Method and system for ultrasound treatment of fat

• US 8,636,665 B2
• Filed: 03/07/2013
• Issued: 01/28/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Guided Therapy Systems Llc
• Original Assignee: Guided Therapy Systems Llc
• Inventors: Slayton, Michael H., Barthe, Peter G., Makin, Inder Raj S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Long V.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PENG, BO JOSEPH
• Application Number:
  US13/789,562
• Publication Number:
  US 20130190659A1
• Time in Patent Office: 327 Days
• Field of Search: 600/439, 601/3, 606/33
• US Class Current: 600/439
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/378 using ultrasound
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/14 Echo-tomography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/429 characterised by determining or monitoring the contact between the transducer and the tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4455 Features of the external shape of the probe, e.g. ergonomic aspects
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4483 characterised by features of the ultrasound transducer
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/461 Displaying means of special interest
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/483 involving the acquisition of a 3D volume of data
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2007/0008 Destruction of fat cells
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/8906 Short-range imaging systems; Acoustic microscope systems using pulse-echo techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/8936 using transducers mounted for mechanical movement in three dimensions
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 999/99 dummy group

Abstract

A method and system for providing ultrasound treatment to a tissue that contains a lower part of dermis and proximal protrusions of fat lobuli into the dermis. An embodiment delivers ultrasound energy to the region creating a thermal injury and coagulating the proximal protrusions of fat lobuli, thereby eliminating the fat protrusions into the dermis. An embodiment can also include ultrasound imaging configurations using the same or a separate probe before, after or during the treatment. In addition various therapeutic levels of ultrasound can be used to increase the speed at which fat metabolizes. Additionally the mechanical action of ultrasound physically breaks fat cell clusters and stretches the fibrous bonds. Mechanical action will also enhance lymphatic drainage, stimulating the evacuation of fat decay products.

Claims

1. A method to treat fat, comprising:

identifying a plurality of fat lobuli in a region of interest;

positioning an ultrasound probe system on a skin surface, the ultrasound probe system comprising an ultrasound therapy element, an ultrasound imaging element and a motion mechanism;

wherein the motion mechanism is controlled by a control system in communication with the ultrasound probe;

targeting a region of interest under the skin surface with the ultrasound imaging element, the region of interest comprising a tissue comprising the plurality of fat lobuli and a portion of at least one of an epidermis, a dermis, and a muscle;

using the ultrasound therapy element to treat the region of interest by delivering ultrasound energy to the plurality of fat lobuli;

wherein the ultrasound therapy element is coupled to the motion mechanism within the probe;

wherein the delivery of ultrasound energy is configured to form a thermal lesion with at least a temperature sufficient to ablate the plurality of fat lobuli and at least one of the dermis and the muscle; and

activating the motion mechanism to move the ultrasound therapy element to form a plurality of the thermal lesions to facilitate the ablation of the plurality of fat lobuli and at least one of the dermis and the muscle.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein at the plurality of the thermal lesions cause any one of the group consisting of ablation of fat, the breaking up of fat cell clusters, stretching of fibrous bonds, enhancement of lymphatic drainage to remove fat, stimulation of the evacuation of fat decay products, and enhanced cell permeability in order to treat fat.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the ultrasound therapy element is configured to treat with a treatment frequency of between 750 kHz and 20 MHz.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein the ultrasound therapy element is configured to treat with a treatment frequency of between 2 MHz and 10 MHz.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the ultrasound therapy element is configured to treat with a treatment power of between 20 W and 200 W.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein a dimension of the thermal lesion is between 100 microns to 55 mm.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the ultrasound therapy element is a single element transducer.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

using a second ultrasound therapy element to treat the region of interest;

wherein the second ultrasound therapy element is coupled to the motion mechanism within the probe;

wherein the second ultrasound therapy element is configured for targeted delivery of ablative ultrasound energy to form a thermal lesion with at least a temperature sufficient to treat at least a portion of the tissue at a second depth of up to 3.5 cm from the skin surface; and

activating the motion mechanism to form a plurality of the thermal lesions at the second depth.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein activating the motion mechanism within the ultrasound probe system comprises communication between and at least two of the group consisting of a control system, an accelerometer, encoder and a position/orientation device.

