Abstract:
An electromedical device for the non-invasive reduction or removal of subcutaneous adipose tissue, comprising an energy source which provides a high-frequency alternating current, comprising at least two individual emitters which are fed by the energy source and which are designed to emit high-frequency electromagnetic waves into subcutaneous adipose tissue, and comprising a directivity control which is coupled with the individual emitters and which controls the individual emitters in such a way that, by direction and field concentration of the high-frequency electromagnetic waves emitted by the individual emitters, a total electromagnetic field with a desired field geometry can be produced in the subcutaneous adipose tissue.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to an electromedical device for the non-invasive reduction or removal of subcutaneous adipose tissue. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     In overweight persons, excess adipose tissue is nowadays mostly removed by surgery, for example by liposuction. In such surgery, adipose cells are removed from the chosen sites beneath the skin by suction using hollow needles. Such invasive therapeutic procedures of plastic surgery always involve a certain risk, however, in so far as complications occur during the operation and during subsequent healing. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,143,063 discloses a method of removing fatty tissue by focusing microwaves onto the adipose tissue to be removed. In this method, a focusing device in the form of a parabolic reflector is used for field concentration. The use of parabolic reflectors as individual emitters requires a highly material- and cost-intensive production process for the electromedical device, in particular when the device is to have a plurality of individual emitters. Furthermore, the use of parabolic reflectors as the focusing device places limitations on the focusing and concentration ability of the described apparatus, which do not correspond to the requirements desired in a medical application. 
     Publication U.S. Pat. No. 5,507,790 discloses a method for the non-invasive removal of adipose tissue. In this publication, adipose tissue that is to be removed is irradiated using microwave lenses for focusing. In addition to this apparatus, which is based on complex microwave optics, medicaments having a metabolic action are also used and are intended to generate increased lipid metabolism. A reduction in the volume of the adipose cells is thereby achieved without causing cell death of the adipose cells. The complex microwave optics that is used has microwave lenses, which are known to be of low quality and to have a high optical aberration. These properties prevent the microwave radiation that is used from being focused in an advantageous manner in terms of an effective treatment, because the emitted radiation can be limited to the desired treatment region only with difficulty. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention provides a solution to remove or reduce excess subcutaneous adipose tissue non-invasively in a simple manner. 
     The invention provides an electromedical device comprising: an electromedical device for the non-invasive reduction or removal of subcutaneous adipose tissue, comprising an energy source which provides a high-frequency alternating current, comprising at least two individual emitters which are fed by the energy source and are designed to emit high-frequency electromagnetic waves into subcutaneous adipose tissue, and comprising a directivity control which is coupled with the individual emitters and which controls the individual emitters in such a way that, by direction and field concentration of the high-frequency electromagnetic waves emitted by the individual emitters, a total electromagnetic field with a desired field geometry can be produced in the subcutaneous adipose tissue. 
     The idea behind the invention is to control the single individual emitters of the electromedical device according to the invention in a simple manner so that the total electromagnetic field can be matched in the best possible manner to the body shapes of the persons to be treated. Complex mechanical adjustment procedures for the electromedical device are advantageously unnecessary. A controlled and targeted local heating of the tissue leads to the desired reduction or removal of subcutaneous adipose tissue. 
     Advantageous embodiments and further developments are subject of the further dependent claims and of the description in conjunction with the figures of the drawings. 
     According to a further development, the electromedical device has individual emitters which are arranged substantially in the form of a matrix and/or in the form of a cascade. In the case of an arrangement of the individual emitters in cascade form, the individual emitters are connected in series or are interlinked in succession. In the case of an arrangement of the individual emitters in matrix form, the individual emitters are arranged relative to one another and interconnected in an array, i.e. in rows and columns. 
     By means of the arrangement of the individual emitters in matrix or cascade form, the production of a large number of field geometries of different forms is possible in a simple manner. Furthermore, it is possible to change promptly between these field geometries, as required, by a simple and suitable control of the individual emitters of the electromedical device. 
     According to a further embodiment, at least one of the individual emitters is in the form of a dipole antenna. By configuring the individual emitter as a dipole, a desired emission geometry of the individual emitter can be achieved. 
