Method and apparatus for dermatological treatment and fractional skin resurfacing

• US 9,351,792 B2
• Filed: 07/19/2007
• Issued: 05/31/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The General Hospital Corporation (Mass General Brigham, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: The General Hospital Corporation (Mass General Brigham, Inc.)
• Inventors: Manstein, Dieter, Anderson, Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): Crandall, Lynsey
• Application Number:
  US11/780,261
• Publication Number:
  US 20080021442A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,239 Days
• Field of Search: 606 9- 14, 607 88- 92
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/203 applying laser energy to the outside of the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00765 Decreasing the barrier function of skin tissue by radiated energy, e.g. using ultrasound, using laser for skin perforation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00005 Cooling or heating of the probe or tissue immediately surrounding the probe
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00023 closed, i.e. without wound contact by the fluid
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00452 Skin
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/0047 Upper parts of the skin, e.g. skin peeling or treatment of wrinkles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00577 Ablation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/20351 Scanning mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/205545 Arrangements for particular spot shape, e.g. square or annular
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/2065 Multiwave; Wavelength mixing, e.g. using four or more wavelengths pilot laser A61B2018/2025
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/208 with multiple treatment beams not sharing a common path, e.g. non-axial or parallel
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/0436 Shielding
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/0454 by reflection
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/049 against light, e.g. laser
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0665 Reflectors
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/0616 Skin treatment other than tanning

Abstract

A system and method for performing fractional resurfacing of a target area of skin using electromagnetic radiation are provided. An electromagnetic radiation is generated by an electromagnetic radiation source. The electromagnetic radiation is caused to be applied to a particular portion of a target area of skin. The electromagnetic radiation can be impeded from affecting another portion of the target area of the skin by a mask. Alternatively, the electromagnetic radiation may be applied to portions of the target area of the skin, other than the particular portion.

Claims

1. A method for treating dermatological conditions, comprising:

controlling an electromagnetic radiation source to generate an electromagnetic radiation;

causing the electromagnetic radiation to be applied to a target area of skin; and

preventing at least one portion of the target area of the skin from being exposed to the electromagnetic radiation;

wherein the radiation is configured to at least one of thermally damage or ablate epidermal tissue and dermal tissue of the target area of the skin extending from a surface of the skin through an entire depth of the epidermal tissue and to at least a particular depth within the dermal tissue of the skin, and

wherein a width of the at least one portion of the target area is at least 50 μ

m and at most 300 μ

m.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the preventing step is performed using a masking arrangement.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein at least 0.1% of the target area is prevented from being exposed to the electromagnetic radiation.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein at most 90% of the target area is prevented from being exposed to the electromagnetic radiation.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein a dimension of a portion of the masking arrangement is at least 50 μ

m and at most 300 μ

m.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the masking arrangement is configured to define at least one aperture.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein a dimension of the at least one aperture is at least 10 μ

m and at most 1000 μ

m.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein a dimension of the at least one aperture is at least 50 μ

m and at most 300 μ

m.

9. The method of claim 2, wherein the masking arrangement is cooled.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the electromagnetic radiation source is an ablative laser.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the electromagnetic radiation source is at least one of a carbon dioxide laser and an Er:

YAG laser.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

controlling a further electromagnetic radiation source to generate a further electromagnetic radiation; and

applying the further electromagnetic radiation to the target area of the skin.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the further electromagnetic radiation source is one of a Q-switched ruby laser, a Nd:

YAG laser, a KTP laser and an Alexandrite laser.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising introducing a substance to the target area, wherein the substance comprises at least one of a growth factors, a collagen byproduct, a collagen precursor, hyaluronic acid, a vitamin, an antioxidant, an amino acid and a supplemental mineral.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of causing the electromagnetic radiation to be applied to a target area of skin comprises providing the electromagnetic radiation to a plurality of exposure areas on the skin surface, and wherein a smallest dimension of the exposure areas along the skin surface area is between about 1 μ

m and about 500 μ

m.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the percentage of the target area that is exposed to the electromagnetic radiation is between 20% and 40%.