Abstract: Various methods and devices for minimally invasive treatment and prevention of conditions of the fascia are provided. In one aspect, a method includes providing an acoustic wave source effective to deliver a focused acoustic wave to a target site within a patient's body, and focusing an acoustic wave through a patient's skin such that at least one location in the patient's fascia is fenestrated in a desired pattern.

Abstract: Various methods and devices for minimally invasive treatment and prevention of conditions of the fascia are provided. In one aspect, a method includes providing an acoustic wave source effective to deliver a focused acoustic wave to a target site within a patient's body focusing an acoustic wave through a patient's skin such that at least one location in the patient's fascia is fenestrated in a desired pattern.

Abstract: Various methods and devices for minimally invasive treatment and prevention of conditions of the fascia are provided. In one aspect, a method includes providing an acoustic wave source effective to deliver a focused acoustic wave to a target site within a patient's body, and focusing an acoustic wave through a patient's skin such that at least one location in the patient's fascia is fenestrated in a desired pattern.

Abstract: A method of ablating atherosclerotic plaque by means of short-duration laser light pulses. A carotenoid, such as beta-carotene, is preferably administered to the patient by injection or ingestion prior to exposing the plaque with laser light. Research data obtained by analysis of the absorption characteristics of plaque and the healthy arterial tissue reveals that the plaque may be selectively ablated without damaging the surrounding normal tissue by illuminating the plaque with laser light having a wavelength of about 430 to about 510 nanometers such that the relative absorption coefficient exhibited by the plaque is more than 1.5 times the absorption coefficient of the arterial tissue. Short duration laser light pulses preferably illuminate the plaque for less than the thermal relaxation time of the volume of exposed material. The intensity of the laser light is preferably in the range from about 1 to about 9 joules/cm.sup.2 in order to ablate the plaque without endangering the surrounding tissue.

Abstract: A method for distinguishing between a full thickness and a partial thickness skin burn in a patient having a skin burn. The methods includes administering a fluorescent compound, which is excited by infrared light, to the patient to cause the compound to enter one or more capillaries below and adjacent the skin burn. The compound is then excited with infrared light, and the amount of fluorescence of the compound caused by the infrared light detected at the skin burn and at unburned skin adjacent the skin burn. The ratio of fluorescence detected at the skin burn and at the unburned skin is an indication of the thickness of the skin burn, e.g., a ratio of less than 0.4 indicates a full thickness skin burn.

Abstract: A method of administering a therapeutic substance to a human patient, the method having the steps of ablating the stratum corneum of a region of the skin of the patient using pulsed laser light of wavelength, pulse length, pulse energy, pulse number, and pulse repetition rate sufficient to ablate the stratum corneum without significantly damaging the underlying epidermis, and applying the therapeutic substance to the region of ablation.

Abstract: A method of killing carcinoma cells associated normal cells using light of a predetermined wavelength. The method includes contacting the cells with a chromophor at a given concentration. The chromophor is positively charged and sufficiently lipophilic to be taken up by the mitochondria of the carcinoma cells and is retained substantially longer in the mitochondria of carcinoma cells than in normal cell mitochondria; or it may be taken up in greater quantity by the carcinoma cells than by the normal cells. The chromophor must also have a therapeutic index for light-induced cell killing of at least 500 for light of the predetermined wavelength, and has a therapeutic ratio for light-induced killing of at least 50 for light of said pre-determined wavelength. The cells are then exposed to light of this wavelength.