Patent ID: 7920926
Filing Date: 2011-04-05
Classification: A61B,A61F

Abstract:
1. The method for effecting a controlled heating of tissue within the region of the dermis of skin, comprising the steps: (a) determining a skin region for treatment; (b) providing one or more heater implants each comprising a thermally insulative generally flat support having a support surface and an oppositely disposed insulative surface, the support extending between leading and trailing ends, a circuit located adjacent said support surface having one or more electrical resistance heater segments with leads extending to the trailing end; (c) determining one or more heating channel locations along said skin region; (d) locating each heater implant along a heating channel generally at the interface between dermis and next adjacent subcutaneous tissue in an orientation wherein said one or more heater segments are positioned for thermal exchange relationship with adjacent tissue within the region of dermis and in thermally insulative relationship with said next adjacent subcutaneous tissue; (e) applying tamponade over at least a portion of said skin region to an extent effective to maintain substantially continuous conduction heat transfer between tissue within the region of dermis and said one or more heater segments; (f) simultaneously with step (e) controlling the temperature of the surface of skin in at least a portion of said skin region to an extent effective to protect the skin surface from thermal injury while permitting the derivation of effective therapeutic temperature at tissue within the said region of the dermis; and (g) effecting an energization of said one or more heater segments substantially to attain a setpoint temperature.