collagen remodeling temperature, said method comprising applying to the skin a plurality of spaced apart current conducting pins terminated by sharp tips configured to penetrate through epidermis into dermis and applying RF energy to said pins, said method characterized in that the heated discrete tissue volumes are completely located in the dermis.

8. A system for applying RF energy to a plurality of discrete regions of skin, said system comprising:

an applicator including a plurality of electrically conducting spaced apart current conducting pins terminated by sharp tips configured to penetrate through epidermis into dermis and apply RF energy to one or more discrete completely located in the dermis dermal tissue volumes;

a radio frequency energy source configured to apply radio frequency energy to at least one of the current conducting pins to generate an electrical current in the dermis; and

a control unit configured to allow to input selected values of parameters of the RF energy to at least one located below skin tissue surface dermal tissue volume producing dermal tissue temperature increase to cause thermal collagen remodeling.

9. The system according to claim 8, wherein the selected values of parameters are at least one of a group consisting of frequency, pulse duration and intensity of the RF energy.

10. The system according to claim 8 wherein the radio frequency energy source is a voltage source configured to apply the voltage pulses to the conductive pins.

11. The system according to claim 8, wherein in order to avoid skin redness the sides of the pins are coated with insulating material.

12. The system according to claim 8 wherein the current conducting pins are spaced apart by a distance of at least 1 mm.

13. The system according to claim 8 further comprising means for cooling the skin surface.

14. An applicator for invasive collagen remodeling, said applicator comprising an electrode having a plurality of electrically conducting spaced apart needle type electrodes terminated by sharp tips operative to penetrate through epidermis into the dermis and apply RF energy to one or more volumes completely located in the dermis and wherein the sides of the electrically conducting spaced apart pins are coated with insulating material to avoid skin heating around the elements.