10. A method to treat fat, comprising:

identifying a plurality of fat lobuli in a region of interest;

using an ultrasound device to emit ultrasound energy from a therapy element housed within an ultrasound probe to the region of interest at a depth under a skin surface, the region of interest comprising the plurality of fat lobuli and a portion of at least one of an epidermis, a dermis, and a muscle,

wherein emitting ultrasound energy ablates the plurality of fat lobuli and at least one of the dermis and the muscle under the skin surface; and

moving a motion mechanism operably connected to the therapy element within the ultrasound probe for controllably creating a plurality of thermal lesions to ablate the plurality of fat lobuli and at least one of the dermis and the muscle at the depth under the skin surface,

wherein the motion mechanism comprises at least one of the group consisting of an encoder and a position device;

wherein the motion mechanism is controlled by a control system in communication with the ultrasound probe.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising imaging of the region of interest with an ultrasound imaging element housed within the ultrasound probe.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein using the ultrasound device comprises the adjustment of spatial and temporal parameters based on the imaging for monitoring reduction of fat in the region of interest as visualized during or after emitting ultrasound energy.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the emitting ultrasound energy comprises ablating adipose tissue.

14. The method according to claim 10, further comprising:

emitting ultrasound energy from a second therapy element to treat the region of interest;

wherein the second therapy element is coupled to the motion mechanism within the ultrasound probe;

wherein the second therapy element is configured for targeted delivery of ablative ultrasound energy to form a second thermal lesion with at least a temperature sufficient to treat at least a portion of the tissue at a second depth of up to 3.5 cm from the skin surface; and

activating the motion mechanism to move the second therapy element within the probe to form a plurality of the second thermal lesions at the second depth into the tissue to cause any one of the group consisting of ablation of fat, the breaking up of fat cell clusters, stretching of fibrous bonds, enhancement of lymphatic drainage to remove fat, stimulation of the evacuation of fat decay products, and enhanced cell permeability in order to treat fat.

15. A method for non-invasive fat therapy, comprising:

identifying a plurality of fat lobuli in a treatment region;

imaging the treatment region comprising the plurality of fat lobuli and a portion of at least one of an epidermis, a dermis, and a muscle;

focusing therapeutic ultrasound energy from a transducer to form a thermal lesion in the plurality of fat lobuli,

wherein the therapeutic ultrasound energy ablates the plurality of fat lobuli and at least one of the dermis and the muscle,

wherein the transducer is housed within an ultrasound probe; and

moving a motion driver operably connected to the transducer within the ultrasound probe for controllably creating a plurality of thermal lesions to ablate the plurality of fat lobuli and at least one of the dermis and the muscle at the treatment region,

wherein the motion driver is controlled by a control system in communication with the ultrasound probe, wherein the control system controls at least one of a spatial parameter and a temporal parameter.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising imaging of the region of interest with an ultrasound imaging transduction element housed within the ultrasound probe.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the focusing therapeutic ultrasound energy comprises ablating adipose tissue.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising displaying at least one thermal lesion at the depth on a display electrically connected to the transducer.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the transducer is a single element transducer.

20. The method according to claim 15, further comprising:

focusing therapeutic ultrasound energy from a second transducer to treat the treatment region;

wherein the second transducer is coupled to the motion driver within the ultrasound probe;

wherein the second transducer is configured for targeted delivery of ablative ultrasound energy to form a second thermal lesion with at least a temperature sufficient to treat a second portion of the treatment region at a second depth of up to 3.5 cm below the skin surface; and

moving the motion driver to move the second transducer within the ultrasound probe to form a plurality of the second thermal lesions at the second depth into the tissue to cause any one of the group consisting of ablation of fat, the breaking up of fat cell clusters, stretching of fibrous bonds, enhancement of lymphatic drainage to remove fat, stimulation of the evacuation of fat decay products, and enhanced cell permeability in order to treat fat.