Needle for delivery of dermal filler threads

Abstract

Provided herewith is a needle for delivering dermal filler thread to a wrinkle in a patient. The needle can also be used to deliver the thread to a patient for the purposes of facial contouring. The needle comprises a coupler for attaching the thread to the needle and also a trocar to ease delivery through the skin.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . A needle for delivering a dermal filler, the needle comprising:
 a dermal filler thread;   a tubular body having a proximal body portion, a distal body portion, and a longitudinal axis, wherein at least a portion of the dermal filler thread extends through the tubular body; and   a sheath encasing the tubular body, the sheath having a proximal sheath portion and a distal sheath portion, the distal sheath portion having an expanded distal edge that has a cross-sectional profile that is expanded relative to a cross-sectional profile of the proximal sheath portion, the sheath being configured to permit a clinician to firmly grasp the tubular body for piercing a patient's skin with the tubular body while abutting the expanded distal edge against the patient's skin thereby preventing the sheath from piercing the patient's skin.   
     
     
         3 . The needle of  claim 2 , wherein the tubular body is configured to advance distally relative to the distal sheath portion. 
     
     
         4 . The needle of  claim 3 , wherein the sheath is configured to buckle as the tubular body advances distally relative to the sheath. 
     
     
         5 . The needle of  claim 2 , wherein the sheath is configured to buckle against the patient's skin as the tubular body is inserted into the patient. 
     
     
         6 . The needle of  claim 5 , wherein the sheath is configured to self-elongate. 
     
     
         7 . The needle of  claim 2 , further comprising a needle clamp disposed around the distal body portion of the tubular body, wherein the needle clamp permits sliding movement of the tubular body relative to the needle clamp in a released position and the needle clamp prevents sliding movement of the tubular body relative to the needle clamp in a clamped position. 
     
     
         8 . The needle of  claim 2 , wherein the dermal filler thread comprises a hyaluronic acid, salt, hydrate or solvate thereof. 
     
     
         9 . The needle of  claim 2 , wherein the dermal filler thread comprises a cross-linked hyaluronic acid. 
     
     
         10 . A method for delivering a dermal filler, the method comprising:
 providing a dermal filler thread within a tubular body;   at least partially encasing the tubular body with a sheath, wherein the sheath comprises a proximal sheath portion and a distal sheath portion, the distal sheath portion having an expanded distal edge that has a cross-sectional profile that is expanded relative to a cross-sectional profile of the proximal sheath portion;   abutting the expanded distal edge against a patient's skin thereby preventing the sheath from piercing the patient's skin;   grasping the sheath and the tubular body; and   piercing a patient's skin with the tubular body.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising advancing the tubular body distally relative to the distal sheath portion. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising removing the sheath from a distal portion of the tubular body as the tubular body is inserted into the patient's skin. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising buckling the sheath as the tubular body advances distally relative to the sheath. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising buckling the sheath against the patient's skin as the tubular body is inserted into the patient. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 buckling the sheath to a grab point as the tubular body is inserted into the patient; and   retracting the sheath proximally relative to the tubular body.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising maintaining the sheath in a buckled configuration during retracting the sheath. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising expanding the sheath from a buckled configuration. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising clamping a distal portion of the tubular body. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising advancing the dermal filler thread through the tubular body. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the dermal filler thread comprises a hyaluronic acid, salt, hydrate or solvate thereof. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the dermal filler thread comprises a cross-linked hyaluronic acid.