Systems and methods for treating acute and/or chronic injuries in soft tissue

• US 20120165668A1
• Filed: 08/02/2011
• Published: 06/28/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Guided Therapy Systems Llc
• Original Assignee: Guided Therapy Systems Llc
• Inventors: Slayton, Michael H., Barthe, Peter G.
• Application Number:
  US13/136,538
• Publication Number:
  US 20120165668A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/439
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320069 for ablating tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00642 with feedback, i.e. closed loop control
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00898 Alarms or notifications created in response to an abnormal condition
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/378 using ultrasound
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/13 Tomography A61B8/10, A61B8/12 take precedence; tomography for radiation diagnosis A61B6/02
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/14 Echo-tomography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4254 using sensors mounted on the probe
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4272 involving the acoustic interface between the transducer and the tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/485 involving measuring strain or elastic properties
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/5246 combining images from the same or different imaging techniques, e.g. color Doppler and B-mode
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2007/0013 Fracture healing
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2007/0034 Skin treatment
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2007/0052 using the same transducer for therapy and imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2007/006 Lenses
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2007/0065 Concave transducers
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2007/0091 with moving parts, e.g. transducers, lenses, reflectors
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2007/0095 by modifying an excitation signal
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2007/027 with multiple foci created simultaneously
• 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

Abstract

Various embodiments provide a method of treating fibrous soft tissue. The method can include the steps of targeting injured fibrous soft tissue located at or near an injury location; directing therapeutic ultrasound energy to the injured fibrous soft tissue; creating a conformal region of elevated temperature in the injured fibrous soft tissue; and creating at least one thermally induced biological effect in the injured fibrous soft tissue. In various embodiments the thermally induced biological effect can be one of coagulation, increased perfusion, reduction of inflammation, generation of heat shock proteins, and initiation of healing cascade.

Claims

1. A method of treating fibrous soft tissue, the method comprising:

targeting injured fibrous soft tissue located in at least one of at and proximate to an injury location comprising a portion of fibrous soft tissue;

directing therapeutic ultrasound energy to the injured fibrous soft tissue;

creating a conformal region of elevated temperature in the injured fibrous soft tissue; and

creating at least one thermally induced biological effect in the injured fibrous soft tissue.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the thermally induced biological effect is at least one of coagulation, increased perfusion, reduction of inflammation, generation of heat shock proteins, and initiation of healing cascade.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising imaging the injured soft fibrous tissue.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising driving a medicant into the injured soft fibrous tissue.

5. The method according to claim 4, further comprising activating the medicant with the therapeutic ultrasound energy.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising peaking inflammation in the injury location and initiating a coagulation cascade in at least a portion of the injured fibrous soft tissue.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising welding a portion of the injured fibrous soft tissue with the conformal ultrasound energy and repairing a tear in the portion of the injured fibrous soft tissue.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising stimulating collagen growth in a portion of the injured fibrous soft tissue with the conformal ultrasound energy.

9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising creating a plurality of micro lesions in a portion of a tendon of the injured fibrous soft tissue and stimulating healing of a plurality of micro tears in the tendon.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the injured fibrous soft tissue comprises at least a portion of a at least one ligament.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the injured fibrous soft tissue comprises at least a portion of a at least one tendon.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the injured fibrous soft tissue comprises at least a portion of fascia.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein the injured fibrous soft tissue comprises at least a portion of an Achilles tendon and further comprising treating at least one of a strain and a partial tear in the Achilles tendon.

14. The method according to claim 1, wherein the injured fibrous soft tissue comprises at least a portion of a tendon of extensor of carpi radialis brevis muslien and further comprising treating tennis elbow.

15. A system for treating an injury in fibrous soft tissue, the system comprising:

a hand-held probe comprising;

a housing containing;

an ultrasound transducer configured to focus a conformal distribution of ultrasound energy into a region of interest comprising a portion of an injury in fibrous soft tissue;

a position sensor configured to communicate at least one of a position of the housing and a speed of movement of the housing;

a tissue contact sensor configured to communicate a coupling of the transducer to the region of interest comprising a portion of the injured fibrous soft tissue;

a communication interface configured for communication with the ultrasound transducer, the position sensor, and the tissue contact sensor; and

a rechargeable power supply configured to supply power to the ultrasound transducer, the position sensor, tissue contact sensor, and the communication interface; and

a controller in communication with the communication interface and configured to control a spatial parameter and a temporal parameter of the ultrasound transducer to emit the conformal distribution of ultrasound energy.

16. The system according to claim 15, wherein the controller is configured to receive the at least one of the position of the housing and the speed of movement of the housing, and is configured to control the timing of conformal distribution of ultrasound energy based on at least one of the position and the speed.

