Laser applicator

• US 6,770,069 B1
• Filed: 06/21/2002
• Issued: 08/03/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sciton Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sciton Inc.
• Inventors: Hobart, James L., Negus, Daniel K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cohen, Lee
• Assistant Examiner(s): JOHNSON III, HENRY M
• Application Number:
  US10/177,058
• Time in Patent Office: 774 Days
• Field of Search: 606/9, 606/10, 606/13, 606/16-18, 372/35, 128/898
• US Class Current: 606/9
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/203 applying laser energy to the outside of the body
• 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

Abstract

An applicator is configured with an optical window formed from a first and a second lens section. The applicator is configured for modulating the temperature of a working surface while simultaneously exposing the working surface to a radiation source. The first and the second lens sections form boundaries of a medium cavity for channeling a temperature regulating medium which is preferably a cooled liquid medium. The first lens section has an outer lens and an inner lens which are preferably separated by a distance in the range of 0.1 to 1.0 cm and form boundaries of an insulating region. In a preferred method, a temperature regulating medium is circulated through the medium cavity while exposing a target tissue to laser radiation through the optical window. The insulating region helps reduce fogging of the optical window thereby improving visibility through the window and reducing scattering of the laser radiation. Preferably, the insulating region is under vacuum. Alternatively, the insulating region is configured to channel a second temperature regulating medium. The applicator and system of the instant invention are preferably configured for exposing dermis to a pulsed laser source while simultaneously cooling dermis during procedures to remove hair or treat the cutaneous vascular lesions.

Claims

1. An apparatus for modulating temperature of a working surface while treating the working surface with a laser source, comprising:

a. a first lens section comprising an outer lens and an inner lens, wherein the outer lens and the inner lens are spaced to form an insulating region;

b. a second lens section positioned adjacent to the first lens section; and

c. a frame configured for securing the first and second lens sections together to form a medium cavity for channeling a temperature modulating medium between the inner lens of the first lens section and the second lens section.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the insulating region is configured to channel a second temperature modulating medium.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the insulating region is a vacuum region.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the frame comprises a first and a second aperture through which the temperature modulating medium enters and exits the medium cavity.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein at least one of the first and second apertures is fenestrated.

6. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the first aperture is coupled to an inlet section and the second aperture is coupled to an outlet section, wherein the inlet section and the outlet section are configured to couple to a circulating system, for recirculating the temperature modulating medium.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising a bracket for securably coupling to a laser delivery housing, such that a laser beam delivered from the housing is securably positioned to pass through the first lens section, the second lens section and the temperature modulating medium.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the inlet and outlet sections are rigid tubular sections.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the rigid tubular sections are hingably coupled to the frame.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the bracket is configured to couple to the laser delivery housing through the rigid tubular sections.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the outer lens and the inner lens of the first lens section are spaced apart by an average distance of 0.1 to 1.0 cm.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second lens section has an optical surface area between 1.0 to 50 cm².

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second lens section comprises a contoured lens.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second lens sections comprises a sapphire lens.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the working surface is dermis and the apparatus is configured to remove hair.

17. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the working surface is dermis and the apparatus is configured to treat cutaneous vascular lesions.

12. The apparatus of clam 1, wherein the first lens section and the second lens section are separated by an average distance of 0.05 to 0.5 cm.

18. A system for treating a target tissue with laser radiation, the system comprising an optical configuration for coupling to a laser source and transferring the laser radiation from the laser source to the target tissue, the optical configuration comprising a temperature modulator, wherein the temperature modulator comprises:

a. a first lens section with an outside surface and an inside surface wherein the outside surface and the inside surface are separated by an insulating interface;

b. a second lens section with an outside surface and an inside surface; and

c. a frame configured for securing the first and second lens section together to form a medium cavity for channeling a temperature modulating medium between the interface of the first lens section and the inside surface of the second lens section; and

d. a bracket for adjusting a position of the temperature modulator relative to an optical element.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the insulating interface comprises a vacuum region.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the optical element is selected from the group consisting of a lens and an optical fiber.

