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EP-4153080-B1 - APPARATUS FOR NON-INVASIVE FRACTIONAL TREATMENT OF SKIN TISSUE

EP4153080B1EP 4153080 B1EP4153080 B1EP 4153080B1EP-4153080-B1

Inventors

  • GERSHONOWITZ, AMIKAM

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20210519

Claims (15)

  1. An apparatus (10) for fractional treatment of skin tissue (16) of a patient; the apparatus comprising a handpiece (11); at least one first electrode (12) and at least one second electrode (13), the at least one first electrode (12) and the at least one second electrode (13) being arranged on the distal end portion of the handpiece (11); and an energy source (15) connected to said at least one first electrode (12) and to at least one second electrodes (13), wherein the apparatus (10) is configured to apply electrical energy, to at least one layer of the skin (16), wherein the at least one first electrode (12) and the at least one second electrode (13) are co-planar and are arranged on a base plate (14), and wherein the apparatus (10) is configured to apply the electrical energy (20) to the skin tissue (16) with at least one initial pulse (21) and at least one treatment pulse (22) following the at least one initial pulse (21) with the at least one initial pulse (21) and the treatment pulse combination comprising the following: (i) a low energy total usage, for the at least one initial pulse, followed by a high total energy usage, for the at least one treatment pulse; and (ii) a high peak energy, for the at least one initial pulse followed by a low peak energy, for the at least one treatment pulse.
  2. The apparatus (10) according to claim 1, wherein the at least one first electrode (12) and the at least one second electrode (13) are at least one of the following: (i) co-planar with the base plate (14); (ii) flat with the base plate (14); or (iii) form a slight elevation above the base plate (14).
  3. The apparatus (10) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the at least one second electrode (13) surrounds and concentrically encircled by a section thereof, the at least one first electrode (12).
  4. The apparatus (10) according to one of the claims 1 to 3, wherein the at least one second electrode (13), is one single second electrode, substantially covers the base plate (14).
  5. The apparatus (10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one first electrode (13) is a plurality of first electrodes arranged in at least one of the following arrangements: (i) one row (32); (ii) a plurality of rows; (iii) in particular rows arranged in parallel; or (iv) in particular rows discretely spaced apart from each other.
  6. The apparatus (10) according to one of the preceding claims, the apparatus further comprising: a vacuum chamber (36) within the handpiece, the vacuum chamber (36) being in fluid communication with at least one through hole or gap (31, 37) provided in the base plate (14) configured to provide a negative pressure force on a surface of the skin tissue towards the at least one first electrode (12) and to draw the skin tissue towards the at least one second electrode (13), when the at least one first electrode (12) and the at least one second electrode (13) is placed in at least one of the following positions: (i) in proximity of the skin tissue; or (ii) in contact with the surface of the skin tissue.
  7. The apparatus (10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one second electrode (13) is arranged on the base plate (14) and the at least one first electrode (12) comprises a pin, which penetrates the base plate (14) through an aperture (31) in the base plate (14).
  8. The apparatus (10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one initial pulse (21) is configured to reduce the impedance of the uppermost layer or layers of the skin tissue (16).
  9. The apparatus (10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one initial pulse (21) is not configured for performing an ablative process, and not sufficient for ablating the uppermost layer of the skin tissue (16).
  10. The apparatus (10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the treatment pulse (22) is configured to perform thermal damage without ablation within a dermis layer or a hypodermis layer (18) of the skin tissue (16).
  11. The apparatus (10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the apparatus is configured to perform a non-invasive treatment of the skin tissue (16), that thermally treat cells in the dermis layer or the hypodermis layer (18) of the skin, without penetrating or ablating the surface of the skin tissue (16).
  12. The apparatus (10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one first electrode (12) is of a two-dimensional extension, in particular a circular area with a diameter between 0.1 and 1 mm, preferably about 0.5 mm.
  13. The apparatus (10) according to one of the claims 5 to 12, wherein the plurality of first electrodes (12) have the same polarity and the at least one second electrode (13) has an opposite polarity.
  14. The apparatus (10) according to one of the claims 5 to 13, wherein the plurality of rows (32) is arranged on a flat base plate (14).
  15. The apparatus (10) according to one of the claims 5 to 13, wherein the plurality of rows (32) is arranged on a roller (34) surface.

