Combination controller and patch for the photodynamic therapy of dermal lesion

Apparatus for applying photodynamic therapy to a dermal lesion located at a dermal treatment site on the skin including stratum corneum, comprising:

• patch means for applying photodynamic therapy to the dermal lesion and including transparent coupling means containing at least one hydration agent, at least one photopharmaceutical, and optical energy delivery means for delivering optical energy to said patch means, said coupling means for coupling said hydration agent, said photopharmaceutical, and said optical energy to said dermal treatment site;
• control means for controlling the photodynamic therapy including a source of optical energy connected to said optical energy delivery means;
• said patch means for being secured to said skin over the dermal treatment site to cause said transparent optical coupling means to engage the stratum corneum to cause said hydration agent to hydrate the stratum corneum to enhance its optical transparency to the photopharmaceutical to permit the photopharmaceutical to pass therethrough and enter the treatment site and to enhance the optical transparency of the stratum corneum to facilitate the passage therethrough of said optical energy;
• and
• said optical energy delivery means for delivering said optical energy through said transparent coupling means and said hydrated stratum corneum to said photopharmaceutical at the dermal treatment site to photoactivate said photopharmaceutical to cause said photopharmaceutical to biologically engage and treat the dermal lesion.