VARIABLE TREATMENT SITE BODY CONTOURING USING AN ULTRASOUND THERAPY DEVICE

• US 20110077514A1
• Filed: 06/04/2010
• Published: 03/31/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: LipoSonix, Inc. (Bausch Health Cos., Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Medicis Technologies Corporation
• Inventors: Pierce, Thomas D., Bunce, Steve, Ulric, Tanar, Crunkilton, Jeffrey R.
• Application Number:
  US12/794,415
• Publication Number:
  US 20110077514A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/439
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0046 with a releasable handle; with handle and operating part separable
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00482 with a code
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/101 Computer-aided simulation of surgical operations
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4405 Device being mounted on a trolley
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/546 involving monitoring or regulation of device temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/56 Details of data transmission or power supply
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2007/0008 Destruction of fat cells
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2007/0078 with multiple treatment transducers
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2007/0082 Scanning transducers
• 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: B01D 19/0042 modifying the liquid flow B01D19/0021 takes precedence

Abstract

A medical ultrasound system. A base unit is included having system electronics, a user interface and ultrasound control electronics. An ultrasound therapy head is in electronic communication with the base unit. The therapy head includes a replaceable, sealed transducer cartridge with a coupling fluid therein. A cooling system is provided for cooling the coupling fluid. A plurality of guide indicators are positioned around the therapy head to align with crossed lines on a patient so as to properly align the therapy head prior to use. The therapy head can provide variable treatments to an area while the therapy head is in contact with a patient.

Claims

1. A method of treating a patient with ultrasound energy, comprising:

placing a therapy head having a transducer against a patient, the transducer being configured to move to provide a scan pattern of ultrasonic energy over a site area on the patient while the therapy head is against the patient; and

while the therapy head is against the patient, causing the transducer to vary ultrasonic energy to the site area by varying ultrasonic energy transmitted by the transducer as the transducer moves through the scan pattern.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein varying ultrasonic energy transmitted by the transducer during the scan pattern comprises providing ultrasonic energy to a first treatment region and not providing ultrasonic energy to a second treatment region.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein varying ultrasonic energy transmitted by the transducer during the scan pattern comprises supplying a first dosage of ultrasonic energy to a first treatment region and supplying a second dosage, different from the first dosage, of ultrasonic energy to the second region.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein varying ultrasonic energy transmitted by the transducer during the scan pattern comprises defining a treatment plan for the site area, the treatment plan comprising treatment regions, and varying dosage of ultrasonic energy to the treatment regions during the scan pattern.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein boundaries are defined between treatment regions, and wherein varying ultrasonic energy transmitted by the transducer during the scan pattern comprises changing the dosage of ultrasonic energy as a boundary is crossed by the scan pattern of the transducer.

6. The method in claim 1, wherein the therapy head further comprises a plurality of alignment markers for aligning the therapy head to the site area on the patient.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the alignment markers produce visible cues to assist in aligning the therapy head to the site area on the patient.

8. A method of treating a patient with ultrasound energy, comprising:

placing a therapy head having a transducer against a patient, the transducer being configured to move to provide a scan pattern of ultrasonic energy over a site area on the patient while the therapy head is against the patient; and

while the therapy head is against the patient, directing the scan pattern of the transducer based upon an ultrasonic energy treatment plan for the site area.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein directing the transducer movement comprises directing the transducer in the scan pattern to portions of the site area that are to be treated in accordance with the treatment plan, and directing the transducer to skip portions of the site area that are not to be treated.

10. A method of treating a patient with ultrasound energy, comprising:

displaying a representation of a patient'"'"'s body on a screen;

receiving user input via a user interface input device, the user input defining a treatment plan on the representation;

placing a therapy head having a transducer against a patient; and

while the therapy head is against the patient, causing the transducer to treat the patient with at least two variations in ultrasonic energy in accordance with the treatment plan.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein displaying comprises displaying the representation on a touch screen, and wherein the user interface input device comprises the touch screen.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the transducer is configured to provide a scan pattern of ultrasonic energy over a site area on the patient while the therapy head is against the patient, and wherein causing the transducer to treat the patient with ultrasonic energy in accordance with the treatment plan comprises:

while the therapy head is against the patient, causing the transducer to vary ultrasonic energy to the site area by varying ultrasonic energy transmitted by the transducer during the scan pattern.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the transducer is configured to provide a scan pattern of ultrasonic energy over a site area on the patient while the therapy head is against the patient, and wherein causing the transducer to treat the patient with ultrasonic energy in accordance with the treatment plan comprises:

while the therapy head is against the patient, causing the transducer to vary the scanning pattern to the site area based upon an ultrasonic energy treatment plan for the site area.

14. A medical ultrasound system, comprising:

an ultrasound therapy head comprising a transducer configured to move to provide a scan pattern of ultrasonic energy over a site area on a patient while the therapy head is against the patient; and

a computer coupled with the transducer, the computer comprising a processor and a computer readable medium comprising instructions executable by the processor, the instructions comprising a treatment module having a treatment plan for a patient defined therein, the instructions executable by the processor for causing the transducer to vary ultrasonic energy to the site area, while the therapy head is against the patient, by varying ultrasonic energy transmitted by the transducer as the transducer moves through the scan pattern.

15. A medical ultrasound system, comprising:

an ultrasound therapy head comprising a transducer configured to move to provide a scan pattern of ultrasonic energy over a site area on a patient while the therapy head is against the patient; and

a computer coupled with the transducer, the computer comprising a processor and a computer readable medium comprising instructions executable by the processor, the instructions comprising a treatment module having a treatment plan for a patient defined therein, the instructions executable by the processor for directing the movement of the transducer based upon an ultrasonic energy treatment plan for the site area.

16. A medical ultrasound system, comprising:

an ultrasound therapy head comprising a transducer configured to provide ultrasonic energy to a patient while the therapy head is against the patient; and

a computer coupled with the transducer, the computer comprising a processor, a user interface input device, and a computer readable medium comprising instructions executable by the processor for;

receiving user input via a user interface input device, the user input defining a treatment plan on the representation; and

while the therapy head is against the patient, causing the transducer to treat the patient with ultrasonic energy in accordance with the treatment plan.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the user interface input device comprises a touch screen.

18. A medical ultrasound system, comprising:

an ultrasound therapy head comprising a transducer configured to provide a scan pattern of ultrasonic energy over a site area on a patient while the therapy head is against the patient; and

means for causing the transducer to vary ultrasonic energy to the site area, while the therapy head is against the patient, by varying ultrasonic energy transmitted by the transducer during the scan pattern.

19. A medical ultrasound system, comprising:

an ultrasound therapy head comprising a transducer configured to provide a scan pattern of ultrasonic energy over a site area on a patient while the therapy head is against the patient; and

means for causing the transducer to vary the scanning pattern to the site area based upon an ultrasonic energy treatment plan for the site area while the therapy head is against the patient.

20. A medical ultrasound system, comprising:

an ultrasound therapy head comprising a transducer configured to provide ultrasonic energy to a patient while the therapy head is against the patient;

means for receiving user input via a user interface input device, the user input defining a treatment plan on the representation; and

means for causing the transducer to treat the patient with ultrasonic energy in accordance with the treatment plan while the therapy head is against the patient.