Method and Apparatus for Monitoring and Controlling Thermally Induced Tissue Treatment

Abstract

A method and apparatus for thermal treatment of tissue by irradiating the skin with electromagnetic energy is disclosed. Sources of electromagnetic energy include radio frequency (RF) generators, lasers, and flashlamps. The apparatus includes either a positional sensor or a dosage evaluation sensor, or both types of sensors. These sensors provide feedback to a controller. The controller may control the electromagnetic source parameters, the electromagnetic source activation, and/or the sensor measurement parameters. An additional scanning delivery unit may be operably coupled to the controller or to the sensors to provide a controlled distribution of electromagnetic energy to the target region of the skin. The use of positional measurement sensors and dosage evaluation sensors permits the controller to automatically determine the proper electromagnetic source parameters including, for example, pulse timing and pulse frequency.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60 / 712,358, “Method and Apparatus for Monitoring and Controlling Thermally Induced Tissue Treatment,” by Leonard C. DeBenedictis, George Frangineas, Kin F. Chan, B. Wayne Stuart III, Robert Kehl Sink, Thomas R. Myers and Basil Hantash, filed Aug. 29, 2005. The subject matter of all of the foregoing is incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] 1. Field of the Invention [0003] The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for dermatological tissue treatment, and more particularly, to controlling dosage from an electromagnetic source based on measurements of a handpiece motion and / or skin tissue response. [0004] 2. Description of the Related Art [0005] Many electromagnetic dermatological treatment systems require extensive training before physicians and nurses develop the skills to d...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0021] In another embodiment of the invention, the scanning motion of a scanning delivery unit is not changed, but the pulse rate or pulse timing of the electromagnetic source is changed by the controller in response to measurements by at least one positional sensor and/or at least one dosage evaluation sensor. The pulse timing and scanner patterns may be chosen such that the beam is intentionally dragged across the treatment region to reduce the treatment intensity and/or to increase the size of each treatment

Problems solved by technology

In many cases, physicians and nurses do not treat uniformly, resulting in uneven treatment, over treatment, or under treatment.

Additionally, not all patients respond the same way to the same level of treatment.

Designing for the most sensitive region or patient will frequently lead to undertreatment of other regions or patients.

This type of treatment apparatus is slow and has a lot of repetitive motions, which can be tiring to the operator.

This system requires skill and increases the risks of over- or under-treatment in the hands of an unskilled operator.

Weckwerth U.S. Pat. No. 6,758,845 describes the use of optical measurements of regularly spaced indicia that are placed on or adjacent to the treatment region, but the concept is limited by the application of regularly spaced indicia that are counted to measure distance trave

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