Magnetic ink tissue markings

• US 20050061198A1
• Filed: 08/06/2004
• Published: 03/24/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The General Hospital Corporation (Mass General Brigham, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: The General Hospital Corporation (Mass General Brigham, Inc.)
• Inventors: Anderson, Richard Rox, Khan, Misbah H.
• Granted Patent: US 7,344,587 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 106/31.30
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 37/0076 Tattooing apparatus apparatus for marking animals A01K11/00; vaccine applicators having needles or other puncturing means A61B17/205
• CPC Class Codes: C09D 11/02 Printing inks C09D11/30 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 1/445 the magnetic component being a compound, e.g. Fe3O4 H01F1/447 takes precedence

Abstract

The invention provides tissue markings (such as tattoos) comprising magnetic particles, e.g., magnetite, and methods for making and altering, e.g., removing them.

Claims

1. A magnetic tattoo ink composition comprising magnetic particles, wherein the magnetic particles are from 1.0 to 5 μ

m in diameter, and vary in diameter by less than a factor of about two, and wherein the composition is sterile.

2. The magnetic tattoo ink composition of claim 1, wherein the magnetic particles comprise magnetite (Fe₃O₄).

3. The magnetic tattoo ink of claim 1, further comprising a carrier.

4. The magnetic tattoo ink of claim 3, wherein the carrier is selected from the group consisting of ethanol, purified water, witch hazel, Listerine™

, propylene glycol, glycerol, denatured alcohols, methanol, isopropyl alcohol, ethylene glycol, formaldehyde, glutaraldehyde, surfactants, and detergents.

5. The magnetic tattoo ink composition of claim 1, wherein the magnetic particles are a color other than black.

6. The magnetic tattoo ink composition of claim 5, wherein the magnetic particles are coated with a chromophore.

7. The magnetic tattoo ink compositions of claim 1, wherein the magnetic particles further comprise a polymer.

8. The magnetic tattoo ink composition of claim 7, wherein the particles further comprise a chromophore.

9. The magnetic tattoo ink composition of claim 8, wherein the chromophore is a color other than black.

10. The magnetic tattoo ink composition of claim 1, comprising magnetic particles of one color and non-magnetic particles of another color.

11. The magnetic tattoo ink composition of claim 10, wherein the magnetic particles are blue and the non-magnetic particles are yellow.

12. The magnetic tattoo ink composition of claim 10, wherein the magnetic particles are yellow and the non-magnetic particles are blue.

13. A method of making a magnetic tattoo ink tissue marking, the method comprising

obtaining a magnetic tattoo ink composition of claim 1, and

implanting the magnetic tattoo ink composition into the tissue.

14. The method of claim 13, comprising implanting the magnetic tattoo ink composition to form a pattern.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the pattern formed by the implanted magnetic tattoo ink composition is a name.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising implanting a non-magnetic tattoo ink composition to form another pattern, thereby forming a design that includes both the magnetic and non-magnetic ink patterns.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the magnetic tattoo ink composition and non-magnetic tattoo ink composition comprise different colors.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the pattern formed by the implanted magnetic tattoo ink composition is a name.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the pattern formed by the implanted non-magnetic tattoo ink composition is a background for the name.

25. The method of claim 16, wherein the magnetic field is applied to the tissue for a length of time sufficient to lighten or remove the magnetic ink from the tissue.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the removal of the magnetic ink removes a pattern or a color.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the pattern is a name.

36. A method of attaching a magnetic object to a portion of skin, the method comprising obtaining a magnetic tattoo ink composition of claim 1;

implanting the magnetic tattoo ink composition into the skin in a manner sufficient to create a magnetic area on the skin; and

attaching a magnetic object to the skin.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein the magnetic tattoo ink composition is substantially the same color as the skin.

20. A method of altering the appearance of a magnetic ink tissue marking comprising magnetic particles, the method comprising applying a magnetic field to the tissue sufficient to move the particles to alter the appearance of the tissue marking.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the method further comprises applying a Q-switched ruby laser treatment before applying the magnetic field.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising repeating either the application of a magnetic field, the application of a Q-switched ruby laser treatment, or both, to the tissue, until the magnetic ink has been removed from the tissue

23. The method of claim 20, wherein the method further comprises removing a portion of the epidermis before or while applying the magnetic field.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the magnetic field is applied to the tissue for a length of time sufficient to cause the magnetic ink tissue marking to appear darker.

28. A device for removing magnetic skin tattoos, the device comprising means for producing a high product of the magnetic field strength and magnetic field gradient within the skin, and a housing configured to enable the device to be contacted to the skin in the location of a tattoo.

29. The device of claim 28, wherein the means for producing a high product of the magnetic field strength and magnetic field gradient within the skin comprises at least one electromagnet.

30. The device of claim 29, in which the electromagnet comprises a superconducting electromagnet.

31. The device of claim 29, in which the electromagnet comprises a solenoid coil.

32. The device of claim 28, wherein the means for producing a high product of the magnetic field strength and magnetic field gradient within the skin comprises at least one permanent magnet.

33. The device of claim 28, wherein the device further comprises a controller that varies the magnetic field spatially or temporally, or both.

34. The device of claim 28, further comprising a laser arranged to illuminate the location of the tattoo.

35. The device of claim 34, wherein the laser is a Q-switched ruby laser.