Ultrasonic treatment of adipose tissue at multiple depths
AssigneeMedicis Technologies Corporation
InventorsTanar Ulric, Charles S. Desilets, Blake Little
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Methods and apparatus (100) are described for modifying unwanted tissue for cosmetic reasons. The methods provide a non-invasive manner to perform body contouring by destroying adipose tissue while simultaneously causing collagen contraction in a single procedure. Adipose tissue destroyed during the medical procedure may be removed from a treatment volume during the wound healing process, allowing the treatment volume to gradually shrink (22). The gradual shrinkage may promote better skin tone in the treatment area. The procedure may involve multiple treatments to the same treatment area or location.
Claims35
A method of modifying adipose tissue using high intensity focused ultrasound, the method comprising:
- determining a volume of adipose tissue to be treated;
- identifying a corresponding surface area of skin over said volume of adipose tissue;
- and
- moving a HIFU therapy transducer on said surface area of skin;
- and
- applying multiple treatments of therapeutic ultrasound energy into said volume of adipose tissue such that a plurality of necrosed tissue cells and denatured collagen fibrils are produced, the multiple treatments occurring at least two different depths.
A method of reducing adipose tissue volume in a patient using high intensity focused ultrasound, the method comprising:
- determining a volume of adipose tissue to be treated;
- identifying a corresponding surface area of skin over said volume of adipose tissue;
- and
- applying multiple treatments of high intensity focused ultrasound energy to said area in a manner sufficient to induce the gradual destruction of said adipose tissue and denaturing of collagen fibrils, the energy flux of the multiple treatments being at least 35 J/cm2, and the multiple treatments occurring at least two different depths
A medical ultrasound therapy system, comprising:
- a therapy head including at least one high intensity focused ultrasound transducer;
- and
- a controller comprising:
- a data store storing information about a three dimensional treatment profile for the therapy head;
- and
- a processor coupled to the data store, the processor generating a three dimensional treatment cycle for the therapy head in accordance with the information, the three dimensional treatment cycle including treatments by the therapy head at a plurality of different depths.
A medical ultrasound therapy system, comprising:
- a therapy head including at least one high intensity focused ultrasound transducer;
- and
- a controller for generating a three dimensional treatment plan for the therapy head, the controller comprising:
- a data access component for accessing data defining a three dimensional treatment profile for a treatment of a defined region of a patient, the treatment profile including information about treatments to be conducted at a plurality of different depths;
- and
- a treatment plan component for generating a treatment plan based upon the treatment profile, the treatment plan including treatments defined for the therapy head at the plurality of different depths in accordance with the information.
A method for treating a patient with high intensity focused ultrasound, the method comprising:
- positioning a therapy head having at least one high intensity focused ultrasound transducer against a first location on a patient;
- and
- using an automated process:
- while at the first location, ablating tissue with said at least one transducer at a first depth;
- and
- while at the first location, ablating tissue with said at least one transducer at a second depth.
The method of claim 24, wherein the profile data is adapted for gender variations.
A medical ultrasound therapy system, comprising:
- a therapy head including at least one high intensity focused ultrasound transducer;
- and
- a controller comprising:
- a data store having stored thereon a data structure, the data structure comprising a tissue ablation treatment routine comprising a first data field containing data representing a routine for first ablation of tissue at a first depth in accordance with the routine and a second data field representing a routine for second ablation of tissue at a second depth in accordance with the routine;
- and
- a processor coupled to the data store, the processor accessing the data structure and instructing the therapy head to perform the routine in an automated process and including the first ablation and the second ablation.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.