Patent ID: 6461378
Filing Date: 2002-10-08
Classification: A61B,A61F,A61N,G06F,G10L

Abstract:
An apparatus for smoothing contour irregularities of a skin surface overlaying a tissue site, comprising:a conformer that is thermally conductive, the conformer having a skin-contacting surface that is conformable to the general three-dimensional contour of the tissue site beneath the skin surface and a non-skin-contacting surface that serves as a mechanical force application surface; and a plurality of energy delivery devices incorporated into the conformer and each of which provides a selective and controlled delivery of energy through the conformer to the tissue site beneath the skin surface to smooth the contour irregularities of the skin surface, a reverse thermal gradient device for cooling the skin surface when the apparatus is applied to the skin surface; wherein the skin-contacting surface conforms to the three dimensional contour of the tissue site beneath the skin when the conformer is placed on the skin surface and an external mechanical force is applied to the conformer through the mechanical application surface of the conformer.