Laser dermablator and dermablation
First Claim
1. A surgical system for removing skin, comprising:
- a pulsed light source capable of delivering a fluence F exceeding an ablation threshold fluence Fth ;
a second light source illuminating the skin;
a control mechanism, coupled to the pulsed light source, for directing light from the pulsed light source to locations on the skin and controllably ablating a skin location to a desired depth, said control mechanism directing the pulsed light source to deliver multiple pulses of directed light at the locations on the skin and repeatedly scanning the directed light across a designated area of the skin; and
a feedback mechanism coupled to the control mechanism, the feedback mechanism comprising at least one photodetector having an input and an output;
the input receiving light from the second light source that is scattered/reflected/flouresced by the skin; and
the output providing a feedback signal to the control mechanism, which is adapted for detecting a change in the spectral shape or brightness of the light scattered/reflected/flouresced by the skin and causing the pulsed light source to be inhibited at a given skin location, in response to the change.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A laser system (called a UV Dermablator) and method that enables a clean, precise removal of skin while minimizing collateral damage to the skin underlying the treated region. The depth of ablation can be controlled via feedback from the physiology of the skin, namely the infusion of blood into the area of excision when skin has been ablated to a sufficient depth to produce bleeding. A second laser, such as a uv light source with a different wavelength, to penetrate the blood, heating it sufficiently to coagulate the blood. Other features provide precise control, permitting the epidermis to be removed down to the papillary dermis, following the undulations of the papillary dermis. This lateral and depth control may be accomplished by using careful observation, assisted by spectroscopic detection, to identify when the epidermis has been removed, exposing the underlying dermis, with spatial resolution appropriate for the spacing of the undulations of the papillary dermis. Yet other features which provide a feedback control mechanism which utilizes the optical characteristics such as the color, appearance and remittance of the definable skin layers to control the depth of ablation at each location.
-
Citations
19 Claims
-
1. A surgical system for removing skin, comprising:
-
a pulsed light source capable of delivering a fluence F exceeding an ablation threshold fluence Fth ; a second light source illuminating the skin; a control mechanism, coupled to the pulsed light source, for directing light from the pulsed light source to locations on the skin and controllably ablating a skin location to a desired depth, said control mechanism directing the pulsed light source to deliver multiple pulses of directed light at the locations on the skin and repeatedly scanning the directed light across a designated area of the skin; and a feedback mechanism coupled to the control mechanism, the feedback mechanism comprising at least one photodetector having an input and an output;
the input receiving light from the second light source that is scattered/reflected/flouresced by the skin; and
the output providing a feedback signal to the control mechanism, which is adapted for detecting a change in the spectral shape or brightness of the light scattered/reflected/flouresced by the skin and causing the pulsed light source to be inhibited at a given skin location, in response to the change. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
-
-
12. In a surgical system including a pulsed light source capable of delivering a fluence F exceeding an ablation threshold fluence Fth, a method for removing skin, comprising the steps of:
-
directing light from the pulsed light source to locations on the skin; delivering, from the pulsed light source, multiple pulses of directed light at the locations on the skin; repeatedly scanning the directed light across a designated area of the skin; receiving from a second light source, light that is scattered/reflected/flouresced by the skin; detecting a change in the spectral shape or brightness of the light scattered/reflected/flouresced by the skin; and controllably ablating a given skin location to a desired depth by inhibiting the pulsed light source at the given skin location, in response to the change. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
-
Specification