MEDICAL ULTRASOUND DEVICE WITH LIQUID DISPENSING DEVICE COUPLED TO A THERAPY HEAD

• US 20110077557A1
• Filed: 06/04/2010
• Published: 03/31/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Solta Medical, Inc. (Bausch Health Cos., Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Medicis Technologies Corporation
• Inventors: Kenney, Martin, Fix, Richard L., Little, Blake W., Wing, Gregory T.
• Granted Patent: US 8,932,238 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 601/2
• 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 medical high intensity focused ultrasound system comprising:

a base unit including;

(a) a primary digital controller having a primary interface;

(b) a cooling liquid recirculation circuit; and

(c) a cable carrying electrical and information transmission members and cooling liquid conduits; and

a therapy head including;

(a) a body coupled to the cable;

(b) a secondary controller on the body having a secondary digital interface, said secondary controller coupled to said primary controller by the electrical and information transmission members; and

(c) a cartridge removably attached to the body, said cartridge including a sealed enclosure being filled with an acoustic coupling liquid and having a high intensity focused ultrasound transducer therein, wherein the cartridge is coupled to the cooling liquid recirculation circuit via the cooling liquid conduits and the transducer is coupled to the electrical transmission members when the cartridge is attached to the body

2. A system as in claim 1, wherein the cable is flexible to allow substantially free manual manipulation of the therapy head.

3. A system as in claim 2, wherein there is no support arm between the base unit and the therapy head and all mechanical, electrical, and fluid connections between the base unit and therapy head are provided by the cable.

4. A system as in claim 1, further comprising a liquid dispersion device on the therapy head, for applying a liquid to the patient.

5. A system as in claim 4, wherein the liquid dispersion device delivers a volume of the acoustic coupling liquid from the sealed enclosure.

6. A system as in claim 4, wherein the liquid dispersion device delivers a volume of the cooling liquid.

7. The system of claim 4, further comprising a plurality of liquid dispersion devices in fluid communication with the liquid circulation system, wherein a flow control subsystem controls a flow of liquid from the liquid circulation system to and out of the plurality of liquid dispersion devices.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the liquid circulation circuit further comprises a chiller.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the cable contains about twelve (12) to twenty four (24) coaxial cables.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the cartridge comprises a short stack transducer assembly.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the primary and secondary interfaces further comprise a serialize and deserialize device (SERDES devices).

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the cartridge comprises a coil heat exchanger which receives cooling liquid from the cooling liquid recirculation circuit.

13. A method of modifying tissue on a patient with an ultrasound therapy head, the method comprising:

applying a cooling liquid on a region of a patient'"'"'s skin using a liquid dispensing device coupled to a therapy head;

pressing the ultrasound therapy head into contact with the region; and

activating a transducer within a cartridge attached to the ultrasound therapy head to modify tissue under a surface of the skin.

14. A method of providing electronic communication between a computer controller in a base unit and a therapy head using a reduced physical wire cable, the method comprising:

serializing device control commands, queries and data into serially presented packets through a single wire; and

de-serializing the device control commands, queries and data in a receiving de-serializing interface wherein the serializing and de-serializing interface use the same protocol to unpack the electronic information moved up and down the wire.

15. An ultrasound therapy head for medical use, comprising:

a high intensity focused transducer mounted in the therapy head; and

means, coupled to the therapy head for dispersing a liquid medium used for cooling the therapy head on to a patient body.