     According to a further embodiment, at least one of the dipole antennae is in the form of a λ/2 dipole or λ dipole. As a result, different individual geometries of the electric field can be produced by each of the plurality of individual emitters of the device according to the invention. 
     According to a further embodiment, at least one of the individual emitters is in the form of a point-type emitter. As a result, a particularly simple and inexpensive construction of the electromedical device can be achieved. 
     According to a further embodiment, the individual emitters are each oriented in such a way that the individual emitters emit the electromagnetic waves they produce in the same direction. In particular, it can thus be ensured that the individual emitters emit the emitted electromagnetic field in the direction of the body of a person to be treated. The same direction is thus assigned based on how and in what manner the device according to the invention is applied to the person, i.e. is attached to the person. The direction of the application of the device accordingly also determines the assigned direction. 
     According to a further embodiment, the control device is designed to change the frequencies and/or the amplitude and/or the power of the emitted electromagnetic waves of an individual emitter. 
     As already stated above, the electromagnetic field is varied by the device according to the invention. The electromagnetic field is thereby changed in particular in terms of its intensity and extent as well as its homogeneity. This change can be changed in a simple manner by varying the frequency, the amplitude and/or the power of the emitted electromagnetic waves of the individual emitter. In this manner, the electromagnetic field can be precisely adapted according to the depth at which the subcutaneous adipose tissue is present in the body of a person to be treated and according to the density and consistency of the adipose tissue. 
     According to a further embodiment, the control device has at least one delay element. A delay element is arranged to change the electromagnetic field produced by an individual emitter by changing a respective signal propagation time of the control signal. By varying and suitably adapting the signal propagation times of the various individual emitters, the total electromagnetic field can thus be established as required. 
     According to a further embodiment, a control element has at least one phase shifter. A phase shifter is arranged to change the respective electromagnetic field of the individual emitters by changing its respective phase. This measure also makes it possible to change the geometry of the total electromagnetic field as required. 
     According to a further embodiment, the device is designed to work in the frequency range from 0.4 to 61.5 GHz, preferably from 1.0 to 7.5 GHz, and particularly preferably from 1.6 to 5.9 GHz, and in particular from 2.4 to 2.5 GHz. By using different frequency ranges it is possible, within the context of fat removal or fat reduction, to use the radiation that achieves the best possible absorption behaviour of the radiation in the region to be treated. 
     The above embodiments and further developments can, where expedient, be combined with one another as desired. Further possible embodiments, further developments and implementations of the invention also include combinations of the features of the invention described above or below in connection with the implementation examples which have not been mentioned explicitly. In particular, the person skilled in the art will also add individual aspects as improvements or additions to the basic form of the present invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       The present invention is explained in more detail in the following by means of the embodiments shown in the schematic figures of the drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1   a  is a schematic drawing of an embodiment of a device according to the invention; 
         FIG. 1   b  is a schematic drawing of a further embodiment of a device according to the invention; 
         FIG. 2  shows the directional characteristic of a λ/2 dipole in a polar diagram, as produced by means of a device according to the invention; 
         FIG. 3  shows the directional characteristic of a λ dipole in a polar diagram, as produced by means of a device according to the invention; 
         FIG. 4  shows the directional characteristic of a 3λ/2 dipole in a polar diagram, as produced by means of a device according to the invention; 
         FIG. 5  shows a human tissue region and its spatial position relative to a total electromagnetic field which is produced by three dipole antennae of the device according to the invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     In the figures, the same reference numerals denote elements, signals and components which are the same or have an equivalent function—unless indicated otherwise. 
       FIG. 1   a  is a schematic drawing of the structure of an embodiment of an electromedical device  5  for the non-invasive reduction or removal of subcutaneous adipose tissue, according to a first embodiment of the present invention. 
     The electromedical device  5  comprises a base part  6 , which comprises a directivity control  10  and an energy source  11 . The electromedical device  5  further comprises an expansion part  8 , which is composed of further subsidiary devices with variable composition of its structure in, for example, cascade or matrix form. 
