Apparatus and method for selective ultrasonic damage of adipocytes

Abstract

An apparatus and a method for treating adipose tissue located beneath a patient's skin is disclosed herein. In some embodiments, the apparatus includes a sonotrode 140 and an ultrasound transducer 130 operative to induce longitudinal and/or transversal ultrasound vibrations in a least a portion of the sonotrode 140 . In some embodiments, the apparatus provides a “cold” or “transverse” mode where ultrasound energy delivered to the patient is primarily energy of transverse ultrasound waves, and a “hot” or “longitudinal” mode where ultrasound energy delivered to the patient is primarily energy of longitudinal ultrasound waves. The longitudinal waves may be useful for ‘pre-heating’ tissue of the patient before delivering the transverse waves.

1 - 52 . (canceled) 
     
     
         53 ) A device for treating biological tissue, the device comprising:
 a) an ultrasound transducer configured to produce ultrasound energy; and   b) an ultrasound applicator including an energy delivery surface, the ultrasound applicator and the ultrasound transducer being configured such that:
 i) operation of the ultrasound transducer causes the energy delivery surface to vibrate at an ultrasound frequency; 
 ii) when the ultrasound transducer operates at a first ultrasound driving frequency, the ultrasound vibrations of the energy delivery surface are primarily normal to the energy delivery surface; and 
 iii) when the ultrasound transducer operates at a second ultrasound driving frequency, the ultrasound vibrations of the energy delivery surface are primarily along the energy delivery surface. 
   
     
     
         54 ) The device of  claim 53  wherein the energy delivery surface includes at least one of:
 i) multiple discontinuous surfaces; 
 ii) plurality of protrusions positioned on the energy delivery surface; 
 iii) a plurality of indentations; 
 iv) plurality of vertical ridges positioned on the energy delivery surface; and 
 v) a plurality of concentric circular ridges positioned on the energy delivery surface. 
 
     
     
         55 ) The device of  claim 53  wherein the energy delivery surface has surface properties to cause scattering of energy of the mechanical ultrasound waves delivered from the distal surface. 
     
     
         56 ) The device of  claim 53  wherein the ultrasound applicator and the ultrasound transducer are configured such that when the ultrasound transducer operates at the first ultrasound driving frequency, at least 80%, by energy, of the ultrasound vibrations of the energy delivery surface are normal to the energy delivery surface. 
     
     
         57 ) The device of  claim 53  wherein the ultrasound applicator and the ultrasound transducer are configured such that when the ultrasound transducer operates at the second ultrasound driving frequency, at least 80%, by energy, of the ultrasound vibrations of the energy delivery surface is along the energy delivery surface. 
     
     
         58 ) The device of  claim 53  further comprising:
 c) a device controller operative to:
 i) operate the ultrasound transducer at the first driving frequency for a period of time that is at least 2 seconds and at most 10 seconds; 
 ii) after the operating at the first driving frequency operate the ultrasound transducer at the second driving frequency for a period of time that is at least two times and at most 5 times a period of time of step c(i). 
 
 
     
     
         59 ) The device of  claim 58  wherein the device controller is further operative to:
 iii) repeat steps c(i) and c(ii) at least five times. 
 
     
     
         60 ) The device of  claim 53  further comprising:
 c) a device controller operative to:
 i) operate the ultrasound transducer at the first driving frequency for a period of time that is at least 2 seconds and at most 10 seconds; 
 ii) after the operating at the first driving frequency, operate the ultrasound transducer at the second driving frequency for at least 10 seconds and at most 60 seconds. 
 
 
     
     
         61 ) The device of  claim 60  wherein the device controller is further operative to:
 iii) repeat steps a(i) and a(ii) at least five times. 
 
     
     
         62 - 78 . (canceled)