Patent ID: 8376969

Claim:
A method to treat spider veins comprising the steps of: a. providing an apparatus comprising: i. a shaft containing a proximal end opposite a distal end, at least one radial surface extending between the proximal end and the distal end, and a longitudinal axis extending through the shaft from the proximal end to the distal end; ii. a tip attached to the distal end of the shaft containing at least one radial surface, a paraboloid cavity containing at least one wall and an opening within at least one of the radial surfaces of the tip wherein the plane of the opening is not orientated orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the shaft; iii. a tapered structure at the opening of the cavity; and iv. a non-metallic sheath adjoined to the tip preventing the tapered structure at the opening of the cavity of the tip from contacting a patient's skin; b. collapsing a blood vessel by delivering ultrasound energy concentrated by a tapered structure directly to the skin of a patient; and c. disrupting the blood vessel by transmitting ultrasound energy focused towards a treatment area containing the blood vessel.