Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61N—ELECTROTHERAPY; MAGNETOTHERAPY; RADIATION THERAPY; ULTRASOUND THERAPY
  • A61N1/00—Electrotherapy; Circuits therefor
  • A61N1/02—Details
  • A61N1/04—Electrodes
  • A61N1/06—Electrodes for high-frequency therapy
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
  • A61B90/00—Instruments, implements or accessories specially adapted for surgery or diagnosis and not covered by any of the groups A61B1/00 - A61B50/00, e.g. for luxation treatment or for protecting wound edges
  • A61B90/30—Devices for illuminating a surgical field, the devices having an interrelation with other surgical devices or with a surgical procedure
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
  • A61B18/00—Surgical instruments, devices or methods for transferring non-mechanical forms of energy to or from the body
  • A61B18/04—Surgical instruments, devices or methods for transferring non-mechanical forms of energy to or from the body by heating
  • A61B18/12—Surgical instruments, devices or methods for transferring non-mechanical forms of energy to or from the body by heating by passing a current through the tissue to be heated, e.g. high-frequency current
  • A61B18/14—Probes or electrodes therefor
  • A61B18/1477—Needle-like probes
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
  • A61B18/00—Surgical instruments, devices or methods for transferring non-mechanical forms of energy to or from the body
  • A61B2018/00315—Surgical instruments, devices or methods for transferring non-mechanical forms of energy to or from the body for treatment of particular body parts
  • A61B2018/00452—Skin
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
  • A61B18/00—Surgical instruments, devices or methods for transferring non-mechanical forms of energy to or from the body
  • A61B18/04—Surgical instruments, devices or methods for transferring non-mechanical forms of energy to or from the body by heating
  • A61B18/12—Surgical instruments, devices or methods for transferring non-mechanical forms of energy to or from the body by heating by passing a current through the tissue to be heated, e.g. high-frequency current
  • A61B18/14—Probes or electrodes therefor
  • A61B2018/1405—Electrodes having a specific shape
  • A61B2018/1425—Needle
  • A61B2018/1427—Needle with a beveled end

