US 2014/0194790 A1Published application

System and method for treating skin and underlying tissues for improved health, function and/or appearance

AssigneeSigma Instruments Holdings, LLC

InventorsJohn Crunick, Tamas Becse, Louis L. Laskey, JR.

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Abstract

Systems and methods for treating facial soft tissues of a patient in a healthcare or cosmetic treatment environment such as, for example, a spa, clinic, or a medical practitioner's office are presented herein. The facial treatment system includes a facial stimulator instrument and/or an acoustic oscillator to deliver therapeutic stimulation to the facial tissues of a patient including percussive massage, electrical stimulation, and acoustic stimulation. A facial treatment application executing on a processor of a computing device identifies a treatment protocol and operates the facial stimulator instrument and/or acoustic oscillator to implement the facial tissue treatment.

Claims45

Dependent claims

A system for cosmetically treating tissue of a patient for at least one of improving skin appearance, reducing skin wrinkles, improving skin tone, or improving tissue function, the system comprising:

a display including a LCD or other type of screen and configured to display information associated with the treatment of the tissue;
an input in electrical communication with the display and including a key board, touch screen, or other type of input mechanism, the input configured to receive information associated with the treatment of the tissue;
a CPU in electrical communication with the input;
a memory in electrical communication with the CPU and including treatment parameters associated with the treatment of the tissue;
a first RF head capable of being placed in electrical communication with the CPU and comprising an array of piezoelectric transducers, the array configured to generate RF over a range of frequencies not possible via a single piezoelectric transducer;
and
a RF receiver antenna capable of being placed in electrical communication with the CPU and configured to detect RF energy transmitted through the tissue from the first RF head;
a plurality of second RF heads, each second RF head having a piezoelectric transducer tuned to a unique frequency and capable of being placed in electrical communication with the CPU;
and
an EMG sensor capable of being placed in electrical communication with the CPU and configured to detect electromyogram in the tissue;
wherein, when the first RF head and RF receiver antenna are applied to the tissue, the system is configured to:
a) cause the first RF head to administer RF energy to the tissue over a range of RF frequencies;
b) cause the RF receiver antenna to sense the administered RF energy transmitted through the tissue;
c) identify which RF frequency of the range of RF frequencies administered to the tissue has the most transmissibility through the tissue;
and d) recommend a second RF head of the plurality of RF heads that is capable of providing the identified RF frequency,
wherein, when the recommended second RF head and EMG sensor are applied to the tissue, the system is configured to:
a) cause the recommended second RF head to administer RF energy at the identified RF frequency to the tissue over a range of pulse frequencies;
b) cause the EMG sensor to detect electromyogram in the tissue arising due to the RF energy administered to the tissue over the range of pulse frequencies;
c) identify which pulse frequency of the range of pulse frequencies administered to the tissue causes the highest electromyogram readings in the tissue;
and d) treat the tissue with the recommended second RF head at the identified RF frequency at the identified pulse frequency.

17 more elements

A system for treating a facial tissue of a patient, the system comprising:

a display and an input device;
at least one camera;
at least one instrument chosen from:
a facial stimulator instrument to:
apply a percussive massage comprising one or more force impulses and/or an electrical stimulation comprising one or more electrical pulses to the facial tissue;
and
measure a response of the facial tissue to one of the applied force impulses or to one of the applied electrical pulses to assess a condition of the facial tissue;
and
an acoustic oscillator to apply an acoustic stimulation comprising one or more acoustic pulses to the facial tissue;
at least one processor;
a database comprising:
at least one stored treatment protocol;
and
stored patient data comprising
at least one stored facial image;
and
at least one patient-specific treatment protocol;
and
at least one measurement-correlated instrument control setting;
a facial treatment application executed by the processor to:
obtain at least one facial image using the at least one camera;
assess the symmetry of one or more facial landmarks from the at least one facial image;
select a treatment protocol comprising one or more instrument control settings, and one or more facial landmarks to be treated;
implement one or more treatments to the facial tissue according to one or more selected treatment protocols by operating the at least one instrument using a graphical display to guide an operator of the system through the treatment of the one or more facial landmarks, wherein the one or more treatments are chosen from:
a neural treatment comprising one or more percussive massages and/or one or more electrical stimulations to one or more facial landmarks associated with facial nerves;
a muscular treatment comprising one or more percussive massages and/or one or more electrical stimulations to one or more facial landmarks associated with facial muscles;
and
a circulatory treatment comprising one or more acoustic stimulations to one or more facial landmarks associated with facial circulatory vessels.

25 more elements

A system for treating a facial tissue of a patient, the system comprising:

memory comprising:
at least one stored treatment protocol;
and
stored patient data comprising:
at least one stored facial image;
and
at least one patient-specific treatment protocol;
and
at least one measurement-correlated instrument control setting;
at least one camera;
at least one instrument chosen from:
a facial stimulator instrument to:
apply a percussive massage comprising one or more force impulses and/or an electrical stimulation comprising one or more electrical pulses to the facial tissue;
and
measure a response of the facial tissue to one of the applied force impulses or to one of the applied electrical pulses to assess a condition of the facial tissue;
and
an acoustic oscillator to apply an acoustic stimulation comprising one or more acoustic pulses to the facial tissue;
a plurality of modules executing on at least one processor, the modules comprising:
a treatment protocol selection module to select one or more treatment protocols based on at least one of:
the stored patient data, an analysis of the condition of the facial tissues, one or more of the stored treatment protocols, one or more of the stored patient-specific treatment protocols, and a treatment protocol specified by the operator;
a neural treatment module to implement a neural treatment comprising one or more percussive massages and/or one or more electrical stimulations to one or more facial landmarks associated with facial nerves;
a muscular treatment module to implement a muscular treatment comprising one or more percussive massages and/or one or more electrical stimulations to one or more facial landmarks associated with facial muscles;
and,
a circulatory treatment module to implement a circulatory treatment comprising one or more acoustic stimulations to one or more facial landmarks associated with facial circulatory vessels.

21 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 14/205,105Filed 11 Mar 2014
Priority: 15 Sep 2011
Published: 10 Jul 2014
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification25 codes

A61H 23/02
Percussion or vibration massage, e.g. using supersonic vibration; Suction-vibration massage; Massage with moving diaphragms: with electric or…
A61B 5/05
Measuring for diagnostic purposes ; Identification of persons: detecting, measuring or recording for diagnosis by means of electric currents or…
A61B 5/053
Detecting, measuring or recording for diagnosis by means of electric currents or magnetic fields; Measuring using microwaves or radio waves:…
A61B 5/0531
Measuring electrical impedance or conductance of a portion of the body: measuring skin impedance

Family

Application61/535,225Us provisional application · filed 15 Sep 2011
Application61/616,967Us provisional application · filed 28 Mar 2012
Application61/791,203Us provisional application · filed 15 Mar 2013
Application14/205,105Continuation in part
US 9,782,324 B2Related patent
US 2014/0194790 A1This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

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