Non-invasive ultrasonic body contouring

• US 7,875,023 B2
• Filed: 02/20/2008
• Issued: 01/25/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ultrashape Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Ultrashape Ltd.
• Inventors: Eshel, Yoram, Vitsnudel, Ilia
• Primary Examiner(s): Casler; Brian
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lamprecht; Joel M
• Application Number:
  US12/071,382
• Publication Number:
  US 20080287836A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,070 Days
• Field of Search: 600/407, 600/437, 600/443, 600/439, 601/1, 601/2
• US Class Current: 606/2.5
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00084 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2055 Optical tracking systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2065 Tracking using image or pattern recognition
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2072 Reference field transducer attached to an instrument or patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/378 using ultrasound
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3937 Visible markers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/20 Surgical navigation systems; Devices for tracking or guiding surgical instruments, e.g. for frameless stereotaxis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/25 User interfaces for surgical systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/361 Image-producing devices, e.g. surgical cameras
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2007/0008 Destruction of fat cells
• 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

Abstract

A methodology and system for lysing adipose tissue including directing ultrasonic energy at a multiplicity of target volumes within the region, which target volumes contain adipose tissue, thereby to selectively lyse the adipose tissue in the target volumes and generally not lyse non-adipose tissue in the target volumes and computerized tracking of the multiplicity of target volumes notwithstanding movement of the body.

Claims

1. Apparatus for lysing adipose tissue, the apparatus comprising:

a source outside a body, for generating ultrasonic energy;

an ultrasonic energy director for directing said ultrasonic energy at a target volume in a region of the body containing adipose and non-adipose tissue, so as to selectively generally lyse said adipose tissue and generally not lyse said non-adipose tissue.

2. Apparatus for lysing adipose tissue according to claim 1 and wherein said director is generally configured to prevent lysis of tissue outside of said target volume.

3. Apparatus for lysing adipose tissue according to claim 1 and also comprising:

an ultrasonic imager for providing ultrasonic imaging of said region at least partially concurrently with directing said ultrasonic energy at said target volume.

4. Apparatus for lysing adipose tissue according to claim 1 and wherein said director is configured to vary the focus of at least one ultrasonic transducer in order to direct said ultrasonic energy at said target volume.

5. Apparatus for lysing adipose tissue according to claim 4 and wherein varying the focus changes the volume of said target volume.

6. Apparatus for lysing adipose tissue according to claim 4 and wherein varying the focus changes the distance of said target volume from said at least one ultrasonic transducer.

7. Apparatus for lysing adipose tissue according to claim 3 and wherein said director is configured to vary the focus of at least one ultrasonic transducer in order to direct said ultrasonic energy at said target volume.

8. Apparatus for lysing adipose tissue according to claim 7 and wherein varying the focus changes the volume of said target volume.

9. Apparatus for lysing adipose tissue according to claim 7 and wherein varying the focus changes the distance of said target volume from said at least one ultrasonic transducer.

10. Apparatus for lysing adipose tissue according to claim 1 and also comprising a sensor for sensing ultrasonic energy coupling to an external surface of said body adjacent to said target volume.

11. Apparatus for lysing adipose tissue according to claim 1 and also comprising a sensor for sensing of cavitation at said target volume.

12. Apparatus for lysing adipose tissue according to claim 3 and also comprising a sensor for sensing ultrasonic energy coupling to an external surface of said body adjacent to said target volume.

13. Apparatus for lysing adipose tissue according to claim 3 and also comprising a sensor for sensing of cavitation at said target volume.

14. Apparatus according to claim 1 and wherein said ultrasonic energy has a frequency in a range of 50 KHz-1000 KHz.

15. Apparatus according to claim 1 and wherein said ultrasonic energy has a frequency in a range of 100 KHz-500 KHz.

16. Apparatus according to claim 1 and wherein said ultrasonic energy has a frequency in a range of 150 KHz-300 KHz.

17. Apparatus according to claim 1 and wherein said director is configured to provide a duty cycle between 1:

2 and 1;

250.

18. Apparatus according to claim 1 and wherein said director is configured to provide a duty cycle between 1:

5 and 1;

30.

19. Apparatus according to claim 1 and wherein said director is configured to provide a duty cycle between 1:

10 and 1;

20.

20. Apparatus according to claim 16 and wherein said director is configured to provide a duty cycle between 1:

10 and 1;

20.

21. Apparatus according to claim 1 and wherein said director is configured to provide between 2 and 1000 sequential cycles at an amplitude above a cavitation threshold.

22. Apparatus according to claim 1 and wherein said director is configured to provide between 25 and 500 sequential cycles at an amplitude above a cavitation threshold.

