Facial tissue strengthening and tightening device and methods

Abstract

A device is described that can be used quickly and accurately by surgeons to provide uniform facial tissue planes that are tunnel-free and wall-free thus optimizing face lifting, tightening, and implant delivery. The device is comprised of a shaft with a substantially planar tip further comprised of relative protrusions and energized relative recession lysing segments. Forward motion of the device precisely divides and energizes various tissue planes causing contraction, especially via the fibrous tissues. Other forms of energy and matter can be delivered down the shaft to further enhance desirable tissue modification and contraction.

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10 / 903,325, titled “Facial Tissue Strengthening and Tightening Device and Methods” and filed Jul. 30, 2004, incorporated herein by reference; which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09 / 749,497, titled “Face-Lifting Device” and filed Dec. 22, 2000, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,974,450, incorporated herein by reference; which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09 / 475,635 titled “Surgical Device for Performing Face-Lifting Using Radiofrequency Energy” and filed Dec. 30, 1999, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,440,121, incorporated herein by reference; and is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09 / 478,172, titled “Surgical Device for Performing Face-Lifting Using Electromagnetic Radiation” and filed Jan. 5, 2000, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,432,101, incorporated herein by reference; and is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. N...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0029]It is an object of the present invention is to provide a method and a device that can be used by surgeons to provide quick and accurate face-lifting, tissue strengthening or tightening maneuvers is minimally invasive, rapidly performed with relatively speedy patient recovery while reducing pain and side effects.

[0030]It is another object of the invention to provide a surgical face-lifting device that easily maintains the proper dissection plane while uniformly lysing and offering the capability to deliver energy to uniform tissue planes to induce skin tissue tightening and strengthening.

[0031]Another object of the invention is to provide an undermining device that can position lysing surfaces at a proper level for controlled, safe and uniform fibro-fatty tissue separation during a face-lift that is tunnel-free and free of fibrous walls.

[0033]The device is comprised of a hollow or solid shaft with a relatively planar tip that can be easily positioned and maintained between dissection planes in tissue and then manipulated to uniformly separate tissue planes and completely lyse fibrous tissue. It has been shown in a very limited fashion by Cook in the medical and others in the scientific literature that the effects of energy application to the collagenous (dermal, superficial platysma musculature and other) tissues of the face in the facelift plane can cause contraction and tightening. Accordingly, the invention also provides an energy source and delivering means, which delivers energy to the distal end of the shaft. Many forms of energy may be used to energize various portions of the device including multi-chromatic light, monochromatic light, laser light, radio frequency electrical energy, vibrational energy, ultrasonic energy, microwave energy, thermal energies both hot and cold, chemical energy or any combination thereof. Applicant can transmit significant energy to the subcutaneous tissue whereby the inflammation and mediators created cross the separated plane into the overlying dermis causing inflammation and contraction.

[0035]For mid and lower face-lifting / tightening the surgeon makes three or more relatively small incisions only in the skin in front of the ears and under the chin. Forward and lifting force are then applied to the shaft of the device by the surgeon's hand to uniformly separate and maintain tissue planes while the shape of the device excludes critical structures (nerves, vessels) thus avoiding entanglement or trauma or indiscriminate cutting of these important structures. The same protrusions (in the most-preferred embodiment) that exclude critical structures by virtue of their relationship to the cutting recessed segments also serve to position the depth of the present invention with respect to the lower dermis. The spacing of the relative protrusions (bulbs) and relative recessions (lysing segments) maintains the tracking of the instrument. The beneficial feeling of “tracking” is instantly palpable by the surgeon on device motion and requires no monitor to know how the device is moving. Both the number and spacing of protrusions in one embodiment will aid in reducing wobble or lateral (horizontal) slippage during forward thrusting of the shaft. Vertical slippage is prohibited as well in one embodiment; the width of the protrusions / bulbs maintains the correct distance between the lysing / recessed segments and a portion of the delicate underside of the superficial skin or dermis containing the vital blood supply from the dermal plexus of vessels. Very beneficially, the tip of the device and the action of the device can be felt / appreciated without direct visualization (endoscope). The surgeon can palpably feel whether the device is tracking in the proper location; the feel of the device as it moves with palpable and easily grade-able resistance through the facial tissues can immediately tell the user the location and the amount of undermining that has occurred at that location. Uniquely, this device creates uniform tissue planes, which can be uniformly energized. No fibrous walled tunnels or non-uniform irregular fibrous ridges are left following passage that would fall prey to irregular energy gradients.

