# US 10,245,450 B2 · Ultrasound probe for fat and cellulite reduction > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,245,450 B2 - Document ID: US10245450B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/996,295 - Filed: 2018-06-01 - Published: 2018-09-27 - Granted: 2019-04-02 - Earliest claimed: 2004-10-06 - Assignees: Guided Therapy Systems, LLC - Applicants: Guided Therapy Systems, LLC - Inventors: Michael H. Slayton; Peter G. Barthe; Inder Raj S. Makin - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10245450B2 ## CPC - A61N 7/02: Localised ultrasound hyperthermia - A61B 8/14: Echotomography - A61B 8/429: {characterised by determining or monitoring the contact between the transducer and the tissue} - A61B 8/4483: {characterised by features of the ultrasound transducer} - A61B 8/461: {Displaying means of special interest} - A61B 8/483: {involving the acquisition of a 3D volume of data} - 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}) - G01S 15/8906: {Short-range imaging systems; Acoustic microscope systems using pulse-echo techniques} - G01S 15/8936: {using transducers mounted for mechanical movement in three dimensions} - A61B 8/4455: {Features of the external shape of the probe, e.g. ergonomic aspects} - A61B 2090/378: {using ultrasound} - A61N 2007/0008: {Destruction of fat cells} - A61N: ELECTROTHERAPY; MAGNETOTHERAPY; RADIATION THERAPY; ULTRASOUND THERAPY (measurement of bioelectric currents A61B; surgical instruments, devices or methods for transferring non-mechanical forms of energy to or from the body A61B18/00; anaesthetic apparatus in general A61M; incandescent lamps H01K; infrared radiators for heating H05B) - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) - G01S: RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES ## 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 ### Claim 1 An ultrasound treatment probe for treatment of cellulite, the probe comprising: a piezoelectric ultrasound therapy element connected to a motion mechanism, wherein the piezoelectric ultrasound therapy element is configured for acoustic coupling to a skin surface, wherein the piezoelectric ultrasound therapy element is configured for delivery of ultrasound energy at a temperature sufficient to coagulate fat cells in fat lobuli that protrude into a dermis layer to create an appearance of cellulite at a depth under the skin surface, wherein the motion mechanism is configured to operate with an encoder configured to determine movement of the piezoelectric ultrasound therapy element within the probe, wherein the motion mechanism moves the piezoelectric ultrasound therapy element to form one or more thermal foci at the depth for coagulating fat thereby reducing an appearance of cellulite. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The probe of claim 1, wherein the encoder is configured for monitoring a position of the piezoelectric ultrasound therapy element on the motion mechanism in a housing of the ultrasound probe, wherein the piezoelectric ultrasound therapy element is a single element that delivers the ultrasound energy at a frequency of between 2 MHz to 10 MHz, wherein the ultrasound energy is delivered with a treatment power of between 20 W and 200 W, wherein the piezoelectric ultrasound therapy element is configured to deliver the ultrasound energy at the depth below the skin surface, wherein the ultrasound energy generates a thermal lesion with a dimension of between 100 microns to 55 mm in the region of interest. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The probe of claim 1, wherein the piezoelectric ultrasound therapy element is one of the group consisting of spherically focused and cylindrically focused. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The probe of claim 1, wherein the ultrasound energy increases a speed at which fat metabolizes according to Arrhenius Law: Y=A·e−B/T, where Y is a yield of metabolic reaction, A and B are constants, and T is a temperature in degrees Kelvin. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The probe of claim 1, wherein the piezoelectric ultrasound therapy element is configured to operate with a control system comprising a processor, wherein the piezoelectric ultrasound therapy element is configured for communication with the control system, wherein the probe is disposable. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The probe of claim 1, wherein the motion mechanism is a linear motion mechanism for linear movement of the piezoelectric ultrasound therapy element to form a plurality of thermal lesions along a line at the depth in the region of interest. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The probe of claim 1, further comprising a piezoelectric ultrasound imaging element and an information storage EEPROM, wherein the probe is reusable. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The probe of claim 1, further comprising a piezoelectric ultrasound imaging element co-housed with the piezoelectric ultrasound therapy element. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The probe of claim 1, wherein the motion mechanism is configured for any one of the group consisting of linear, rotational, and variable movement of the piezoelectric ultrasound therapy element. ### Claim 10 An ultrasound probe for treatment of cellulite, the probe comprising: a piezoelectric ultrasound therapy element configured for acoustic coupling through the ultrasound probe to a skin surface, wherein a plurality of fat lobuli containing fat cells protrude into a dermis layer under the skin surface, wherein the piezoelectric ultrasound therapy element is configured for delivery of energy at a temperature sufficient to coagulate at least a portion of the fat cells in the plurality of fat lobuli at a depth under the skin surface, thereby reducing an appearance of cellulite. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The probe of claim 10, wherein the piezoelectric ultrasound therapy element is a single element that delivers ultrasound energy at a frequency of between 2 MHz to 10 MHz, wherein the ultrasound energy is delivered with a treatment power of between 20 W and 200 W, wherein the piezoelectric ultrasound therapy element is configured to deliver the ultrasound energy up to 3.5 cm below the skin surface, wherein the ultrasound energy generates a thermal lesion with a dimension of between 100 microns to 55 mm in the region of interest. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The probe of claim 10, further comprising a housing, the housing containing a piezoelectric ultrasound imaging element, wherein the piezoelectric ultrasound imaging element is configured for imaging a region of interest under the skin surface, wherein the region of interest comprises a tissue, wherein the tissue comprises the plurality of fat lobuli, wherein the probe is disposable. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The probe of claim 10, wherein the piezoelectric ultrasound therapy element is a single element that delivers ultrasound energy at a frequency of between 750 kHz to 10 MHz, and wherein the ultrasound energy increases a speed at which fat metabolizes according to Arrhenius Law: Y=A e−B/T, where Y is a yield of metabolic reaction, A and B are constants, and T is a temperature in degrees Kelvin. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The probe of claim 10, further comprising a storage system comprising probe identification and probe usage history, wherein the piezoelectric ultrasound therapy element is configured for connection to a control system, wherein the control system comprises: a processor, software, a power supply, and a communication device. ### Claim 15 An ultrasound probe for treatment of cellulite, the probe comprising: a housing, a piezoelectric ultrasound therapy element, and a motion mechanism, wherein the piezoelectric ultrasound therapy element delivers ultrasound energy to a tissue below a skin surface at a frequency of between 2 MHz to 10 MHz, wherein the tissue comprises a plurality of fat lobuli that protrude into a dermis layer to create an appearance of cellulite, wherein the piezoelectric ultrasound therapy element is configured for delivery of the ultrasound energy at a temperature sufficient to coagulate at least a portion of a plurality of fat lobuli at a depth under the skin surface, wherein the piezoelectric ultrasound therapy element is connected to the motion mechanism inside the housing, wherein the motion mechanism is configured to operate with an encoder, wherein the motion mechanism moves the piezoelectric ultrasound therapy element to form a plurality of thermal lesions at the depth for reducing an appearance of cellulite. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The probe of claim 15, wherein the piezoelectric ultrasound therapy element is a single element, wherein the piezoelectric ultrasound therapy element is configured to deliver the ultrasound energy at the depth below the skin surface, wherein the depth is a single, fixed depth, wherein the ultrasound energy generates a thermal lesion with a dimension of between 100 microns to 55 mm in a region of interest. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The probe of claim 15, wherein the piezoelectric ultrasound therapy element is configured to operate with a control system that comprises a spatial control and a temporal control, the spatial control and the temporal control controlling the delivery of the ultrasound energy at a temperature sufficient to cause coagulation of at least the portion of the plurality of fat lobuli at the depth under the skin surface, wherein the ultrasound energy is delivered with a treatment power of between 20 W and 200 W. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The probe of claim 17, further comprising a storage system comprising probe identification and probe usage history, wherein the probe is disposable. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The probe of claim 15, wherein the ultrasound energy increases a speed at which fat metabolizes according to Arrhenius Law: Y=A·e−B/T, where Y is a yield of metabolic reaction, A and B are constants, and T is a temperature in degrees Kelvin. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The probe of claim 15, wherein the piezoelectric ultrasound therapy element is configured to deliver the ultrasound energy at an energy level for causing at least one of ablating tissue, stretching fibrous bonds, or stimulating evacuation of fat decay products in the region of interest.