KR101918221B1 - An treatment apparatus and a method for controlling that - Google Patents

Abstract

[0001] The present invention relates to a treatment apparatus and a control method thereof, and more particularly, to a treatment apparatus and a method of controlling the same, which comprises an insertion unit formed to be insertable into a tissue through a tissue surface, a displacement measurement unit measuring displacement of the tissue surface generated by insertion of the insertion unit And a control unit for controlling the insertion operation of the insertion unit based on the displacement measured by the displacement measuring unit.
According to the present invention, it is possible to proceed the treatment while inserting the insertion portion to the precise target position, so that there is an advantage of improving the therapeutic effect. In addition, it is possible to prevent the problem of damage to the adjacent tissue caused by the progress of the treatment in a state where the target is not fully inserted.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD [0001] The present invention relates to a treatment apparatus and a control method thereof,

The present invention relates to a treatment apparatus and a control method thereof, and more particularly, to a treatment apparatus inserted into a tissue of a human body for treatment by an invasive method and a control method thereof.

The method of treating the tissue can be classified into a method of treating the tissue outside the tissue and an invasive treatment method in which a part or all of the treatment apparatus is inserted into the tissue. In this type of invasive treatment method, a treatment device having a needle or a catheter and a small-diameter insertion portion is used, and the treatment device is inserted into a target position in the tissue and then the treatment is performed.

Such an invasive treatment method includes various therapeutic actions such as delivering a therapeutic substance to the inside of the tissue, mechanically operating in a state adjacent to a specific tissue inside the tissue to perform surgical treatment, or transferring energy to a target position in the tissue do. Such a treatment method is disclosed in Laid-open Patent Publication No. 10-2011-0000790 and the like, and is applied in various other ways.

Generally, in the invasive treatment method, a displacement is generated as the tissue surface is pressurized during insertion of the insertion portion into the tissue, thereby preventing insertion of the insertion portion to a desired target position. In this case, when the treatment is sensitive to the depth of the treatment, such as skin treatment, problems such as deterioration of the therapeutic effect or damage to other tissues may occur.

Published Patent Application No. 10-2011-0000790 (disclosed on Jan. 6, 2011)

The present invention provides a therapeutic apparatus and a method of controlling the same that can insert an insertion portion to a target position even though a displacement occurs on a tissue surface in the process of inserting an insertion portion into a tissue.

In order to attain the above object, the present invention provides an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus comprising: an insertion portion penetrating a tissue surface so as to be insertable into a tissue; a displacement measuring portion measuring a displacement of the tissue surface generated by insertion of the insertion portion; And a control unit for controlling the inserting operation of the insertion unit based on the displacement measured by the measuring unit.

The control section controls to further insert the insertion section by a displacement corresponding depth generated at the tissue surface so that the end of the insertion section can reach the target position inside the tissue. Specifically, the control unit controls to insert the insertion unit by the first length based on the target position, and controls the insertion by the second length to compensate for the depth at which the insertion unit is not inserted due to the displacement of the tissue surface .

Here, the second length may be the same size as the displacement measured by the displacement measuring unit. Alternatively, the second length may be a numerical value calculated using the magnitude of the displacement measured by the displacement measuring unit as a variable.

The displacement measurement section measures the displacement of the tissue surface after the insertion section has been pressed through the tissue surface and after the insertion section has been inserted through the tissue surface.

The displacement measuring unit can use a sensor using light.

Alternatively, the displacement measuring unit may use a movable member that moves as displacement occurs on the tissue surface, and a sensing member that measures the amount of movement of the movable member. Specifically, the movable member includes a magnetic body, and the sensing member can be configured to sense the amount of movement of the movable member based on a change in the magnetic field caused by the movement of the movable member.

For example, the insertion portion may be provided in a tip module detachably mounted on the handpiece or the main body, and the movable member may be provided to penetrate the tip module and be movable along the advancing direction of the insertion portion. The sensing member may be disposed adjacent to a portion of the handpiece or the body where the tip module is installed.

Here, the insertion portion may be composed of a plurality of micro needles.

In one example, the insertion portion may include an energy transmitting member that transmits energy to a target position while being inserted into the tissue.

As another example, the insertion portion may be constituted of a mass transfer member for transferring the therapeutic substance to the target position while being inserted into the tissue.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a handpiece comprising: a handpiece; an energy transmitting portion formed to protrude and retract into one side of the handpiece and inserted into the tissue to transmit energy to a target position; A displacement measuring unit for measuring a displacement and a control unit for controlling an insertion operation of the energy transfer unit based on the displacement measured by the displacement measuring unit.

