Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61N—ELECTROTHERAPY; MAGNETOTHERAPY; RADIATION THERAPY; ULTRASOUND THERAPY
  • A61N5/00—Radiation therapy
  • A61N5/06—Radiation therapy using light
  • A61N5/0613—Apparatus adapted for a specific treatment
  • A61N5/0616—Skin treatment other than tanning
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61P—SPECIFIC THERAPEUTIC ACTIVITY OF CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS OR MEDICINAL PREPARATIONS
  • A61P17/00—Drugs for dermatological disorders
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61P—SPECIFIC THERAPEUTIC ACTIVITY OF CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS OR MEDICINAL PREPARATIONS
  • A61P17/00—Drugs for dermatological disorders
  • A61P17/02—Drugs for dermatological disorders for treating wounds, ulcers, burns, scars, keloids, or the like
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61P—SPECIFIC THERAPEUTIC ACTIVITY OF CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS OR MEDICINAL PREPARATIONS
  • A61P17/00—Drugs for dermatological disorders
  • A61P17/16—Emollients or protectives, e.g. against radiation
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61P—SPECIFIC THERAPEUTIC ACTIVITY OF CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS OR MEDICINAL PREPARATIONS
  • A61P17/00—Drugs for dermatological disorders
  • A61P17/18—Antioxidants, e.g. antiradicals
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61P—SPECIFIC THERAPEUTIC ACTIVITY OF CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS OR MEDICINAL PREPARATIONS
  • A61P43/00—Drugs for specific purposes, not provided for in groups A61P1/00-A61P41/00
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61P—SPECIFIC THERAPEUTIC ACTIVITY OF CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS OR MEDICINAL PREPARATIONS
  • A61P9/00—Drugs for disorders of the cardiovascular system
  • A61P9/14—Vasoprotectives; Antihaemorrhoidals; Drugs for varicose therapy; Capillary stabilisers
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61N—ELECTROTHERAPY; MAGNETOTHERAPY; RADIATION THERAPY; ULTRASOUND THERAPY
  • A61N5/00—Radiation therapy
  • A61N5/06—Radiation therapy using light
  • A61N2005/0635—Radiation therapy using light characterised by the body area to be irradiated
  • A61N2005/0642—Irradiating part of the body at a certain distance
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61N—ELECTROTHERAPY; MAGNETOTHERAPY; RADIATION THERAPY; ULTRASOUND THERAPY
  • A61N5/00—Radiation therapy
  • A61N5/06—Radiation therapy using light
  • A61N2005/065—Light sources therefor
  • A61N2005/0651—Diodes
  • A61N2005/0652—Arrays of diodes
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61N—ELECTROTHERAPY; MAGNETOTHERAPY; RADIATION THERAPY; ULTRASOUND THERAPY
  • A61N5/00—Radiation therapy
  • A61N5/06—Radiation therapy using light
  • A61N2005/0658—Radiation therapy using light characterised by the wavelength of light used
  • A61N2005/0659—Radiation therapy using light characterised by the wavelength of light used infrared
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61N—ELECTROTHERAPY; MAGNETOTHERAPY; RADIATION THERAPY; ULTRASOUND THERAPY
  • A61N5/00—Radiation therapy
  • A61N5/06—Radiation therapy using light
  • A61N2005/0658—Radiation therapy using light characterised by the wavelength of light used
  • A61N2005/0662—Visible light
  • A61N2005/0663—Coloured light

Definitions

• the present invention relates to therapeutic methods and apparatus for wound healing, tissue repair and/or cosmetic dermatological treatment, or the treatment of hypopigmentation.
• Wound healing is a complex biochemical process that commences immediately after tissue injury.
• a coagulation phase is characterized by low oxygen tension and the formation of platelet plugs.
• Macrophages, polyniorphnuclear neutrophils and lymphocytes appear during the inflammatory phase for debris and infection control, and growth factors are .secreted for fibroplasias, angiogenesis and re-epithelialisation.