[0041]The present invention can be used to improve the efficacy and safety of face-lifting and face-tightening and is thus useful in a variety of cosmetic procedures. The forgoing and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description and accompanying drawings.

Problems solved by technology

Thermal damage to collagen is likely brought about by hydrolysis of cross-linked collagen molecules and reformation of hydrogen bonds resulting in loss of portions or all of the characteristic collagen triple-helix.

Currently no device or method in the medical literature addresses all of these concerns simultaneously.

Sharp instrument undermining is a mainstay of plastic surgery, however even experienced plastic surgeons performing face-lifts may, from time to time, “lose” the correct tissue plane while performing sharp undermining; even with great skill and experience, previous surgical scarring or aberrant anatomy may thwart surgical perfection during sharp scissor or scalpel tissue dissection / undermining.

Unfortunately, blunt undermining alone between highly fibrous tissues that exists in the human face results in irregular tunnels with thick fibrous walls.

Current face-lifting instruments that cut with other than manual energy are incapable of providing a uniform wall free tissue plane during energized face-lifting dissection.

Unfortunately, virtually every skin rejuvenation system that has existed until now (with the exception of injectable skin filling compounds) and even traditional face-lifting surgery (when cutting through the skin around the ear is considered) must pass through the epidermis to attempt to reach and treat the dermis.

Damage to the epidermis and its component structures often results in undesirable colorations or color losses to the skin as is seen in scarring.

Disease and environmental factors such as diet and chemical exposure also take their toll.

Prolotherapy agents have never been previously described for facial tightening or strengthening, to our knowledge, possibly because there is currently no instrument available to precisely create uniform facial tissue planes upon which the chemical gradients' of potential prologherapy agents can act.

All currently available laser treatments, however, exhibit significant problems and these laser systems typically operate safely and effectively only over a narrow, patient dependent treatment range.” The prime reason for the narrow range is the ultra-delicate epidermis.

The absence of epidermal damage in NDR techniques significantly decrease the severity and duration of treatment related side effects.

While it has been demonstrated that these techniques can avoid epidermal damage, the major drawback of these techniques is limited efficacy [ref 26].

Anderson's FP device is external, not designed to, not can it, break the fibrous tissues beneath the surface skin and cannot be passed beneath the skin without another attachment or device such as applicant's tip to “ice-break” the way.

Unfortunately, surface treatments are only temporary and cause only minor tightening.

The difference in results is largely due to the great disparity between the two methods in energy delivered to the tissues.

However most importantly, when it comes to internally electro-modifying human tissues, is that immediately local vaporized tissue regions take on a relatively high electrical impedance, and increase the voltage difference, thus altering further local electrical penetration / treatment of the tissues.

Irregular energy absorption by irregularly thick and irregularly formed fibrous tunnel remnants resulting from the use of devices, other than applicant's, would thus cause visible irregular skin surface effects on healing.

As a result of higher tissue impedance, the current flux lines tend to penetrate less deeply resulting in a smaller depth of tissue heating.

Voltage differences between the active electrode and the target issue cause an electrical arc to form across the physical gap between the electrode and tissue.

At the point of arc contact with tissue, rapid tissue heating occurs due to high current density between the electrode and tissue.

