Ultrasonic probe device with rapid attachment and detachment means having a line contact collet
First Claim
1. An ultrasonic medical device comprising:
- a probe having a proximal end and a distal end;
a collet assembly having a compression clamp and a compression housing, wherein the compression clamp engages the proximal end of the probe and the compression housing engages the compression clamp to provide a line-contact between the compression clamp and the compression housing and exert a compressive force circumferentially along the line-contact; and
a sound conductor having a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the distal end is connected to the collet assembly and the proximal end is connected to a transducer capable providing ultrasonic energy, wherein the proximal end of the probe is releasably attached to the collet assembly enabling the sound conductor to transmit the ultrasonic energy from the transducer to the collet assembly and the probe.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An ultrasonic medical device comprising an ultrasonic probe and a collet assembly for probe attachment and detachment, and a method of removing occlusions in blood vessels using the ultrasonic medical device. The probe detachability allows insertion, manipulation and withdrawal independently of a device body. The collet assembly comprises a compression clamp capable of releasably receiving the probe, and a compression housing that initiates a minimal area “line-contact” between the collet assembly segments upon engagement. A line-contact lip ensures consistent and repeatable contact between the compression clamp and the compression housing at a predetermined location to provide a consistent closing force on the probe for any selected tightening torque. The line-contact between the collet assembly segments provides efficient ultrasonic energy transfer from an ultrasonic energy source to the probe thereby increasing the probe efficiency during tissue ablation.
156 Citations
63 Claims
-
1. An ultrasonic medical device comprising:
-
a probe having a proximal end and a distal end;
a collet assembly having a compression clamp and a compression housing, wherein the compression clamp engages the proximal end of the probe and the compression housing engages the compression clamp to provide a line-contact between the compression clamp and the compression housing and exert a compressive force circumferentially along the line-contact; and
a sound conductor having a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the distal end is connected to the collet assembly and the proximal end is connected to a transducer capable providing ultrasonic energy, wherein the proximal end of the probe is releasably attached to the collet assembly enabling the sound conductor to transmit the ultrasonic energy from the transducer to the collet assembly and the probe. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
-
-
4. The compression housing of claim I comprising:
-
a hollow tube having a proximal end, a distal end, an inner surface and an outer surface; and
a conical segment proximal to the distal end of the hollow tube comprising a line-contact lip extending along at least a portion of the circumference of an inner surface that is capable of exerting a compressive force along a point of contact between the line-contact lip and the compression clamp. - View Dependent Claims (5)
-
-
28. An ultrasonic device for removing occlusions in blood vessels comprising:
-
a wire probe having a proximal end, a distal end and a probe longitudinal axis;
a probe attachment mechanism comprising a collet assembly having a compression clamp capable of detachably engaging the wire probe and a compression housing capable of engaging the compression clamp to provide a line-contact with the compression housing and exert a compressive force circumferentially along the line-contact on the compression clamp; and
a sound conductor having a proximal end and a distal end, the distal end being connected to the collet assembly and the proximal end being connected to a transducer capable providing ultrasound energy, wherein the wire probe is releasably attached at its proximal end of the probe attachment mechanism, enabling the sound conductor to transmit ultrasound energy from the transducer to the wire probe causing the wire probe to be oscillated in a mode that is substantially transverse to the probe longitudinal axis. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54)
-
-
55. A method of removing an occlusion in a blood vessel using an ultrasonic device comprising the following steps:
-
inserting a probe into the blood vessel having the occlusion;
positioning the probe at the occlusion by an axial or a rotational manipulation within the blood vessel;
attaching the probe to a collet assembly by inserting a proximal end of the probe into a compression clamp and engaging a compression housing with the compression clamp to cause a line-contact lip in the compression clamp to exert a compressive force along a line-contact on an external surface of the compression clamp whereby the compression clamp engages the probe;
activating a transducer to cause oscillation of the probe in a substantially transverse mode with respect to the longitudinal axis of the probe; and
detaching the probe from the collet assembly upon completion of surgical procedure and withdrawing the probe from the blood vessel. - View Dependent Claims (56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63)
-
Specification