IP Library Granted Patent US 12,431,683
Granted Patent B2
US 12,431,683 · App. 18/763,148 · Granted Sep 30, 2025

Picosecond laser apparatus and methods for treating target tissues with same

Inventors: Rafael Armando Sierra (Palmer, MA); Mirko Georgiev Mirkov (Chelmsford, MA)
Assignee: CYNOSURE, LLC
H01S3/094076H01S3/08054H01S3/1024H01S3/1106H01S3/1109H01S3/1611H01S3/1673A61B2018/00458F04C2270/0421H01S3/094038H01S3/107H01S3/1075H01S3/1103H01S3/1618H01S3/1623H01S3/1643
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,431,683
App. No.
18/763,148
Granted
Sep 30, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

Apparatuses and methods are disclosed for applying laser energy having desired pulse characteristics, including a sufficiently short duration and/or a sufficiently high energy for the photomechanical treatment of skin pigmentations and pigmented lesions, both naturally-occurring (e.g., birthmarks), as well as artificial (e.g., tattoos). The laser energy may be generated with an apparatus having a resonator with the capability of switching between a modelocked pulse operating mode and an amplification operating mode. The operating modes are carried out through the application of a time-dependent bias voltage, having waveforms as described herein, to an electro-optical device positioned along the optical axis of the resonator.

Claims (33)

1. A method of treating a target tissue comprising:

generating, using a laser source, an output beam having a subnanosecond pulse duration;

modifying the output beam, using an optical system, to provide a photomechanically disruptive treatment beam having a wavelength;

directing the photomechanically disruptive treatment beam to one or more regions of an epidermal layer, the epidermal layer comprising one or more target structures;

photomechanically disrupting the one or more target structures; and

decreasing visible appearance of the one or more target structures in response to the treatment beam.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more target structures comprise epidermal nevi.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more target structures comprise seborrheic keratoses.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more target structures comprise keratinocytes.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising selecting the wavelength such that the wavelength is preferentially or selectively absorbed in the one or more target structures.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein photomechanically disrupting the one or more target structures further comprises photomechanically disrupting pigment particles disposed therein.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the treatment beam has a non-uniform profile.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the non-uniform profile comprises a plurality of regions of relatively high energy per unit area dispersed within a substantially uniform background region of relatively low energy per unit area.

9. The method of claim 7 further comprising increasing temperature of a first epidermal region to a first temperature T1 and increasing or maintaining temperature of a second epidermal region to a second temperature T2 using the non-uniform distribution of the treatment beam.

10. A method of treating a target tissue comprising:

generating, using a laser source, an output beam having a subnanosecond pulse duration;

modifying the output beam, using an optical system, to provide a photomechanically disruptive treatment beam having a wavelength;

directing the photomechanically disruptive treatment beam to one or more regions of an epidermal layer, the epidermal layer comprising one or more pigmented regions;

photomechanically disrupting the one or more pigmented regions; and

decreasing visible appearance of the one or more pigmented regions in response to the treatment beam.

11. The method of claim 10 , the pigmented regions comprising melasma and/or chloasma facies.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the pigmented regions are in response to inflammation.

13. The method of claim 10 , the pigmented regions comprising postinflammatory hyperpigmentation.

14. The method of claim 10 , the pigmented regions comprising postinflammatory hypermelanosis.

15. The method of claim 10 , the pigmented regions comprising increased epidermal pigmentation.

16. The method of claim 10 , the pigmented regions comprising epidermal nevi.

17. The method of claim 10 , the pigmented regions comprising seborrheic keratoses.

18. The method of claim 10 , the pigmented regions comprising keratinocytes.

19. The method of claim 10 , wherein the pigmented regions are in response to drug-induced pigmentation.

20. The method of claim 10 , wherein the treatment beam has a non-uniform profile.

21. The method of claim 20 , wherein the non-uniform profile comprises a plurality of regions of relatively high energy per unit area dispersed within a substantially uniform background region of relatively low energy per unit area.

22. The method of claim 20 further comprising increasing temperature of a first epidermal region to a first temperature T1 and increasing or maintaining temperature of a second epidermal region to a second temperature T2 using the non-uniform distribution of the treatment beam.

23. The method of claim 10 further comprising selecting the wavelength such that the wavelength is preferentially or selectively absorbed in the one or more pigmented regions.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 1, 2025
From: SIERRA, RAFAEL ARMANDO; MIRKOV, MIRKO GEORGIEV
To: CYNOSURE, INC.
Reel/Frame 070997/0545 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded May 1, 2025
From: CYNOSURE, INC.
To: CYNOSURE, LLC
Reel/Frame 071147/0595 →
Continuity (8)
Continuation 18135490 · Apr 17, 2023
Continuation 17395081 · Aug 5, 2021
Continuation 16784797 · Feb 7, 2020
Continuation 16363597 · Mar 25, 2019
Continuation 15721714 · Sep 29, 2017
Continuation 14394960
Provisional Application 61625961 · Apr 18, 2012
Related Publication 20240356299A1 · Oct 24, 2024
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