Description

The present invention relates to an apparatus for fractional treatment of skin tissue. Background of the invention The term fractional treatment in the field of aesthetic medicine is used to describe a form of treatment which creates a discrete array of relatively small treatment spots and leaves a portion of healthy and untouched tissue around these treatment spots. The treatment spots may be created by laser, RF, Ultrasound or other methods. At each spot a micro damage/wound in the tissue is created. The damage/wound at these spots initiates the natural healing response of the tissue. The intact healthy tissue surrounding the treatment spots are vital enough basis to provide what is necessary for healing the micro wounds. The overall effect is skin rejuvenation. US 2019/059992 A1 describes an apparatus for fractional treatment with coplanar first and second electrodes providing a high peak energy for an initial pulse followed by a low peak energy treatment pulse. Summary of the invention The invention is defined by the appended independent claim. Further embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the dependent claims. The methods described herein do not form part of the invention, but are useful for understanding the invention. Summary of the disclosure An object of the current disclosure is to an apparatus and a method according to the independent claims. In particular, an apparatus for fractional treatment of skin tissue of a patient; the apparatus comprising: a handpiece; at least one first electrode and at least one second electrode, the at least one first electrode and the at least one second electrode being arranged on the distal end portion of the handpiece; and an energy source connected to said at least one first electrode and to at least one second electrodes. Wherein the apparatus is configured to apply electrical energy, to at least one layer of the skin, wherein the at least one first electrode and the at least one second electrode (are co-planar and are arranged on a base plate. Also, wherein the apparatus is configured to apply the electrical energy to the skin tissue with at least one initial pulse and a treatment pulse following the at least one initial pulse with the at least one initial pulse and the treatment pulse being at least one of the following: (i) a low energy level at least one initial pulse followed by a higher energy treatment pulse;(ii) a shorter duration at least one initial pulse followed by a longer duration treatment pulse; or(iii) a shorter duration high energy at least one initial pulse followed by a longer duration low energy pulse. In another objective, there is the apparatus where at least one first electrode and the at least one second electrode are at least one of the following: (i) co-planar with the base plate; (ii) flat with the base plate; or (iii) form a slight elevation above the base plate. The apparatus wherein the at least one second electrode surrounds and concentrically encircled by a section thereof, the at least one first electrode. Also, wherein the at least one second electrode, is one single second electrode, substantially covers the base plate. The apparatus, wherein the at least one first electrode is a plurality of first electrodes arranged in at least one of the following arrangements: (i) one row; (ii) a plurality of rows; (iii) in particular rows arranged in parallel; or (iv) in particular rows discretely spaced apart from each other. The apparatus further comprising: a vacuum chamber within the handpiece, the vacuum chamber being in fluid communication with at least one through hole or gap provided in the base plate configured to provide a negative pressure force on a surface of the skin tissue towards the at least one first electrode and to draw the skin tissue towards the at least one second electrode. The at least one first electrode and the at least one second electrode is placed in at least one of the following positions: (i) in proximity of the skin tissue; or (ii) in contact with the surface of the skin tissue. In another objective of the current disclosure, the apparatus, wherein the at least one second electrode is arranged on the base plate and the at least one first electrode comprises a pin, which penetrates the base plate through an aperture in the base plate. The apparatus, wherein the at least one initial pulse is configured to reduce the impedance of the uppermost layer or layers of the skin tissue. The apparatus, wherein the at least one initial pulse is not configured for performing an ablative process, and not sufficient for ablating the uppermost layer of the skin tissue. The apparatus, wherein the treatment pulse is configured to perform thermal damage without ablation within a dermis layer or a hypodermis layer of the skin tissue. The apparatus is configured to perform a non-invasive treatment of the skin tissue, that thermally treat cells in the dermis layer or the hypodermis layer of the skin, without penetratin