• the documents WO 95/19809 and WO95/19810 disclose devices for healing wounds and sores by means of a light-emitting element which emits pulsed light infrared during a first period and pulsed red light during a second period. According to this document, it is extremely important that the treatment is carried out in the order infrared light followed by visible light.
• the light-emitting element includes discrete infrared and red light emitting diodes, hi an example, the red emission is at 660 nm and the infrared at 950 nm.
• Certain hypopigrnentary skin disorders such as vitiligo are characterised by a loss of melanocytes from the epidermis, which results in the absence of melanin, i.e. depigmentation.
• the problem of vitiligo would be essentially solved if there were a medication that is well tolerated in children, adults and pregnant women, and that would halt the progression of the depigmentation.
• the radiation has substantial intensity at a wavelength of one or more of 633, 680 or 780 nm, so as to stimulate DNA/R A synthesis.
• the radiation has substantial intensity at a wavelength of 750 nm so as to promote protein synthesis/
• the radiation has substantial intensity at 890 nm, so as to cause increased cell proliferation.
• the radiation has substantial intensity at a wavelength of 880 nm, so as to inhibit fibroblast proliferation.
• the radiation has substantial intensity at 820 nm and/or 870 nm, so as to enhance the release of stimulating factors.
• a method of treating hypopigmentary skin disorders by irradiating a hypopigmented area of a patient's skin with low intensity ultraviolet radiation.
• the low intensity ultraviolet radiation has substantial intensity at a wavelength of at least one of 365, 404 and 434nm.
• the radiation has a substantial intensity at a wavelength of approximately 760 nm.
• a light source for carrying out the method of the first aspect including an array of light-emitting diodes arranged to emit the polychromatic light.
• a light source for carrying out the method of the second aspect, the light source including an array of light-emitting diodes arranged to emit the low intensity ultraviolet radiation.
• the configuration of the plurality of arrays is preferably adjustable by the user.
• the plurality of arrays may be mounted on an adjustable arm.
• Figure 1 is schematic side view of a therapeutic light source in embodiments of the invention
• Figure 2a is a front perspective view of a light-emitting head of the therapeutic light source showing panels each carrying an LED matrix;
• Figure 2b is a top view of the light-emitting head showing the direction of illumination
• Figure 3 is a front view of one of the LED matrices
• Figure 4 is a circuit diagram showing the series-parallel configuration of each LED matrix
• Figure 5 shows an emission spectrum of an LED for use in a first embodiment of the invention
• Figure 6 shows emission spectra for an LED for use in a second embodiment of the invention.
• a first embodiment of the invention is directed to healing wounds or damaged tissue using non-coherent polychromatic infrared light.
• Polychromatic infrared light for example within the wavelength range
• Enhanced microcirculation results in an increase in new capillaries as well as new blood vessels, to replace damaged ones. This leads to an increase in the healing process because the vessels can deliver more oxygen and nutrients necessary for healing in addition to an increased removal of waste products.
• Stimulation of collagen increases the body's capacity to repair damaged tissue and to replace old tissue.
• Stimulation of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) boosts the transport of energy to all cells.
• An increase in ATP increases nutrient absorption and waste disposal by cells.
• An increase in the lymphatic system activity can be brought about by an increase in the lymph vessel diameter and lymph flow rate.
• modulation of wound healing and/or tissue repair can be achieved by irradiation of the wound or damaged tissue simultaneously by infrared and visible light. Venous and arterial diameters could also be increased in a similar manner.
• infra red and long-wavelength visible light are absorbed by components of the respiratory chain (i.e. flavine dehydrogenases, cytochromes and cytochrome oxidase), which cause an activation of the respiratory chain and the oxidation of NAS pool which leads to changes in the redox status of both the mitochondria and the cytoplasm.
