APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR MEDICALLY TREATING A TATTOO

• US 20080154248A1
• Filed: 12/22/2006
• Published: 06/26/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Dunki-Jacobs, Robert J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,713,265 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/9
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/203 applying laser energy to the outside of the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00057 Light
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00769 Tattoo removal
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00452 Skin
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/20351 Scanning mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/20361 with redirecting based on sensed condition, e.g. tissue analysis or tissue movement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/2065 Multiwave; Wavelength mixing, e.g. using four or more wavelengths pilot laser A61B2018/2025
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/207 mixing two wavelengths
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/361 Image-producing devices, e.g. surgical cameras

Abstract

Apparatus for medically treating a tattoo includes a scanned light beam unit having a light beam source assembly adapted to emit light pulses at different wavelengths, a scanner, light detector(s), and a controller operatively connected to the light beam source assembly and the scanner. The controller is adapted: to control the scanned light beam unit to illuminate a first light-pulse-sized region of the tattoo using the light beam source assembly at different wavelengths and at relatively low power; to use the light detector(s) to detect a least-reflecting wavelength of the illumination of the first light-pulse-sized region of the tattoo; and to control the scanned light beam unit to medically treat the first light-pulse-sized region of the tattoo using the light beam source assembly at a wavelength substantially equal to the least-reflecting wavelength and at relatively high power. A method is disclosed for medically treating a tattoo which uses the apparatus.

Claims

1. Apparatus for medically treating a tattoo of a patient comprising a scanned:

light beam unit, wherein the scanned light beam unit includes a light beam source assembly, a scanner, at least one light detector, and a controller, wherein the light beam source assembly is adapted to emit light pulses at different wavelengths, wherein the controller is operatively connected to the light beam source assembly and the scanner, and wherein the controller is adapted;

to control the scanned light beam unit to illuminate a first light-pulse-sized region of the tattoo using the light beam source assembly at different wavelengths and at relatively low power;

to use the at-least-one light detector to detect a least-reflecting wavelength of the illumination of the first light-pulse-sized region of the tattoo; and

to control the scanned light beam unit to medically treat the first light-pulse-sized region of the tattoo using the light beam source assembly at a wavelength substantially equal to the least-reflecting wavelength of the illumination of the first light-pulse-sized region of the tattoo and at relatively high power to at least reduce the pigmentation of the first light-pulse-sized region of the tattoo.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the scanned light beam unit has a fixed prime focus spatial resolution, and wherein the first light-pulse-sized region has substantially a same size and shape as the fixed prime focus spatial resolution.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the fixed prime focus spatial resolution has a substantially circular shape with a diameter between and including 0.005 millimeters and 0.5 millimeters.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the light beam source assembly includes at least one light beam source having a tunable wavelength.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the light beam source assembly includes a plurality of light beam sources each having a tunable wavelength.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the light beam source assembly includes a plurality of light beam sources each having a fixed wavelength.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the light beam source assembly includes at least one light beam source having a tunable wavelength.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the scanned light beam unit has a field of view, and wherein the controller is adapted:

to control the scanned light beam unit to illuminate each other light-pulse-sized region of the tattoo within the field of view using the light beam source assembly at different wavelengths and at relatively low power; and

to use the at-least-one light detector to detect a least-reflecting wavelength of the illumination of each other light-pulse-sized region of the tattoo within the field of view.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the controller is adapted to control the scanned light beam unit to medically treat each other light-pulse-sized region of the tattoo within the field of view using the light beam source assembly at a wavelength for each other light-pulse-sized region of the tattoo within the field of view substantially equal to the corresponding least-reflecting wavelength of the illumination of each other light-pulse-sized region of the tattoo within the field of view and at relatively high power to at least reduce the pigmentation of each other light-pulse-sized region of the tattoo within the field of view.

