Devices and methods for multi-focus ultrasound therapy

• US 10,420,960 B2
• Filed: 02/28/2014
• Issued: 09/24/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ulthera Inc. (Merz Pharma GmbH & Company Kgaa)
• Original Assignee: Ulthera Inc. (Merz Pharma GmbH & Company Kgaa)
• Inventors: Emery, Charles D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cook, Christopher L
• Application Number:
  US14/193,234
• Publication Number:
  US 20140257145A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,034 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/378 using ultrasound
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4209 by using holders, e.g. positioning frames
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2007/0008 Destruction of fat cells
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2007/0034 Skin treatment
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2007/0052 using the same transducer for therapy and imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2007/0095 by modifying an excitation signal
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2007/027 with multiple foci created simultaneously
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 7/02 Localised ultrasound hyperthermia hyperthermia in general A61F7/00

Abstract

Embodiments of a dermatological cosmetic treatment and imaging system and method can include use of transducer to simultaneously or substantially simultaneously produce multiple cosmetic treatment zones in tissue. The system can include a hand wand, a removable transducer module, a control module, and/or graphical user interface. In some embodiments, the cosmetic treatment system may be used in cosmetic procedures, including brow lifts, fat reduction, sweat reduction, and treatment of the décolletage. Skin tightening, lifting and amelioration of wrinkles and stretch marks are provided.

Claims

1. An aesthetic ultrasound treatment system for simultaneously creating multiple focus points from a single ultrasound transducer, comprising:

an ultrasonic probe comprising a single ultrasound transducer comprising a single piezoelectric material, the single piezoelectric material comprising a plurality of portions configured to apply ultrasonic therapy to create multiple thermal coagulation points in a tissue simultaneously at a plurality of locations at a focal depth with at least one of the group consisting of amplitude modulation, poling, and phase shifting,

wherein the poling comprises different poling moments provided from the plurality of portions of the single piezoelectric material,

wherein the phase shifting of the plurality of portions of the single piezoelectric material is excited by corresponding signals applied to the plurality of portions of the single piezoelectric material with different phases,

wherein the plurality of portions of the single piezoelectric material are configured to create a plurality of corresponding piezoelectric material variations respectively in response to an electric field applied to the single ultrasound transducer.

2. The aesthetic ultrasound treatment system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of locations are positioned in a linear sequence within a cosmetic treatment zone.

3. The aesthetic ultrasound treatment system of claim 1, wherein a first set of locations is positioned within a first cosmetic treatment zone and a second set of locations is positioned within a second cosmetic treatment zone, the first zone being different from the second zone.

4. The aesthetic ultrasound treatment system of claim 1, wherein the ultrasound transducer is configured to apply ultrasonic therapy using amplitude modulation whereby a plurality of portions of the ultrasound transducer are configured to emit ultrasonic therapy at a plurality of amplitudes of acoustic intensity, wherein a first amplitude is different than a second amplitude.

5. The aesthetic ultrasound treatment system of claim 4, wherein at least one portion of the ultrasonic transducer is configured to emit ultrasonic therapy at two or more amplitudes of acoustic intensity, and wherein the amplitude of ultrasonic therapy emitted by the at least one portion of the single piezoelectric material varies over time.

6. The aesthetic ultrasound treatment system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of piezoelectric material variations comprise at least one of expansion of the piezoelectric material and contraction of the piezoelectric material.

7. The aesthetic ultrasound treatment system of claim 1, wherein the ultrasound transducer is configured to apply ultrasonic therapy phase shifting whereby a plurality of portions of the ultrasound transducer are configured to emit ultrasonic therapy at a plurality of phases of acoustic intensity, wherein a first phase is different than a second phase.

8. The aesthetic ultrasound treatment system of claim 7, wherein the plurality of phases comprises discrete phase values.

9. The aesthetic ultrasound treatment system of claim 1, wherein the ultrasound transducer is configured to:

apply ultrasonic therapy using amplitude modulation whereby a plurality of portions of the ultrasound transducer are configured to emit ultrasonic therapy at a plurality of amplitudes of acoustic intensity, wherein a first amplitude is different than a second amplitude; and

apply ultrasonic therapy phase shifting whereby a plurality of portions of the ultrasound transducer are configured to emit ultrasonic therapy at a plurality of phases of acoustic intensity, wherein a first phase is different than a second phase.

10. The aesthetic ultrasound treatment system of claim 1, wherein the ultrasonic treatment is at least one of a face lift, a brow lift, a chin lift, an eye treatment, a wrinkle reduction, a scar reduction, a burn treatment, a tattoo removal, a skin tightening, a vein removal, a vein reduction, a treatment on a sweat gland, a treatment of hyperhidrosis, a sun spot removal, a fat treatment, a vaginal rejuvenation, and an acne treatment.

11. An aesthetic multi-focus treatment system comprising:

a module comprising a single ultrasound transducer comprising a single piezoelectric material, wherein the single piezoelectric material comprises a plurality of portions

configured to simultaneously apply ultrasonic therapy to tissue at a plurality of locations at a focal depth with at least one of the group consisting of amplitude modulation, poling, and phase shifting,

wherein the poling comprises different poling moments provided from the plurality of portions of the single piezoelectric material,

wherein the phase shifting of the plurality of portions of the single piezoelectric material is excited by corresponding signals applied to the plurality of portions of the single piezoelectric material with different phases,

wherein the module further comprises an interface guide designed for removable coupling to a hand wand to provide electronic communication and power between the module and the hand wand.

12. The aesthetic multi-focus treatment system of claim 11, wherein the ultrasound transducer is configured to apply ultrasonic therapy using amplitude modulation whereby the plurality of portions of the ultrasound transducer are configured to emit ultrasonic therapy at a plurality of amplitudes of acoustic intensity, wherein a first amplitude is different than a second amplitude.

13. The aesthetic multi-focus treatment system of claim 11, wherein the ultrasound transducer is configured to apply ultrasonic therapy phase shifting whereby the plurality of portions of the ultrasound transducer are configured to emit ultrasonic therapy at a plurality of phases of acoustic intensity, wherein a first phase is different than a second phase.

14. The aesthetic multi-focus treatment system of claim 11, wherein at least one portion of the ultrasonic transducer is configured to emit ultrasonic therapy at two or more amplitudes of acoustic intensity, and wherein the amplitude of ultrasonic therapy emitted by the at least one portion of the single piezoelectric varies over time.

15. The aesthetic multi-focus system of claim 11, wherein the ultrasonic treatment is at least one of a face lift, a brow lift, a chin lift, an eye treatment, a wrinkle reduction, a scar reduction, a burn treatment, a tattoo removal, a skin tightening, a vein removal, a vein reduction, a treatment on a sweat gland, a treatment of hyperhidrosis, a sun spot removal, a fat treatment, a vaginal rejuvenation, and an acne treatment.