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I recently came across a patent on patentsonline.com called method for treating meibomian gland dysfunction. There are lots of different elements to it, but the part that interested me most was the bit about microdermabrasion or exfoliation to remove dead cells from the meibomian gland openings (extract below).
Has anyone heard about this before? It seems like a good idea to me.
Helen
[0058] A second embodiment of the invention (FIG. 5) employs microdermabraision or exfoliation to remove any cells or cellular material that may have overgrown the gland opening. Microdermabraision is a process that was developed for use in dermatology to remove dead skin cells. As shown in FIG. 5 a probe or tip 330 is equipped with an abrasive surface 310 that is adapted to scrape the skin. The abrasive employed is usually a diamond power or other suitable material, well known to those skilled in the art. An inner tube 320 having a central bore 325 includes holes defining openings 330 through which a fluid such as air is pumped. An outer covering 335 surrounds the tube 320, but at its lower edge extends slightly lower and is spaced from the abrasive surface 310 and a space is defined between the lower ends of the respective tubes 320, 335. The outer covering is connected to aspiration, vacuum, and/or suction that operates as described herein below.
[0059] In operation, the clinician would place the abrasive tip 310 in contact over the gland orifice creating a seal between the tip and the skin. Movement of the probe 330 would cause the abrasive 310 on the bottom of the tip to separate the cells from the skin and the aspiration, suction or vacuum would extract the cellular material from the vicinity of the gland opening. In addition, depending upon the obstruction, aspiration, suction and/or vacuum alone may be sufficient to extract the obstruction.
[0060] Additional features may also be providing to the microdermabraision tip such as a heating element 340 which could be placed in the outer covering 335 near the tip. In addition, the inner tube 320 could be equipped such that ultrasonic energy could be delivered to the obstruction as discussed herein above.
[0061] Another embodiment of the invention may employ a chemical agent to clean the gland margin and to remove or exfoliate cells from the meibomian gland orifice. For example Ophthaine.RTM. or a similar pharmacological agent may be employed to assist in removing epithelial cells from over the gland orifice. A probe similar to that shown in FIG. 5 may be employed, except that the inner tube will deliver the chemical agent and the suction applied by the outer covering will be used to evacuate the used chemical agent and cellular material mixture away from the gland margin. Similarly, the heating and vibrational features discussed above may also be included.
Has anyone heard about this before? It seems like a good idea to me.
Helen
[0058] A second embodiment of the invention (FIG. 5) employs microdermabraision or exfoliation to remove any cells or cellular material that may have overgrown the gland opening. Microdermabraision is a process that was developed for use in dermatology to remove dead skin cells. As shown in FIG. 5 a probe or tip 330 is equipped with an abrasive surface 310 that is adapted to scrape the skin. The abrasive employed is usually a diamond power or other suitable material, well known to those skilled in the art. An inner tube 320 having a central bore 325 includes holes defining openings 330 through which a fluid such as air is pumped. An outer covering 335 surrounds the tube 320, but at its lower edge extends slightly lower and is spaced from the abrasive surface 310 and a space is defined between the lower ends of the respective tubes 320, 335. The outer covering is connected to aspiration, vacuum, and/or suction that operates as described herein below.
[0059] In operation, the clinician would place the abrasive tip 310 in contact over the gland orifice creating a seal between the tip and the skin. Movement of the probe 330 would cause the abrasive 310 on the bottom of the tip to separate the cells from the skin and the aspiration, suction or vacuum would extract the cellular material from the vicinity of the gland opening. In addition, depending upon the obstruction, aspiration, suction and/or vacuum alone may be sufficient to extract the obstruction.
[0060] Additional features may also be providing to the microdermabraision tip such as a heating element 340 which could be placed in the outer covering 335 near the tip. In addition, the inner tube 320 could be equipped such that ultrasonic energy could be delivered to the obstruction as discussed herein above.
[0061] Another embodiment of the invention may employ a chemical agent to clean the gland margin and to remove or exfoliate cells from the meibomian gland orifice. For example Ophthaine.RTM. or a similar pharmacological agent may be employed to assist in removing epithelial cells from over the gland orifice. A probe similar to that shown in FIG. 5 may be employed, except that the inner tube will deliver the chemical agent and the suction applied by the outer covering will be used to evacuate the used chemical agent and cellular material mixture away from the gland margin. Similarly, the heating and vibrational features discussed above may also be included.
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