Pulsed RF Tissue Treatment with Cryogen Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional high frequency tissue treatment devices cause patient pain due to non-uniform energy delivery, leading to hot spots and discomfort, limiting the effectiveness of treatments like wrinkle reduction and skin tightening.
Innovation Solution
A method and system for delivering electromagnetic energy in temporally discontinuous power pulses with cryogen cooling between pulses to maintain tissue temperature and reduce pain, using a treatment electrode connected to a generator and controlled by a system controller to manage energy delivery and cooling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If high frequency energy is delivered continuously to treat tissue, then treatment efficacy is improved, but patient pain and thermal damage increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies periodic pulsed delivery of high frequency energy instead of continuous delivery. The system delivers energy in controlled pulses with specific duty cycles (e.g., 10-90% on time, 10-90% off time), creating periodic action that allows tissue cooling between pulses while maintaining treatment efficacy. This resolves the contradiction by enabling high energy delivery when needed while providing relief periods that reduce patient pain and prevent thermal damage.
2Power
If high frequency energy is delivered at high power to improve treatment results, then collagen denaturation and tissue tightening are enhanced, but hot spots and patient discomfort increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses periodic pulsed delivery with adjustable duty cycles to deliver high power during the 'on' portion of the cycle while allowing cooling during the 'off' portion. This enables achieving therapeutic collagen denaturation temperatures during pulse peaks while preventing sustained high temperatures that cause hot spots and discomfort.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary cooling of the tissue surface using a cooling element before and during energy delivery. This preliminary action prepares the tissue to withstand higher energy delivery by establishing a thermal gradient that protects the surface while allowing deeper tissue heating for effective collagen denaturation.
3Productivity
If continuous high frequency energy is applied to achieve therapeutic effects, then wrinkle reduction and skin tightening are improved, but patient tolerance and comfort decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic pulsed energy delivery with programmable parameters including pulse duration, repetition frequency, and duty cycle. This periodic action creates a tolerable treatment experience by interrupting continuous energy delivery, allowing patients to tolerate higher overall energy doses for improved treatment effectiveness while maintaining comfort during the off periods.
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
This approach reduces patient pain and discomfort while allowing for higher energy delivery, improving treatment efficacy by maintaining tissue temperature within therapeutic ranges and minimizing thermal damage.
Implementation Method 1
delivering the electromagnetic energy in power pulses through the skin surface to the tissue
Implementation Method 2
The high frequency energy heats the tissue at depths beneath the cooled region to a therapeutic temperature sufficient to denature the collagen
Implementation Method 3
delivering a cryogen pulse to the portion of the treatment electrode in the time gap between each of the consecutive pairs of power pulses
Implementation Method 4
The cooling of the portion of the treatment electrode may be communicated to the skin surface contacted by the portion of the treatment electrode so that a portion of the tissue underlying the skin surface is cooled
Implementation Method 5
delivering the electromagnetic energy in power pulses through the skin surface to the tissue
Data Source
AI summary
Methods, apparatus, and systems for transcutaneously treating tissue located beneath a skin surface with electromagnetic energy delivered from a treatment electrode. A portion of the treatment electrode is contacted with the skin surface. While maintaining the contact between the portion of the treatment electrode and the skin surface, the electromagnetic energy is delivered from the treatment electrode in a plurality of power pulses through the skin surface to the tissue over a treatment time with a time gap between each consecutive pair of the pulses to lower a level of pain perceived by a patient.