Patent Application
20060200174
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to wart removal, and more particularly to a method and device for accomplishing wart removal.
2. Description of the Related Art
A wart is a papillomatous growth characterized by a relatively thick, tough, keratinous outer layer. It is believed that a virus causes warts. A wide variety of wart removal techniques are known in the art. Wart removal techniques include burning and freezing. These techniques must typically be performed by a physician in a clinical setting. Various lotions and medicaments have been developed for topical application. Still, it is difficult to identify a lotion or medicament that is safe for a patient to use at home and that is still able to penetrate the relatively thick, tough, keratinous outer layer of a wart. Physicians have used scalpels and razors to remove warts by cutting or paring. A variety of tools or devices have also been proposed that use roughened surfaces to remove wart tissue over a period of days or weeks by rubbing or abrading. Cutting or paring a wart with a scalpel or razor generally provides superior results as compared to rubbing or abrading a wart with a roughened surface. Still, it is inconvenient and costly for a patient to make repeated trips to a physician for frequent cutting or paring treatments. For obvious safety reasons, physicians and patients are reluctant to have the patient use a scalpel or razor for repeated cutting and paring at home. Nonetheless, using a roughened surface to slowly rub or abrade wart tissue leaves much to be desired. For example, the roughened surfaces typically lack the cutting depth and sharpness to effectively penetrate the stratum corneum, the relatively thick, tough, keratinous outer layer of a wart.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a wart removal method and device that allows a patient to safely and effectively remove wart tissue.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a wart removal method and device of the above type that combines the advantages of clinical cutting or paring devices with the convenience of home treatment devices.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a method and device of the above type that allows a patient to safely cut away wart tissue without extensive training and without causing noticeable bleeding.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a method and device of the above type that allows a patient to safely cut away wart tissue in a specific, pinpointed location.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a method and device of the above type that allows a patient to safely use a kit to remove a wart in a non-clinical setting.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a device of the above type, and a method of using the same, that provides sufficient cutting depth and sharpness to penetrate the stratum corneum, the relatively thick, tough, keratinous outer layer of a wart and that is still safe for a patient to use in a non-clinical setting.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a method and device of the above type that increases the effectiveness of a medicament by allowing a patient to make incisions through the relatively thick, toughened, keratinous outer layer of a wart prior to applying the medicament in a non-clinical setting.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a method and device that allows a patient the flexibility to make incisions of different depths as desired.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a method and device that allows a patient to make more aggressive, deeper incisions during initial treatments and to make less aggressive, more shallow incisions after initial treatments.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a method and device that allows a patient to select between more aggressive and less aggressive treatments based upon levels of comfort or discomfort experienced.
Toward the fulfillment of these and other objects and advantages, a wart removal device and method of using same are disclosed. The device has a handle and first and second pluralities of tines having different heights. One set of tines has a height of approximately 0.04 inch, and the other set has a height of approximately 0.08 inch. The different tine sets may be disposed on opposite sides of the handle at the same end of the handle or may be disposed on opposite ends of the handle. In operation, the longer set of tines is raked against wart tissue to create a plurality of incisions in the wart tissue. This treatment is repeated over a time period. After that time period, the shorter set of tines is used. The tines are designed to create incisions without causing noticeable bleeding. The device may be used in combination with a medicament and may be provided as a kit, including the device and a medicament. In one embodiment, the medicament comprises pyruvic acid.
The above brief description, as well as further objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more fully appreciated by reference to the following detailed description of the presently preferred but nonetheless illustrative embodiments in accordance with the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:
Referring to
The handle 12 is an elongate handle designed to be grasped by a user at a proximal end and having the pad 14 affixed to a distal end. The handle 12 is preferably plastic but may be made from any number of materials. It is preferred that the handle 12 be sufficiently rigid to allow it to hold the pad 14 in place during use. It is of course understood that the pad 14 may take any number of shapes, sizes, or configurations and that the handle 12 may be made from the same material as or formed integrally with the pad 14.
