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US 7,367,341 B2Granted
Methods and devices for selective disruption of fatty tissue by controlled cooling
AssigneeThe General Hospital Corporation
InventorsRichard Rox Anderson, Dieter Manstein
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention relates to methods for use in the selective disruption of lipid-rich cells by controlled cooling. The present invention further relates to a device for use in carrying out the methods for selective disruption of lipid-rich cells by controlled cooling.
Claims159
A cooling method for selective reduction of lipid rich cells in a non-infant human subject comprising:
- applying a cooling element proximal to the subject's skin to reduce the temperature within a local region containing the lipid rich cells to between about −10° C and about 2520 C to selectively reduce the lipid rich cells of said region, and, concurrently therewith, maintaining the subject's skin at a temperature wherein non lipid rich cells proximate to the cooling element are not damaged.
A cooling method for selective reduction of lipid rich cells in a non-infant human subject comprising:
- applying a cooling element proximal to the subject's skin to reduce the temperature within a local region containing the lipid rich cells sufficient to selectively reduce the lipid rich cells of said region, and, concurrently therewith, maintaining the subject's skin at a temperature wherein non lipid rich cells proximate to the cooling element are not damaged, and wherein the temperature of the subject's subcutaneous adipose tissue is provided as feedback to ensure that the temperature in the dermal tissue is not cooled below a predetermined minimum temperature.
A cooling method for selective reduction of lipid rich cells in a non-infant human subject comprising:
- applying a cooling element proximal to the subject's skin to reduce the temperature within a local region containing the lipid rich cells sufficient to selectively reduce the lipid rich cells of said region, and, concurrently therewith, maintaining the subject's skin at a temperature wherein non lipid rich cells proximate to the cooling element are not damaged, wherein the fold in the subject's skin is pressured between the cooling element and a second cooling element.
A cooling method for selective reduction of lipid rich cells in a non-infant human subject comprising:
- applying a cooling element proximal to the subject's skin to reduce the temperature within a local region containing the lipid rich cells sufficient to selectively reduce the lipid rich cells of said region, and, concurrently therewith, maintaining the subject's skin at a temperature wherein non lipid rich cells proximate to the cooling element are not damaged, and wherein at least one pulsation is provided to the lipid rich cells prior to, simultaneous with, or following application of the cooling element.
A cooling method for selective reduction of lipid rich cells in a non-infant human subject comprising:
- applying a cooling element proximal to the subject's skin to reduce the temperature within a local region containing the lipid rich cells sufficient to selectively reduce the lipid rich cells of said region, and, concurrently therewith, maintaining the subject's skin at a temperature wherein non lipid rich cells proximate to the cooling element are not damaged, further comprising applying a high-thermal-conductivity material to the subject's skin before applying the cooling element thereto.
A method for treating a region of a subject's body to achieve a desired reduction in subcutaneous adipose tissue, comprising:
- a) applying a cooling element proximal to the subject's skin in the region where subcutaneous adipose tissue reduction is desired, controlling a temperature of the cooling element by at least one of electronically regulating a thermoelectric cooling element included in the cooling element and controlling circulation of a cooling agent through the cooling element to reduce the temperature within said region sufficient to selectively reduce lipid rich cells therein, and, concurrently therewith, maintaining the subject's skin at a temperature wherein non lipid rich cells proximate to the cooling element are not damaged;
- and
- b) repeating the application of the cooling element to the subject's skin of step (a) a plurality of times until the desired reduction in subcutaneous adipose tissue has been achieved.
A method for treating a region of a subject's body to achieve a desired reduction in subcutaneous adipose tissue, comprising:
- a) applying a cooling element proximal to the subject's skin in the region where subcutaneous adipose tissue reduction is desired to reduce the temperature within said region sufficient to selectively reduce lipid rich cells therein, and, concurrently therewith, maintaining the subject's skin at a temperature wherein non lipid rich cells proximate to the cooling element are not damaged;
- and
- b) repeating the application of the cooling element to the subject's skin of step (a) a plurality of times until the desired reduction in subcutaneous adipose tissue has been achieved, wherein the cooling element is applied to a fold in the subject's skin, and wherein the fold in the subject's skin is pressured between the cooling element and a second cooling element.
A method for treating a region of a subject's body to achieve a desired reduction in subcutaneous adipose tissue, comprising:
- applying a cooling element proximal to the subject's skin in the region where subcutaneous adipose tissue reduction is desired to reduce the temperature within said region sufficient to selectively reduce lipid rich cells therein, and, concurrently therewith, maintaining the subject's skin at a temperature wherein non lipid rich cells proximate to the cooling element are not damaged;
- and
- b) repeating the application of the cooling element to the subject's skin of step (a) a plurality of times until the desired reduction in subcutaneous adipose tissue has been achieved, further comprising applying a high-thermal-conductivity material to the subject's skin before applying the cooling element thereto.
A cooling method for selective reduction of lipid rich cells in a non-infant human subject comprising:
- applying a cooling element proximal to the subject's skin to reduce the temperature within a local region containing the lipid rich cells sufficient to selectively reduce the lipid rich cells of said region, and, concurrently therewith, maintaining the subject's skin at a temperature wherein non lipid rich cells proximate to the cooling element are not damaged, and wherein vibration is provided to the lipid rich cells prior to, simultaneous with, or following application of the cooling element.
A method for treating a region of a subject's body to achieve a desired reduction in subcutaneous adipose tissue, comprising:
- a) applying a cooling element proximal to the subject's skin in the region where subcutaneous adipose tissue reduction is desired to reduce the temperature within said region sufficient to selectively reduce lipid rich cells therein, and, simultaneously therewith, maintaining the subject's skin at a temperature wherein non lipid rich cells proximate to the cooling element are not damaged;
- b) repeating the application of the cooling element to the subject's skin of step (a) a plurality of times until the desired reduction in subcutaneous adipose tissue has been achieved;
- wherein vibration is provided to the lipid rich cells prior to, simultaneous with, or following application of the cooling element.
A method for selectively treating subcutaneous adipose tissue, comprising:
- placing a cooling element at a skin surface of a subject in a region where subcutaneous adipose tissue reduction is desired;
- cooling the subcutaneous adipose tissue via the cooling element such that lipid rich cells therein are selectively reduced and vasoconstriction occurs;
- and
- maintaining the skin surface at a surface temperature wherein non lipid rich cells contacting the cooling element are not damaged while cooling the subcutaneous adipose tissue.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.