Tissue treatment systems with high powered functional electrical stimulation and methods for reducing pain during tissue treatments

摘要

Methods, apparatus, and systems for transcutaneously treating tissue located beneath a skin surface with electromagnetic energy delivered from a treatment electrode. A portion of the treatment electrode is contacted with the skin surface. While maintaining the contact between the portion of the treatment electrode and the skin surface, the electromagnetic energy is delivered from the treatment electrode in a plurality of power pulses through the skin surface to the tissue over a treatment time with a time gap between each consecutive pair of the pulses to lower a level of pain perceived by a patient.

主权项

1. A method of operating a tissue treatment apparatus to transcutaneously treat tissue located beneath a skin surface of a patient with electromagnetic energy delivered from a treatment electrode, the method comprising:
contacting a portion of the treatment electrode with the skin surface in a stationary relationship; while maintaining the stationary contact between the portion of the treatment electrode and a treatment zone on the skin surface, delivering the electromagnetic energy from the treatment electrode through the skin surface to the tissue over a treatment time in a plurality of power pulses having a first duration and a time gap between consecutive power pulses effective to decrease a sensation of pain experienced by the patient; and during the treatment time, delivering a plurality of cryogen pulses to the portion of the treatment electrode that have a second duration that is less than the first duration of the power pulses.