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The tines 18A have a height 48 and tines 18B have a different height 50, with height 48 being greater than height 50. Each tine 18A has a height 48 that is preferably greater than or equal to approximately 0.04 inch, is more preferably greater than or equal to approximately 0.05 inch, and that is most preferably greater than or equal to approximately 0.08 inch. Each tine 18B has a height 50 that is preferably less than or equal to approximately 0.1 inch, is more preferably less than or equal to approximately 0.05 inch, and that is most preferably less than or equal to approximately 0.04 inch. Each tine 18A is sharpened such that opposing faces of adjacent tines 18A form an angle 52 that is preferably less than or equal to approximately 60 degrees, that is more preferably less than or equal to approximately 50 degrees, and that is most preferably less than or equal to approximately 45 degrees. Similarly, each tine 18B is sharpened such that opposing faces of adjacent tines 18B form an angle 54 that is preferably less than or equal to approximately 45 degrees, that is more preferably less than or equal to approximately 35 degrees, and that is most preferably less than or equal to approximately 30 degrees. It is of course understood that more than two sets of tines having different heights, shapes, and sizes may be used and that different tines may be disposed within any particular area. It is also understood that the sets of tines 18A and 18B may be arranged in any number of different manners and configurations on pads of any number of different shapes or sizes.
Another alternate embodiment is depicted in
The handle is preferably an elongate, rigid member that is similar in size to a pencil for easy grasping by a user. The handle has a length that is preferably substantially within a range of from approximately 1 inch to approximately 6 inches, that is more preferably substantially within a range of from approximately 2 inches to approximately 5 inches, and that is most preferably substantially within a range of from approximately 3 inches to approximately 4 inches. Each end has a diameter that is preferably substantially within a range of from approximately ⅛ inch to approximately ½ inches, that is more preferably substantially within a range of from approximately 3/16 inch to approximately ⅜ inch, and that is most preferably approximately ¼ inch.
The tines 118A have a height and tines 118B have a different height, with the height of tines 118A being greater than the height of tines 118B. Each tine 118A has a height that is preferably greater than or equal to approximately 0.03 inch, is more preferably greater than or equal to approximately 0.04 inch, and that is most preferably greater than or equal to approximately 0.05 inch. Each tine 118B has a height that is preferably less than or equal to approximately 0.05 inch, is more preferably less than or equal to approximately 0.04 inch, and that is most preferably less than or equal to approximately 0.025 inch. Each tine 118A is sharpened such that opposing faces of adjacent tines 118A form an angle that is preferably less than or equal to approximately 60 degrees, that is more preferably less than or equal to approximately 50 degrees, and that is most preferably less than or equal to approximately 45 degrees. Similarly, each tine 118B is sharpened such that opposing faces of adjacent tines 118B form an angle that is preferably less than or equal to approximately 60 degrees, that is more preferably less than or equal to approximately 50 degrees, and that is most preferably less than or equal to approximately 45 degrees. It is of course understood that more than two sets of tines having different heights, shapes, and sizes may be used and that different tines may be disposed within any particular area. It is also understood that the sets of tines 118A and 118B may be arranged in any number of different manners and configurations on pads of any number of different shapes or sizes.
The tines 118A and 118B are aligned in a plurality of columns and rows on the ends of the handle 112. As seen in
In operation, it is preferred to have a user soak the wart or area to be treated in water for approximately five to ten minutes to soften the keratin. Along this line, a user might be instructed to perform the treatment after bathing. To use the device 10, a user grasps the handle 12 or 112 and rakes the tines 18 or 118 against wart tissue to create a plurality of incisions, small troughs, or grooves in the tissue. The movement is preferably a rapid back and forth movement, similar to the rapid movement of a toothbrush during brushing. The sharpness and cutting depth of the tines 18 and 118 is selected so that the tines create the incisions in the relatively thick, tough, keratinous outer layer of the wart without causing noticeable bleeding. The tines 18 and 118 are preferably sufficiently long and sharp to penetrate the stratum corneum. The width 24 of the pad 14 is selected to allow a user to accurately pinpoint an area to be treated without also creating incisions in unaffected tissue. The width 24 is also sufficiently narrow to allow the device 10 to be used in hard to reach areas. The length 28 of the pad 14 is selected to allow a user to use long, smooth, slow, controlled strokes. The user continues the raking action for a desired period of time, typically a few seconds. The user may treat the affected area on a regular basis until the desired degree of tissue removal is obtained. The device 10 may also be used in combination with lotions or medicaments designed for wart removal to increase the effectiveness of those lotions or medicaments or may be used in combination with other treatment methods. Pyruvic acid is a preferred medicament, but it is understood that any number of lotions or medicaments may be used, including but not limited to salicylic acid, salicylic acid plasters (such as sold under the trademark Mediplast®), salicylic acid impregnated bandages, imiquimod (sold under the trademark Aldara®), 5-fluorouracil cream or solution, interferon, and a wide variety of alpha hydroxy acids and other known wart treatment lotions, medicaments, and compositions, such as those identified in U.S. Pat. No. 4,363,815, Yu et al., the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. In that regard, a user would rake the device 10 on the affected area to create a plurality of incisions and would then apply the medicament to the affected area.
The medicament may include (but is not limited to) one or more of the following: pyruvic acid, collodion (which may be flexible collodion), salicylic acid, or lidocaine. In one embodiment, the medicament comprises 100% pyruvic acid (pure pyruvic acid), and in another embodiment the medicament comprises approximately 100% pyruvic acid. In other embodiments, the medicament comprises from approximately 70% to approximately 100% pyruvic acid, from approximately 80% to approximately 100% pyruvic acid, or from approximately 90% to approximately 100% pyruvic acid. In preferred embodiments, the medicament comprises from approximately 95% to approximately 100% pyruvic acid, from approximately 96% to approximately 100% pyruvic acid, from approximately 97% to approximately 100% pyruvic acid, from approximately 98% to approximately 100% pyruvic acid, or from approximately 99% to approximately 100% pyruvic acid.
In other embodiments, the medicament comprises a combination of pyruvic acid and collodion, which may be flexible collodion. In one embodiment, the medicament comprises from approximately 30% to approximately 70% pyruvic acid and from approximately 30% to approximately 70% collodion (which may be flexible collodion). In a preferred embodiment, the medicament comprises approximately 50% pyruvic acid and approximately 50% collodion (which may be flexible collodion). In another embodiment, the medicament comprises from approximately 40% to approximately 60% pyruvic acid and from approximately 40% to approximately 60% collodion (which may be flexible collodion). In yet another embodiment, the medicament comprises from approximately 45% to approximately 55% pyruvic acid and from approximately 45% to approximately 55% collodion (which may be flexible collodion). In other embodiments, the medicament comprises either approximately 45% to approximately 50%, approximately 46% to approximately 50%, approximately 47% to approximately 50%, approximately 48% to approximately 50%, or approximately 49% to approximately 50% of pyruvic acid and approximately 50% to approximately 55%, approximately 51% to approximately 55%, approximately 52% to approximately 55%, approximately 53% to approximately 55%, or approximately 54% to approximately 55% of collodion, or vice versa. The medicament of an alternate embodiment consists entirely of pyruvic acid and collodion (which may be flexible collodion).
In another embodiment, the medicament comprises pyruvic acid, collodion (which may be flexible collodion), and salicylic acid. Any embodiments of the medicament compositions described above which include pyruvic acid and collodion may further include salicylic acid, and the salicylic acid may optionally be included in a percentage of the medicament of from approximately 1% to approximately 15%, or from approximately 1% to approximately 10% of the medicament, but most preferably as approximately 10% of the medicament. In a preferred embodiment, the medicament comprises approximately 45% pyruvic acid, approximately 45% collodion (which may be flexible collodion), and approximately 10% salicylic acid. In another embodiment, the medicament comprises from approximately 40% to approximately 50% pyruvic acid, from approximately 40% to 50% collodion, and from approximately 5% to approximately 15% salicylic acid. In yet another embodiment, the medicament comprises from approximately 35% to approximately 55% pyruvic acid, from approximately 35% to approximately 55% collodion (which may be flexible collodion), and from approximately 1% to approximately 20% salicylic acid. In an alternate embodiment, the medicament consists entirely of pyruvic acid, collodion (which may include flexible collodion), and salicylic acid.
