Fractional Laser Scan Pattern for Tissue Injury
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Solution Overview
Problem
Fractional laser treatments face a challenge in achieving sufficient skin rejuvenation while maintaining safe scan densities to avoid excessive heat injury and prolonged healing times.
Innovation Solution
A three-dimensional laser scan pattern is implemented, utilizing multiple classes of laser pulses with varying energies and pitches, allowing for deeper fractional injury with reduced heat delivery and increased scan density.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If scan density is increased to achieve sufficient skin rejuvenation, then fractional injury effectiveness is improved, but risk of infection and healing time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the laser treatment into multiple pulse classes with different energies and spatial distributions. High-energy pulses create deeper fractional injury columns while low-energy pulses provide additional superficial injury, dividing the treatment function into distinct operational modes that can be independently controlled to optimize both effectiveness and safety.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by delivering different laser pulse energies to different spatial locations. High-energy pulses are delivered at lower density to create primary treatment zones, while low-energy pulses are delivered at higher density in intervening areas, creating a non-uniform energy distribution that maximizes rejuvenation effectiveness while maintaining safe overall scan density.
2Manufacturing precision
If laser energy per pulse is increased to achieve deeper fractional injury, then treatment effectiveness is improved, but heat delivery and risk of excessive heating increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses periodic action by delivering laser pulses in alternating sequences of high-energy and low-energy pulses. This periodic modulation allows the tissue to partially cool between high-energy pulses while still receiving cumulative thermal and mechanical stimulation, achieving deep fractional injury without excessive heat accumulation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes physical parameters by varying laser pulse energy, spatial separation, and temporal frequency. High-energy pulses are delivered at lower repetition rates with greater spatial separation to limit heat buildup, while low-energy pulses are delivered at higher rates with smaller separation to provide additional therapeutic effect without excessive heating.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The three-dimensional scan pattern achieves sufficient fractional injury without excessive heat delivery, enhancing skin rejuvenation while minimizing risks of infection and prolonged healing.
Implementation Method 1
a laser ablates the entirety of skin surface being treated
Implementation Method 2
non-ablative lasers such as for coagulation, tissue necrosis, and non-immediately destructive tissue heating
Data Source
AI summary
A laser system for fractional injury is provided that varies the amount of energy provided per each pulse to provide a series of first pulses each having a first energy and to provide a series of second pulses each having a second energy that is less than the first energy. A scanner distributes the series of first pulses across an area of tissue to be fractionally injured according to a first pitch and distributes the series of second pulses across the area of tissue to be fractionally injured according to a first pitch that is less than the first pitch.