# US 12,004,807 B2 · Determination process and predictive closed-loop control of dosimetry using measurement of skin surface temperature and associated methods > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,004,807 B2 - Document ID: US12004807B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/735,046 - Filed: 2022-05-02 - Published: 2023-01-05 - Granted: 2024-06-11 - Earliest claimed: 2018-10-22 - Assignees: Accure Acne, Inc. - Applicants: Accure Acne, Inc. - Inventors: Henrik Hofvander - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12004807B2 ## CPC - A61B 18/203: {applying laser energy to the outside of the body} - A61B 18/22: the beam being directed along or through a flexible conduit, e.g. an optical fibre; {Couplings or} hand-pieces therefor - A61B 2017/00199: {with a console, e.g. a control panel with a display} - A61B 2017/00973: {pedal-operated} - A61B 2018/00005: {Cooling or heating of the probe or tissue immediately surrounding the probe} - A61B 2018/00017: {with gas} - A61B 2018/00029: {open} - A61B 2018/0047: {Upper parts of the skin, e.g. skin peeling or treatment of wrinkles} - A61B 2018/00577: {Ablation} - A61B 2018/00642: {with feedback, i.e. closed loop control} - A61B 2018/00672: {lower} - A61B 2018/00678: {upper} - A61B 2018/00684: {using lookup tables} - A61B 2018/00702: {Power or energy} - A61B 2018/00708: {switching the power on or off} - A61B 2018/00744: {Fluid flow} - A61B 2018/00761: {Duration} - A61B 2018/00779: {Power or energy} - A61B 2018/00791: {Temperature} - A61B 2018/00803: {with temperature prediction} - A61B 2018/00809: {measured thermochromatically} - A61B 2018/00988: {Means for storing information, e.g. calibration constants, or for preventing excessive use, e.g. usage, service life counter} - A61B 2018/20351: {Scanning mechanisms} - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) ## Abstract A method of treating a patient with a therapeutic laser pulse includes applying a cooling mechanism to a first skin area, cooling a target skin area within the first the skin area from a first surface temperature to a second temperature through application of the cooling mechanism prior to application of the therapeutic laser pulse, initiating application of the therapeutic laser pulse at a first timepoint, while continuing to apply the cooling mechanism, determining a surface temperature of the target skin area a plurality of times during application of the therapeutic laser pulse at a refresh rate of 25 Hz to 400 Hz, and terminating the application of the therapeutic laser pulse at a second timepoint, based on the surface temperature determinations. Each of the plurality of surface temperature determinations occurs during a single therapeutic laser pulse duration from the first time point to the second timepoint. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of treating a patient with a therapeutic laser pulse, the method comprising: a. applying a cooling mechanism to a first skin area of the patient; b. cooling at least a target skin area within the first the skin area from a first surface temperature to a second surface temperature through application of the cooling mechanism prior to initiating application of the therapeutic laser pulse to the target skin area; c. initiating the application of the therapeutic laser pulse to the target skin area at a first timepoint, while continuing to apply the cooling mechanism at the first skin area; d. determining a surface temperature of the target skin area a plurality of times during the application of the therapeutic laser pulse based on infrared energy rated from the target skin area during application of the cooling mechanism, at a refresh rate of 25 Hz to 400 Hz; e. terminating the application of the therapeutic laser pulse to the target skin area at a second timepoint, based at least in part on the plurality of surface temperature determinations, wherein each of the plurality of surface temperature determinations occurs during a single therapeutic laser pulse duration from the first timepoint to the second timepoint. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the cooling mechanism includes contact cooling. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein cooling at least the target skin area includes cooling the surface temperature of the target skin area from the first surface temperature of body temperature to the second surface temperature within the range of −6° C. to 20° C. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein cooling at least the target are of the skin comprises cooling skin in contact with the cooling mechanism. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein terminating the application of the therapeutic laser pulse includes terminating the application of the therapeutic laser pulse at the second timepoint based on a predicted time interval from the first timepoint at which the surface temperature of the target skin area will reach the second surface temperature. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein the predicted time interval is determined based on the plurality of surface temperature determinations. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein terminating the application of the therapeutic lase pulse includes terminating the application of the therapeutic laser pulse when at least one of the plurality of surface temperature determinations indicates the target skin area has reached or exceeded a third surface temperature. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein the third surface temperature is a temperature in a range of 45° C. to 55° C. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the pulse duration is 150 milliseconds. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising repeating steps c.-e., wherein each repetition of steps c.-e. is performed for an individual spot in a treatment matrix. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein initiating the application of the therapeutic laser pulse includes initiating a laser pulse with enough thermal energy to damage a target chromophore while avoiding damage to a medium surrounding the target chromophore. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein initiating the application of the therapeutic laser pulse includes initiating a laser pulse having a wavelength of 1720 nm. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the patient has acne and wherein terminating the application of the therapeutic laser pulse comprises terminating the laser pulse at the second timepoint based on determining the surface temperature of the target skin area having reached a terminal skin surface temperature indicative of sebaceous gland damage. ### Claim 14 A method of treating a patient with a therapeutic laser pulse, the method comprising: a. applying a cooling mechanism to a first skin area of the patient; b. initiating the application of the therapeutic laser pulse to a target skin area within the first skin area at a first timepoint while continuing to apply the cooling mechanism at the first skin area; c. determining a surface temperature of the target skin area a plurality of times during the application of the therapeutic laser pulse based on infrared energy radiated from the target skin area, at a refresh rate of 25 Hz to 400 Hz; d. terminating the application of the therapeutic laser pulse to the target skin area at a second timepoint when at least one of the plurality of surface temperature determinations indicates that the target skin area has reached a third surface temperature, wherein each of the plurality of surface temperature determinations occurs during a single therapeutic laser pulse having a pulse duration comprising a period from the first timepoint to the second timepoint; and e. performing at least one cooling action selected from (1) cooling the target skin area from a first surface temperature to a second surface temperature using the cooling mechanism prior to initiating the application of the therapeutic laser pulse to the target skin area, and (2) cooling the target skin area from the third surface temperature to a fourth surface temperature using the cooling mechanism after terminating the application of the therapeutic laser pulse to the target skin area. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein performing at least one cooling action comprises cooling the target skin area from the first surface temperature to the second surface temperature prior to initiating the application of the therapeutic laser pulse, the method further comprising: f. determining a surface temperature of the skin area one or more times during the step of cooling the target skin area from the first temperature to the second surface temperature based on infrared energy radiated from the target skin area during application of the cooling mechanism. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein initiating the application of the therapeutic laser pulse to the target skin area based on at least one of the plurality of surface temperature determinations during the step of cooling the target skin area from the first temperature to the second temperature, at a refresh rate of 25 Hz to 400 Hz. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein initiating the application of the therapeutic laser pulse to the target skin area during application of the cooling mechanism at the first timepoint occurs when one or more surface temperature determinations indicates that the target skin area has been cooled to the second surface temperature. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein performing at least one cooling action further comprises cooling the target skin area from the third surface temperature to the fourth surface temperature after terminating the application of the therapeutic laser pulse. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, further comprising: g. determining a surface temperature of the target skin area one or more times during the step of cooling the target skin area from the third surface temperature to the fourth surface temperature based on infrared energy radiated from the target skin area during application of the cooling mechanism.