Devices and methods for percutaneous energy delivery

• US 8,882,753 B2
• Filed: 10/10/2008
• Issued: 11/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Syneron Medical Limited (Syneron Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Syneron Medical Limited (Syneron Incorporated)
• Inventors: Mehta, Bankim H., McGill, Scott A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Crandall, Lynsey
• Assistant Examiner(s): PAHAKIS, MANOLIS Y
• Application Number:
  US12/249,790
• Publication Number:
  US 20100010480A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,223 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 606/9
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1206 Generators therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/14 Probes or electrodes therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1477 Needle-like probes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/18 by applying electromagnetic radiation, e.g. microwaves radiation therapy A61N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/20 using laser
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/203 applying laser energy to the outside of the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00011 with fluids
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00452 Skin
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00875 Resistance or impedance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00994 combining two or more different kinds of non-mechanical energy or combining one or more non-mechanical energies with ultrasound
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1425 Needle
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/143 multiple needles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1475 Electrodes retractable in or deployable from a housing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1807 using light other than laser radiation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/208 with multiple treatment beams not sharing a common path, e.g. non-axial or parallel
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 7/02 Localised ultrasound hyperthermia hyperthermia in general A61F7/00

Abstract

The invention provides a system and method for percutaneous energy delivery in an effective, manner using one or more probes. Additional variations of the system include array of probes configured to minimize the energy required to produce the desired effect.

Claims

1. A method of cosmetically improving a tissue surface by applying energy to a region of tissue from an energy source, comprising:

engaging a tissue engaging surface of an energy delivery device against the tissue surface, wherein the energy delivery service includes a hand-piece;

engaging a tissue stabilization plate of the energy delivery device against the tissue surface, wheren in the tissue stabilization plate is adjacent to a side of the tissue engaging surface and extends past a side of the hand-piece, wherein the tissue stabilization plate and the tissue engaging surface are configured to hold the region of tissue flat and in line with the tissue engaging surface, wherein the region of tissue is between the tissue engaging surface and the tissue stabilization plate;

tensioning and holding flat the region of tissue using the tissue stabilization plate and the tissue engaging surface;

advancing a plurality of energy transfer probes of the energy delivery device from a retracted position to a treatment position inside the region of tissue,

wherein the energy transfer probes extend from the energy delivery device at an oblique angle relative to the tissue engaging surface, wherein the tissue stabilization plate includes a window configured to permit direct visualization of insertion of the plurality of energy delivery probes into the region of tissue the step of advancing; and

applying energy to the region of tissue at an active area of at least one of the plurality of energy transfer probes so as to cosmetically improve the tissue surface, wherein the tissue stabilization plate is configured to provide a visual frame of reference boundary outlining a perimeter of energy application.

2. The method of claim 1, where the plurality of energy transfer elements are comprised of a plurality of pairs of energy transfer probes and where applying energy to tissue at an active region of at least one of the plurality of energy transfer probes comprises first measuring an impedance of each pair of energy transfer probes;

and applying energy to those pairs of energy transfer probes where the impedance between a range of pre-determined impedance values.

3. The method of claim 2, where the range of pre-determined impedance values comprises between 700 Ω

to 3000 Ω

.

4. The method of claim 3, where applying energy to the tissue further comprises applying energy to each pair of energy transfer probes using one of a plurality of predetermined energy delivery profiles, and selecting the predetermined energy delivery profile based upon the measured impedance.

5. The method of claim 4, where the energy delivery profile comprises a proportional-integral-derivative.

6. The method of claim 5, where the proportional-integral-derivative control further measures a temperature of tissue adjacent to the pair of energy delivery elements at different points in time during the energy application to control application of energy to cause the measured temperature to reach a pre-determined temperature.

7. The method of claim 1, where the plurality of energy transfer probes comprise a set of energy transfer probes and where the set of energy transfer probes are detachable from the energy transfer delivery device.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising cooling the tissue stabilization plate.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing a suction force at the tissue stabilization plate.

10. The method of claim 1, where advancing a plurality of energy transfer probes comprises advancing a plurality of arrays of energy transfer probes into tissue.

11. The method of claim 10, where the plurality of arrays of energy transfer probes are offset to prevent a continuous line of insertion points along the tissue.

12. The method of claim 10, where the plurality of arrays of energy transfer probes are energized at different times.

13. The method of claim 12, where the region of tissue comprises tissue selected from the dermis, a hair follicle, sebaceous gland, a skin anomaly such as acne, wart or other structure or blemish, and a blood vessel.

14. The method of claim 1, where the plurality of energy transfer probes are comprised of fiber optics and where applying energy to tissue at an active region of at least one of the plurality of fiber optics comprises directing laser energy through the at least one fiber optic.

15. The method of claim 1, where the plurality of energy transfer probes are comprised of a plurality of ultrasonic transducers and where applying energy to tissue at an active region of at least one of the plurality of transducers comprises energizing the at least one transducer.

16. The method of claim 1, where the plurality of energy transfer probes are comprised of a plurality of thermally resistive probes and where applying energy to tissue at an active region of at least one of the plurality of thermally resistive probes comprises supplying electrical current to the at least one probe.

17. The method of claim 1, where the plurality of energy transfer probes are comprised of a plurality of microwave antennae and where applying energy to tissue at an active region of at least one of the plurality of antenna comprises supplying microwave energy to the at least one antenna.