According to the present invention, there is also provided a method of manufacturing a medical device, comprising the steps of: positioning an insertion portion on a tissue surface; pressing the insertion portion to insert the insertion portion into the tissue through the tissue surface; And controlling the insertion operation of the insertion unit based on the measured displacement.

The step of inserting the insertion portion into the tissue inserts the insertion portion by the first length based on the depth of the target position and the step of controlling the inserting operation of the inserting portion inserts the inserting portion into the tissue based on the size of the displacement of the tissue surface. 2 < / RTI > length.

The step of controlling the inserting operation of the inserting part may include calculating the compensating depth in consideration of the displacement of the tissue surface, and further inserting the inserting part by the calculated compensating depth.

According to the present invention, it is possible to proceed the treatment while inserting the insertion portion to the precise target position, so that there is an advantage of improving the therapeutic effect. In addition, it is possible to prevent the problem of damage to the adjacent tissue caused by the progress of the treatment in a state where the target is not fully inserted.

1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a treatment apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a schematic view showing an example of a treatment step by the treatment apparatus of FIG. 1;
3 is a graph showing displacement characteristics of some tissues according to the pressing force,
FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a control method of the treatment apparatus of FIG. 1,
5 is a perspective view illustrating a treatment apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention,
FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a handpiece of the treatment apparatus of FIG. 5,
Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the handpiece shown in Fig. 6,
FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view showing one of the needles of FIG. 7,
FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view showing a state immediately before insertion of a needle during a treatment process using the handpiece of FIG. 7;
FIG. 10 is a sectional view showing a state in which a needle is inserted during a treatment process using the handpiece of FIG. 7;
Fig. 11 is a sectional view showing a modification of the handpiece of Fig. 6,
12 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an insertion operation section of a handpiece according to another embodiment.

Hereinafter, a treatment apparatus according to embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the positional relationship of each component is principally described based on the drawings. It should be noted that the drawings may be simplified for simplicity of the description of the invention or exaggerated when necessary. Therefore, the present invention is not limited thereto, and it goes without saying that various devices may be added, changed or omitted.

Hereinafter, the term " treatment device " includes all devices for treating mammals, including humans. Therapeutic devices may include various treatment devices used for the purpose of improving the condition of a lesion or tissue. For example, devices for delivering therapeutic substances such as drugs, anesthetics, stem cells, surgical devices for surgically treating specific tissues, and various therapeutic devices for delivering energy such as RF, laser, and ultrasound.

Hereinafter, the term " tissue " refers to a collection of cells constituting various body organs of an animal including a human, and includes various tissues constituting various organs of the body including skin tissue.

Hereinafter, the term " insertion portion " refers to a structure that is inserted into the tissue of a treatment apparatus. And includes a variety of structures such as needles, micro needles, and catheters, each of which has a sharp, elongated structure with an end portion and penetrates through the surface of the tissue to be inserted into the tissue.

Hereinafter, a treatment apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3. FIG.

1 is a block diagram showing the construction of a treatment apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, a treatment apparatus according to the present embodiment includes an insertion section 10 A driving part 20 for moving the insertion part, a treatment operation part 30 for performing treatment inside the tissue through the insertion part, a sensing part 40 for sensing the displacement of the tissue surface, And a control unit (50) for controlling the operation of various components including the control unit.

As described above, the insertion portion 10 is configured to penetrate through the tissue surface to the inside of the tissue. The insertion portion 10 is configured by an elongated structure having a sharp end and a small diameter so as to be easily inserted into the tissue do. In the present embodiment, the insertion portion 10 is composed of a plurality of needles, but may also have various structures such as a single needle structure, a catheter, or the like. The insertion section 10 further includes a configuration necessary for the treatment progress according to the treatment method of the treatment apparatus. For example, in the case of a therapeutic device that is treated in a manner that delivers the therapeutic material, the insert may include a channel for injecting therapeutic material therein. Alternatively, in the case of a therapeutic device that is treated in a manner that delivers RF energy into the tissue, the insert may include an electrode for delivering RF energy. The insertion portion 10 may be installed on the handpiece, and may be configured to protrude into one end of the handpiece and be inserted into the tissue.

The driving unit 20 is configured to linearly move the insertion unit 10 so that the insertion unit can advancing and retracting. The insertion section 10 is inserted into the tissue by the driving of the driving section 20, or performs an operation of coming out of the tissue. For example, the driving unit 20 may be constructed using an actuator, or may be constructed using various driving members.

The treatment operation unit 30 is a configuration that operates for treatment progress. The position where the actual treatment is performed is the end of the insertion unit 10 located inside the tissue, and the treatment operation unit 30 performs an operation for performing the treatment at the end of the insertion unit. In one example, the treatment operating portion may be constituted by a pump or a valve for delivering the therapeutic substance from the therapeutic substance receiving portion (not shown) to the insertion end portion. As another example, the treatment operating portion may be an RF generating portion supplying RF energy to the insertion end portion. In addition, the treatment operation part can be configured in various configurations according to the treatment method of the treatment apparatus.

The control unit 50 controls the operation of various components of the treatment apparatus, including the drive unit 20 and the treatment operation unit 30. [ The control unit 50 can perform the treatment by operating the component based on the user's control or a predetermined mode. The control unit may further include a separate database or a processor. Accordingly, when various kinds of information necessary for control are transmitted to the control unit, it is possible to derive an appropriate control signal by utilizing or calculating previously stored data based on such information.

The sensing unit 40 is a configuration for sensing key parameters during operation of the treatment apparatus. The sensing portion 40 of the present embodiment measures the displacement of the tissue surface caused by inserting the insertion portion 10 into the tissue. The measured value of the sensing unit 40 is transmitted to the control unit 50. The control unit 50 further controls the insertion depth of the insertion unit 10 based on the measured value.

Hereinafter, with reference to Fig. 2, the displacement generated upon insertion of the insertion portion will be described in more detail. FIG. 2 is a schematic view showing an example of a treatment step by the treatment apparatus of FIG. 1, showing a process of inserting an insertion portion into a target position located at a depth D in a tissue.

2 (a) shows a state in which the handpiece H is positioned on the surface of the tissue T. In Fig. In this step, the driving unit may not be driven at all, or the driving unit may start driving but the end of the insertion unit may not contact the tissue surface. In this way, in Fig. 2 (a), since the insertion portion 10 does not press the tissue surface A, no additional displacement occurs on the tissue surface, and no additional displacement occurs in the target position.

2B shows a state in which the driving part 20 operates and the end of the insertion part 10 presses the surface of the tissue. At the beginning of the insertion operation of the insertion portion 10, the surface of the tissue is pressed without being pierced by the insertion portion. As a result, the surface A of the tissue is displaced inward in the tissue by a1. Since the tissue is structured with a high density by cells or the like, displacement occurs in the inward direction of the tissue by the target position (B) by b1 as displacement occurs on the tissue surface (A).

2C is a state in which the insertion section 10 is advanced by the first length and inserted into the tissue. Here, the first length may be a length corresponding to D (the depth with respect to the surface before the tissue surface is pressed by the insert), which is the depth of the target location before the insert presses the tissue.

As shown in Fig. 2C, in this state, the surface of the tissue is displaced inwardly of the tissue by a2, and the target position is also displaced inward of the tissue by b2. This is because the force acts in the direction in which the displacement is further generated by the frictional force while the insertion portion 10 is inserted, and restoration of the displacement by the elasticity of the tissue is also restricted. Therefore, even when the insertion portion is inserted, the tissue remains in the pressurized state, and the tissue surface and the target position can be maintained in the state where the displacement occurs.

In this way, even if the insertion portion 10 is controlled to advance by the first length corresponding to the target position B, the insertion portion 10 actually can not be inserted by the first length inside the tissue and does not reach the target position B (In this case, the insertion depth of the insertion portion may be D - a2). Accordingly, the present embodiment measures the displacement of the tissue surface in the sensing unit 40 so as to compensate for this, and the control unit 50 controls the operation of the insertion unit so that the end of the insertion unit 10 reaches the target position Can be additionally controlled.

FIG. 2d shows a state where the insertion portion is further inserted by the second length in FIG. 2c. Here, the second length corresponds to the compensation depth due to tissue displacement. As shown in Fig. 2d, by inserting the insertion portion 10 by the second length, the end of the insertion portion reaches the target position and the treatment can proceed.

Referring again to FIG. 1, the sensing unit 40 measures the displacement generated on the surface of the tissue during insertion of the insertion portion. The sensing unit 40 may be constructed using various sensor devices capable of measuring displacement.

As an example, it may be composed of an optical sensor disposed adjacent to the contact surface of the handpiece H in contact with the surface of the tissue. In the case of an optical sensor, light is irradiated onto the surface of the tissue, and light reflected from the surface is received to measure the displacement of the surface. Alternatively, the sensing unit may be configured using an ultrasonic sensor disposed adjacent to the contact surface of the handpiece. The ultrasonic sensor senses that the ultrasonic waves generated from the emitter are reflected from the surface, and the surface displacement of the tissue can be measured by analyzing the time difference and the wavelength of the reflected ultrasonic waves. As another example, it is possible to configure the sensing unit using a movable member movably installed according to the displacement of the tissue surface and a sensing member measuring the amount of movement of the movable member. Specifically, the movable member is arranged so as to be supported on the surface of the tissue in a state in which the movable member is free to move in the vertical direction. When the movable member is moved by the amount of occurrence of displacement when the tissue displacement occurs, the sensing member measures the displacement of the movable member can do.

On the other hand, the controller 50 may determine a value of the second length corresponding to the compensation depth based on the displacement of the tissue surface measured by the sensing unit 40. [ At this time, the value of the second length may be a displacement value of the expected target position based on the displacement of the tissue surface. Here, the tissue characteristics are different depending on the treatment site, race, age, etc., and the second length can be determined in various ways considering the characteristics of the tissue.

For example, when the tissue corresponding to the treatment position has low elasticity, or when the insertion is made while the tissue is already pressurized, the displacement of the tissue surface and the displacement of the tissue have almost the same size. In this case, the controller 50 can determine the value of the second length to be the same value as the displacement of the tissue surface.

On the other hand, if the tissue has high elasticity, the displacement of the tissue surface may be different from the displacement within the tissue. As an example, FIG. 3 is a graph showing displacement characteristics of some tissues according to a pressing force. As shown in Fig. 3, relatively large displacements occur at the tissue surface in the state of being pressurized by the same force, and relatively small displacements occur as they are located inside the tissue. In the case of a tissue having different displacements depending on the depth, the controller 50 determines the value of the second length through a separate calculation process using the displacement value of the measured surface as a variable, The value of the second length can be determined with reference to the previously stored database.

As such, when the second length value is determined, the controller 50 controls the driving unit 20 to compensate for insufficient insertion depth so that the insertion unit 10 can be additionally inserted by the second length. Thus, when the end of the insertion section 10 reaches the target position, the control section 50 drives the treatment operation section 30 to perform the treatment at the target position.

4 is a flowchart showing a control method of the treatment apparatus of FIG. Hereinafter, the control method of the treatment apparatus of the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

First, the insertion section 10 of the treatment apparatus is placed at the treatment position of the tissue (S10). Specifically, the insertion portion 10 is positioned such that one end of the handpiece advancing / retracting is adjacent to or in contact with the surface of the tissue corresponding to the treatment position.

Then, a step of setting the first length is performed (S20). Here, the first length is set to have a size corresponding to the depth of the target position located inside the tissue. In one example, the first length may be set to a distance value from the surface of the unpressurized tissue to the target location. Or the distance from the contact surface of the handpiece that contacts the surface of the tissue at the time of treatment to the target position. However, if the initial position of the insertion portion is spaced apart from the surface of the tissue, the first length may be a sum of the distance from the initial position to the tissue surface and the distance from the forked surface to the target position.

Thereafter, a step of inserting the insertion portion is performed (S30). The control unit 50 operates the driving unit 20 so that the insertion unit 10 is inserted into the tissue through the surface of the tissue as it advances by the first length. In this process, since the tissue is displaced as the tissue is pressurized, the insertion portion 10 may not reach the target position.

Then, the sensing unit 40 measures the displacement occurring on the surface of the tissue during the first insertion step or immediately after the first insertion step (S40). At this time, the measured displacement may be a displacement with the tissue surface immediately before the insertion portion presses the tissue surface as a reference position. In this step, the insertion portion 10 can measure the displacement of the tissue surface in a state where the primary insertion step is completed. However, if it is judged that the difference between the values is fine according to the characteristics of the tissue, the surface displacement value at the time when the insertion part penetrates the tissue surface or the surface displacement during the progress of the primary insertion step It is also possible to measure and use the value. The sensing unit 40 measures the displacement using the various sensing methods described above, and the measured displacement value is transmitted to the controller 50.

The controller 50 sets a second length corresponding to the compensation depth based on the measured displacement value (S50). The value of the second length may be determined in various manners as described above. For example, it can be set equal to the displacement value of the tissue surface sensed by the sensing unit. Alternatively, the second length value may be obtained through a separate calculation process using the displacement value of the tissue surface as a parameter, or the displacement value of the tissue surface and the predetermined database may be referred to.

