US5843072A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method for treatment of unwanted veins and device therefor
Assignee: Cynosure LLC
•
Filing: 1996-11-07
•
Granted: 1998-12-01
•
Expires: 2016-11-07
Abstract
Abstract A combined sclerotherapy and light treatment method is described for the treatment of unwanted veins such as varicose and telangiectatic leg veins. Substantially increased success, in the range of 90-100%, has been achieved by implementing a dwell time of between 12 hours and 6 months between the light-based therapy and the sclerotherapy. Near infra-red wavelength light is preferably used in the light therapy due to its better depths of penetration through the skin to deeper lying, larger vessels such as varicose veins.
Inventors
- 👤 Horace W. Furumoto
- 👤 George Cho
- 👤 David H. McDaniel
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 14:39
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01S; H01S3/00; H01S3/09; H01S3/091; H01S3/0915; H01S3/092; A; A61; A61B; A61B18/00; A61B18/18; A61B18/20; A61B18/203; A61B17/00; A61B2017/00017; A61B2017/00137; A61B2017/00154; A61B2017/00172; A61B17/22; A61B2017/22082; A61B2017/22085; A61B2018/00315; A61B2018/00452; A61B2018/00476; H01S2301/00; H01S2301/08; H01S3/05; H01S3/08; H01S3/08072; H01S3/14; H01S3/16; H01S3/163; H01S3/1631; H01S3/1633
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
47 words
A method for treating unwanted blood vessels, comprising: irradiating the vessels with light to denature the vessels or vessel walls; performing sclerotherapy on the vessels; and waiting for a dwell time of from 12 hours to 6 months between the irradiation of the vessels and the sclerotherapy.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
47 words
A method for treating unwanted blood vessels, comprising: irradiating the vessels with light to denature the vessels or vessel walls; performing sclerotherapy on the vessels; and waiting for a dwell time of from 12 hours to 6 months between the irradiation of the vessels and the sclerotherapy.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method described in claim 1, further comprising performing the step of irradiating the vessels prior to performing the sclerotherapy on the vessels.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method described in claim 1, wherein the step of performing sclerotherapy comprises injecting a sclerosing agent into the vessels.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method described in claim 3, wherein the sclerosing agent comprises a hypertonic saline solution.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method described in claim 1, further comprising: observing the unwanted vessels for size; selecting a pulse duration for the irradiation based upon the observed size; and performing the irradiation for the selected pulse duration.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method described in claim 5, wherein performing the irradiation comprises generating a series of separate light pulses over the selected pulse duration.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method described in claim 1, further comprising: observing the unwanted vessels for depth; selecting a wavelength of the light based at least in part upon the observed depth; and performing the irradiation with light of the selected wavelength.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method described in claim 1, wherein the step of irradiating the vessels comprises irradiating the vessels with near-infrared light.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method described in claim 8, wherein performing the irradiation comprises generating a series of separate light pulses over a selected pulse duration.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method described in claim 1, further comprising placing a marker on the skin prior to the irradiation to indicate portions of the skin that have been irradiated after the irradiation.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method described in claim 1, further comprising performing the step of sclerotherapy prior to the step of irradiating the vessels.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method described in claim 11, wherein the step of irradiating the vessels comprises irradiating the vessels with near-infrared light.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method described in claim 1, further comprising irradiating vessels deeper than 1 millimeter.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
86 words
A method for treating unwanted blood vessels, comprising: observing the unwanted vessels for size; selecting a pulse duration for the irradiation based upon the observed size; irradiating the vessels with light of approximately 755 nm for the selected pulse duration to initiate destruction of the vessels; waiting for a dwell time of between 12 hours and 6 months after the irradiation of the vessels to allow the effects of the irradiation to mature; and performing sclerotherapy on the vessels after the expiration of the dwell time.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
86 words
A method for treating unwanted blood vessels, comprising: observing the unwanted vessels for size; selecting a pulse duration for the irradiation based upon the observed size; irradiating the vessels with light of approximately 755 nm for the selected pulse duration to initiate destruction of the vessels; waiting for a dwell time of between 12 hours and 6 months after the irradiation of the vessels to allow the effects of the irradiation to mature; and performing sclerotherapy on the vessels after the expiration of the dwell time.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3693623A
Cited
US3769963A
Cited
US4461294A
Cited
EP0142671A1
Cited
US5057104A
Cited
WO1991012050A1
Cited
US5071416A
Cited
EP0458576A2
Cited
WO1991018646A1
Cited
US5290273A
Cited
US5344418A
Cited
EP0575274A1
Cited
US5423800A
Cited
US5527350A
Cited
US5558666A
Cited
WO1995033518A1
Cited
US5578029A
Cited
US5558667A
Cited
WO1996023447A1
Cited
US5658323A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2001-11-30 | 2002-06-01 | 2002-12-01 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2005-11-30 | 2006-06-01 | 2006-12-01 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2009-11-30 | 2010-06-01 | 2010-12-01 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |