Patent ID: 6022345
Filing Date: 2000-02-08
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
A laser treatment method for the preparation of plural recipient sites for implanting hair-bearing tissue on skin of a human, said method comprising the successive steps ofpremedicating a selected treatment site of a patient with a medicament;irradiating said selected treatment site of alopecic scalp tissue with erbium pulsed coherent light having a wavelength substantially in the range of 2.5-3.5 .mu.m, said light having an energy fluence substantially in a range of 1-200 J/cm.sup.2, a pulsewidth substantially in a range of 100-2000 microseconds, at a non-orthogonal angle incident to said treatment site and a spot area incident on said treatment site substantially in a range of 10.sup.-3 to 10.sup.-1 cm.sup.2 ;controlling exposure duration at said treatment site to produce a controlled ablation depth of 1-5 mm at said treatment site;directing said light with a distance gauge for non-orthogonal administration of energy to produce a plurality of recipient sites in said alopecic scalp tissue, whereby slit-shaped recipient sites are produced which are suitable for receiving transplanted grafts, wherein each of said slit-shaped sites is angled in a direction corresponding to a local prevalent direction of hair growth; andfurther directing said light to produce said recipient sites in an irregular grid pattern wherein said slits have adjacent positions which are linearly offset.