Ice Slurry Injection for Minimally Invasive Fat Cell Ablation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing body fat reduction methods, such as liposuction and conventional cryolipolysis, are costly, risky, time-consuming, and less efficacious, leaving a gap for a safer, more effective, and less invasive solution.

Innovation Solution

A surgical injection device and method using a slurry of chilled aqueous solution and ice, comprising dissolved simple carbohydrates and salt, is used to induce ice phase-change lipolysis, selectively targeting and destroying fat cells without general anesthesia.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional cryolipolysis or liposuction is used for body fat reduction, then fat cells are destroyed, but the procedure requires general anesthesia, is costly, time-consuming, and carries significant health risks

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovesafetyVSAvoidprocedure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts and eliminates the need for general anesthesia and complex surgical infrastructure by using a simplified ice slurry injection system that can be administered in office-based settings, thereby reducing procedure complexity while maintaining safety

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention uses disposable ice slurry bags and single-use injection systems that eliminate the need for expensive, reusable surgical equipment and complex sterilization protocols, reducing both device complexity and cost while maintaining safety standards

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

2Productivity

If liposuction is performed to achieve significant fat reduction, then fat cells are removed, but the procedure is invasive, painful, and requires extensive recovery time

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefat reduction effectivenessVSAvoidprocedure invasiveness

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The invention replaces the mechanical trauma of surgical liposuction with a chemical-biological mechanism where ice slurry induces controlled cell death through freezing, achieving fat reduction without mechanical tissue disruption, thereby reducing invasiveness while maintaining effectiveness

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention utilizes the phase transition of water from liquid to solid (freezing) to destroy fat cells, replacing mechanical removal with thermal phase change, which achieves comparable fat reduction effectiveness with minimal invasiveness and no surgical recovery time

Inventive Principle:

Principle #36Phase transitions

3Ease of operation

If non-invasive body fat reduction methods are used, then patient comfort is improved, but the treatment is less efficacious and requires multiple sessions

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepatient comfortVSAvoidfat reduction effectiveness

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention uses periodic ice slurry injections administered in controlled sessions, combining the comfort of non-invasive treatment with cumulative fat reduction effects that achieve significant results over multiple treatments, thereby improving effectiveness while maintaining patient comfort

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

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 method achieves a 25-50% fat reduction in treated areas with minimal invasiveness and safety, avoiding the need for general anesthesia and significant regulatory approvals, while being within the skill set of most plastic surgeons.

Implementation Method 1

ice phase-change lipolysis

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPhase change: Phase Change

Implementation Method 2

The slurry is at a sufficiently cold temperature such that the slurry can cause ice phase-change lipolysis when injected and contacted with live mammalian fat cells

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectLatent heat absorption: Latent Heat

Implementation Method 3

The slurry is at a sufficiently cold temperature such that the slurry can cause ice phase-change lipolysis when injected and contacted with live mammalian fat cells

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHeat transfer: Conduction (thermal)

Data Source

PatentUS12533172B2Injection device and materials and method of use thereof

Publication Date: 2026.01.27 MOSKOVITZ MARTIN J

AI summary

Provided in the present disclosure are materials, devices, systems, and methods for performing cryo-surgery in a mammalian subject. More particularly, presented are a slurry, devices, systems, and methods for subcutaneously injecting the slurry into a patient in need of bodyfat reduction intervention. The slurry, devices, systems, and methods permit highly efficacious subcutaneous ice phase-change lipolysis while not requiring that the patient be placed under general anesthesia, nor requiring significant new surgical training among practitioners.