Patent US4654147A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US6027495A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US6027495A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and apparatus for dermatology treatment
Assignee: MEDICAL LASER SOLUTIONS
•
Filing: 1997-03-20
•
Granted: 2000-02-22
•
Expires: 2017-03-20
Abstract
Abstract A laser treatment method is provided which removes vascular and pigmented lesions from the skin of a living human. The methodology involves a carefully designed treatment protocol utilizing a modified optical apparatus. The apparatus is a modified diode laser system, designed for optimal therapeutic selectivity.
Inventors
- 👤 Iain D. Miller
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 14:23
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B18/00; A61B18/18; A61B18/20; A61B18/203; A61N; A61N5/00; A61N5/06; A61N5/067; A61B17/00; A61B2017/00743; A61B2017/00747; A61B2017/00756; A61B2018/00315; A61B2018/00452; A61B2018/00458; A61B2018/2015; A61B2018/2025
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 24
Claim 1
Independent Claim
150 words
A laser treatment method for removal of unwanted leg veins and other vascular lesions from skin of a human, said method comprising the steps of: irradiating on a first occasion a chosen treatment site with a pulsed coherent light, at an exposure spot size of about 0.5-1.0 mm, said treatment site containing vessels having a diameter of about 0.1 to 3.0 mm, said light having: a wavelength in the range of about 700-1000 nm said light having; a power level in the range of about 40-5000 Watts; a pulse duration in the range of about 20-99 milliseconds; and a fluency in the range of above 100 J/cm 2 to about 25,200 J/cm 2 ; allowing the skin to heal for a time period of about 2-16 weeks; and irradiating on about 1-5 subsequent occasions each vessel previously treated with said light in said wavelength, power level and pulse duration ranges.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
150 words
A laser treatment method for removal of unwanted leg veins and other vascular lesions from skin of a human, said method comprising the steps of: irradiating on a first occasion a chosen treatment site with a pulsed coherent light, at an exposure spot size of about 0.5-1.0 mm, said treatment site containing vessels having a diameter of about 0.1 to 3.0 mm, said light having: a wavelength in the range of about 700-1000 nm said light having; a power level in the range of about 40-5000 Watts; a pulse duration in the range of about 20-99 milliseconds; and a fluency in the range of above 100 J/cm 2 to about 25,200 J/cm 2 ; allowing the skin to heal for a time period of about 2-16 weeks; and irradiating on about 1-5 subsequent occasions each vessel previously treated with said light in said wavelength, power level and pulse duration ranges.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
17 words
The laser treatment method recited in claim 1, further comprising the step of shaving said treatment site.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
17 words
The laser treatment method recited in claim 1, wherein said light has the wavelength of 800-850 nm.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
25 words
The laser treatment method recited in claim 1, wherein said irradiation on the first occasion employs a greater total energy application than on subsequent occasions.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
25 words
The laser treatment method recited in claim 1, wherein said irradiation on the first occasion employs a lesser total energy application than on subsequent occasions.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
28 words
The laser treatment method recited in claim 1, further comprising the step of applying local compression pursuant to treatment to limit potential for recanalization of said treatment site.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
24 words
The laser treatment method recited in claim 1, whereby a sensitizing dye, such as indocyanine green, is first injected into a local venous system.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
29 words
The laser treatment method recited in claim 1, whereby the steps of irradiating further comprise applying short pulsed laser light to treat pigmented lesions and marks of the skin.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
29 words
The laser treatment method recited in claim 1, whereby a plurality of short pulses in a range of 1-3 milliseconds are used with adjunctive cooling to treat vascular lesions.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
25 words
The laser treatment method as recited in claim 1, wherein said light comprises at least one pulse envelope, each envelope containing a train of pulses.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
124 words
A therapeutic treatment device for removal of unwanted leg veins and other vascular lesions from skin of a human, said device, comprising: a laser head containing a power source, laser source, controls, and cooling electronics; an optical fiber connector and light guide optically coupled to the laser head for receiving light produced by the laser head; a dermatology handpiece and a focusing optics element and a distance gauge for distance control of tissue contact, connected to the optical fiber; and a control circuitry element electronically connected to and controlling generation of a plurality of pulse widths in a pulsewidth duration in the range of about 1-99 milliseconds to obtain fluencies in the range of above 100 J/cm 2 to about 25,200 J/cm 2 .
