CRYOPROTECTANT FOR USE WITH A TREATMENT DEVICE FOR IMPROVED COOLING OF SUBCUTANEOUS LIPID-RICH CELLS

1 . A system for selectively destroying subcutaneous lipid rich cells of a subject with skin, comprising:

a thermoelectric treatment device having a heat exchanging element having a first side in thermal communication with a heat exchanging surface and a second side opposite the first side, the heat exchanging element being configured to reduce a temperature of the target region such that lipid rich cells in the region are affected while preserving non-lipid rich cells proximate to the heat exchanging surface; and

a coupling device being releasably coupled to the treatment device and proximate to the heat exchanging surface.

2 . The system of claim 1 wherein the coupling device includes a backside portion proximate to the heat exchanging surface, a front side portion spaced apart from the backside portion, and an intermediate portion between the backside portion and the front side portion for holding the cryoprotectant.

3 . The system of claim 2 wherein the front side portion includes at least one aperture in fluid communication with the intermediate portion.

4 . The system of claim 2 wherein the intermediate portion is constructed from a mesh, foam, a porous plastic material and/or a porous metal material.

5 . The system of claim 2 further comprising a supply device in fluid communication with the intermediate portion via a conduit and a pressure sensor operatively coupled to one of the intermediate portion, the supply device, and the conduit for monitoring a pressure in the intermediate portion.

6 . The system of claim 2 wherein the intermediate portion contains the thermally conductive cryoprotectant before treatment.

7 . The system of claim 1 further comprising a cryoprotectant applied to an interface between the heat exchanging surface and the skin of the subject.

8 . The system of claim 7 wherein the coupling device comprises the cryoprotectant.

9 . The system of claim 7 further comprising an absorbent pre-loaded with the cryoprotectant, the absorbent being at least partially between the heat exchanging surface and target region.

10 . A system for removing heat from subcutaneous lipid rich cells of a subject having skin, comprising:

a treatment device having a housing and a thermal mass in thermal communication with a heat exchanging surface, the thermal mass being configured to reduce a temperature of a region of the skin such that lipid rich cells in the region are affected while preserving non-lipid rich cells proximate to the heat exchanging surface; and

a coupling device releasably coupled to the treatment device.

11 . The system of claim 10 wherein the coupling device includes a backside portion proximate to the heat exchanging surface, a front side portion spaced apart from the backside portion, and an intermediate portion between the backside portion and the front side portion for holding the cryoprotectant.

12 . The system of claim 10 further comprising a hygroscopic cryoprotectant configured to substantially cover an interface between the treatment device and the skin, wherein the cryoprotectant is configured to contact at least one of the treatment device and the skin.

13 . The system of claim 12 wherein the cryoprotectant further comprises a pH buffer to maintain the pH in the range of about 3 to about 11.

14 . The system of claim 13 wherein the cryoprotectant contains polypropylene glycol.

15 . The system of claim 12 wherein the cryoprotectant is water-soluble.

16 . The system of claim 12 wherein the cryoprotectant is a hydrogel.

17 . The system of claim 12 wherein the cryoprotectant further comprises a thickening agent to provide a viscosity of the cryoprotectant in the range of about 1 cP to about 10,000 cP.

18 . The system of claim 12 wherein the cryoprotectant has a freezing point below about −10° C.