     The directivity control  10  is electrically connected on the one hand to the energy source  11  and on the other hand, for example, to a first control element  12 . The first control element  12  is further coupled via a first control device  14  to a first individual emitter  32 . Further, a second control element  16  is also connected to the first control device  14 , and is in turn coupled with a second control device  18 . The second control device  18  has, in addition to this connection, a connection on the one hand to a second individual emitter  34  and on the other hand to a third control element  20 . The third control element  20  is further connected to a third control device  22 , and the third control device  22  is additionally coupled with a third individual emitter  36  and with a fourth control element  24 . The fourth control element  24  is in turn connected to a fourth control device  26 . The fourth control device  26  is connected to a fourth individual emitter  38 . In  FIG. 1 , four individual emitters with corresponding control devices and control elements are shown by way of example—it will be appreciated, however, that any other number of individual emitters is also possible. 
     The energy source  11  supplies the electromedical device  5  with energy via the directivity control  10 . The directivity control  10  further feeds a high-frequency signal into the first control element  12 . The first control element  12  then feeds a high-frequency signal into the first control device  14 , in which the high-frequency signal is divided. A first portion of the high-frequency signal is intended for emission via the first individual emitter  32 . A second portion of the high-frequency signal is fed from the first control device  14  via the second control element  16  into the second control device  18 , in which it is again divided into a portion intended for emission via the second individual emitter  34  and a portion intended for transmission to the third control element  20 . The third control element  20  feeds the high-frequency signal onwards into the third control device  22 . The third control device feeds a signal for emission into the third individual emitter  36  and transmits a signal to the fourth control element  24 . The fourth control element  24  supplies the fourth control device  26 , which feeds the fourth individual emitter  38  for emission. 
     By means of the present cascading of the control elements  12 ,  16 ,  20 ,  24  and of the control devices  14 ,  18 ,  22 ,  26 , each individual emitter  32 ,  34 ,  36 ,  38  is supplied individually with a high-frequency signal which is controllable and, in particular, can be varied in terms of phase and frequency. This cascading of control elements and control devices in conjunction with the directivity device  10  permits the formation according to the invention of a desired field geometry of the total electromagnetic field  50 , which is formed by the superposition of the electromagnetic fields  42 ,  44 ,  46 ,  48  emitted by each of the individual emitters  32 ,  34 ,  36 ,  38 . 
     The individual emitters  32 ,  34 ,  36 ,  38  can each be in the form of a dipole antenna, in particular in the form of a λ/2 dipole antenna, in the form of a λ dipole antenna or in the form of a 3λ/2 dipole antenna. The directional characteristics of such exemplary antenna forms for the individual emitters are explained in greater detail in the following with reference to  FIGS. 2 to 4 . 
     The first control element  12  can comprise, for example, a delay element and/or a phase shifter, the delay element being intended to change the propagation time of the fed-in high-frequency signal, and the phase shifter being designed to change the phase of the fed-in high-frequency signal. The same is true of the control elements  16 ,  20  and  24 . 
     The control devices  14 ,  18 ,  22 ,  26  are coupled with the individual emitters  32 ,  34 ,  36 ,  38 . Furthermore, the control devices  14 ,  18 ,  22 ,  26  are preferably intended to be able to change the high-frequency signals fed to the individual emitters in terms of their frequency and/or power. 
       FIG. 1   b  is a schematic drawing of an electromedical device according to a further embodiment of the invention. The electromedical device  5 , as in  FIG. 1   a , comprises an energy source  11  and a directivity control  10 , which can be arranged in a base part  6 . The electromedical device  5  further comprises individual emitters  32 ,  34 ,  36 ,  38 , which are coupled with the directivity control  10  and are supplied with energy by the energy source  11 . As is shown in  FIG. 1   b , the individual emitters  32  and  34  and the individual emitters  36  and  38  are in each case coupled behind one another in a horizontal arrangement in the manner of a cascade. The cascades of the individual emitters  32  and  34  and of the individual emitters  36  and  38  are in each case arranged vertically above one another in a matrix. The present arrangement of the individual emitters  32 ,  34 ,  36 ,  38  is only of exemplary nature. Of course, other cascade and matrix arrangements are possible, for example with cascade rows which are arranged offset above one another or with cascade rows which have a different number of individual emitters. In  FIG. 1   b , therefore, for the purpose of illustration, further individual emitters which can be provided in addition to the individual emitters  32 ,  34 ,  36 ,  38  are shown in dotted lines. The number of individual emitters is shown as four in  FIG. 1   b , but any desired number of individual emitters from two upwards can equally be used. 
