Method of performing laser therapy

Claim 1

A method of treating a patient having an external skin layer, comprising the following steps: providing a laser source for emitting a laser light having a wavelength of between 800 nm and 870 nm; diagnosing an afflicted area of said patient, a portion of said external skin layer being adjacent said afflicted area; delivering said laser light to the afflicted area for at least one treatment cycle, said laser source being operable on said afflicted area at a level of 1 Joule/cm 2 per treatment cycle so as to therapeutically treat said afflicted area and such that said external skin layer is not destroyed; monitoring said afflicted area after the treatment cycle has been completed; and repeating said steps of diagnosing and delivering said laser light to said afflicted area based on said monitoring step.

Claim 2

A method of treating a patient having an external skin layer, comprising the following steps: providing a laser source for emitting a laser light having a wavelength of between 800 nm and 870 nm; diagnosing an afflicted area of said patient, a portion of said external skin layer being adjacent said afflicted area; delivering said laser light to the afflicted area for at least one treatment cycle, said laser source being operable on said afflicted area at a level of 1 Joule/cm 2 per treatment cycle so as to therapeutically treat said afflicted area and such that said external skin layer is not destroyed; monitoring said afflicted area after the treatment cycle has been completed; and repeating said steps of diagnosing and delivering said laser light to said afflicted area based on said monitoring step.

Claim 7

A method of treating a patient, comprising the following steps: providing a laser source for emitting a laser light having a wavelength of between 800 nm and 870 nm; diagnosing an afflicted area of said patient; delivering said laser light to the afflicted area for at least one treatment cycle, said laser source being operable on said afflicted area at a level of 1 Joule/cm 2 per treatment cycle; monitoring said afflicted area after the treatment cycle has been completed; and repeating said steps of diagnosing and delivering said laser light to said afflicted area based on said monitoring step, wherein each treatment cycle of said at least one treatment cycle has a duration of 33 seconds.

Claim 8

A method of treating a patient, comprising the following steps: providing a laser source for emitting a laser light having a wavelength of between 800 nm and 870 nm; diagnosing an afflicted area of said patient; delivering said laser light to the afflicted area for at least one treatment cycle, said laser source being operable on said afflicted area at a level of 1 Joule/cm 2 per treatment cycle; monitoring said afflicted area after the treatment cycle has been completed; and repeating said steps of diagnosing and delivering said laser light to said afflicted area based on said monitoring step, wherein each treatment cycle of said at least one treatment cycle has a duration of 33 seconds.

Claim 9

A method of treating a patient, comprising the following steps: providing a laser source for emitting a laser light having a wavelength of between 800 nm and 870 nm; diagnosing an afflicted area of said patient; delivering said laser light to the afflicted area for at least one treatment cycle, said laser source being operable on said afflicted area at a level of 1 Joule/cm 2 per treatment cycle; monitoring said afflicted area after the treatment cycle has been completed; and repeating said steps of diagnosing and delivering said laser light to said afflicted area based on said monitoring step, wherein said laser light is homogeneous and continuous throughout said treatment cycle.

Claim 10

A method of treating a patient, comprising the following steps: providing a laser source for emitting a laser light having a wavelength of between 800 nm and 870 nm; diagnosing an afflicted area of said patient; delivering said laser light to the afflicted area for at least one treatment cycle, said laser source being operable on said afflicted area at a level of 1 Joule/cm 2 per treatment cycle; monitoring said afflicted area after the treatment cycle has been completed; and repeating said steps of diagnosing and delivering said laser light to said afflicted area based on said monitoring step, wherein said laser light is homogeneous and continuous throughout said treatment cycle.

Claim 11

A method of treating a patient, comprising the following steps: providing a laser source for emitting a laser light having a wavelength of between 800 nm and 870 nm; diagnosing an afflicted area of said patient; delivering said laser light to the afflicted area for at least one treatment cycle, said laser source being operable on said afflicted area at a level of 1 Joule/cm 2 per treatment cycle; monitoring said afflicted area after the treatment cycle has been completed; and repeating said steps of diagnosing and delivering said laser light to said afflicted area based on said monitoring step, wherein said step of providing a laser source includes a step of providing a laser source having a mean power of between 30 mW and 70 mW.

Claim 12

A method of treating a patient, comprising the following steps: providing a laser source for emitting a laser light having a wavelength of between 800 nm and 870 nm; diagnosing an afflicted area of said patient; delivering said laser light to the afflicted area for at least one treatment cycle, said laser source being operable on said afflicted area at a level of 1 Joule/cm 2 per treatment cycle; monitoring said afflicted area after the treatment cycle has been completed; and repeating said steps of diagnosing and delivering said laser light to said afflicted area based on said monitoring step, wherein said step of providing a laser source includes a step of providing a laser source having a mean power of between 30 mW and 70 mW.

Claim 13

A method of treating a patient with a laser light beam, comprising the following steps: providing a laser source for emitting a laser light beam having a wavelength of between 800 nm and 870 nm; diagnosing an afflicted area of said patient; delivering said laser light beam to the afflicted area for at least one treatment cycle, said laser light beam irradiating said afflicted area at a level of 1 Joule/cm 2 per treatment cycle, said treatment cycle being for at least 33 seconds; monitoring said afflicted area after the treatment cycle has been completed; and repeating said steps of diagnosing and delivering said laser light beam to said afflicted area based on said monitoring step.

Claim 14

A method of treating a patient with a laser light beam, comprising the following steps: providing a laser source for emitting a laser light beam having a wavelength of between 800 nm and 870 nm; diagnosing an afflicted area of said patient; delivering said laser light beam to the afflicted area for at least one treatment cycle, said laser light beam irradiating said afflicted area at a level of 1 Joule/cm 2 per treatment cycle, said treatment cycle being for at least 33 seconds; monitoring said afflicted area after the treatment cycle has been completed; and repeating said steps of diagnosing and delivering said laser light beam to said afflicted area based on said monitoring step.

Claim 23

A method of treating a patient, comprising the following steps: providing a laser source for emitting a laser light having a wavelength of between 800 nm and 870 nm; diagnosing an afflicted area of said patient; delivering said laser light to the afflicted area for at least one treatment cycle, said laser source being operable on said afflicted area at a level of 1 Joule/cm 2 per treatment cycle; monitoring said afflicted area after the treatment cycle has been completed; and repeating said steps of diagnosing and delivering said laser light to said afflicted area based on said monitoring step, wherein said step of delivering said laser light includes performing a grid treatment cycle comprising: creating a grid over the affected area comprising squares measuring approximately 6 cm 2 each; and delivering said treatment cycle of said laser light to each of said squares, one square at a time.

Claim 24

A method of treating a patient, comprising the following steps: providing a laser source for emitting a laser light having a wavelength of between 800 nm and 870 nm; diagnosing an afflicted area of said patient; delivering said laser light to the afflicted area for at least one treatment cycle, said laser source being operable on said afflicted area at a level of 1 Joule/cm 2 per treatment cycle; monitoring said afflicted area after the treatment cycle has been completed; and repeating said steps of diagnosing and delivering said laser light to said afflicted area based on said monitoring step, wherein said step of delivering said laser light includes performing a grid treatment cycle comprising: creating a grid over the affected area comprising squares measuring approximately 6 cm 2 each; and delivering said treatment cycle of said laser light to each of said squares, one square at a time.

Claim 25

A method of treating a patient, comprising the following steps: providing a laser source for emitting a laser light having a wavelength of between 800 nm and 870 nm; diagnosing an afflicted area of said patient; delivering said laser light to the afflicted area for at least one treatment cycle. said laser source being operable on said afflicted area at a level of 1 Joule/cm 2 per treatment cycle; monitoring said afflicted area after the treatment cycle has been completed; and repeating said steps of diagnosing and delivering said laser light to said afflicted area based on said monitoring step, wherein said step of delivering said laser light includes performing a duty treatment cycle comprising: delivering said treatment cycle of laser light at a first treatment angle; rotating said laser source a predetermined angle from said first treatment angle; and delivering another said treatment cycle of laser light, wherein a total energy supplied is at a level of 1 Joule/cm 2 .

Claim 26

A method of treating a patient, comprising the following steps: providing a laser source for emitting a laser light having a wavelength of between 800 nm and 870 nm; diagnosing an afflicted area of said patient; delivering said laser light to the afflicted area for at least one treatment cycle. said laser source being operable on said afflicted area at a level of 1 Joule/cm 2 per treatment cycle; monitoring said afflicted area after the treatment cycle has been completed; and repeating said steps of diagnosing and delivering said laser light to said afflicted area based on said monitoring step, wherein said step of delivering said laser light includes performing a duty treatment cycle comprising: delivering said treatment cycle of laser light at a first treatment angle; rotating said laser source a predetermined angle from said first treatment angle; and delivering another said treatment cycle of laser light, wherein a total energy supplied is at a level of 1 Joule/cm 2 .

Claim 27

A method of treating a patient, comprising the following steps: providing a laser source for emitting a laser light having a wavelength of between 800 nm and 870 nm: diagnosing an afflicted area of said patient: delivering said laser light to the afflicted area for at least one treatment cycle, said laser source being operable on said afflicted area at a level of 1 Joule/cm 2 per treatment cycle: monitoring said afflicted area after the treatment cycle has been completed: and repeating said steps of diagnosing and delivering said laser light to said afflicted area based on said monitoring step, wherein said monitoring step includes a step of restricting the total level of treatment to a level not greater than 4 J/cm 2 over a 24-hour period.

Claim 28

A method of treating a patient, comprising the following steps: providing a laser source for emitting a laser light having a wavelength of between 800 nm and 870 nm: diagnosing an afflicted area of said patient: delivering said laser light to the afflicted area for at least one treatment cycle, said laser source being operable on said afflicted area at a level of 1 Joule/cm 2 per treatment cycle: monitoring said afflicted area after the treatment cycle has been completed: and repeating said steps of diagnosing and delivering said laser light to said afflicted area based on said monitoring step, wherein said monitoring step includes a step of restricting the total level of treatment to a level not greater than 4 J/cm 2 over a 24-hour period.