21. The system of claim 20, further comprising a delivery housing for housing the optical element.

22. The system of claim 18, wherein the temperature modulator comprises a first and a second aperture coupled to the medium cavity.

23. The system of claim 22, farther comprising a circulation mechanism for circulating the temperature modulating medium through the medium cavity and through the first and second apertures.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the circulation mechanism is configured for circulating a liquid through the medium cavity and through the first and second apertures.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein at least one of the first and second apertures is fenestrated to control the flow of the temperature modulating medium through the medium cavity.

26. The system of claim 18, wherein at least one of the first and second lens sections comprises a sapphire lens.

27. A method of treating dermis comprising:

a. exposing the dermis to radiation through a temperature modulating applicator, wherein the temperature modulating applicator comprises;

i. a first lens section comprising an outer lens and an inner lens separated by an insulating region; and

ii. a second lens section, wherein the inner lens of the first lens section and the second lens section form boundaries of a medium cavity; and

b. flowing a temperature modulating medium through the medium cavity to simultaneously regulate the temperature of the dermis while exposing the dermis to radiation.

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising flowing a second temperature modulating medium through the insulating region.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein the insulating region is under vacuum.

30. The method of claim 27, wherein the temperature modulating medium is a liquid medium.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the liquid medium is a mixture of water and ethylene glycol regulated to temperatures in the range of −

10.0 to +10.0 degrees centigrade prior to flowing through the medium cavity.

32. The method of claim 27, wherein the second lens section is placed in contact with the dermis.

33. The method or claim 27, wherein a contact medium is placed between the dermis and the second lens section.

34. The method of claim 27, wherein the radiation is generated from a laser source.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein the laser source has a wavelength in the range of 400 to 11,000 nm.

36. The method of claim 34, wherein the laser source us a pulsed laser.

37. The method of claim 27, wherein exposing the dermis to radiation through a temperature modulating applicator removes hair follicles.

38. The method of claim 27, wherein exposing the dermis to radiation through a temperature modulating applicator reduces cutaneous vascular lesions.

39. A system for exposing dermis comprising:

a. means for generating laser radiation with a predetermined pulsed sequence;

b. means for directing the laser radiation to the dermis; and

c. a temperature regulator comprising a cooling surface and an insulated surface, wherein the cooling surface is configured to cool the dermis, while simultaneously exposing the dermis to the laser radiation, and wherein the insulated surface and the cooling surface are separated by a vacuum region and a cooling region for channeling a temperature modulating medium between the vacuum region and the cooling surface.

40. The system of claim 39, further comprising a liquid circulation mechanism for recirculating a cooled liquid between the insulated surface and the cooling surface.

41. A system for exposing dermis comprising:

a. a pulsed laser source for generating laser radiation;

b. an optical configuration for directing the laser radiation to the dermis, the optical configuration having an applicator comprising;

i. a first lens section with a first outside surface and a first inside surface wherein the outside surface and the inside surface are separated by an insulating interface;

ii. a second lens section with a second outside surface and second inside surface;

iii. a frame with a fenestrated inlet and a fenestrated outlet, the frame configured for securing the first and second lens sections together to form a medium cavity for channeling a temperature modulating medium between the interface of the first lens section and the inside surface of the second lens section; and

iv. a circulation pump coupled to the fenestrated inlet and fenestrated outlet for circulating the temperature modulating medium through the medium cavity and through the inlet and outlet.

42. The system of claim 41, further comprising a refrigerator unit coupled to the circulation pump to cool the temperature modulating medium before circulating the temperature modulating medium through the medium cavity and through the fenestrated inlet and fenestrated outlet.

43. The system of claim 42, wherein the temperature modulating medium is liquid.

44. A method of making a laser applicator comprising:

a. securing a first lens section and a second lens section together through a body section, wherein the first lens section and the second lens section are positioned adjacent to each other and form a cavity, wherein the first lens section comprises a thermo-pane structure; and

b. coupling the cavity to an inlet and an outlet section configured to couple to a circulation mechanism for circulating a temperature regulating medium through the medium cavity.