Method for treating cutaneous vascular lesions

• US 5,282,797 A
• Filed: 05/28/1991
• Issued: 02/01/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cyrus Chess
• Original Assignee: Cyrus Chess
• Inventors: Chess, Cyrus
• Primary Examiner(s): Shay, David M.
• Application Number:
  US07/706,243
• Time in Patent Office: 980 Days
• Field of Search: 128/898, 128/395-399, 128/403, 606/9, 606/20, 606/24-26, 606/28-31
• US Class Current: 606/9
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/10 for applying or removing wound clamps, e.g. containing only one clamp or staple A61B17/076 takes precedence; containing multiple wound clamps A61B17/068; Wound clamp magazines containers, packaging elements or packages specially adapted for particular articles or with special means for dispensing contents B65D83/00, B65D85/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/20 using laser
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/203 applying laser energy to the outside of the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00747 Dermatology
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00756 Port wine stains
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00023 closed, i.e. without wound contact by the fluid
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00452 Skin
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00458 Deeper parts of the skin, e.g. treatment of vascular disorders or port wine stains
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2007/0056 for cooling
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 7/10 Cooling bags, e.g. ice-bags
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/0616 Skin treatment other than tanning
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/067 using laser light

Abstract

A method is provided of treating cutaneous vascular lesions in a target area of a patient. The method comprises the steps of passing a laser beam against and through a cooling medium, and then passing the laser beam against and through a patient'"'"'s epidermis to the target area while simultaneously subjecting the patient'"'"'s epidermis to a cooling medium at the location of the epidermis entered by the laser beam. An apparatus for treating a cutaneous vascular lesion in a target area of a patient comprises a laser beam source for directing a laser beam against and through a predetermined location of an epidermis of the patient to the target area and a flexible bag for containing a cooling medium and for subjecting the patient'"'"'s epidermis to the cooling medium at the target area simultaneous with the application of the laser beam thereto. The flexible bag is positioned between the laser beam source and the target area of the patient'"'"'s epidermis.

Claims

1. A method of treating cutaneous vascular lesions in a target area of a patient, said method comprising the steps of:

positioning a cooling medium contained in a closed container having a pair of walls adjacent a location of an epidermis of the patient, and positioning a laser beam adjacent the container;

passing the laser beam through one of the pair of walls of the container and then through the cooling medium contained in the container;

then passing the laser beam through the other of the pair of walls of the container; and

thereafter passing the laser beam through the location of the epidermis of the patient to the target area while simultaneously subjecting the location of the epidermis to the cooling medium.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the laser beam is directed against the epidermis substantially at right angles to the location of the epidermis.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of removing the cooling medium when the cooling medium is too warm to cool the epidermis and replacing the cooling medium with new cooling medium.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein said cooling medium is a fluid or a gas.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein said fluid or gas is transparent.

6. A method according to claim 4, wherein the fluid is a non-moving transparent liquid.

7. A method according to claim 6, wherein the transparent liquid is ice water.