17. The system according to claim 15, wherein the housing contains a motion mechanism coupled to the ultrasound transducer and configured to scan the ultrasound transducer in at least one of a linear pattern and a two-dimensional pattern and the controller is configured to receive the at least one of the position of the housing and the speed of movement of the housing, and is configured to control the scan of the motion mechanism based on at least one of the position and the speed.

18. The system according to claim 15, further comprising a second energy source contained in the housing and configured to direct a second energy into the region of interest comprising the injury in a portion of the fibrous soft tissue.

19. A non-invasive method for treating a tear in a portion of fibrous soft tissue, the method comprising:

identifying a region of interest comprising a tear in a portion of fibrous soft tissue;

directing a conformal distribution of ultrasound energy to the region of interest comprising the tear in a portion of fibrous soft tissue;

ablating a portion of the region of interest comprising the tear in a portion of fibrous soft tissue;

creating a plurality of micro lesions in the region of interest comprising the tear in a portion of fibrous soft tissue;

initiating healing of the tear in a portion of fibrous soft tissue; and

sparing intervening tissue between the tear in a portion of fibrous soft tissue and a skin surface above the region of interest.

20. The method according to claim 19, further comprising welding the tear in a portion of fibrous soft tissue and repairing the tear in a portion of fibrous soft tissue.

21. The method according to claim 19, further comprising stimulating collagen growth in the portion of fibrous soft tissue.

22. The method according to claim 19, creating a three dimensional matrix of micro lesions in the tear in the portion of fibrous soft tissue.

23. The method according to claim 19, further comprising imaging the region of interest comprising the tear in a portion of fibrous soft tissue.

24. The method according to claim 19, further comprising increasing blood perfusion to the region of interest comprising the tear in a portion of fibrous soft tissue.

25. The method according to claim 19, wherein the portion of fibrous soft tissue comprises at least one ligament.

26. The method according to claim 19, wherein the portion of fibrous soft tissue comprises at least one tendon.

27. The method according to claim 19, wherein the portion of fibrous soft tissue comprises a portion of fascia.

28. A system for treating damaged fibrous soft tissue, the system comprising:

a probe comprising;

an ultrasound transducer configured to focus a conformal distribution of ultrasound energy into a region of interest comprising damaged fibrous soft tissue and configured to image the region of interest comprising the damaged fibrous soft tissue;

a motion mechanism coupled to the ultrasound transducer and configured to scan the ultrasound transducer in at least one of a linear pattern and a two-dimensional pattern;

a position sensor configured to communicate at least one of a position of the housing and a speed of movement of the housing;

a tissue contact sensor configured to communicate a coupling of the transducer to the region of interest comprising the damaged fibrous soft tissue; and

a communication interface configured for communication with the ultrasound transducer, the motion mechanism, the position sensor, and the tissue contact sensor; and

a controller in communication with the communication interface and configured to control a spatial parameter and a temporal parameter of the ultrasound transducer to emit the conformal distribution of ultrasound energy; and

a power supply configured to supply power to the ultrasound transducer, the motion mechanism, the position sensor, tissue contact sensor, the communication interface, and the controller.

29. The system according to claim 29, wherein the controller is configured to receive the at least one of the position of the housing and the speed of movement of the housing, and is configured to control the timing of conformal distribution of ultrasound energy based on at least one of the position and the speed.

30. The system according to claim 29, wherein the controller is configured to receive the at least one of the position of the housing and the speed of movement of the housing, and is configured to control the scan of the motion mechanism based on at least one of the position and the speed.

31. The system according to claim 29, further comprising a display configured to communicate the image of the region of interest comprising the damaged fibrous soft tissue.

32. The system according to claim 29, further comprising a second energy source configured to direct a second energy into the region of interest comprising the damaged fibrous soft tissue.

33. The system according to claim 33, wherein the second energy source is one of a laser, an intense pulsed light, a light emitting diode, a radiofrequency generator, photon-based energy source, plasma source, a magnetic resonance source, and a mechanical energy source.

34. A method of treating damaged fibrous soft tissue, the method comprising:

targeting a region of interest comprising damaged fibrous soft tissue;

directing a biological material to the region of interest;

directing ultrasound energy to the region of interest;

effecting the biological material with the ultrasound energy; and

creating a therapeutic effect with the biological material in the damaged fibrous soft tissue.

35. The method according to claim 35, wherein the effecting the biological material with the ultrasound energy is activating the biological material.

36. The method according to claim 35, wherein the effecting the biological material with the ultrasound energy is increasing adoption of the biological material in the damaged fibrous soft tissue.

37. The method according to claim 35, wherein the effecting the biological material with the ultrasound energy is potentiating the biological material.

38. The method according to claim 35, further comprising creating a conformal region of elevated temperature in the damaged fibrous soft tissue.

39. The method according to claim 35, further comprising creating a lesion in the damaged fibrous soft tissue and stimulating a wound healing cascade in the region of interest.