When the second length is set, the control unit 50 additionally controls the insertion operation of the insertion unit 10 based on the second length (S60). This step is a second inserting step in which the driving part 20 is operated to additionally insert the insertion part by a second length. Thereby, the end portion of the insertion portion 10 can reach the target target position.

When the end of the insertion unit 10 reaches the target position, the control unit 50 drives the treatment operation unit 30 to perform a treatment step (S70). This step may be performed in various forms depending on the treatment method of the treatment apparatus. As an example, the therapeutic material can be delivered from the treatment operating portion to the target site through the insertion end. Alternatively, RF energy may be generated in the treatment operation section to transfer electrical energy to the target position through the electrode at the end of the insertion section.

When the treatment is completed through the above-described process, the control unit 50 terminates the operation of the treatment operation unit 30, and controls the driving unit 20 to perform the step of retracting the insertion unit 10 (S80). By this step, the insertion portion 10 inserted into the tissue can be removed from the tissue surface, thereby completing the treatment of the treatment position.

The steps of the control method of the treatment apparatus according to the present embodiment have been described above. In FIG. 4, the steps are shown as progressing sequentially, but the present invention is not limited thereto. It is also possible to proceed by changing the order of each step, and it is also possible for a plurality of steps to proceed at the same time. As an example, the first length setting step may proceed prior to placing the insert in the treatment position. Further, the first inserting step and the displacement measuring step may be performed simultaneously, and it is also possible that the displacement measurement is performed before the first inserting step is completed. Also, although it is shown that the first inserting step and the second inserting step are divided, it is also possible to carry out the two steps successively.

According to the above-described embodiment, it is possible to advance the treatment at the correct position by compensating the insertion depth even if the target position moves by the insertion of the insertion part in the course of the invasive treatment.

Hereinafter, another embodiment in which the above-described embodiment is further described will be described. That is, the embodiment described below applies the technical matters of the above-described embodiments to the treatment apparatus for dermatosis, and the constituent elements of the following embodiments corresponding to the constituent elements of the above- . However, in order to avoid duplication of the description, a detailed description of corresponding contents will be omitted in the following embodiments.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a treatment apparatus 1 according to another embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a handpiece of the treatment apparatus of FIG. The treatment device 1 according to the present embodiment is an apparatus for delivering energy to the inside of a skin tissue by inserting an insertion portion into a skin tissue of a human body. The insertion portion of the present embodiment includes a plurality of needles and is capable of transmitting energy to the inside of the skin tissue through the ends of the needles. 5 and 6, the treatment apparatus according to the present embodiment includes a main body 100, a handpiece 200 capable of holding and treating the user, and a connection portion 400 connecting the main body and the handpiece .

An RF generator (not shown) may be provided inside the main body 100. The RF generating unit is a configuration corresponding to the therapeutic operation unit (see 30 in FIG. 1) of the above-described embodiment, and generates RF energy used for treatment. The RF energy generated from the RF generator can be controlled in frequency depending on the patient's constitution, treatment purpose, treatment site, and the like. For example, RF energy used for skin treatment can be adjusted in the range of 0.1 to 0.8 MHz.

On the outer surface of the main body 100, a power on / off switch 110, a frequency control lever 120 for controlling the frequency of RF energy generated in the RF generator, and various information A user can input a command, and a touch screen 130 for displaying treatment information can be installed.

On the other hand, the handpiece 200 is connected to the main body by the connection portion 400. The connecting part 400 transmits RF energy generated from the RF generating part of the main body to a plurality of needles 320 corresponding to the inserting part of the embodiment described above and supplies power required for driving various components of the handpiece from the main body . The connecting portion 400 may be formed in the form of a cable, and a cable including a plurality of conductors wrapping a metal wire with an insulating sheath may be used.

A driving unit 210 is installed inside the handpiece 200. The driving unit 210 is configured to linearly move the output terminal 211 provided at one end of the driving unit in the longitudinal direction. As the output stage 211 moves linearly, a plurality of needles 320 disposed at the end of the output stage may protrude out of the contact surface of the handpiece. Therefore, by driving the driving unit 210, the plurality of needles 320 can be inserted into the tissues of the patient or extracted from the tissues. The driving unit 210 may have various structures such as a motor, a solenoid, an oil / air cylinder, and a linear actuator.

The handpiece 200 may include a handpiece manipulation unit 230 and a handpiece display unit 220 on the outer surface thereof. The handpiece manipulation unit 230 is configured to manipulate on / off of the handpiece, adjust the insertion depth of the insertion unit, or adjust the amount of energy transmitted through the insertion unit. The handpiece display unit 220 can display to the user various information required during the setting mode or the treatment. Accordingly, the user can easily manipulate the treatment content during treatment through the handpiece manipulation unit 230 while holding the handpiece in his / her hand, and can easily grasp the treatment content through the handpiece display unit 220.

At the end of the handpiece, a tip module 300 is provided. The tip module is configured to include a plurality of needles and can be detachably mounted on the handpiece body 201. Specifically, the base 301 forms the bottom surface of the tip module, and on the outer wall of the base, a detachment protrusion 307 protruding outward is formed. The recessed portion 240 to which the tip module is coupled on the handpiece side has a guide groove 241 for guiding the detachment protrusion and a detachment protrusion 307 guided along the guide groove 241 Preventing groove 242 is formed. The detachment protrusion 307 of the tip module is installed in the handpiece in such a manner that the detachment protrusion 307 of the tip module is guided along the guide groove 241 and fastened to the release preventing groove 242. [ However, the tip module may be detachably attached to the handpiece as in the present embodiment, and the tip module may be formed integrally with the handpiece.

7 is a cross-sectional view of an end portion of the handpiece shown in Fig. 6; Fig. Referring to FIG. 7, the end of the handpiece 200 is in contact with the skin tissue and is treated. Inside the tip module, a support plate 310 on which a plurality of needles 320 are installed is provided. The plurality of needles 320 are fixed to the support plate 310 in a matrix form, and RF energy is transmitted through a circuit formed on the support plate 310. The front surface S of the tip module can form a portion in contact with or adjacent to the patient's skin at the time of treatment, and a plurality of through-holes 302 in which a plurality of needles protrude and retreat are formed.

At the bottom of the tip module is at least one hole 303 through which the output stage 211 can pass. The output stage 211 linearly moves along the hole 303 when the driving unit 210 is operated, and presses the support plate 310. The back surface of the support plate 310 is seated on a support base 304 inside the tip module and the front surface is pressed by an elastic member 330 installed inside the tip module. When the output terminal 211 moves to press the support plate 310, the support plate 310 advances while being separated from the support table 304 and a plurality of needles 320 protrude forward of the through hole 302, do. When the output unit 211 is retracted by the driving unit 210, the supporting plate 310 is retracted by the restoring force of the elastic member 330 and the plurality of needles 320 are also returned to the inside of the tip module. Although not shown in the drawing, it is also possible to further include a separate guide member for guiding a path along which the support plate moves.

Although not shown in the drawings, the circuit of the support plate 310 may be configured to be electrically connected to the RF generator of the main body when the tip module is installed on the handpiece. Alternatively, the circuit of the support plate may be configured to be selectively electrically connected to the RF generator when it is pressed by the output stage 211 (for example, an electrode is formed at the end of the output stage, ).

8 is a cross-sectional view showing a cross section of one of the needles of Fig. 7; Each of the needles 320 may be composed of microneedles having a diameter of about 5 to 500 mu m. Needle 320 is constructed of a conductive material to transmit RF energy. A portion of the surface of each needle other than the tip end thereof is formed of an insulating material 321 so that RF energy can not be transmitted to the tissue. Thereby, a part of the distal end of each needle serves as the electrode 322, and is configured to transmit RF energy to the tissue through the distal end. Thus, RF energy can be selectively delivered to the portion of the needle where the end of the needle is located during treatment.

Referring again to FIG. 7, a sensing unit 360 is provided at an end of the handpiece 200. The sensing unit 360 measures the displacement of the skin surface during treatment. For example, the sensing unit 360 includes a movable member 340 movably installed in a direction in which the needle 320 is inserted, and a sensing member 350 that detects the amount of movement of the movable member.

As shown in FIG. 7, the movable member 340 may be provided in the tip module. At both ends of the tip module, a movable member hole 305 is formed so that the movable member 340 is arranged to penetrate the tip module along the movable member hole 305. A stopper 341 having a diameter larger than that of the movable member hole may be formed on the body of the movable member 340. Therefore, the movable member 340 can freely move in the vertical direction, that is, in the moving direction of the needle, without restraint within a range where the movement is not restricted by the stopper 341. [ At this time, the front end of the movable member 340, which is in contact with the surface of the skin tissue during treatment, may be configured to be exposed forward of the tip module in a fully advanced state and accommodated in the interior of the tip module in a maximally retracted state. In addition, the rear end of the movable member 340 may be configured to protrude to the rear end of the tip module both in the maximum advancing state and in the maximally retracted state.

The sensing member 350 is configured to be disposed inside the main body 100 of the handpiece separately from the tip module (see FIG. 7), and detects the amount of movement of the movable member 340. In one example, the sensing member 350 is configured to be able to detect a change in the magnetic field. The change in the magnetic field due to the movement of the magnetic body 342 provided at the rear end of the movable member can be detected and the movement amount of the movable member 340 can be measured based on this change.

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a state immediately before insertion of a needle during a treatment process using the handpiece of FIG. 7, and FIG. 10 is a sectional view illustrating a needle inserted state during a treatment process using the handpiece of FIG.

As shown in Fig. 9, at the time of treatment, the end of the handpiece (the end provided with the needle) is arranged to contact the skin tissue T toward the downward direction. At this time, the movable member 340 moves downward due to gravity and comes into contact with the surface of the skin to be held on the surface of the skin. 10, when the downward displacement occurs on the surface of the skin by the insertion of the needle 320, the movable member 340 also moves downward by the displacement of the surface of the skin. At this time, the sensing member can measure the displacement of the skin surface by measuring the amount of movement of the movable member 340.

11 is a cross-sectional view showing a modification of the handpiece of Fig. In Fig. 7, the movable member of the sensing unit is provided in the tip module and the sensing member is provided in the handpiece body. However, as shown in Fig. 11, the movable member and the sensing member are both provided in the handpiece body It is also possible.

As shown in FIG. 11, the tip module 300 may have a channel 306 through which the movable member can pass. The movable member 340 is installed inside the handpiece body 201 so as to be freely movable in the insertion direction of the needle within a range not limited by the stopper 341. [ At this time, the front end of the movable member 340 may be configured so as to protrude forward from the tip module in the fully advanced state, and to be received in the channel 306 of the tip module at the maximum retracted state. The sensing member 350 is disposed adjacent to the rear end of the movable member 340 to sense the change of the magnetic field caused by the magnetic substance 342 installed on the movable member 340 and measure the amount of movement of the movable member 340 .

7 and FIG. 11 illustrate the configuration of the various sensing units, it is needless to say that the present invention can be modified in other ways.

The treatment apparatus of this embodiment controls the operation of the driving unit 210 and the RF generation unit (the configuration corresponding to the treatment operation unit of FIG. 3) as in the above-described embodiment, A plurality of needles 320 are inserted into the skin tissue to transmit RF energy to a target position. At this time, the controller determines the first length in consideration of the depth of the target position in the skin tissue, and determines the second length corresponding to the compensation depth due to the displacement generated when the needle is inserted. At this time, the sensing unit 360 measures the displacement of the surface of the skin that occurs when the needle is inserted during the treatment, and the controller (see 50 in FIG. 3) can determine the second length based on the measured displacement value. The control unit performs the first insertion operation and the second insertion operation based on the determined first length and the second length. Then, when the end of the needle reaches the target position, the RF energy is transferred to the target position by driving the RF energy transfer part, and the treatment can proceed. As a result, RF energy is delivered to the dermal layer corresponding to the target position and heated, thereby causing collagen contraction and forming a new collagen structure. When the treatment is completed, the control unit can drive the driving unit to allow the plurality of needles to come out of the tissue, thereby completing the treatment.

In the foregoing, each step of the control method of the treatment apparatus according to the present embodiment has been described, and the specific contents of each step are replaced with the description of FIG. 4 of the above-described embodiment.

However, in the above-described step, the step of setting the first length may be performed differently according to the shape and insertion method of the handpiece. Hereinafter, for convenience of explanation, each code is defined as follows.

L1: first length

Ld: distance from tissue surface to target position in steady state

Ld ': distance from the tissue surface to the target position in the pressed state

L0: Distance from the initial position of the insertion section until the end of the insertion section reaches the tissue surface

First, as shown in FIG. 2, when the tissue surface is not separately pressurized before the tissue surface is pressed by the insertion portion, the first length value L1 can be set to the Ld value as described above.

However, in the case of a structure in which the contact surface of the handpiece and the end portion of the insertion portion are spaced apart from each other when the handpiece is positioned, the insertion portion should be advanced a predetermined distance until reaching the tissue surface. Therefore, in this case, the first length value L1 can be set to a value obtained by adding the Ld value and the L0 value.

Furthermore, the tissue surface may already be pressurized before the insert presses against the tissue surface. For example, the insertion portion is inserted in a state in which the tissue surface is pressed through the contact surface of the handpiece when the handpiece is positioned. In this case, depending on the characteristics of the tissue, the distance from the tissue surface to the target position may be different from the unpressured state. Therefore, in this case, the first length value L1 may be set to the value Ld ', or may be set to a value obtained by adding the value Ld' and the value L0. In this case, the value of Ld 'can be obtained by using the information of the pre-stored database according to the type of organization.