10. A method for medically treating a tattoo of a patient comprising the steps of:

a) obtaining a scanned light beam unit, wherein the scanned light beam unit includes a light beam source assembly, a scanner, at least one light detector, and a controller, wherein the light beam source assembly is adapted to emit light pulses at different wavelengths, and wherein the controller is operatively connected to the light beam source assembly and the scanner;

b) having the controller control the scanned light beam unit to illuminate a first light-pulse-sized region of the tattoo using the light beam source assembly at different wavelengths and at relatively low power;

c) having the controller use the at-least-one light detector to detect a least-reflecting wavelength of the illumination of the first light-pulse-sized region of the tattoo; and

d) having the controller control the scanned light beam unit to medically treat the first light-pulse-sized region of the tattoo using the light beam source assembly at a wavelength substantially equal to the least-reflecting wavelength of the illumination of the first light-pulse-sized region of the tattoo and at relatively high power to at least reduce the pigmentation of the first light-pulse-sized region of the tattoo.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the scanned light beam unit has a field of view, and also including the steps of:

e) having the controller control the scanned light beam unit to illuminate each other light-pulse-sized region of the tattoo within the field of view using the light beam source assembly at different wavelengths and at relatively low power; and

f) having the controller use the at-least-one light detector to detect a least-reflecting wavelength of the illumination of each other light-pulse-sized region of the tattoo within the field of view.

12. The method of claim 11, also including the step of:

g) having the controller control the scanned light beam unit to medically treat each other light-pulse-sized region of the tattoo within the field of view using the light beam source assembly at a wavelength for each other light-pulse-sized region of the tattoo within the field of view substantially equal to the corresponding least-reflecting wavelength of the illumination of each other light-pulse-sized region of the tattoo within the field of view and at relatively high power to at least reduce the pigmentation of each other light-pulse-sized region of the tattoo within the field of view.

13. Apparatus for medically treating a tattoo of a patient comprising a scanned laser beam unit, wherein the scanned laser beam unit is a medical-imaging-and-treatment scanned laser beam unit, wherein the scanned laser beam unit includes a laser beam source assembly, a scanner, at least one light detector, and a controller, wherein the laser beam source assembly is adapted to emit laser light pulses at different wavelengths, wherein the controller is operatively connected to the laser beam source assembly and the scanner, and wherein the controller is adapted:

to control the scanned laser beam unit to illuminate a first light-pulse-sized region of the tattoo using the laser beam source assembly at different wavelengths and at relatively low power;

to use the at-least-one light detector to detect a least-reflecting wavelength of the illumination of the first light-pulse-sized region of the tattoo; and

to control the scanned laser beam unit to medically treat the first light-pulse-sized region of the tattoo using the laser beam source assembly at a wavelength substantially equal to the least-reflecting wavelength of the illumination of the first light-pulse-sized region of the tattoo and at relatively high power to at least reduce the pigmentation of the first light-pulse-sized region of the tattoo.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the scanned laser beam unit has a field of view, and wherein the controller is adapted:

to control the scanned laser beam unit to illuminate each other light-pulse-sized region of the tattoo within the field of view using the laser beam source assembly at different wavelengths and at relatively low power;

to use the at-least-one light detector to detect a least-reflecting wavelength of the illumination of each other light-pulse-sized region of the tattoo within the field of view; and

to create a map correlating the first light-pulse-sized region of the tattoo and each other light-pulse-sized region of the tattoo within the field of view with the corresponding least-reflecting wavelength.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the controller is adapted to control the scanned laser beam unit to medically treat each other light-pulse-sized region of the tattoo within the field of view according to the created map using the laser beam source assembly at a wavelength for each other light-pulse-sized region of the tattoo within the field of view substantially equal to the corresponding least-reflecting wavelength of the illumination of each other light-pulse-sized region of the tattoo within the field of view and at relatively high power to at least reduce the pigmentation of each other light-pulse-sized region of the tattoo within the field of view.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the laser beam source assembly includes at least one laser beam source which has a tunable wavelength and which is a medical-treatment at-least-one laser beam source.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the laser beam source assembly includes at least one laser beam source which has a fixed wavelength and which is a medical-imaging at-least-one laser beam source.

18. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the laser beam source assembly includes a plurality of laser beam sources which each have a fixed wavelength and which each are a medical-treatment laser beam source.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the laser beam source assembly includes at least one laser beam source which has a fixed wavelength and which is a medical-imaging at-least-one laser beam source.

20. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the scanned laser beam unit has a fixed prime focus spatial resolution having a substantially circular shape with a diameter between and including 0.005 millimeters and 0.5 millimeters.