Surgery – Instruments – Light application
Reexamination Certificate
1999-02-08
2001-10-23
Gibson, Roy (Department: 3739)
Surgery
Instruments
Light application
C606S013000, C606S016000, C607S089000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06306128
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to laser based systems for cutaneous treatment generally and more particularly to a cooling apparatus having markings which enable to track the operation of a laser on the skin.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Skin treatment employing laser based systems, usually pulsed laser based systems is well known in the art. Such laser based systems are used inter alia for cutaneous vascular lesions treatment and for hair removal, the latter application being described for example in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,059,192 to Zaias and 5,226,907 to Tankovich.
As is also well known in the art, the operation of laser based systems for cutaneous treatment is more effective when the tissue is cooled. Examples for prior art devices for cooling the skin during laser treatment are U.S. Pat. No. 5,057,104, U.S. Pat. No. 5,282,797 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,486,172 to Chess specifically designed for cutaneous vascular lesions treatments and U.S. Pat. No. 5,344,418 to Ghaffari.
A major disadvantage of prior art laser based systems for cutaneous treatment is that the operation of the laser is not visible to the physician carrying the treatment, thus he can not be sure that the laser covered the entire area to be treated. This results in an inhomogeneous treatment of the skin, such as an inhomogeneous removal of hair from the patient skin in the case of hair removal treatment.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to enable a physician operating a laser for cutaneous treatment to track the laser beam operation.
Accordingly, the present invention provides an apparatus which includes a plurality of markings enabling a physician to track the laser operation.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an improved cooling apparatus to be used in conjunction with laserbeam cutaneous treatments.
According to an aspect of the invention, the apparatus can be part of a cooling apparatus operating to cool the area treated by the laser beam.
It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide an improved laser based system for cutaneous treatment.
There is thus provided, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, an apparatus for providing a plurality of markings for tracking the operation of a laser beam on the skin of a patient substantially simultaneously with the operation of the laser beam thereupon.
Preferably, the plurality of markings indicate the locations on which the laser beam impinges. Additionally, the plurality of markings may be evaporated upon impingement of a laser beam thereupon.
In a preferred embodiment, the plurality of markings are marked on a transparent sheet forming the apparatus, the sheet preferably formed of substantially of polyethylene or polycarbonate.
In a preferred embodiment, the plurality of markings are discrete dots or grid junctions.
There is also provided, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention a cooling apparatus for cooling the skin during treatment with a light source comprising an enclosure for enclosing a cooling substance therein, the enclosure having thereon a plurality of markings, the plurality of markings for tracking the operation of the light beam operating to treat an area of the skin of a patient.
In a preferred embodiment, the enclosure is a flexible enclosure preferably formed substantially of polyethylene or polycarbonate.
In operation, the plurality of markings indicate the locations on which the laser beam impinges. They may be evaporated upon impingement of the laser beam thereupon.
According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the cooling substance is a gel and the enclosure has a peelable cover so as to enable direct contact between the gel and the area of the skin of a patient. Preferably, the edge of the enclosure exposed by peeling the peelable cover includes an adhesive material for attaching the cooling apparatus to the patient skin.
There is also provided, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a laser based system for treating the skin of a patient which includes a laser source operative to generate a laser beam and a cooling apparatus for cooling the skin of a patient substantially simultaneously with the operation of the laser beam, the cooling apparatus being the cooling apparatus of the present invention.
There is also provided, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a method for cutaneous treatment employing a light beam, preferably but not necessarily a laser light beam, which includes the steps of providing a plurality of markings indicating locations on which a light beam impinges during treatment of an area of the skin to be treated and impinging the light beam in accordance with individual ones of the plurality of markings, whereby effectively covering the area of the skin to be treated.
According to a preferred embodiment, the method includes the step of evaporating each of the markings upon impingement of the light beam.
In one preferred embodiment, the step of providing includes the step of physically marking the plurality of markings on the area of the skin to be treated. In another preferred embodiment, an apparatus including the plurality of markings over the area of the skin to be treated is disposed intermediate the laser beam and the skin. In yet another embodiment, the step of providing includes the step of projecting the plurality of markings onto the area of the skin to be treated.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the method also includes the step of cooling the area of the skin to be treated during the operation of the light beam. In one preferred embodiment, the area to be treated is cooled with a cooling apparatus attached to the area of the skin to be treated. In an alternative embodiment, a gel is spread on the area of the skin to be treated.
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Selective Cooling of Biological Tissues: Application for Thermally Medcated Therapeutic Procedures, B. Anvari, et al.. Phys. Med. Biol. 40 (1995) 241-252.
Cool Laser Optics Treatment of Large Telangiectasia of The Lower Extremities, J. Dermatol, Surg. Oncol. (1993), pp. 74-80.
Braude Ofer
Klein Arie
Rozenberg Yitzhak
Slatkine Michael
Talpalariu Jerry
Eitan Pearl Latzer & Cohen-Zedek
Gibson Roy
Laser Industries Ltd.
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