Patent ID: 6171301
Filing Date: 2001-01-09
Classification: A61B,A61N

Abstract:
An apparatus for laser treatment of biological tissue comprising:a pulsed laser;a controllable sprayer for providing a spurt of a cryogen to an irradiation site in direct contact on said biological tissue to provide a controlled amount of said cryogen on said irradiation site according to a predetermined dynamic thermal profile to be established within said biological tissue at said site in which biological tissue in a first superficial region is not substantially injured and in which biological tissue in a second deeper region is thermally mediated; anda timing control for triggering said pulsed laser and controlling said controllable sprayer, said laser being triggered by said timing control to fire a predetermined laser pulse after said controllable sprayer provides said controlled amount of said cryogen on said irradiation site to establish said predetermined dynamic thermal profile within said biological tissue at said site,whereby said irradiation site of said biological tissue is dynamically cooled to selectively allow laser treatment of tissue portions of said irradiation.