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
124 words
A therapeutic treatment device for removal of unwanted leg veins and other vascular lesions from skin of a human, said device, comprising: a laser head containing a power source, laser source, controls, and cooling electronics; an optical fiber connector and light guide optically coupled to the laser head for receiving light produced by the laser head; a dermatology handpiece and a focusing optics element and a distance gauge for distance control of tissue contact, connected to the optical fiber; and a control circuitry element electronically connected to and controlling generation of a plurality of pulse widths in a pulsewidth duration in the range of about 1-99 milliseconds to obtain fluencies in the range of above 100 J/cm 2 to about 25,200 J/cm 2 .
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
57 words
The therapeutic treatment device of claim 11, wherein the laser source is a semiconductor laser operating with a wavelength range of 800-850 nm, and inter-element spacing, facet coating and collection optics of the laser source diode arrays and collection optics are selected to provide short pulsed high peak power operation in the pulsewidth range of 1-100 millisecond.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
29 words
The therapeutic treatment device of claim 11, wherein the laser is a semiconductor laser with modified control circuitry allowing for pulsewidth controllability in the pulsewidth range of 1-99 milliseconds.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
43 words
The therapeutic treatment device of claim 11, whereby the laser source is adapted for total power emission in a power range of 10-500 Watts; pulsewidth variability in the pulsewidth range of 1-99 milliseconds and wavelength variability in the wavelength range of 700-1000 nm.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
34 words
The therapeutic treatment device of claim 11, wherein the device has the capability of focusing or converging a treatment site within the skin to provide for better penetration in tissue and reduced epidermal fluence.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
28 words
The device of claim 11, wherein the laser source further comprises a diode laser pumped material such as dye-impregnated polymer or active ion doped glass or crystal host.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
119 words
A therapeutic treatment device for removal of unwanted leg veins and other vascular lesions from skin of a human, said device, comprising: a laser head containing a power source, a laser source, a plurality of controls, and a cooling electronics element; an optical fiber connector and light guide optically coupled to the laser head for receiving light produced by the laser head; a dermatology handpiece and distance gauge for distance control of tissue contact, connected to the optical fiber; and a control circuitry element electronically connected to and controlling generation of a plurality of pulsewidths in a pulsewidth range of 1-99 milliseconds to obtain fluencies in the range of above 100 J/cm 2 to about 25,200 J/cm 2 .
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
119 words
A therapeutic treatment device for removal of unwanted leg veins and other vascular lesions from skin of a human, said device, comprising: a laser head containing a power source, a laser source, a plurality of controls, and a cooling electronics element; an optical fiber connector and light guide optically coupled to the laser head for receiving light produced by the laser head; a dermatology handpiece and distance gauge for distance control of tissue contact, connected to the optical fiber; and a control circuitry element electronically connected to and controlling generation of a plurality of pulsewidths in a pulsewidth range of 1-99 milliseconds to obtain fluencies in the range of above 100 J/cm 2 to about 25,200 J/cm 2 .
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
21 words
The device of claim 17, wherein the laser source is a semiconductor laser operating with a wavelength range of 800-850 nm.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
15 words
The therapeutic treatment device of claim 17, wherein the laser source is a semiconductor laser.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
27 words
The therapeutic treatment device of claim 17, wherein the laser source is adapted for a total power emission of 10-60 Watts and wavelength range of 700-1000 nm.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
28 words
The device of claim 17, wherein the laser source consists of a diode laser pumped material such as dye-impregnated polymer or active ion doped glass or crystal host.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3538919A
Cited
US3693623A
Cited
US3834391A
Cited
US4388924A
Cited
US4564011A
Cited
US4617926A
Cited
US4854320A
Cited
US4733660A
Cited
US4829262A
Cited
US4917084A
Cited
US4836203A
Cited
US5259380A
Cited
US4930504A
Cited
US5282797A
Cited
US5258989A
Cited
US5059192A
Cited
US5330517A
Cited
US5474549A
Cited
US5217455A
Cited
US5290273A
Cited
US5226907A
Cited
US5425728A
Cited
US5344418A
Cited
US5334191A
Cited
US5405368A
Cited
US5527350A
Cited
US5707403A
Cited
US5304170A
Cited
US5522813A
Cited
US5558667A
Cited
US5611795A
Cited
US5658323A
Cited
US5879376A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2003-02-21 | 2003-08-23 | 2004-02-22 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2007-02-21 | 2007-08-23 | 2008-02-22 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2011-02-21 | 2011-08-23 | 2012-02-22 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |