Method and system for treating stretch marks

• US 8,915,870 B2
• Filed: 10/06/2009
• Issued: 12/23/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Guided Therapy Systems Llc
• Original Assignee: Guided Therapy Systems Llc
• Inventors: Barthe, Peter G., Slayton, Michael H., Makin, Inder Raj S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Long V
• Assistant Examiner(s): PENG, BO JOSEPH
• Application Number:
  US12/574,512
• Publication Number:
  US 20100022922A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,904 Days
• Field of Search: 601 1- 3, 600/437, 600/439, 606/33, 606/9
• US Class Current: 601/3
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/14 Echo-tomography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4281 characterised by sound-transmitting media or devices for coupling the transducer to the tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/429 characterised by determining or monitoring the contact between the transducer and the tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4444 related to the probe
• 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: A61B 8/5223 for extracting a diagnostic or physiological parameter from medical diagnostic data for algorithms to analyse biomedical images G06T7/0012
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/54 Control of the diagnostic device
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/0214 cooled
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5064 Position sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5082 Temperature sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2207/00 Anti-cellulite devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 23/0245 with ultrasonic transducers, e.g. piezoelectric
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2007/0008 Destruction of fat cells
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2007/0034 Skin treatment
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2007/0052 using the same transducer for therapy and imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2007/0056 Beam shaping elements
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2007/0073 using multiple frequencies
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2007/0078 : with multiple treatment transducers
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 7/02 : Localised ultrasound hyperthermia hyperthermia in general A61F7/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/8909 : using a static transducer configuration
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/30 : for calculating health indices; for individual health risk assessment

Abstract

Methods and systems for treating stretch marks through deep tissue tightening with ultrasound are provided. An exemplary method and system comprise a therapeutic ultrasound system configured for providing ultrasound treatment to a shallow tissue region, such as a region comprising an epidermis, a dermis and a deep dermis. In accordance with various exemplary embodiments, a therapeutic ultrasound system can be configured to achieve depth from 0 mm to 1 cm with a conformal selective deposition of ultrasound energy without damaging an intervening tissue in the range of frequencies from 2 to 50 MHz. In addition, a therapeutic ultrasound can also be configured in combination with ultrasound imaging or imaging/monitoring capabilities, either separately configured with imaging, therapy and monitoring systems or any level of integration thereof.

Claims

1. A method for treating stretch marks in skin, said method comprising:

identifying a skin surface disfigured by a stretch mark;

identifying a region of interest under said skin surface, said region of interest comprising at least a portion of a dermis and a fibrous fascia;

coupling an ultrasound probe to said skin surface;

wherein said ultrasound probe comprises an ultrasound therapy element and a motion mechanism inside the ultrasound probe;

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

delivering ultrasound energy, using said ultrasound therapy element, to said region of interest to form at least one thermal lesion at a temperature of greater than 60 degrees Celsius in said region of interest; and

activating said motion mechanism via said control system for mechanical movement inside the ultrasound probe for controllably creating a plurality of thermal lesions along a line within said region of interest to initiate a response that leads to improving an appearance of said stretch mark.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of coupling said ultrasound probe to said skin surface comprises contacting said probe to a gel placed on said skin surface.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising using an ultrasound imaging element in said ultrasound probe for imaging at least a portion of said region of interest.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein said ultrasound energy is configured for tightening tissue in a portion of said region of interest.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of thermal lesions are formed at a fixed depth below said skin surface in a portion of said region of interest.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein said said region of interest further comprises a subcutaneous fat.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of lesions are discretely space in said region of interest.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein coupling said ultrasound probe to said skin surface comprises placing a coupling medium between said ultrasound probe and said skin surface, said coupling medium comprising at least one of the group consisting of water, fluid, gel, and a solid.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein said motion mechanism comprises at least one of the group consisting of an accelerometer, an encoder and a position/orientation device.

10. The method according to claim 1,

further comprising using an ultrasound imaging element in said ultrasound probe for imaging at least a portion of said region of interest,

wherein said region of interest is displayed on a display system, said display system being electronically connected to said ultrasound imaging element,

wherein said plurality of thermal lesions are formed at a depth below said skin surface in a portion of said region of interest,

wherein the ultrasound therapy element is attached to the motion mechanism inside the ultrasound probe,

wherein said motion mechanism comprises at least one of an accelerometer and an encoder.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the region of interest further comprises the skin surface.

12. A method for treating scars, the method comprising:

determining a region of interest comprising a scar located on a skin surface,

wherein said scar comprises a stretch mark,

identifying a treatment volume below the region of interest wherein said treatment volume comprises at least a portion of an epidermis and a fibrous fascia;

coupling an ultrasound probe to said skin surface;

wherein said ultrasound probe comprises an ultrasound imaging element, an ultrasound therapy element, and a motion mechanism in the probe,

wherein the motion mechanism is attached to the ultrasound therapy element inside the probe,

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

using said ultrasound imaging element to image said treatment volume;

wherein said treatment volume is displayed on a display system, said display system being electronically connected to said ultrasound imaging element;

delivering ultrasound energy, using said ultrasound therapy element, to at least a portion of said treatment volume to form at least one thermal lesion at a temperature of greater than 60 degrees Celsius; and

activating said motion mechanism to mechanically move the ultrasound therapy element in the probe for producing a spatially defined pattern of thermal injury in said treatment volume to initiate tissue effects that improve an appearance of said skin surface.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein said treatment volume further comprises a subcutaneous fat.

14. The method according to claim 13, further comprising treating said subcutaneous fat.

15. The method according to claim 12, further comprising increasing a cross-sectional size of said thermal injury as a function of depth of said spatially defined pattern.

16. The method according to claim 12, wherein said spatially defined pattern of thermal injury is a three-dimensional matrix of lesions.

17. The method according to claim 12, further comprising heating more than one locus in said treatment volume.

18. The method according to claim 12,

wherein said plurality of thermal lesions are formed at a depth below said skin surface in a portion of said region of interest,

wherein said motion mechanism comprises at least one of an accelerometer and an encoder.

19. A method of reducing an appearance of a scar in a skin surface, the method comprising:

identifying a skin surface comprising at least a portion of a scar;

identifying a treatment region below said skin surface, said treatment region comprising at a least portion of an epidermis layer and a fibrous fascia layer;

coupling an ultrasound probe to said skin surface;

wherein said ultrasound probe comprises an ultrasound therapy element attached to a motion mechanism in the ultrasound probe,

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

delivering ultrasound energy, using said ultrasound therapy element, to said treatment region to form at least one thermal lesion in at least a portion of said treatment region,

activating said motion mechanism via said control system for mechanical movement inside the ultrasound probe for controllably creating a plurality of thermal lesions within said region of interest to reduce an appearance of said scar.

20. The method according to claim 19, further comprising monitoring said scar for a reduction in appearance in said skin surface.

21. The method according to claim 19, further comprising delivering at least one of a radio frequency energy and a light-based energy to said treatment region.

22. The method according to claim 19, further comprising producing an array of injury zones at a temperature of greater than 60 degrees Celsius in said treatment region by activating a motion mechanism.

23. The method according to claim 22 wherein said array of injury zones comprises a plurality of lesions of coagulated tissue formed at a fixed depth in said treatment region.

24. The method according to claim 19, wherein said delivering ultrasound energy results in shrinking said tissue in said treatment region.

25. The method according to claim 19, further comprising using an ultrasound imaging element in said ultrasound probe to image at least a portion of said treatment region.

26. The method according to claim 19,

further comprising using an ultrasound imaging element in said ultrasound probe for imaging at least a portion of said region of interest,

wherein said region of interest is displayed on a display system, said display system being electronically connected to said ultrasound imaging element,

wherein said plurality of thermal lesions are formed at a depth below said skin surface in a portion of said region of interest,

wherein said plurality of thermal lesions are formed at a temperature of greater than 60 degrees Celsius,

wherein said motion mechanism comprises at least one of an accelerometer and an encoder.

27. A method for treating stretch marks, said method comprising:

identifying a stretch mark on a skin surface;

identifying a region of interest under said skin surface, said region of interest comprising at least a portion of a dermis layer and a fibrous fascia layer;

acoustically coupling an ultrasound probe to said skin surface;

wherein said ultrasound probe comprises an ultrasound imaging element, an ultrasound therapy element, and a motion mechanism in the ultrasound probe;

wherein said motion mechanism is controlled by a control system in communication with said ultrasound probe and said motion mechanism is connected to the ultrasound therapy element for mechanical movement in the ultrasound probe;

using said ultrasound imaging element to image the region of interest;

wherein said region of interest is displayed on a display system, said display system being electronically connected to said ultrasound imaging element;

delivering ultrasound energy, using said ultrasound therapy element, to treat said region of interest to form at least one thermal lesion at a temperature of greater than 60 degrees Celsius in said region of interest at a fixed depth from said skin surface; and

activating said motion mechanism via the control system for controllably creating a plurality of thermal lesions along a line in said region of interest at said fixed depth into said region of interest.

28. The method according to claim 27, wherein delivering said ultrasound energy using said ultrasound therapy element results in reducing an appearance of said stretch mark in said skin surface.

29. The method according to claim 27, further comprising monitoring said region of interest.