• flavine dehydrogenases, cytochromes and cytochrome oxidase components of the respiratory chain
• cytochromes and cytochrome oxidase i.e. flavine dehydrogenases, cytochromes and cytochrome oxidase
• the Ca-H- flux affects the levels of cyclic nucleotides, which modulates DNA and RNA synthesis, which modulates cell proliferation (i.e. biostimulation).
• Infra-red light initiates the response at the membrane level (probably through photophysical effects on Ca++ channels) at about halfway through the total cascade of molecular events that lead to biostimulation, whereas long-wavelength visible light initiates probably by photoactivating enzymes in the mitochondria, a cascade of molecular events leading to the photoresponse.
• the photobiochemical processes involved in wound healing and tissue repair are governed by action spectra. Beauvoit B et.
• Infrared light can penetrate to a depth of several centimeters, which it makes it more effective for full-thickness treatment of bones, joints, muscle, etc.
• Macrophages can inhibit or enhance the activity of many kinds of cells.
• Light of different wavelengths affects the ability of macrophages to release factors that cause the above effects. Therefore ⁇ infra red light therapy has great potential as a modulator of wound repair.
• wounds that are prone to hypertrophy or to keloid formation are treated with wavelengths stimulating the release of inhibiting factors (e.g., prostaglandins) that suppress fibroblast activity.
• inhibiting factors e.g., prostaglandins
• a second embodiment of the present invention is directed to a method of treatment of hypopigmentary skin disorders using ultraviolet (UN) or near- UN light.
• UN ultraviolet
• Low intensity UN irradiation can stimulate melanocytic migration and proliferation, and mitogen release for melanocyte growth, thereby providing a microenvironment for inducing repigmentation in hypopigmentary conditions such as vitiligo; see Tjioe M et al. 'Acta Derm VenereoP 2002, 82(5), 369- 372.
• There are very sensitive (near) ultra-violet peaks in the R ⁇ A/D ⁇ A synthesis/stimulation action spectra at 365, 404 and 434nm see the Karu reference cited above), which would result in doses at least an order of magnitude lower than those required at 450, 560 and 633nm (i.e. 5-50J/m 2 compared with 500-5,000 J/m 2 ).
• There are further peaks around 760nm which correspond to increased stimulation of ATP.
• a therapeutic light source comprises a base 2, an articulated arm 4 and a light-emitting head 6.
• the base 2 contains a power supply 3 for supplying electrical power to the light-emitting head 6, and a controller 5 for controlling the supply of power to the head 6.
• the controller 5 includes a switch and a timer for controlling the switch to determine the interval for which the head is switched on and emits light.
• the head may be switched on continuously over the interval, or may be pulsed on and off with a periodicity and duty cycle controlled by the controller 5.
• the interval, periodicity and duty cycle may be programmed into the controller 5 by a user by means of a keypad and display screen (not shown).
• the articulated arm 4 is connected to the base 2 by a hinged joint 7a and is articulated along its length by further hinged joints 7b and 7c to give a sufficient degree of freedom in the position and angle of the head 6.
• the arm 4 carries a power connector from the controller 5 to the head 6.
• the head 6, as shown more particularly by Figure 2a, consists of four rectangular panels 6a, 6b, 6c, 6d arranged side by side and joined at their edges by hinges 9a, 9b, 9c.
• Each panel 6 carries on its front face a corresponding matrix 8a, 8b, 8c, 8d of discrete light-emitting diodes (LED's).
• LED's discrete light-emitting diodes
• the panels 6a-6d can be angled to form a concave surface such that light L emitted by the LED's is concentrated on an area of the patient to be treated.
• Figure 3 shows the physical arrangement of LED's in the matrix 8 while Figure 4 shows the series-parallel electrical connection between the LED's 10.
• a direct current (DC) voltage +V is applied across the matrix when power is supplied to head 6.
• the LED's 10 emit in the red and near infrared spectrum, for example substantially in the range 660-950 nm.
• the LED's may have GaAlAs substrate material.
