METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FRACTIONAL SKIN TREATMENT

• US 20140228834A1
• Filed: 04/15/2014
• Published: 08/14/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Syneron Medical Limited (Syneron Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Syneron Medical Limited (Syneron Incorporated)
• Inventors: ADANNY, Yossef Ori, NAHSHON, Genady, LEVINE, Baruch, ROSENBERG, Avner
• Granted Patent: US 9,072,882 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/34
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1233 with circuits for assuring patient safety
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/14 Probes or electrodes therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/18 by applying electromagnetic radiation, e.g. microwaves radiation therapy A61N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/0016 Energy applicators arranged in a two- or three dimensional array
• 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 2018/00589 Coagulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00642 with feedback, i.e. closed loop control
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00702 Power or energy
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00827 Current
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00875 Resistance or impedance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1467 using more than two electrodes on a single probe
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/162 located on the probe body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/165 Multiple indifferent electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0476 Array electrodes (including any electrode arrangement with more than one electrode for at least one of the polarities)
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/00 Radiation therapy ultrasound therapy A61N7/00; devices or apparatus applicable to both therapy and diagnosis A61B6/00

Abstract

An apparatus for cosmetic RF skin treatment where the RF energy supply is isolated from the patient treated, such that in course of treatment no undesired current flows through the subject body.

Claims

1-16. -16. (canceled)

17. An RF skin treatment apparatus, comprising:

an RF voltage source configured to apply an RF pulse to skin in order to achieve a desired skin effect; and

at least one processor configured to;

monitor skin impedance as the RF pulse is applied to the skin; and

provide notification to an operator of the skin treatment apparatus when monitored skin impedance is beyond at least one pre-set impedance value.

18. The RF skin treatment apparatus of claim 17, wherein the desired skin effect includes at least one of wrinkle removal, hair removal, collagen shrinking, collagen destruction, and skin rejuvenation.

19. The RF skin treatment apparatus of claim 17, wherein the RF voltage source and the at least one processor are configured to cause skin ablation.

20. The RF skin treatment apparatus of claim 17, wherein the RF voltage source and the at least one processor are configured to cause fractional skin treatment.

21. The RF skin treatment apparatus of claim 17, wherein the notification advises the operator to exclude inefficient pulses.

22. The RF skin treatment apparatus of claim 17, wherein the notification advises the operator of a need to dry the skin.

23. The RF skin treatment apparatus of claim 17, wherein the at least one pre-set impedance value is a low impedance threshold, and wherein the notification advises the operator of a low value of resistance beneath the low impedance threshold.

24. The RF skin treatment apparatus of claim 17, wherein the at least one pre-set impedance value includes a high impedance threshold, and wherein the notification advises the operator of a high value of resistance above the high impedance threshold.

25. The RF skin treatment apparatus of claim 17, wherein the at least one pre-set impedance value includes both a high impedance threshold and a low impedance threshold, and wherein the at least one processor is configured to provide notification to the operator when resistance is monitored either below the low impedance threshold or above the high impedance threshold.

26. The RF skin treatment apparatus of claim 22, wherein the at least one pre-set impedance value includes a high impedance threshold, and wherein the at least one processor is further configured to cut the RF pulse when a monitored resistance exceeds the high impedance threshold.

27. The RF skin treatment apparatus of claim 17, wherein the RF voltage source and the at least one processor are further configured to deliver RF energy to electrodes on a tip.

28. The RF skin treatment apparatus of claim 27, wherein the notification includes an indicator to check proper attachment of the tip.

29. The RF skin treatment apparatus of claim 27, wherein the notification includes an indication to clean the tip.

30. The RF skin treatment apparatus of claim 17, wherein the at least one processor is part of a control circuit.

31. The RF skin treatment apparatus of claim 27, wherein the RF voltage source and the at least one processor are configured to cause ablation in tissue below the electrodes.

32. The RF skin treatment apparatus of claim 17, wherein the at least one processor is configured to monitor skin impedance by measuring current.

33. The RF skin treatment apparatus of claim 17, wherein the at least one processor is configured to monitor skin impedance by sampling substantially continuously.

34. The RF skin treatment apparatus of claim 17, wherein the at least one processor is configured to monitor skin impedance by sampling every few tens of a microsecond.

35. The RF skin treatment apparatus of claim 27, wherein the tip has an asymmetrical electrode arrangement.

36. The RF skin treatment apparatus of claim 35, wherein the asymmetrical electrode arrangement includes at least one electrode having a size greater than a size of another electrode.

37. The RF skin treatment apparatus of claim 35, wherein the asymmetrical electrode arrangement includes a plurality of energy applying electrodes including electrodes of a first size, and at least one larger electrode of a second size located at a periphery of the plurality of energy applying electrodes, the second size being substantially greater than the first size.

38. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein a combined area of the at least one larger electrode is substantially greater than a combined area of the energy applying electrodes.

39. The RF skin treatment apparatus of claim 25, wherein at least one of the high impedance threshold and the low impedance threshold are chosen to minimize pain to a subject under treatment.