       FIG. 2  is a schematic diagram of the directional characteristic of a λ/2 dipole in a polar diagram, according to a first embodiment of the present invention. 
     The directional characteristic of a λ/2 dipole plotted in a polar coordinate system  80  has an omnidirectional characteristic  70  and depends on the dimensions of the individual emitter in relation to the wavelength of the emitted radiation, and its shape can be adjusted by changing the frequency. In the case of the λ/2 dipole  60   a , there is no directivity of the directional characteristic. 
       FIG. 3  is a schematic diagram of the directional characteristic of a λ dipole in a polar diagram, according to a first embodiment of the present invention. 
     The directional characteristic of a λ dipole shown in a polar coordinate system  80  has a figure-of-eight characteristic  72  and is dependent on the dimensions of the individual emitter in relation to the wavelength of the emitted radiation, and its shape can be adjusted by changing the frequency. In the case of the λ dipole  60   b , there is directivity of the directional characteristic with emission maxima perpendicular to the dipole axis. 
       FIG. 4  is a schematic diagram of the directional characteristic of a 3λ/2 dipole in a polar diagram, according to a first embodiment of the present invention. 
     As can be seen in  FIG. 4 , the directional characteristic of a 3λ/2 dipole plotted in a polar coordinate system  80  has a unidirectional characteristic  74  and is dependent on the structural form of the individual emitter in relation to the wavelength of the emitted radiation, and its shape can be adjusted by changing the frequency. In the case of the 3λ/2 dipole  60   c , there is directivity of the directional characteristic with emission maxima in each case orthogonally and parallel to the dipole axis. 
       FIG. 5  is a schematic drawing of a human tissue region and its spatial position relative to the total electromagnetic field  50 , which is produced by three dipole antennae of the electromedical device according to the invention, according to a first embodiment of the present invention. 
     A first dipole antenna  94   a , a second dipole antenna  94   b  and a third dipole antenna  94   c  produce, by superposition of their different directional characteristics  96   a ,  96   b ,  96   c , a matched total electromagnetic field  50 . In the embodiment shown according to  FIG. 5 , the second dipole antenna  94   b  is operated as a λ dipole, while the first dipole antenna  94   a  and the third dipole antenna  94   c  are connected as 3λ/2 dipoles. The field geometry achieved by the adaptation according to the invention can advantageously be specified by the contour of the human tissue region  95  that is to be treated. It will be appreciated that, according to the tissue region  95 , different field geometries are possible by way of different combinations of individual emitters configured as different antennae. 
     As can be seen in  FIG. 5 , the power of the dipole antennae  94   a ,  94   b ,  94   c  is further matched to a desired penetration depth of the total electromagnetic field  50  into the adipose tissue  90 . The total electromagnetic field  50  thus penetrates the epidermis  92  without penetrating too deep into the muscle tissue  91 . 
     List of Reference Numerals 
     
         
         Electromedical device  5   
         Base part  6   
         Expansion part  8   
         Directivity control  10   
         Energy source  11   
         Control device  14 ,  18 ,  22 ,  26   
         Control element  12 ,  16 ,  20 ,  24   
         First individual emitter  32   
         Second individual emitter  34   
         Third individual emitter  36   
         Fourth individual emitter  38   
         Electromagnetic field  42 ,  44 ,  46 ,  48   
         Total electromagnetic field  50   
         λ/2 dipole  60   a    
         λ dipole  60   b    
         3λ/2 dipole  60   c    
         Omnidirectional characteristic  70   
         Figure-of-eight characteristic  72   
         Unidirectional characteristic  74   
         Polar coordinate system  80   
         Adipose tissue  90   
         Muscle tissue  91   
         Epidermis  92   
         First dipole antenna  94   a    
         Second dipole antenna  94   b    
         Third dipole antenna  94   c    
         Human tissue region  95   
         First directional characteristic  96   a    
         Second directional characteristic  96   b    
         Third directional characteristic  96   c