Unfortunately, observing Eggers' diagram 2c top view may lend the incorrect impression of similarity in shape to the applicant tips; however, in Eggers the protrusions are electrodes / conductors which would irregularly violate and destroy the vital human facial tissue structures including the subdermal plexus of vessels on passage if creation of a plane were attempted or even possible.

Without uniform tissue planes to uniformly energize, there cannot be uniformity of tissue contraction.

Without facial uniformity there is only non-uniformity.

All are incapable of yielding tunnel-wall-free, completely uniform facial planes upon which to energetically act thereupon.

. . Joulean heating.” In itself, '354B1 would thus be impossible if not completely impractical device for use as an internal, minimally-invasive, complete facial tissue modification device because fulfilling such requirements of pressing blindly to seal unseen blood vessels up to 10 cm away from a limited incision port would impossible without an endoscope and thus take hours to complete surgery (less than opening up and closing an entire traditional face-lift).

The lateral wire of '248B1 would be forced in a direction opposite the areas of greatest fibrous build-up adjacent non-uniformly lysed tunnels thus resulting in a non-uniform result.

'079B1 uses an active electrode with a dynamic active surface area of varying geometry however, applicant's geometry differs significantly in that '079B1 is incapable of yielding tunnel-wall free completely uniform facial planes which would adversely effect evenness in tissue plane energy absorption.

Additionally, the monopolar cutting current of '079B1 is undesirable for collagen / fibrous tissue modification function of applicant's tissue-modifying-energy-window / zone and would largely damage the delicate underside of the facial dermis and dermal plexus since '079B1's stated and anticipated geometry lacks the protective insulated protrusions of applicant to safeguard such vital structures.

Because of this lack of significant tightening efficacy without permanent epidermal changes or scarification, Visage® has seen only limited use in cosmetic surgery and salons; use at higher energy levels has caused undesirable surface skin scarring.

Unfortunately, the amount of tissue contraction Thermage, Inc. can prove in the medical literature borders upon statistical insignificance (to quote several prominent cosmetic surgeons) and is far less than 5%.

'854B1 Method for Controlled Contraction of Collagen in Fibrous Septae in Subcutaneous Fat is largely viewed in the medical community to be undesirable.

This because cellulite (an undesirable problem) is currently widely thought to be the result of contracted fibrous septae causing in-pocketings of the upper skin layers down toward the fatty layer.

The arrays of electrodes in Brucker are detecting electrodes located around the tip of Brucker in which lies a single energized treatment electrode that only escapes or transiently protrudes from the catheter channel when there exists a need to kill heart cells that are improperly firing electrically; Brucker's protruding arrays are usually not deployed in motion and would likely interfere with motion by catching on tissues during motion, Brucker's protrusions therefore do not aid in device motion.

An endoscope is a cumbersome optical instrument that would usually requires two hands to use at the same time the surgeon is handling Keller's instrument to direct it to the target tissue which would be difficult indeed.

Devices such as Keller can only perform spot tunneling unless the surgeon is also using an endoscope that focuses some type of tissue dissociating energy along an entire tissue plane; unfortunately, to maintain a coordinated planar movement with Keller would be time-consuming and difficult.

Loeb however does not teach any housing or rigid or semi-rigid structure that would allow passage of a bare optical fiber through undissected tough and fibrous human fibro-fatty facial tissue.

In light of the human facial anatomy, where the dermis is composed of almost impenetrable collagen fibers close to the density of football leather and where the subcutaneous fatty layer contains collagenous fibrous septae that are relatively dense although not as dense as the fatty layer of abdomen, Loeb cannot deliver a uniform effect and is impractical as enable in '915.

Unfortunately, the rhytisector tool developed a reputation for intense bleeding leading to bruising, hematomas (blood pools) and unwanted blood vessel laceration (breaking open).

However, Farin's device is not intended for separating tissue planes and is susceptible to catching, tearing or puncturing the tissue when manipulated.

Unfortunately, skin does not thicken in response to stretching and removal; it only thins.

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