Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
219 words
Apparatus for applying photodynamic therapy to a dermal lesion located at a dermal treatment site on the skin including stratum corneum, comprising: patch means for applying photodynamic therapy to the dermal lesion and including transparent coupling means containing at least one hydration agent, at least one photopharmaceutical, and optical energy delivery means for delivering optical energy to said patch means, said coupling means for coupling said hydration agent, said photopharmaceutical, and said optical energy to said dermal treatment site; control means for controlling the photodynamic therapy including a source of optical energy connected to said optical energy delivery means; said patch means for being secured to said skin over the dermal treatment site to cause said transparent optical coupling means to engage the stratum corneum to cause said hydration agent to hydrate the stratum corneum to enhance its optical transparency to the photopharmaceutical to permit the photopharmaceutical to pass therethrough and enter the treatment site and to enhance the optical transparency of the stratum corneum to facilitate the passage therethrough of said optical energy; and said optical energy delivery means for delivering said optical energy through said transparent coupling means and said hydrated stratum corneum to said photopharmaceutical at the dermal treatment site to photoactivate said photopharmaceutical to cause said photopharmaceutical to biologically engage and treat the dermal lesion.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
219 words
Apparatus for applying photodynamic therapy to a dermal lesion located at a dermal treatment site on the skin including stratum corneum, comprising: patch means for applying photodynamic therapy to the dermal lesion and including transparent coupling means containing at least one hydration agent, at least one photopharmaceutical, and optical energy delivery means for delivering optical energy to said patch means, said coupling means for coupling said hydration agent, said photopharmaceutical, and said optical energy to said dermal treatment site; control means for controlling the photodynamic therapy including a source of optical energy connected to said optical energy delivery means; said patch means for being secured to said skin over the dermal treatment site to cause said transparent optical coupling means to engage the stratum corneum to cause said hydration agent to hydrate the stratum corneum to enhance its optical transparency to the photopharmaceutical to permit the photopharmaceutical to pass therethrough and enter the treatment site and to enhance the optical transparency of the stratum corneum to facilitate the passage therethrough of said optical energy; and said optical energy delivery means for delivering said optical energy through said transparent coupling means and said hydrated stratum corneum to said photopharmaceutical at the dermal treatment site to photoactivate said photopharmaceutical to cause said photopharmaceutical to biologically engage and treat the dermal lesion.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
62 words
The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said patch means includes cover means for covering the dermal treatment site provided with sealing means for sealing said cover means over the dermal treatment site, and wherein said transparent coupling means include transparent hydrogel means, including a water matrix, for providing said hydration agent and wherein said photopharmaceutical is absorbed into said water matrix.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
61 words
The apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said cover means includes an internal surface defining a chamber receiving said transparent hydrogel means and wherein said transparent hydrogel means resides in said chamber, and wherein said cover means further comprises a reflective layer provided on said internal surface for reflecting said optical energy through said transparent hydrogel means and to said photopharmaceutical.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
101 words
The apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said source of optical energy is a laser providing laser light; wherein said optical energy delivery means comprise an array of parallel optical fibers for emitting said laser light from sides thereof, wherein said cover means is provided with an internal reflective surface for reflecting said laser light through said transparent coupling means, and said hydrated stratum corneum into the dermal treatment site, and wherein said transparent hydrogel means is comprised of castable transparent hydrogel and wherein said hydrogel is cast into intimate physical and optical engagement with said array of parallel optical fibers.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
33 words
The apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said photopharmaceutical is photoactivateable at a predetermined wavelength and wherein said laser provides monochromatic light at said predetermined wavelength through said array of parallel optical fibers.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
19 words
The apparatus according to claim 5 wherein said laser provides said monochromatic light at a wavelength of 635 nm.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
103 words
The apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said transparent hydrogel means comprise a first layer of hydrogel received in said chamber and a second layer of hydrogel received in said chamber and for residing intermediate said first layer of hydrogel and the dermal treatment site, said first layer of hydrogel including a water matrix providing said hydration agent and said second layer of hydrogel being smaller in size than said first layer and generally shaped to cover only the dermal lesion located at the dermal treatment site, and said second layer of hydrogel including a water matrix into which said photopharmaceutical is absorbed.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
60 words
The apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said sealing means comprises a lower portion provided on said cover means which lower portion includes an outwardly extending peripheral portion circumscribing said lower portion and a layer of adhesive applied to said peripheral portion for sealingly engaging the skin to seal said cover means to the skin over the dermal treatment site.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
95 words
The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said control means includes a power supply for providing power to said source of optical energy, wherein said control means includes computer means including a programmed logic array under the control of a patient receiving the photodynamic therapy, said computer means connected to said power supply to permit said patient to control the amount of power supplied to said laser and the time said power supply supplies power to said laser to thereby permit the patient to control and vary the photodynamic therapy applied to the dermal lesion.