METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR TREATING PHOTOAGED TISSUE
First Claim
1. A method of rejuvenating skin with a combined imaging and therapy ultrasound transducer, the method comprising:
- identifying a treatment area comprising a skin surface, dermal tissue, and muscle tissue;
imaging at least a portion of the treatment area with an ultrasound transducer configured for both imaging and therapy; and
delivering ultrasound energy with the ultrasound transducer through the skin surface and into a portion of the treatment area comprising the dermal tissue and the muscle tissue to cause thermally injury to a portion of the dermal tissue and the muscle tissue, thereby rejuvenating the skin surface.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and system for ultrasound treatment of photoaged tissue are provided. An exemplary method and system are configured for first, ultrasound imaging of the region of interest for localization of the treatment area, second, delivery of ultrasound energy at a depth and pattern to achieve the desired therapeutic effects, and third to monitor the treatment area during and after therapy to assess the results and/or provide feedback. The exemplary treatment method and system can be configured for producing arrays of sub-millimeter and larger zones of thermal ablation to treat the epidermal, superficial dermal, mid-dermal and deep dermal components of photoaged tissue.
98 Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A method of rejuvenating skin with a combined imaging and therapy ultrasound transducer, the method comprising:
-
identifying a treatment area comprising a skin surface, dermal tissue, and muscle tissue; imaging at least a portion of the treatment area with an ultrasound transducer configured for both imaging and therapy; and delivering ultrasound energy with the ultrasound transducer through the skin surface and into a portion of the treatment area comprising the dermal tissue and the muscle tissue to cause thermally injury to a portion of the dermal tissue and the muscle tissue, thereby rejuvenating the skin surface. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
-
-
13. A method of rejuvenating skin with a combined imaging and therapy ultrasound transducer, the method comprising:
-
identifying a treatment area comprising a skin surface, dermal tissue, and muscle tissue, imaging at least a portion of the treatment area with an ultrasound transducer configured for both imaging and therapy; delivering ultrasound energy with the ultrasound transducer through the skin surface to at least one of the dermal tissue and the muscle tissue in the treatment area to cause thermally injury to a portion of at least one of the dermal tissue and the muscle tissue in the treatment area, thereby rejuvenating the skin surface. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
-
-
17. A method of rejuvenating skin, the method comprising:
-
identifying a portion of a treatment area comprising a skin surface, dermal tissue and muscle tissue with an ultrasound source; delivering ultrasound energy from the ultrasound source to a first target in the treatment area at a depth below the skin surface; moving the ultrasound source; delivering ultrasound energy from the ultrasound source to a second target in the treatment area at the depth below the skin surface to create a plurality of conformal lesions at the depth in a portion of the dermal tissue and the muscle tissue, thereby shrinking a volume of tissue in the portion of the dermal tissue and the muscle tissue to rejuvenate the skin surface. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
-
Specification