Combined modality treatment systems, methods and apparatus for body contouring applications
First Claim
1. A system for non-invasive, transdermal removal of heat from subcutaneous lipid-rich cells of a subject, comprising:
- a treatment unit in thermal communication with a fluid chamber, the fluid chamber being configured to house and provide a coolant;
a radiofrequency (RF) energy generating unit for generating RF current;
a treatment device in fluid communication with the treatment unit and in electrical communication with the RF energy generating unit; and
a controller in communication with the treatment unit, the RF energy generating unit and the treatment device, wherein the controller has instructions for causing the treatment device to;
couple RF energy to the subject selectively to heat connective tissue in a target region beneath an epidermis of the subject to a maximum temperature less than a collagen denaturation temperature; and
reduce a temperature of the target region beneath the epidermis of the subject selectively to reduce the temperature of subcutaneous lipid-rich cells in the target region such that the subcutaneous lipid-rich cells are substantially affected while non-lipid rich cells in the epidermis and subcutaneous lipid-rich cells adjacent to the connective tissue are not substantially affected.
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Abstract
Systems and methods that enable delivery of radiofrequency energy and cryotherapy applications to adipose tissue for reduction and contouring of body fat are described herein. Aspects of the disclosure are directed to methods for reducing surface irregularities in a surface of a subject'"'"'s skin resulting from an uneven distribution of adipose tissue in the subcutaneous layer. The method can include delivering capacitively coupled or conductively coupled radiofrequency energy to a target region of the subject at a frequency which selectively heats fibrous septae in a subcutaneous layer of the target region to a maximum temperature less than a fibrous septae denaturation temperature. Furthermore, the method can include removing heat such that lipid-rich lobules in the subcutaneous layer are affected while non-lipid-rich cells and lipid-rich regions adjacent to the fibrous septae are not substantially affected.
398 Citations
30 Claims
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1. A system for non-invasive, transdermal removal of heat from subcutaneous lipid-rich cells of a subject, comprising:
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a treatment unit in thermal communication with a fluid chamber, the fluid chamber being configured to house and provide a coolant; a radiofrequency (RF) energy generating unit for generating RF current; a treatment device in fluid communication with the treatment unit and in electrical communication with the RF energy generating unit; and a controller in communication with the treatment unit, the RF energy generating unit and the treatment device, wherein the controller has instructions for causing the treatment device to; couple RF energy to the subject selectively to heat connective tissue in a target region beneath an epidermis of the subject to a maximum temperature less than a collagen denaturation temperature; and reduce a temperature of the target region beneath the epidermis of the subject selectively to reduce the temperature of subcutaneous lipid-rich cells in the target region such that the subcutaneous lipid-rich cells are substantially affected while non-lipid rich cells in the epidermis and subcutaneous lipid-rich cells adjacent to the connective tissue are not substantially affected. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A combined modality treatment system for selectively removing heat from subcutaneous lipid-rich cells in a target region of a subject having skin, comprising:
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a treatment unit in thermal communication with a fluid chamber, the fluid chamber being configured to house and provide a coolant; a radiofrequency (RF) energy source for generating RF current; a controller; and a treatment device having a heat exchanging plate coupled to the RF energy source and a thermoelectric cooling element in communication with the treatment unit; wherein the controller has instructions that cause the treatment device to— capacitively couple radiofrequency (RF) energy to the skin of the subject selectively to heat fibrous septae in the target region to a final temperature less than a fibrous septae denaturation temperature; and remove heat from the subcutaneous lipid-rich cells of the subject during a treatment process such that subcutaneous lipid-rich cells are substantially affected while non-lipid-rich cells and subcutaneous lipid-rich cells adjacent to the fibrous septae are not substantially affected. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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Specification