Definitions

• the invention relates to dermatological, aesthetic treatments and, more particularly, a probe provided with a RF electrode used for releasing thermal energy in the' form of radiofrequency waves to the skin and underlying tissues, the novel feature of which is that the electrode is able to penetrate the skin surface so that the release of the radiofrequency waves occurs directly to the subcutaneous tissues.
• a method has been known for long time consisting in releasing thermal energy to the skin and underlying tissues to provide a lifting effect and to tone up the tissues quickly and without lancet.
• Such a treatment is based upon the use of an apparatus which emits thermal energy in the form of radiofrequency waves.
• the waves emitted by an electrode resting on the cutaneous surface enter the derma deeply and release heat to the tissues that causes an electrical modification and the heating of the collagen which is caused to contract.
• Such process causes the skin to tone up and to stretch.
• point effect One problem that did not find any satisfactory solution so far relates to the so-called "point effect".
• point effect Generally, as RF energy is applied or released to a tissue by an electrode contacting such tissue, the path of the current concentrates around the end of the electrode, particularly at the biting end. This effect is generally known as "point effect".
• point effect In case of an electrode in the form of a circular disc, the point effect is shown by an increase in the current density along the periphery of that circular disc and a decrease in the current density at the centre of the same.
• the current density is high along the whole periphery and is higher at the corners of a biting end.
• point effect causes problems in the treatment of the skin for a variety of reasons. Firstly, it causes a non-uniform thermal effect on the surface of the electrode. In many treatments of the skin, it is important that the thermal effect is uniform on a relatively large area, particularly in the dermatological treatments. In this case such area is of the order of many square millimetres or even square centimetres. In electrosurgery applications to cut tissues, point applicators have been used for long time. However, such applicators are designed to provide a hot spot in a determined position to cut or coagulate tissues. Such devices, however, are quite unsuitable for a moderate thermal effect over a large surface.
• the tissue contacting the surface of the electrode is tending to get warmer, wherein the temperature is decreasing to the inside.
• the skin contacting the electrode is cooled by a cryogen agent during the sitting. Heat is transmitted into the derma at about 4 mm below the epidermis (epidermis is the upper cutaneous surface of the skin) .
• a subdermic probe provided with an electrode which is inserted under the cutaneous surface so that the RF energy is applied directly to the subcutaneous tissues.
• the cutting edge at the distal end of the subdermic electrode is no sharp edge but is bevelled so as to form a thin face which is parallel or inclined to its longitudinal axis.
• such face has a square or rectangular shape and a length and a width between 0.007 millimetres and 0.5 centimetres.
• the so-called electrode can either be stationary or mobile with respect to the support of the probe.
• said electrode will slide inside the radiofrequency shielding sheath and can enter the skin into the subcutaneous tissues to a depth of about 7 cm.
• the end of the electrode will have a shape of truncated pyramid with the lower base disposed at the distal end.
• Such base can consist of an even or undulated, sinusoidal surface which allows the surface contacting the elastic tissues to be increased.
• the end of the electrode consists of a scalpel point.
• the subdermic probe is provided with an electrode-needle of the bipolar type which does not need any patient's body as integral portion to make the circuit.
• the radiofrequency waves flow only to the area subjected to treatment and not to the rest of the patient's body.
• Fig. 1 is a schematic vertical section view of a punctiform probe with stationary subdermic electrode
• Fig. 2 is a schematic vertical section view of a punctiform probe with mobile subdermic electrode
• Figs. 3 and 4 show two further embodiments of a probe with mobile and stationary electrodes and with a scalpel point;
• Fig. 5 shows an angled probe with mobile subdermic electrode
• Fig. 6 shows a detail of the probe point with a truncated-pyramid electrode having a rectangular base
• Fig. 7 is a variation of the probe point in which the lower base of the truncated pyramid has a not even but sinusoidal surface
• Fig. 8 shows a further variation of the probe which makes use of an electrode-needle of the bipolar type .
• a handle 8 includes an electrode 10 which is fastened inside a sheath 12 shielding the radiofrequency waves, and a flange 14 with the function of limiting the cutaneous area of treatment.
• the end of the electrode entering the skin has a pyramidal shape.
• sheath 12 extends downwards beyond flange 14 by a length ⁇ indicatively between about 1.5 and 2 mm.
• the gauge of the electrode is between 12 and 31 gages.
• the electrode can be made all the same of metal, optical fibre, conductive quartz or other equivalent materials.
• Fig. 2 shows the embodiment in which electrode 10 is mobile with respect to the handle.
• said electrode 10 is capable of sliding coaxially with shielding sheath 12, thus entering the skin by a depth x between 0 and 7 cm.
• the end of the electrode in both cases described above has a pyramidal shape with the cutting edge in a central position.
• the shapes of figs. 3 and 4 where the point is a scalpel can be provided.
• the probe can be provided with a light source made by an optical fibre 13.
• the electrode has no sharp cutting edge but a bevelled edge or an edge as shown in figs. 6 and 7.
• the end of the electrode has the shape of a truncated pyramid 14 with square or rectangular section where the cutting edge is the lower base 16 at the distal position having a surface with an even minimum area.
• the cutting edge has a thickness Y that can range indicatively between 0.007 mm and 0.5 mm, as shown in the figures.
• base 16 at the distal end can be provided with an undulated surface with sinusoidal section 18 (see fig. 7) .
• the probe of the invention can either be rectilinear or bent, as shown in fig. 5.
• the subdermic probe is provided with an electrode-needle of bipolar type which does not need the patient's body as integral portion to make the circuit.
• filament electrode 20 of the active type 2/4 connected to radiofrequency source 22 is surrounded by an insulating layer 26 and inserted into the bored needle 24 and reaches distal end 28 at its fore opening 30.

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• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Surgery (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Nuclear Medicine, Radiotherapy & Molecular Imaging (AREA)
• Veterinary Medicine (AREA)
• Public Health (AREA)
• Biomedical Technology (AREA)
• General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Animal Behavior & Ethology (AREA)
• Molecular Biology (AREA)
• Medical Informatics (AREA)
• Heart & Thoracic Surgery (AREA)
• Pathology (AREA)
• Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery (AREA)
• Radiology & Medical Imaging (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Plasma & Fusion (AREA)
• Otolaryngology (AREA)
• Measurement And Recording Of Electrical Phenomena And Electrical Characteristics Of The Living Body (AREA)
• Surgical Instruments (AREA)
• Waveguide Aerials (AREA)
• Walking Sticks, Umbrellas, And Fans (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (2)

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Family Applications (1)

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Cited By (1)

Citations (6)

• 2006
  • 2006-03-24 IT IT000166A patent/ITRM20060166A1/it unknown
• 2007
  • 2007-03-23 WO PCT/IT2007/000220 patent/WO2007110890A2/en active Application Filing

Patent Citations (6)

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