Laser device, hand-piece and method for lipolysis
A device for laser lipolysis is described, comprising a treatment laser source adapted to emit radiation within a wavelength range strongly absorbed by the human body adipocytes. The device further comprises a hand-piece having a handle and a cannula that is adapted to be inserted into an adipose tissue of a patient undergoing a lipolysis treatment. An optical fiber is adapted to connect the laser source to the hand-piece, and the cannula is adapted to receive a distal portion of the optical fiber. The device further comprises a detection system, for detecting the movement speed of the hand-piece when in use, and a control unit, functionally connected to the treatment laser source and adapted to control at least one emission parameter of the treatment laser source, so as to modulate the power emitted by the treatment laser source based on the movement speed of the hand-piece detected by the detection system. The device also comprises a signaling system adapted to signal to an operator a condition of anomalous movement speed.
1 . A device for laser lipolysis; wherein the device comprises:
at least one treatment laser source adapted to emit radiation within a wavelength range strongly absorbed by human body adipocytes;
a hand-piece comprising a handle and a cannula adapted to be inserted into the adipose tissue of a patient undergoing a lipolysis treatment;
an optical fiber adapted to connect the treatment laser source to the hand-piece, the cannula being adapted to receive a distal portion of the optical fiber;
a detection system for detecting the movement speed of the hand-piece when in use;
a control unit, functionally coupled to the treatment laser source and adapted to control at least one emission parameter of the treatment laser source, configured to modulate the power emitted by the treatment laser source based on the movement speed of the hand-piece detected by the detection system;
a visual signaling system adapted to signal an anomalous speed condition to an operator, wherein the visual signaling system comprises at least one first aiming light source adapted to inject a first light beam into the optical fiber, the first light beam being visible through tissues in which the cannula and the optical fiber are inserted, wherein the control unit is configured to control the first aiming light source based on the detected movement speed of the hand-piece to provide an operator with information on the movement speed of the hand-piece.
2 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the signaling system is adapted to signal to the operator when the speed of the hand-piece is below a minimum threshold.
3 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the signaling system is adapted to signal to the operator when the speed of the hand-piece is above a maximum threshold.
4 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the signaling system is adapted to signal to the operator when at least one of the following conditions occurs:
the movement speed of the hand-piece lies within the interval between a maximum allowable speed and a minimum allowable speed;
the movement speed of the hand-piece is outside the interval between a maximum allowable speed and a minimum allowable speed.
5 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the signaling system is adapted to signal to the operator when the speed of the hand-piece is such that the power emitted by the treatment laser source is below a threshold value.
6 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the signaling system is adapted to signal to the operator when the speed of the hand-piece is above a value at which the treatment laser source emits a preset maximum power.
7 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the system for detecting the movement speed of the hand-piece is selected from the group consisting of: an accelerometer; an inertial sensor; a magnetic tracking system; an optical tracking system; a camera and an image processing system; a combination thereof.
8 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the first aiming light source is a laser source.
9 . The device of claim 8 , wherein at least one of the light sources comprises a laser diode.
10 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the visual signaling system comprises a second aiming light source, adapted to inject a second light beam into the optical fiber, visible through the tissues where the cannula and the optical fiber are inserted; and wherein the second light signal is controlled by the control unit based on the movement speed of the hand-piece, and has a color different than that of the first light signal.
11 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the signaling system comprises an acoustic signaling system.
12 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the signaling system is connected to the speed detection system and is controlled by the control unit through a signal of the hand-piece speed.
13 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the signaling system is connected to the control unit and is controlled by the control unit through at least one of the following: a signal of the hand-piece speed; a laser source emission adjusting signal.
14 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the control unit is adapted to reduce the emitted power if the speed of the hand-piece is below a first minimum threshold.
15 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the treatment laser source is a pulsed laser source, and wherein the control unit is adapted to modulate the pulse repetition rate based on the movement speed of the hand-piece.
16 . The device of claim 15 , wherein the pulse duration of the laser source is comprised between 50 microseconds and 500 microseconds.
17 . The device of claim 15 , wherein the energy per pulse of the treatment laser source is comprised between 10 mJ and 500 mJ.
18 . The device of claim 15 , wherein the peak power per pulse of the treatment laser source is comprised between 0,1 kW and 3 kW.
19 . The device of claim 15 , wherein the pulse repetition rate of the treatment laser source is comprised between 1 Hz and 200 Hz, or between 4 Hz and 100 Hz.
20 . The device of claim 14 , wherein the treatment laser source is a continuous laser source and wherein the control unit modulates the fluence of the treatment laser source based on the movement speed of the hand-piece.
21 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the wavelength of the treatment laser source is within the near-infrared region, or comprised between 0.75 micrometers and 2.2 micrometers, or comprised between 0.98 micrometers and 1.45 micrometers, or comprised between 1.2 micrometers and 1.45 micrometers.
22 . The device of claim 15 , wherein the energy per pulse of the treatment laser source is comprised between 50 mJ and 500 mJ.
23 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the system for detecting the movement speed of the hand-piece is selected from the group consisting of: an accelerometer; an inertial sensor comprising an accelerometer and a gyroscope; a magnetic tracking system; an optical tracking system; a camera and an image processing system; a combination thereof.