US 11,738,206 B2
Systems and methods for controlling therapeutic laser pulse duration
Michael A. Karavitis, San Pedro, CA (US); Wytze E. van der Veer, San Bruno, CA (US); Amogh Kothare, Fremont, CA (US); Soenke A. Moeller, Berkeley, CA (US); and Shawn M. Gilliam, Daly City, CA (US)
Assigned to CUTERA, INC., Brisbane, CA (US)
Filed by Cutera, Inc., Brisbane, CA (US)
Filed on Dec. 12, 2020, as Appl. No. 17/120,159.
Application 17/120,159 is a continuation of application No. 16/805,761, filed on Feb. 29, 2020, granted, now 10,864,380, issued on Dec. 15, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2021/0268305 A1, Sep. 2, 2021
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. A61B 18/20 (2006.01); A61N 5/06 (2006.01); A61N 5/00 (2006.01); A61B 17/00 (2006.01); A61B 18/00 (2006.01); A61N 5/067 (2006.01)
CPC A61N 5/0616 (2013.01) [A61B 18/20 (2013.01); A61B 2017/00057 (2013.01); A61B 2017/00154 (2013.01); A61B 2018/00761 (2013.01); A61B 2018/00791 (2013.01); A61N 5/067 (2021.08); A61N 2005/007 (2013.01); A61N 2005/0644 (2013.01); A61N 2005/0659 (2013.01)] 13 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of treating the skin of a patient with a therapeutic laser pulse, the method comprising:
a) initiating the application of a therapeutic laser pulse to a target skin area at a first timepoint;
b) determining a surface temperature of the target skin area a plurality of times, at a temperature sampling interval of 100 msec or less, during the application of the therapeutic laser pulse to the target skin area based on infrared energy radiated from the target skin area; and
c) terminating the application of the therapeutic laser pulse to the target skin area at a second timepoint based at least in part on the plurality of surface temperature determinations, wherein each of the plurality of surface temperature determinations occurs during a single therapeutic laser pulse having a pulse duration comprising the period from the first timepoint to the second timepoint.