23. Apparatus according to claim 1 and wherein said director is configured to provide between 100 and 300 sequential cycles at an amplitude above a cavitation threshold.

24. Apparatus according to claim 16 and wherein said director is configured to provide between 100 and 300 sequential cycles at an amplitude above a cavitation threshold.

25. Apparatus according to claim 20 and wherein said director is configured to provide between 100 and 300 sequential cycles at an amplitude above a cavitation threshold.

26. Apparatus according to claim 3 and wherein said ultrasonic energy has a frequency in a range of 50 KHz-1000 KHz.

27. Apparatus according to claim 3 and wherein said ultrasonic energy has a frequency in a range of 100 KHz-500 KHz.

28. Apparatus according to claim 3 and wherein said ultrasonic energy has a frequency in a range of 150 KHz-300 KHz.

29. Apparatus according to claim 3 and wherein said director is configured to provide a duty cycle between 1:

2 and 1;

250.

30. Apparatus according to claim 3 and wherein said director is configured to provide a duty cycle between 1:

5 and 1;

30.

31. Apparatus according to claim 3 and wherein said director is configured to provide a duty cycle between 1:

10 and 1;

20.

32. Apparatus according to claim 28 and wherein said director is configured to provide a duty cycle between 1:

10 and 1;

20.

33. Apparatus according to claim 3 and wherein said director is configured to provide between 2 and 1000 sequential cycles at an amplitude above a cavitation threshold.

34. Apparatus according to claim 3 and wherein said director is configured to provide between 25 and 500 sequential cycles at an amplitude above a cavitation threshold.

35. Apparatus according to claim 3 and wherein said director is configured to provide between 100 and 300 sequential cycles at an amplitude above a cavitation threshold.

36. Apparatus according to claim 28 and wherein said director is configured to provide between 100 and 300 sequential cycles at an amplitude above a cavitation threshold.

37. Apparatus according to claim 32 and wherein said director is configured to provide between 100 and 300 sequential cycles at an amplitude above a cavitation threshold.

38. Apparatus for lysing adipose tissue, the apparatus comprising:

a region definer for defining a region in a body at least partially by detecting spatial indications on said body; and

a director for directing ultrasonic energy at a multiplicity of target volumes within said region, which target volumes contain adipose and non-adipose tissue, so as to selectively lyse said adipose tissue in said target volumes and generally not lyse non-adipose tissue in said target volumes.

39. Apparatus for lysing adipose tissue according to claim 38 and wherein said director is configured to direct focused ultrasonic energy at said multiplicity of target volumes in a time sequence.

40. Apparatus for lysing adipose tissue according to claim 38 and wherein said director is configured to direct focused ultrasonic energy at plural ones of said multiplicity of target volumes at times which at least partially overlap.

41. Apparatus for lysing adipose tissue according to claim 38 and wherein at least some of said multiplicity of target volumes at least partially overlap in space.

42. Apparatus for lysing adipose tissue according to claim 38 and wherein said definer is configured to mark at least one surface of said body.

43. Apparatus for lysing adipose tissue according to claim 42 and wherein said definer is further configured to select at least one depth in said body.

44. Apparatus for lysing adipose tissue according to claim 42 and wherein said definer is further configured to detect adipose tissue in said body.

45. Apparatus for lysing adipose tissue according to claim 44 and wherein said definer is further configured to define said region at least partially by detecting non-lysed adipose tissue.

46. Apparatus for lysing adipose tissue according to claim 45 and wherein said director is further configured to define said target volumes as unit volumes of non-lysed adipose tissue within said region.

47. Apparatus for lysing adipose tissue according to claim 46 and wherein said director is further configured to proceed sequentially in time, wherein selective lysis of adipose tissue in each target volume takes place only following detection of non-lysed adipose tissue therein.

48. Apparatus for lysing adipose tissue according to claim 44 and wherein said director is further configured to define said target volumes as unit volumes of adipose tissue within said region.

49. Apparatus for lysing adipose tissue according to claim 48 and wherein said director is further configured to proceed sequentially in time wherein selective lysis of adipose tissue in each target volume takes place only following detection of adipose tissue therein.

50. Apparatus for lysing adipose tissue according to claim 38 and also comprising computerized tracking functionality for providing computerized tracking of said multiplicity of target volumes notwithstanding movement of said body.

51. Apparatus for lysing adipose tissue according to claim 50 and wherein said computerized tracking functionality is operative to sense changes in a position of the spatial indications on said body and to employ sensed changes for tracking positions of said target volumes in said body.