Method and apparatus to enhance optical transparency of biological tissues

• US 8,096,982 B2
• Filed: 10/27/2005
• Issued: 01/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Applied Tissue Optics, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Babak Nemati
• Inventors: Nemati, Babak
• Primary Examiner(s): Mehta, Bhisma
• Application Number:
  US11/262,082
• Publication Number:
  US 20060178614A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,273 Days
• Field of Search: 604 19- 21, 604/500, 128/898, 356/432, 600/310, 600/316, 600/476, 606/2, 606/3, 606/9
• US Class Current: 604/500
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/203 applying laser energy to the outside of the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00452 Skin
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0059 using light, e.g. diagnosis by transillumination, diascopy, fluorescence A61B5/0093, A61B5/1455, A61B5/02416 and A61B5/0261 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14532 for measuring glucose, e.g. by tissue impedance measurement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1455 using optical sensors, e.g. spectral photometrical oximeters
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/415 the glands, e.g. tonsils, adenoids or thymus
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/062 Photodynamic therapy, i.e. excitation of an agent

Abstract

Contemplated methods and compositions use selected agents to clarify biological tissues, and particularly tissues in vivo. In especially preferred aspects, the clarification agent is topically applied to clarify a plurality of layers, wherein the dermal layer that includes a target object remains unclarified. Light energy is then applied to the skin in an amount and under a protocol effective to destroy or alter the target object such that all skin layers avoid thermal damage. For example, hair follicles, collagen, and/or tattoo pigments located in the dermal reticular layer of skin are irradiated under a protocol in which the dermal papillary layer and all epidermal layers are clarified while the dermal reticular layer remains unclarified. Remarkably, such protocol significantly reduces thermal damage in the dermis, epidermis, and hypodermis.

Claims

1. A method of non-invasively irradiating a target object in skin comprising:

ascertaining that the target object is located in an underlying tissue layer of the skin, wherein the target object further comprises a hair follicle, tattoo, or a pigmented lesion;

topically and non-invasively applying a clarification agent in a topical formulation to the skin;

irradiating the skin with laser irradiation having visible light emission at a wavelength of less than 700 nm and at an energy effective to destroy the target object; and

wherein the step of irradiating is performed under a protocol effective to avoid thermal damage to tissues surrounding the target object and the clarification agent is delivered past the surface permeability barrier of the skin.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the clarification agent comprises at least one of glycerol, diatrizoate meglumine acid, or glucose.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of topically applying is performed using application of at least one of heat and electrical current.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of topically applying is performed without removal of at least one of stratum corneum and stratum lucidum.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the topical formulation further includes a penetration enhancer.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the target object comprises melanin.