APPARATUS, SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR TREATING FAT TISSUE
Systems and methods are provided for use in the reduction of fat, which may include a number of features. In some embodiments, the systems and methods may include an applicator having electrodes that form capacitors to heat tissue, an acquisition chamber having a cooling system, and a vacuum input providing a vacuum to acquire tissue to be treated.
1 . An applicator for use in the reduction of fat, the applicator comprising:
a housing containing:
a tissue acquisition chamber having an internal surface adapted to contact tissue;
a cooling plate, wherein the cooling plate forms at least a portion of the internal surface of the acquisition chamber;
a coolant chamber adjacent at least a portion of the cooling plate;
at least one electrode pair comprising electrodes positioned on opposing sides with respect to the tissue acquisition chamber; and
a tissue acquisition structure configured to bring tissue into the tissue acquisition chamber.
2 . The applicator of claim 1 wherein the electrodes are separated from the acquisition chamber by the cooling plate.
3 . The applicator of claim 1 wherein the electrodes form at least a portion of the internal surface of the acquisition chamber.
4 . The applicator of claim 1 wherein cooling plate comprises a cutout and wherein an electrode of the electrode pairs is positioned within the cutout.
5 . The applicator of claim 1 , wherein the electrodes are separated from the cooling plate by the coolant chamber.
6 . The applicator of claim 1 , wherein the coolant chamber includes a cooling fluid moving through the coolant chamber.
7 . The applicator of claim 1 , wherein the electrodes are coupled to a wall of the cooling plate opposite the wall which forms the internal surface.
8 . The applicator of claim 1 wherein the coolant chamber is positioned adjacent the cooling plate and the electrodes.
9 . The applicator of claim 1 wherein the tissue acquisition chamber comprises a vacuum tube configured to be coupled to a vacuum source and connected to the tissue acquisition chamber.
10 . The applicator of claim 1 wherein the electrodes include a coolant channel formed therein and are configured to receive a coolant flowing through the coolant channel.
11 . The applicator of claim 1 wherein the electrodes forming a first of the at least one electrode pairs are substantially parallel with respect to each other.
12 . The applicator according to claim 1 wherein the electrodes of the first electrode pair form an angle with respect to each other of between 45 and 0 degrees.
13 . The applicator of claim 1 wherein at least one of the electrodes is movable within the housing from a first configuration to a second configuration.
14 . The applicator of claim 13 wherein the second configuration comprises an angular orientation with respect to the first configuration.
15 . The applicator of claim 1 wherein the electrodes comprise a plurality of electrode pairs.
16 . The applicator of claim 1 wherein the electrodes further comprise a second pair of electrodes, wherein the electrodes of the first electrode pair have a first dimension and the electrodes of the second electrode pair have a second dimension.
17 . The applicator of claim 16 wherein the dimension comprises one or more of length, width size, shape, surface area, and volume.
18 . The applicator of claim 15 wherein the acquisition chamber internal surface comprises a first side and an opposing second side, and a third side and an opposing fourth side, wherein the plurality of electrode pairs comprises a first electrode pair including a first electrode positioned adjacent the first side of the acquisition chamber and a second electrode positioned adjacent the second side of the acquisition chamber, and wherein the second electrode pair comprises a third electrode positioned adjacent the third side of the acquisition chamber and a fourth electrode positioned adjacent the fourth side of the acquisition chamber.
19 . The applicator of claim 1 wherein tissue acquisition chamber forms a tissue treatment zone when tissue is acquired into the chamber.
20 . The applicator of claim 19 wherein the electrodes are positionable to form a therapeutic treatment zone of tissue acquired within the acquisition chamber.
21 . The applicator of claim 1 comprising a plurality of coolant chambers.
22 . The applicator of claim 21 wherein each of the plurality of coolant chambers separate from the other of the coolant chambers.
23 . The applicator of claim 19 further comprising a sensor configured to sense a temperature of tissue outside of the treatment zone.
24 . The applicator of claim 1 comprising one or more sensors configured to sense contact of skin with the acquisition chamber internal surface at one or more locations on the acquisition chamber internal surface.
25 . The applicator of claim 1 wherein the at least a portion of the acquisition chamber inner surface comprises a flexible material configured to conform tissue when it is acquired into the chamber.
26 . The applicator of claim 1 wherein the internal surface of the acquisition chamber comprises a first side and second opposing side opposing the first side wherein the first and second sides form an angle with respect to each other of greater than 0 degrees.
27 . The applicator of claim 1 wherein the internal surface of the acquisition chamber comprises a first side and second opposing side opposing the first side wherein the first and second sides form an angle with respect to each other of greater than 45 degrees.
28 . The applicator of claim 1 wherein the acquisition chamber internal surface comprises a first side and an opposing second side, and a third side and an opposing fourth side, wherein the plurality of electrode pairs comprise a first electrode positioned adjacent the first side of the acquisition chamber and a second electrode positioned adjacent the second side of the acquisition chamber, wherein the first side forms a first angle with respect to the second side and the third side forms a second angle with respect to the fourth side, wherein the second angle is greater than the first angle.
29 . The applicator of claim 28 wherein the first angle is less than or equal to 45 degrees.
30 . A system for use in the reduction of fat comprising:
a housing containing:
a tissue acquisition chamber having an internal surface adapted to contact tissue;
a cooling plate, wherein the cooling plate forms at least a portion of the internal surface of the acquisition chamber;
a coolant chamber adjacent at least a portion of the cooling plate;
at least one electrode pair comprising electrodes positioned on opposing sides with respect to the tissue acquisition chamber; and
a tissue acquisition structure configured to bring tissue into the tissue acquisition chamber;
a control console comprising:
a coolant source configured to circulate a coolant through the coolant chamber an RF generator configured to be coupled to the plurality of electrodes; and
a controller configured to control the delivery of an RF signal to the plurality of electrodes.
31 . A method of body contouring comprising:
bringing tissue comprising skin and fat into an acquisition chamber of an applicator;
contouring a volumetric size and shape of a therapeutic zone of tissue by selectively heating and cooling using at least one electrode pair positioned in the applicator on opposing sides of the acquisition chamber.