Another embodiment of the medicament comprises pyruvic acid and lidocaine. In a preferred embodiment, the medicament comprises approximately 95% pyruvic acid and approximately 5% lidocaine. In another embodiment, the medicament comprises from approximately 90% to approximately 99% pyruvic acid and approximately 1% to approximately 10% lidocaine. In yet another embodiment, the medicament comprises from approximately 90% to approximately 95% pyruvic acid and approximately 5% to approximately 10% lidocaine. In an alternate embodiment, the medicament comprises from approximately 95% to approximately 99% pyruvic acid and approximately 1% to approximately 5% lidocaine. In other embodiments, the medicament comprises either from approximately 5% to approximately 4% lidocaine, from approximately 5% to approximately 3% lidocaine, or from approximately 5% to approximately 2% lidocaine, and the medicament further comprises either from approximately 95% to approximately 98% pyruvic acid, from approximately 95% to approximately 97% pyruvic acid, or from approximately 95% to approximately 96% pyruvic acid. In other embodiments, the medicament comprises either from approximately 5% to approximately 6% lidocaine, from approximately 5% to approximately 7% lidocaine, from approximately 5% to approximately 8% lidocaine, from approximately 5% to approximately 9% lidocaine, or from approximately 5% to approximately 10% lidocaine, and the medicament further comprises either from approximately 94% to approximately 95% pyruvic acid, from approximately 93% to approximately 95% pyruvic acid, from approximately 92% to approximately 95% pyruvic acid, from approximately 91% to approximately 95% pyruvic acid, or from approximately 90% to approximately 95% pyruvic acid. In an alternate embodiment, the medicament consists entirely of pyruvic acid and lidocaine.
The medicament may optionally be provided in powder form. When the medicament is provided in powder form, an effective amount of one or more liquid substances (e.g., water) may be added to the medicament to form a solution prior to its application to wart tissue. The medicament may be provided (for example to a pharmacist or medical professional) initially in powder form for storage in a container until the medicament is reconstituted (e.g., by the pharmacist or medical professional) prior to its application to the wart tissue by adding the liquid substance to the powder. In an alternate embodiment, the medicament may be provided initially in liquid form (with or without the liquid substance).
Creating incisions in the relatively thick, tough, keratinous tissue provides for better contact between the medicament and the tissue to be treated. This is particularly true if the incisions are deep enough to penetrate the stratum corneum.
In the preferred embodiment, depicted in
In the alternate embodiment, depicted in
The device 10 is best suited for use in connection with thick warts located on the palms of the hands, soles of the feet, and around toenails and fingernails. It is of course understood that the device may be used to treat warts in other areas or to treat other conditions.
The device 10 and medicament may be sold together as a kit. In the past, physicians and patients have been understandably reluctant to have the patient perform self-treatment using a sharp cutting device. The present device makes self-treatment much more safe and practical. Still, the kit would preferably be sold by prescription only so that a physician could provide some counseling or training on proper techniques for using the device 10. Similarly, if sold by prescription only, the counseling or training offered by the physician would make it safer to provide a stronger, more concentrated medicament to the patient to further increase the effectiveness of the treatments.
Other modifications, changes, and substitutions are intended in the foregoing, and in some instances, some features of the invention will be employed without a corresponding use of other features. For example, the sloping surfaces 38a and 38b forming the point 40 at the upper edge of each tine 18 may extend over all or substantially all of the height 34 of the tine 18. Similarly, the tines 18 may be formed separately from or formed integrally with the base 16. The device 10 may also be used with or without an accompanying use of medicament. Further still, although the device 10 has been described as being used in connection with wart removal in a non-clinical setting, the device 10 may be used by physicians in a clinical setting and may be used to remove tissue other than wart tissue. It is understood that all measurements and quantitative information are given by way of example only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. Accordingly, it is appropriate that the appended claims be construed broadly and in a manner consistent with the scope of the invention.
While the foregoing is directed to embodiments of the present invention, other and further embodiments of the invention may be devised without departing from the basic scope thereof, and the scope thereof is determined by the claims that follow.
This application is a continuation-in-part of co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/610,366, filed Jun. 30, 2003, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/851,477, filed May 8, 2001. Each of the aforementioned related patent applications is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 10610366 | Jun 2003 | US |
| Child | 11418791 | May 2006 | US |
| Parent | 09851477 | May 2001 | US |
| Child | 10610366 | Jun 2003 | US |
