Patent Application
20130066300
The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for removing fat from a living body using an infrared optical parametric oscillator (OPO) laser, and more particularly to a method and apparatus of removing fat from a living body using an infrared OPO laser, the method and the apparatus being able to remove fat from a living body in a more energy-efficient, rapid and effective manner by irradiating fat in the living body directly with two infrared lasers having wavelengths of about 2,300 nm and about 1,980 nm, which are generated using a pump laser having a wavelength of about 1,064 nm as a light source.
According to the disclosure of U.S. Pat. No. 6,605,080 B1 (hereinafter referred to as “Altshuler et al.”), as shown in
In addition, Korean Patent Registration No. 798635 (hereinafter referred to as “Lee et al.”) suggests a laser apparatus which can selectively irradiate the inside and outside of the skin with a laser beam and, at the same time, can efficiently remove fat using a laser of a wavelength of 930 nm, which has a high coefficient of absorption in fat, among the wavelengths at which a laser diode can oscillate.
As shown in
The apparatus of prior art document 2 may optionally comprise a contact tip 194 or a cannula 180 in the optical fiber 160, so that it can selectively irradiate the inside and outside of the skin with a laser beam. In addition, fat can be efficiently removed using a laser of a wavelength of 930 nm, which has a high coefficient of absorption in fat, among the wavelengths at which a laser diode can oscillate.
However, as can be seen in
Accordingly, the present inventors have developed a method and apparatus of removing fat from a living body using an infrared OPO laser, the method and the apparatus being able to remove fat from a living body using laser lights having specific wavelengths in a more energy-efficient, rapid and effective manner at a very low risk of damaging other organs.
Accordingly, the present invention has been made keeping in mind the above-described problems occurring in the prior art, and an object thereof is to provide a method and apparatus for removing fat from a living body using an infrared optical parametric oscillator (OPO) laser, the method and the apparatus being able to remove fat from a living body using laser lights having specific wavelengths in a more energy-efficient, rapid and effective manner at a very low risk of damaging other organs.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a method and an apparatus for effectively removing fat by selectively controlling exposure of infrared OPO laser light depending on the size and thickness of the fatty tissue to be removed.
In order to accomplish the above objects, in one aspect, the present invention relates to an apparatus for lipid removal using infrared OPO laser, the apparatus comprising: an OPO laser which includes a pump light source for generating pump light having a wavelength of about 1,064 nm and which is able to output laser light having a wavelength of about 1,980 nm and laser light having a wavelength of about 2,300 nm using the pump light source; a convergent lens, which converges the laser light's output from the OPO laser; an optical fiber, which is able to guide the laser lights converged by the convergent lens; a plastic-metal needle, which comprises a plastic needle into which one end of the optical fiber is inserted; and a temperature control unit, which measures and monitors the temperature of the skin in a fat removal area in which the plastic-metal needle is inserted, and cools the skin in the area or stops laser irradiation when the measured temperature is higher than a preset safe temperature.
In another aspect, the present invention relates to an apparatus for lipid removal using infrared OPO laser, the apparatus comprising: an OPO laser, which includes a pump light source for generating light having a wavelength ranging from about 1,054 nm to about 1,074 nm and which is able to output laser light having a wavelength ranging from about 1,970 nm to about 1,990 nm and laser light having a wavelength ranging from about 2,290 nm to about 2,310 nm using the pump light source; a dichroic optical filter, which is detachably located in a line along which the lights output from the OPO laser progress, and reflects the light having a wavelength ranging from about 1,970 nm to about 1,990 nm and selectively transmits the light having a wavelength ranging from about 2,290 nm to about 2,310 nm, among the lights output from the OPO laser; a convergent lens, which converges the light passed through the dichroic optical filter from the OPO laser; an optical fiber, which is able to guide the laser light converged by the convergent lens; and a plastic-metal needle, which comprises a plastic needle into which one end of the optical fiber is inserted.
