Ultrasonic surgical system and probe

• US 20050020967A1
• Filed: 07/07/2004
• Published: 01/27/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Original Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Inventors: Ono, Hiroo
• Application Number:
  US10/885,956
• Publication Number:
  US 20050020967A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/22
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/2202 the ultrasound transducer being inside patient's body at the distal end of the catheter
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/22029 Means for measuring shock waves
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/2258 integrated in a central portion of the shock wave apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0003 of parts of the instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00137 Details of operation mode
• CPC Class Codes: B06B 1/0253 taken directly from the generator circuit

Abstract

An ultrasonic surgical system includes an ultrasonic transducer, a probe connected to the ultrasonic transducer and coming in contact with a treatment target, a detector detecting current and voltage which are supplied to the ultrasonic transducer, a driver driving the ultrasonic transducer to oscillate at its resonance point, and a controller. The controller detects a mechanical load exerted on the probe based on the voltage detected by the detector, and outputs a signal for reducing the mechanical load to the driver when the detected mechanical load is higher than a predetermined value.

Claims

1. An ultrasonic surgical system, comprising:

an ultrasonic transducer;

a probe connected to the ultrasonic transducer and coming in contact with a treatment target;

a detector detecting current and voltage which are supplied to the ultrasonic transducer;

a driver driving the ultrasonic transducer to oscillate at a resonance point of the ultrasonic transducer;

a storage unit storing a first parameter indicating a reference for determining whether a mechanical load exerted on the probe is a load which causes damage to the probe; and

a controller calculating a second parameter indicating the mechanical load exerted on the probe based on the voltage detected by the detector, and outputting a signal for reducing the mechanical load to the driver when the second parameter is higher than the first parameter.

2. The ultrasonic surgical system according to claim 1, wherein

the storage unit further stores a third parameter indicating a reference for determining whether an ultrasonic vibration for appropriately performing medical treatment to the treatment target is output, and

the controller outputs a signal for increasing an amplitude by vibration of the probe to the driver when the second parameter is lower than the third parameter.

3. The ultrasonic surgical system according to claim 1, wherein

the storage unit further stores a fourth parameter indicating a fluctuation range of the mechanical load, the fluctuation range indicating a contact state between a specific treatment target and the probe, and

the controller calculates a fifth parameter corresponding to the mechanical load exerted on the probe based on a first current supplied to the ultrasonic transducer and a voltage corresponding to the first current, calculates a sixth parameter corresponding to the mechanical load exerted on the probe based on a second current lower than the first current and a voltage corresponding to the second current, and outputs a signal for reducing the mechanical load to the driver when the fifth parameter and the sixth parameter are higher than an upper limit indicated by the fourth parameter.

4. The ultrasonic surgical system according to claim 3, wherein the controller outputs a signal for increasing an amplitude by vibration of the probe when the fifth parameter and the sixth parameter are lower than a lower limit indicated by the fourth parameter.

5. The ultrasonic surgical system according to claim 1, wherein the first parameter and the second parameter indicate an impedance of the ultrasonic transducer.

6. The ultrasonic surgical system according to claim 1, wherein the first parameter and the second parameter indicate a power supplied to the ultrasonic transducer.

7. An ultrasonic surgical system comprising:

an ultrasonic transducer;

a probe connected to the ultrasonic transducer and coming in contact with a treatment target;

a detector detecting a resonance frequency from a driving signal input to the ultrasonic transducer;

a driver driving the ultrasonic transducer to oscillate at a resonance point of the ultrasonic transducer;

a storage unit storing a first reference parameter for determining whether a hardness of an object in contact with the probe is a hardness which causes damage to the probe; and

a controller outputting a signal for reducing a mechanical load exerted on the probe to the driver when the resonance frequency detected by the detector is higher than the first reference parameter.

8. The ultrasonic surgical system according to claim 7, wherein

the storage unit stores a second reference parameter indicating a fluctuation range of the mechanical load, the fluctuation range indicating a contact state between a specific treatment target and the probe, and

the controller compares the resonance frequency fluctuating with the second reference parameter predetermined times, and outputs a signal for reducing the mechanical load when all of comparison results indicate that the resonance frequency exceeds the fluctuation range indicated by the second reference parameter.

9. An ultrasonic surgical system comprising:

an ultrasonic transducer;

a probe connected to the ultrasonic transducer and coming in contact with a treatment target;

a wiring member arranged on a surface of the probe;

a driver driving the ultrasonic transducer to oscillate at a resonance point of the ultrasonic transducer; and

a controller electrically connected to the wiring member, monitoring whether a disconnection of the wiring member occurs based on a fluctuation in a continuity impedance of the wiring member, and outputting a signal for reducing a mechanical load exerted on the probe to the ultrasonic transducer when the controller detects that the disconnection of the wiring member occurs.

10. The ultrasonic surgical system according to claim 9, wherein the wiring member is arranged on the surface of the probe so as to reciprocate in a longitudinal direction of the probe a plurality of times.

11. The ultrasonic surgical system according to claim 9, wherein the wiring member is arrange helically on the surface of the probe.

12. A probe used in an ultrasonic surgical operation comprising:

an ultrasonic vibration transmitting portion which transmits an ultrasonic vibration supplied from an ultrasonic transducer; and

a protecting member which detachably covers a surface of the ultrasonic vibration transmitting unit excluding a predetermined region from a distal end of the ultrasonic vibration transmitting portion.

13. The probe according to claim 12, further comprising:

a position indicator provided on a part of the surface of the ultrasonic vibration transmitting portion, and indicating a position at which the protecting member covers the ultrasonic vibration transmitting portion.

14. An ultrasonic surgical system comprising the probe according to claim 12.