• One suitable type of LED is OsramTM part no. SFH 4289, for which the emission spectrum is shown in Figure 5.
• the spectrum has a peak at 880 nm.
• the LED's 10 may be of two or more different types, at least one of which emits in the infrared and one of which emits in the red area of the spectrum. Both types maybe switched on together.
• the combined emission spectra of the LED's 10 have substantial intensity at one, or preferably more than one, of the wavelengths mentioned above with reference to the first embodiment.
• the first embodiment may also be applied to a method of cosmetic treatment of the skin.
• the LEDs 10 are ultraviolet (UV) emitting LEDs having emission spectra substantially in the near UN spectrum.
• the LED's may have InGa ⁇ or Ga ⁇ or InGa ⁇ /SiC substrate materials.
• One suitable type of LED is HeroTM part no. HUVL400-315, having a peak at 400-
• the LED's 10 may be of two or more different types, both of which maybe switched on together.
• the combined emission spectra of the LED's 10 have substantial intensity at one, or preferably more than one, of the wavelengths mentioned above with reference to the second embodiment.
• the head 6 is positioned to irradiate an external affected area (e.g. a wound or damaged tissue) of a patient to be treated, which is then exposed to one or more suitable wavelengths at an intensity which is preferably between 1 and 50mW/cm 2 , but may be between 0.1 and 500m W/cm 2 .
• suitable treatment doses range from 0.5 to 20J/cm 2 , but could range from 0.1 to 200J/cm 2 .
• Treatment times preferably range from 2 to 10 minutes, but may range from
• a therapeutic course may consist of up to 30 treatments with intervals between 0.5 to 7 days.
• a pseudocatalase e.g. VitisesTM from SES Derma, Valencia, Spain
• a pseudocatalase may be applied twice daily to boost the low catalase activity often found in hypopigmented patients. Excess pseudocatalase is removed just before light application.
• the head 6 is positioned to irradiate a hypopigmented area of the skin of the patient to be treated.
• the patient is then exposed to one or more suitable wavelengths at an intensity which is preferably between 0.1 and 50mW/cm 2 , but may be between 0.05 and 100mW/cm 2 .
• Suitable treatment doses range from 0.01 to 100J/cm 2 , but may range from 0.05 to 100J/cm 2 .
• Treatment times preferably range from 0.5 to 10 minutes, but may range from 0.1 to 30mins.
• a therapeutic course consists of up to 100 treatments with intervals ranging from 1 to 7 days.

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• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Nuclear Medicine, Radiotherapy & Molecular Imaging (AREA)
• Veterinary Medicine (AREA)
• Public Health (AREA)
• General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Animal Behavior & Ethology (AREA)
• Bioinformatics & Cheminformatics (AREA)
• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
• Pharmacology & Pharmacy (AREA)
• Medicinal Chemistry (AREA)
• General Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Organic Chemistry (AREA)
• Dermatology (AREA)
• Biomedical Technology (AREA)
• Pathology (AREA)
• Radiology & Medical Imaging (AREA)
• Biophysics (AREA)
• Heart & Thoracic Surgery (AREA)
• Vascular Medicine (AREA)
• Cardiology (AREA)
• Toxicology (AREA)
• Biochemistry (AREA)
• Radiation-Therapy Devices (AREA)
• Medicines That Contain Protein Lipid Enzymes And Other Medicines (AREA)
• Pharmaceuticals Containing Other Organic And Inorganic Compounds (AREA)
• Surgical Instruments (AREA)
• Cosmetics (AREA)

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• 2003
  • 2003-02-26 US US10/547,081 patent/US20070038269A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2003-02-26 AU AU2003207356A patent/AU2003207356A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2003-02-26 WO PCT/GB2003/000834 patent/WO2004075984A1/en not_active Ceased
• 2004
  • 2004-02-26 JP JP2006502324A patent/JP2006519047A/ja active Pending
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• 2010
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