12 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an insertion operation section of a handpiece according to another embodiment. 12 is a configuration in which a pressure sensor is further provided at the end portion of the handpiece, as compared with the above-described embodiment. 12, it is of course possible to adopt a structure in which the lower end of the case of the handpiece body is configured to form a contact surface and a pressure sensor is provided on the contact surface, or the end portion of the tip is formed as a contact surface and the pressure sensor is provided on the end portion of the tip.

Such a pressure sensor can measure the force pressing the tissue surface by the contact surface before the insertion operation by the insertion portion is performed. In this case, the control unit measures the magnitude of the force applied from the pressure sensor so that the inserting operation of the inserting unit can be performed in a state where a tension greater than a predetermined magnitude is formed on the skin surface. .

When a separate pressure sensor is provided on the contact surface as in the present embodiment, the above-described value of Ld 'can be accurately grasped in real time. Since the pressing force of the contact force can be measured in real time at the time of the treatment, the Ld 'value can be accurately grasped by using the measured information and information stored in the database (for example, the graph of FIG. 3). Therefore, even when the pressing force through the contact surface is significantly different or the degree of distance change to the target position is large according to the change of the pressing force, the first length value can be set accurately and the treatment can proceed.

In the foregoing, mainly the therapeutic apparatus for delivering RF energy to the skin tissue for treatment has been described. However, this is merely an example, and it can be applied to a treatment apparatus targeting tissues other than skin tissue. In addition, the present invention can be applied to various treatment apparatuses such as a therapeutic apparatus for treating by a method of delivering RF energy as well as a therapeutic apparatus for treating a therapeutic agent. Furthermore, although a treatment device including a main body and a handpiece has been described, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the present invention can be applied to a treatment device configured as a single module of a handpiece.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims. Leave.

10: insertion part 20:
30: treatment operation unit 40: sensing unit
50: control unit 100: treatment device
200: Handpiece

Claims (24)

An insertion portion formed to be insertable into the tissue through the tissue surface;
A displacement measuring unit for measuring a displacement of the tissue surface caused by insertion of the insertion unit; And
And a control unit for controlling the insertion operation of the insertion unit based on the displacement of the tissue surface measured by the displacement measurement unit. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the control unit controls to further insert the insertion unit by a displacement corresponding amount generated at the tissue surface so that the end of the insertion unit can reach the target position inside the tissue. The method according to claim 1,
The control unit controls the insertion unit to be inserted by advancing the insertion unit by a first length based on the depth of the target position and is controlled to be inserted by the second length to compensate for the depth at which the insertion unit is not inserted due to displacement of the tissue surface Lt; / RTI > The method of claim 3,
Wherein the second length is the same size as the displacement measured by the displacement measuring unit. The method of claim 3,
And the second length is calculated using the magnitude of the displacement measured by the displacement measuring unit as a variable. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the displacement measuring section measures the displacement of the tissue surface after the insertion section has pressed the tissue surface and after the insertion section has been inserted through the tissue surface. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the displacement measuring unit measures the displacement using a sensor using light. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the displacement measuring unit comprises a movable member that moves as displacement occurs on the tissue surface, and a sensing member that measures a movement amount of the movable member. 9. The method of claim 8,
Wherein the movable member includes a magnetic body, and the sensing member senses the amount of movement of the movable member based on a change in a magnetic field caused by the movement of the movable member. 9. The method of claim 8,
Wherein the insertion portion is provided in a tip module detachably mounted on the handpiece or the main body, and the movable member is installed to penetrate the tip module and to be movable along the advancing direction of the insertion portion. 11. The method of claim 10,
Wherein the sensing member is disposed adjacent to a portion of the handpiece or the body where the tip module is installed. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the insertion portion comprises a plurality of micro needles. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the insertion portion comprises an energy transmitting member for transmitting energy to a target position while being inserted into the tissue. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the insertion portion comprises a mass transferring member for transferring the therapeutic material to the target position while being inserted into the tissue. Hand piece;
An energy transmitting part formed to protrude / retract to one side of the handpiece and inserted into the tissue to transmit energy to a target position;
A displacement measuring unit for measuring a displacement of the tissue surface generated by the insertion of the energy transfer unit; And
And a control unit for controlling the insertion operation of the energy transfer unit based on the displacement of the tissue surface measured by the displacement measuring unit. delete delete delete delete delete delete delete delete delete

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