In still another aspect, the present invention relates to an apparatus for lipid removal using infrared OPO laser, the apparatus comprising a laser which includes a pump light source, an optical fiber which guides the light from the laser to fat tissue, and a needle in which one end of the optical fiber is inserted, wherein the laser is an OPO laser which may receive pump light having a wavelength ranging from about 1,054 m to 1,074 nm and may output laser light having a wavelength ranging from 1,970 nm to about 1,990 nm and laser light having a wavelength ranging from 2,290 nm to about 2,310 nm.
Preferably, the pump light may be light from a diode-pumped solid-state laser.
Preferably, the pump light may be light from a fiber laser.
Preferably, the infrared OPO laser may comprise: an input mirror unit, which receives the pump light and reflects infrared light generated in the OPO laser; a nonlinear crystal, which generates and amplifies OPO laser light by interaction with the pump light received from the input mirror unit; and an output mirror unit, which outputs a portion of the infrared light generated from the nonlinear crystal and reflects the remainder.
Preferably, the nonlinear crystal may be a periodically poled ferroelectric crystal, which may receive pump light having a wavelength of about 1,064 nm, and may output laser light having a wavelength of about 1,980 nm and light having a wavelength of about 2,300 nm.
Preferably, the nonlinear crystal may be a periodically poled lithium niobate (PPLN; LiNbO3), which may receive pump light having a wavelength of about 1,064 nm and may output laser light having a wavelength of about 1980 nm and light having a wavelength of about 2,300 nm.
Preferably, the nonlinear crystal may be a periodically poled MgO-doped stoichiometric lithium tantalate (LiTaO3) which may receive pump light having a wavelength of about 1,064 nm and may output light having a wavelength of about 1,980 nm and light having a wavelength of about 2,300 nm.
Preferably, the plastic-metal needle may comprise a metal needle for skin insertion having a handle formed at one end; and a plastic needle which surrounds the metal needle and has an optical fiber fixing protrusion formed at one end and a slant formed at the other end. Alternatively, a metal needle only may also be used in place of the plastic-metal needle.
Preferably, the temperature control unit comprises: a camera for taking an image of the skin in an area from which fat tissue is being removed (fat removal area); a temperature sensor, which measures temperature by receiving infrared light emitted from the skin of the fat removal area; a cooler for cooling the skin of the fat removal area; and a processor, which is connected with the camera, the temperature sensor and the cooler and in which a color table for expressing the temperature as a color and a safe temperature are input, so that the processor converts the measured temperature, received from the temperature sensor, into the color, and controls the cooler to reduce the skin temperature of the fat removal area, or stops laser irradiation when the measured temperature is higher than the safe temperature.
Preferably, the temperature control unit comprises a display, which is connected to the processor and displays a color corresponding to the temperature measured on the image taken by the camera.
In still another aspect, the present invention relates to a method for lipid removal using infrared OPO laser, the method comprising the steps of:
(a) inserting a plastic-metal needle into a subcutaneous fat layer to form an insertion hole in the skin (insertion hole-forming step);
(b) removing the metal needle after subcutaneous insertion of the plastic-metal needle and inserting an optical fiber into the inserted plastic needle (inserting step); and
(c) converging laser light of a wavelength ranging from about 1,970 nm to about 1,990 nm and laser light of a wavelength ranging from about 2,290 nm to about 2,310 nm by a convergent lens from an OPO laser which receives pump light of a wavelength ranging from about 1,054 nm to about 1,074 nm and outputs the laser lights, and delivering the converged laser lights into the fat layer through the optical fiber, thereby liquefying fat (fat liquefying step).
Preferably, the method of removing fat further comprises the steps of:
(d) displaying, monitoring and controlling the temperature of the skin in an area, from which the fat is being removed (fat removal area), by a temperature control unit in the fat liquefying step (c) (temperature control step); and
(e) removing residue of the fat, liquefied in the fat liquefying step (c), from the fat removal area through the plastic needle (liquefied-fat removing step).
