Monitoring the cooling of subcutaneous lipid-rich cells, such as the cooling of adipose tissue

Abstract

A system and method of monitoring, controlling and/or detecting events during the removal of heat from subcutaneous lipid-rich tissue is described. In some examples, the system detects an increase in temperature at a treatment device in contact with the skin of a subject, determines that the increase in temperature is related to a treatment event, and performs an action based on the determination. In some examples, the system shuts off the treatment device, alerts an operator, or reduces the cooling in response to a determined treatment event.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A non-invasive treatment system for removing heat from subcutaneous lipid-rich cells of a subject, comprising:
 a treatment unit, configured to contact an area of skin of the subject, that removes the heat from the subcutaneous lipid-rich cells;   a monitoring component that monitors power used by the treatment unit to identify freezing of the skin, wherein the monitoring component is configured to monitor power used by a thermoelectric cooler within the treatment unit; and   a controlling device, in communication with the monitoring component, that modifies operation of the system based on an increase in power supplied to the treatment unit caused by the treatment unit absorbing heat associated with the latent heat of fusion.   
     
     
         22 . The treatment system of  claim 21 , wherein the non-invasive treatment system is configured to cause additional power to be provided to the thermoelectric cooler within the treatment unit when warming of the skin is detected so as to cause the treatment unit to be maintained at a temperature. 
     
     
         23 . The treatment system of  claim 21 , further comprising a plurality of temperature sensors proximate one or more of the treatment unit, the patient's skin, or a patient protection device for use with the treatment unit. 
     
     
         24 . The treatment system of  claim 23 , wherein the controlling device is programmed to use output from the plurality of temperature sensors to determine whether a temperature or heat flux sufficiently close to a target temperature or heat flux has been reached. 
     
     
         25 . The treatment system of  claim 21 , wherein the treatment system further comprises a temperature sensor in or proximate to the thermoelectric cooler within the treatment unit to identify a temperature change within the treatment unit. 
     
     
         26 . The treatment system of  claim 21 , wherein the controlling device is further configured to:
 identify changes in power usages related to a variation in operational procedure, wherein the variation in operational procedure is at least one of treatment unit lift off or motion; and   perform one or more corrective actions to remedy the variation.   
     
     
         27 . The treatment system of  claim 21 , wherein the monitoring component is further programmed to compare calculated changes in measured temperatures to threshold values and to detect a treatment event based on the comparison. 
     
     
         28 . The treatment system of  claim 21 , wherein the system is configured to perform an action in response to detection of the partial freezing of the skin, wherein the action includes one or more of alerting an operator associated with the non-invasive treatment system, warming a thermoelectric cooler of the treatment unit, and/or shutting off power to the treatment unit. 
     
     
         29 . The treatment system of  claim 28 , wherein a chiller is configured to circulate warm coolant to the treatment unit during periods of warming. 
     
     
         30 . A method of controlling operation of a non-invasive treatment system that removes heat from subcutaneous lipid-rich cells of a subject, the method comprising:
 removing heat from the subcutaneous lipid-rich cells using a treatment device of the non-invasive treatment system;   identifying an increase in power used by a thermoelectric cooler within the treatment device of the non-invasive treatment system caused by freezing of the subject's skin while the treatment device removes the heat from the subcutaneous lipid-rich cells; and   performing an action based on the identified increase in power usage.   
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein performing the action includes one or more of turning off power to the treatment device, allowing warming of the subject's skin, and/or alerting an operator to remove the treatment device from the subject's skin. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein a chiller circulates warm coolant to the treatment device during periods of warming. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 30 , further comprising providing additional power to the thermoelectric cooler in the treatment device when warming of the skin is detected to cause the treatment device to be maintained at a temperature, before the step of identifying the increase in power used by a thermoelectric cooler within the treatment device.