Patent ID: 6015404
Filing Date: 2000-01-18
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
In a system for using a laser to treat a selected problem in a region at a selected depth in a patient's skin, a mechanism for reducing damage to the patient's epidermis overlying such region comprising:a sensor for detecting at least a selected parameter of the patient's skin;a feedback mechanism operative in response to an output from said sensor for performing a control function which protects said overlying epidermis from damage; andmeans for delivering two laser pulses to said region through said overlying epidermis, said pulses being spaced by a time related at least to the thermal relaxation time of the patient's epidermis, the first of said pulses being a prediagnosis pulse which is below a damage threshold for the patient's epidermis, the feedback mechanism being operative in response to the sensor output for said first pulse for controlling at least one parameter of the second pulse.