Patent ID: 6673081
Filing Date: 2004-01-06
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
Apparatus for dermal abrasion, which includes:a container for a sterile liquid; a fluid delivery head having a liquid entry port and a gas entry port, fluid outlet apparatus, and valve apparatus located between said entry ports and said fluid outlet apparatus and for selectably permitting respective liquid and gas flows from said entry ports to said fluid outlet apparatus; liquid conduit apparatus extending between a liquid inlet located within said container and a liquid outlet connected to said liquid entry port of said delivery head; gas conduit apparatus extending between a gas inlet and a gas outlet, wherein said gas inlet is connected to a source of pressurized gas and said gas outlet is connected to said gas entry port of said delivery head, and wherein said gas conduit apparatus is connected to said container via an intermediate outlet port; and apparatus for selectably exposing said source of sterile liquid to a flow of pressurized gas flowing from said gas inlet to said gas outlet and into said gas entry port of said fluid delivery head, thereby to pump said sterile liquid along said liquid conduit apparatus, from said inlet to said outlet, and into said liquid entry port of said fluid delivery head, wherein said fluid outlet apparatus includes at least one gas-liquid combining member arranged to receive said gas and liquid flows and to combine them into a gas-liquid outflow which is operative to exit said fluid outlet apparatus in the form of at least one sterile liquid mist jet suspended in a high velocity gas stream, and wherein each jet is operative, when brought to within a preselected distance from the skin surface to be abraded, to separate therefrom at least a portion of the epidermis, and wherein said fluid outlet apparatus defines a fluid outlet port having a predetermined diameter and wherein said preselected distance is not greater than 50 times said predetermined diameter.