Fractional scanner for dermatological treatments

• US 8,317,780 B2
• Filed: 10/12/2011
• Issued: 11/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cutera Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Cutera Incorporated
• Inventors: Davenport, Scott A., Gollnick, David A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Johnson, III, Henry M
• Assistant Examiner(s): CRANDALL, LYNSEY P
• Application Number:
  US13/272,010
• Publication Number:
  US 20120029605A1
• Time in Patent Office: 412 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 606/9
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/203 applying laser energy to the outside of the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00747 Dermatology
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00452 Skin
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/20351 Scanning mechanisms

Abstract

A dermatological treatment device is disclosed for generating a matrix of two dimensional treatment spots on the tissue. A handpiece carrier a laser which generates a beam of laser pulses. The pulses are focused onto the tissue with a lens system. A diffractive element is positioned between the laser and the lens system for splitting the laser beam into a plurality of sub-beams. A scanner translates the beam over the diffractive element to generate the two dimensional spot pattern. The laser has a semi-monolithic resonator design with one integral end minor defining the output coupler and a second, independent mirror for adjustment.

Claims

1. A dermatological handpiece for treating tissue comprising:

a housing;

a laser mounted within the housing and generating a pulsed beam of radiation;

a diffractive element aligned with the beam for splitting the beam into a linear array of at least three sub-beams;

a scanner positioned between the laser and the diffractive element for varying the entry angle and position of the beam axis onto the diffractive element;

a lens system adjacent and closely spaced to the diffractive optical element without any beam steering elements therebetween, said lens system for focusing the sub-beams onto the tissue to create a linear array of substantially equally spaced treatment spots; and

a controller operatively connected to the laser and the scanner and responsive to user input to create a two dimensional scanned pattern of spots and wherein in operation, the laser is commanded to deliver a first pulse which creates a line array of spots on the tissue, whereupon the controller causes the scanner to translate the beam axis to a second position on the diffractive element and thereafter the laser is commanded to deliver a second pulse which creates a line array of spots spatially separate from the first line array of spots, and wherein the controller is configured to successively translate the beam axis to a third and subsequent positions on the diffractive element while generating additional laser pulses at each said position to create a two dimensional array of spots on the tissue and wherein the spacing between the positions on the diffractive element can be controlled to control the density of the spots on the tissue.

2. A handpiece as recited in claim 1, wherein the scanner is operative to move the beam in two mutually perpendicular axes so that the density of the spots on the tissue can be controlled in two axes.

3. A method of treating tissue comprising the steps of:

generating a beam of laser radiation which is directed through a diffractive element which functions to split the beam into a plurality of sub-beams which are focused onto the tissue to create a line array of at least three substantially equally spaced spots on the tissue and wherein the beam is defined by a series of pulses wherein the sub-beams are focused with a lens system adjacent and closely spaced to the diffractive optical element without any beam steering elements therebetween;

between each pulse, using a scanner to change the entry angle and position of the beam axis on the diffractive element to create a two dimensional array of spots on the tissue and wherein the positions of the beam axis on the diffractive element are adjustable based on user input to control the density of spots on the tissue.

4. A method as recited in claim 3 wherein the beam can be scanned in two mutually perpendicular axes so that the density of the spots on the tissue can be controlled in two axes.