System and method for treating cartilage

• US 20120165848A1
• 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:
  US13/136,542
• Publication Number:
  US 20120165848A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/169
• 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 systems and methods of treating damaged cartilage. In some embodiments, a method can include targeting the damaged cartilage in region of interest, directing therapeutic ultrasound energy to the damaged cartilage, ablating at least a portion of the damaged cartilage and improving the damaged cartilage. The method can include focusing therapeutic ultrasound energy to create at least one lesion in a portion of the damaged cartilage. The method can also include imaging the damaged cartilage. The method can include increasing blood perfusion to the region of interest. The method can include welding together the damaged cartilage with therapeutic ultrasound energy. The method can include cutting the damaged cartilage and removing it from the joint with therapeutic ultrasound energy. The method can include smoothing the cartilage with therapeutic ultrasound energy. The method can include regenerating cartilage.

Claims

1. A method for treating damaged cartilage, the method comprising:

targeting the damaged cartilage in region of interest;

directing therapeutic ultrasound energy to the damaged cartilage;

ablating at least a portion of the damaged cartilage;

removing the at least a portion of the damaged cartilage from cartilage in a joint; and

improving the cartilage in the joint.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising focusing therapeutic ultrasound energy to create at least one lesion in a portion of the damaged cartilage.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising imaging the damaged cartilage.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising increasing blood perfusion to the region of interest.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising treating the damaged cartilage with therapeutic ultrasound energy.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising cutting the damaged cartilage and removing it from a joint with therapeutic ultrasound energy.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising smoothing the cartilage with therapeutic ultrasound energy.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising regenerating cartilage.

9. A system for treating an injury to cartilage in a joint, the system comprising:

an arthroscopic probe comprising;

a housing on a distal end of the probe and containing;

an ultrasound transducer configured to focus a conformal distribution of ultrasound energy to ablate and fracture at least one of cartilage and surrounding tissue in an injury location;

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

a communication interface configured for wireless communication and in communication with the ultrasound transducer, and the position sensor; and

a rechargeable power supply configured to supply power to the ultrasound transducer, the position 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 to ablate and fracture at least one of cartilage and surrounding tissue.

10. The system according to claim 9, wherein the controller is configured to receive the position of the housing and the speed of movement of the housing, and configured to control the timing and location of conformal distribution of ultrasound energy based on the position and the speed.

11. The system according to claim 9, wherein the ultrasound transducer is a dual mode imaging and therapeutic ultrasound transducer configured to provide an image of the injury location and ablate and fracture the at least one of cartilage and surrounding tissue in an injury location.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein the controller comprises a display configured to display the image of the injury location.

13. The system according to claim 9, further comprising an optic source contained within the housing and configured to provide a plurality of images of the injury location to a display.

14. The system according to claim 9, further comprising a monitoring system contained within the housing and configured to monitor a temperature of the at least one of cartilage and surrounding tissue in an injury location

15. A method of non-invasive micro-fraction surgery, the method comprising:

identifying an injury location comprising damaged cartilage;

directing a conformal distribution of ultrasound energy to at least one of cartilage and surrounding subcutaneous tissue in the injury location;

ablating the at least one of cartilage and surrounding subcutaneous tissue in the injury location;

fracturing a portion of the cartilage in the injury location;

initiating re-growth of the cartilage at the injury location; and

sparing intervening tissue between a surface of skin above the injury location and the at least one of cartilage and surrounding subcutaneous tissue in the injury location.

16. The method according to claim 15, further comprising welding a portion of the cartilage at the injury location with the conformal distribution of ultrasound energy.

17. The method according to claim 15, further comprising creating a plurality of micro ablations in at least one of the cartilage and the surrounding subcutaneous tissue in the injury location.

18. The method according to claim 15, further comprising increasing blood perfusion to the injury location.

19. The method according to claim 15, wherein the surrounding subcutaneous tissue is bone.

20. The method according the claim 19, further comprising microscoring a portion of the bone with the conformal distribution of ultrasound energy to initiate re-growth of the cartilage onto the bone.