Patent ID: 7963959

Claim:
An apparatus for treating a lesion of an area of skin using a cryogenic fluid, comprising: a dispensing nozzle configured to dispense the cryogenic fluid; a valve that regulates flow of the cryogenic fluid to the nozzle; a positioner disposed to move the nozzle; an electronic image acquisition system that examines the skin to acquire information about the lesion; a controller programmed to use the information to determine a sequential, multi-pulsed course of treatment for the lesion, in which the device automatically dispenses a first pulse of the cryogenic fluid at a first surface region of the lesion, automatically redirects the nozzle, and then dispenses a second pulse of the cryogenic fluid at a second surface region of the lesion; wherein the first surface region has a first center and wherein the second surface region has a second center; and wherein the first and second centers of the surface regions are separate and are separated by no more than 5 mm, and the first and second pulses are sequential and separated by no more than 30 seconds, and wherein the first and second pulses of the cryogenic fluid are effective to cause a lysis of tissue of the first and second surface regions, respectively.