Preferably, in the fat liquefying step (c), the direction of laser irradiation through the optical fiber inserted into the plastic needle is directed away from the dermis of a patient.
Preferably, the fat liquefying step (c) comprises a step of irradiating the middle portion of a thick fat layer with both the light of a wavelength ranging from about 1,970 nm to about 1,990 nm and the light of a wavelength ranging from about 2,290 nm to about 2,310 nm, which have a high coefficient of absorption in water, among the lights output from the OPO laser, thereby liquefying fat in the thick fat layer.
Preferably, the fat liquefying step (c) comprises a step of mounting a dichroic optical filter between the OPO laser and the convergent lens in order to liquefy fat in an area in which a fat layer is thin, the dichroic optical filter functioning to reflect the light of a wavelength ranging from about 1,970 nm to about 1,990 nm and selectively transmits the light of a wavelength ranging from about 2,290 nm to about 2,310 nm, among the lights output from the OPO laser (output light control step).
Preferably, the temperature control step (d) comprises the steps of: continuously receiving the image and temperature of the fat removal area through the camera and the temperature sensor (measurement step); converting the temperature, input in the measurement step, into a color using a color table in the processor, and displaying the color on the image (conversion step); comparing the temperature input in the measurement step with the safe temperature to determine whether the input temperature is higher than the safe temperature (comparison step); and operating a cooler to maintain the skin temperature lower than the safe temperature, or stopping laser irradiation, or reducing laser output, when the result of the determination in the comparison step indicates that the input temperature is higher than the safe temperature (control step).
According to the present invention, both infrared light having wavelengths both of about 1,980 nm and infrared light having a wavelength of about 2,300 nm, which are simultaneously generated from an infrared OPO laser, can be used for fat removal with very high efficiency.
Furthermore, according to the present invention, among the lights output from the infrared OPO laser, infrared light having a wavelength of about 1,980 nm has a very high coefficient of absorption in water, and infrared light having a wavelength of about 2,300 nm has a very high coefficient of absorption in fat. Thus, in the case of large or thick fat tissue containing a large amount of water, fat together with water can be removed from the fat tissue, so that the fat can be effectively destroyed in a short time compared to when the fat is destroyed using only infrared light having a wavelength of about 2,300 nm.
In addition, according to the present invention, even in the case in which a fat layer is thin, fat can also be removed even with infrared light having a wavelength of about 2,300 nm, optionally using a dichroic filter. Thus, the surgical system does not need to be altered depending on changes in the thickness of fat tissue that occur during fat removal operation. Moreover, because infrared light having a wavelength of 2,300 nm has a very high coefficient of absorption in fat, it penetrates the skin to a relatively shallow depth, and does not damage the surrounding tissue. Thus, the use of this infrared light enables only fat to be safely removed from an area near the skin or muscle.
Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of a method and an apparatus of removing fat using an infrared OPO laser according to the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Further, the size of lines or the size of components, shown in the drawings, may be exaggerated for the clarity and convenience of description. Further, the following terms, which are defined in consideration of functions of the present invention, may be altered depending on users' or operators' intentions or practices. Therefore, the meaning of each term should be interpreted based on the entire disclosure of the specification.
As used herein, the terms “around”, “about” or “approximately” shall generally mean within 5%, preferably within 3%, and more preferably within 1% of a given value or range. Numerical quantities given herein are approximate, meaning that the terms “around”, “about” or “approximately” can be assumed unless specifically stated.
Referring to
The OPO laser 20 functions to output laser light having a wavelengths of about 1,970-1,990 nm and 2,290-2,310 nm using, as a light source, a pump light from a diode-pumped solid-state laser, which outputs light at a wavelength of about 1,064 nm, or a fiber laser, which outputs light at a wavelength of about 1,054-1,074 nm.
The convergent lens 40 functions to converge laser lights from the OPO laser 20.
The optical fiber 50 functions to guide the laser lights, converged by the convergent lens 40, to fat tissue.
