Apparatus for treating subcutaneous tissues
First Claim
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1. An assembly for treating subcutaneous tissue and reducing cellulite, comprising:
- an acoustic wave generator for generating unfocused acoustic waves;
an acoustic wave transducer operably connected to the acoustic wave generator and configured to apply the unfocused acoustic waves to the subcutaneous tissue of a patient from a point above and external to a dermis of the patient;
a source of a microbubble solution; and
a plurality of non-vibrating solution injection members operably connected to said source of microbubble solution, said plurality of non-vibrating solution injection members being equally spaced apart and configured to percutaneously inject the microbubble solution into a treatment area located between 1 mm and 5 mm below the dermis,wherein the apparatus is configured to produce irreversible subcutaneous cavitational bioeffects in a substantial amount of the microbubble solution-infused subcutaneous tissue in the treatment area and configured to leave cells outside the treatment area unaffected to contour a portion of an outer surface of the dermis and to reduce the cellulite.
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Abstract
An assembly for treating subcutaneous tissues using acoustic waves in the range of low acoustic pressure ultrasound waves is disclosed. The assembly comprises an acoustic wave generator and transducer for the generation and transmission of unfocused acoustic waves, a source of microbubble solution and solution injection members for percutaneously injecting the solution at a treatment area between 1 mm and 5 mm below the dermis. The assembly is useful for treatment of subcutaneous abnormalities including cellulite, lipomas and tumors.
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Citations
28 Claims
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1. An assembly for treating subcutaneous tissue and reducing cellulite, comprising:
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an acoustic wave generator for generating unfocused acoustic waves; an acoustic wave transducer operably connected to the acoustic wave generator and configured to apply the unfocused acoustic waves to the subcutaneous tissue of a patient from a point above and external to a dermis of the patient; a source of a microbubble solution; and a plurality of non-vibrating solution injection members operably connected to said source of microbubble solution, said plurality of non-vibrating solution injection members being equally spaced apart and configured to percutaneously inject the microbubble solution into a treatment area located between 1 mm and 5 mm below the dermis, wherein the apparatus is configured to produce irreversible subcutaneous cavitational bioeffects in a substantial amount of the microbubble solution-infused subcutaneous tissue in the treatment area and configured to leave cells outside the treatment area unaffected to contour a portion of an outer surface of the dermis and to reduce the cellulite. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. An assembly for treating subcutaneous tissue and reducing cellulite, comprising:
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an acoustic wave generator configured to produce unfocused acoustic waves having a frequency in the range of about 0.25 MHz to about 20 MHz and a peak negative pressure in the range of 0.1 Mpa to 10.0 MPa; an acoustic wave transducer operably coupled to the acoustic wave generator and configured to apply the unfocused acoustic waves to the subcutaneous tissue of a patient from a point above and external to a dermis of the patient; a source of a gas; a solution agitator operably connected to the gas source and configured for mixing the gas with a solution to produce a solution including gaseous bodies; and a solution injection member operably connected to the solution agitator and configured for percutaneously injecting the solution including the gaseous bodies into a treatment area located between 1 mm and 5 mm below the dermis; and a tissue cooling module operably connected to one of the transducer and the injection member, the cooling module configured to cool the subcutaneous tissue, wherein the acoustic wave generator has a duty cycle selected to produce irreversible subcutaneous cavitational bioeffects in a substantial amount of the solution- infused treatment area and configured to leave cells outside the treatment area unaffected to contour a portion of an outer surface of the dermis and to reduce the cellulite. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. An assembly for treating subcutaneous tissue and reducing cellulite, comprising:
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an ultrasonic wave generator configured to produce unfocused ultrasonic waves having at a first and a second setting; an ultrasonic wave transducer operably connected to the ultrasonic wave generator and configured to apply the unfocused ultrasonic waves to the subcutaneous tissue of a patient from a point above and external to a dermis of the patient; a source of a gas; a source of a solution; a solution agitator operably connected to the gas source and the solution source and configured for mixing the gas with the solution to form a microbubble solution; a solution injection member operably connected to the solution agitator and having at least one hollow injection member, a distal end of the least one hollow injection member being movable between a first configuration inside the solution injection member housing and a second configuration in which the distal end of the injection member extends outside the solution injection member housing; a control module configured to select between and apply the first and second settings, wherein the first setting disperses the microbubble solution into a treatment area located 1 mm to 5 mm below a dermis, and the second setting irreversibly destroys at least one fat cell and fibrous septae in the treatment area while leaving cells outside the treatment area unaffected to contour a portion of an outer surface of the dermis and to reduce the cellulite. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28)
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Specification