The plastic-metal needle 60 comprises a plastic needle into which one end of the optical fiber 50 is inserted. Alternatively, only a metal needle may be used in place of the plastic-metal needle, and the optical fiber may be inserted therein.
The temperature control unit 70 functions to measure and monitor the temperature of the skin in an area into which the plastic-metal needle 60 is inserted and from which fat tissue is removed (fat removal area), in a contact or non-contact manner, and cool the skin or reduce or block the output of the laser when the measured temperature is higher than a preset safe temperature.
The dichroic optical filter 30, which is optionally mounted, is detachably located in a line along which the lights from the OPO laser 20 progress. It functions to reflect light having a wavelength of about 1,970-1,990 nm, and selectively transmits light having a wavelength of about 2,290-2,310 nm, among the lights output from the OPO laser 20.
Each of the above components will be described in further detail.
As illustrated in
Due to this configuration, the two laser lights having different wavelengths can be simultaneously output.
When a fiber laser is used as a source of the light having a wavelength of about 1,064 nm, it can more stably output light and can be miniaturized. In this case, the nonlinear crystal 22 is preferably a periodically poled ferroelectric crystal, such as a periodically poled lithium niobate (PPLN; LiNbO3) and/or a periodically poled MgO-doped stoichiometric lithium tantalate (PPMgSLT; LiTaO3), which receives pump light of a wavelength of about 1,064 nm and outputs laser light of a wavelengths of about 1,980 nm and 2,300 nm.
Among the lights from the OPO laser 20, as can be seen in
Fat tissue in a living body does not consist only of fat, but also contains a large amount of water. Thus, when fat tissue is irradiated with both the laser light of a wavelength of 1,980 nm and the light of a wavelength of 2,300 nm from the OPO laser 20, it can be destroyed with high energy efficiency in a short time.
Specifically, in a fat area in which a fat layer 903 is thick, fat in the middle portion of the thick fat layer can be safely liquefied in large amounts using both a laser of a wavelength of about 1,980 nm, which has a high coefficient of absorption in water, and a laser of a wavelength of about 2,300 nm, which has a particularly high coefficient of absorption in fat. On the other hand, the lipolysis of fat in the fat layer 903, which is close to both the skin and a deep muscle layer and is relatively thin, may be performed using a dichroic optical filter 30 as shown in
As described above, because the two laser lights having different wavelengths have very high coefficients of absorption in fat tissue, the depths of penetration of the laser lights are very short. Thus, these lights have a low risk of damaging other surrounding tissues and can achieve the removal of fat tissue within a short time.
In this configuration, after the metal needle 61 has been taken out of the plastic-metal needle 60, the laser optical fiber is inserted into the remaining plastic needle such that the fat layer 903 can be irradiated with a laser.
Herein, the end of the optical fiber 50 is inclined such that a laser can be irradiated at various angles, including 30°, 45°, 60°, 90°, 120° and 180°. In addition, the irradiating end of the optical fiber has varying lengths, ranging from about 1 mm to about 40 mm. Thus, the configuration of the optical fiber 50 may vary depending on the output of the laser to be irradiated and the area and thickness of fat to be removed. Accordingly, the appropriate kind of optical fiber may be selected and inserted into the plastic needle in order to remove fat.
Moreover, the metal needle 61 preferably has a diameter of 16-24 G, which leaves no wound even when it pricks the skin.
The use of this plastic-metal needle 60 is as follows: As shown in
After fat has been liquefied as described above, the optical fiber 50 is removed, while only the plastic needle 63 remains. Then, the liquefied fat can be removed by suction through the plastic needle 63.
It should be noted that, after the liquefaction of fat in one area has been completed as described above, the same surgery can be repeated in an adjacent area, as shown in
The camera 71 takes an image of the skin in a region from which fat tissue is being removed.
The temperature sensor 72 functions to measure a temperature by receiving light emitted from the skin of the area from which the fat tissue is being removed (fat removal area).
The cooler 73 functions to cool the skin of the fat removal area.
The processor 74 is connected with the camera 71, the temperature sensor 72 and the cooler 73. In the processor 74, a color table for expressing temperature as a color, and a safe temperature, which indicates a skin temperature at which tissues other than the fat to be removed are not damaged, are input. Thus, the processor 74 functions to convert the measured temperature received from the temperature sensor into a color, and to control the cooler 73 so as to reduce the skin temperature of the fat removal area when the measured temperature is higher than the safe temperature.
The display 75 is connected with the processor 74 and functions to display a color corresponding to the measured temperature on the image taken by the camera 71.
Although not shown in
These components will now be described in further detail. The temperature sensor 72 may be a pyrometer sensor, a radiation sensor or the like, which can measure the surface temperature of the skin in a noncontact manner. It should be noted that a method of measuring the skin temperature in a contact manner using the tip of the temperature sensor 72, inserted into the skin surface and the skin dermal layer or the fat layer 903, may also be used.
The cooler 73 may be composed of either a temperature drop spray, which reduces the surface temperature of the skin according to the control of the processor 74, or a cold air blower, or alternatively, a cooling plate, which is brought into contact with the skin and comprises a Peltier element which is electrically cooled.
As the display 75, any known element may be used without particular limitation, as long as it can display a color corresponding to the measured temperature on the image taken by the camera 71.
In the liquefaction of fat, any change in temperature during the operation is important, and thus it is important to monitor the temperature. Accordingly, the temperature control unit 70 is configured so as to acquire the image and temperature of the skin in a fat removal area using the camera 71 and the temperature sensor 72. The temperature control unit 70 receives the acquired image and temperature, converts the temperature into a color using the color table in the processor 74, displays the color onto the image being input, and displays the image on the display 75. When the input measured temperature is higher than the safe temperature (about 44° C.), the temperature control unit causes the cooler 73 to operate such that the skin temperature is maintained lower than the safe temperature.
As shown in
The insertion hole-forming step S10 is a step of inserting the plastic-metal needle 60 into a subcutaneous fat layer while forming an insertion hole in the skin of a patient. The inserting step is a step of removing the metal needle 61 after subcutaneous insertion of the plastic-metal needle 60 and inserting the optical fiber 50 into the remaining plastic needle 63.
Meanwhile, the metal needle-inserting step S10′ is a step of inserting the metal needle into a subcutaneous fat layer while forming an insertion hole in the patient's skin. The optical fiber-inserting step is a step of inserting the optical fiber 50 into the metal needle.
The fat liquefying step S30 is a step of liquefying fat by converging laser light having a wavelength ranging from about 1,054 nm to about 1,074 nm and laser light having a wavelength ranging from about 2,290 nm to about 2,310 nm by the convergent lens 40 which receives pump laser light having a wavelength ranging from about 1,054 nm to about 1,074 nm, and delivering the converged laser lights through the optical fiber 50 into the fat layer.
Moreover, the temperature control step S40 is a step of displaying, monitoring and controlling the temperature of the skin in the fat removal region using the temperature control unit 70.
The liquefied-fat removing step S50 is a step of removing residue of the fat, liquefied in the fat liquefying step (30), from the fat removal area by suction through the plastic needle 63.
The fat liquefying step S30 will now be described in further detail with reference to
In this case, among the lights output from the OPO laser 20, light having a wavelength ranging from about 1,970 nm to about 1,990 nm is reflected, and light having a wavelength ranging from about 2,290 nm to about 2,310 nm is output and delivered into the fat layer through the optical fiber.
As shown in
As shown in
Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been disclosed for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications, additions and substitutions are possible, without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as disclosed in the accompanying claims.
As described above, the inventive apparatus and method of removing fat from a living body using the OPO laser can more efficiently and effectively remove fat from a living body, and thus can be applied in various fields, including the medical field and the cosmetic surgery field.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10-2009-0125750 | Dec 2009 | KR | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/KR10/07669 | 11/2/2010 | WO | 00 | 11/29/2012 |
