MEDICAL TOOL FOR REDUCED PENETRATION FORCE WITH FEEDBACK MEANS

• US 20130066200A1
• Filed: 11/08/2012
• Published: 03/14/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Actuated Medical, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Actuated Medical, Inc.
• Inventors: Mulvihill, Maureen L., Park, Brian M., Frankhouser, Paul L.
• Granted Patent: US 8,777,871 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/431
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 10/025 for taking bone, bone marrow or cartilage samples
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3401 Puncturing needles for the peridural or subarachnoid space or the plexus, e.g. for anaesthesia local anaesthesia A61M19/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3403 Needle locating or guiding means guides for suture needles A61B17/0482; guiding or tracking by nuclear magnetic resonance G01R33/285
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3415 for introducing tubes or catheters, e.g. gastrostomy tubes, drain catheters A61B17/3417 takes precedence; body piercing catheter guide needles A61M25/06
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3423 Access ports, e.g. toroid shape introducers for instruments or hands access sites for liquids A61M39/0247
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3476 Powered trocars, e.g. electrosurgical cutting, lasers, powered knives
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0011 piezoelectric
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00115 with audible or visual output
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00123 and automatic shutdown
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/32007 with suction or vacuum means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320089 node location
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/3413 guided by ultrasound
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/064 for measuring force, pressure or mechanical tension
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/20 Surgical navigation systems; Devices for tracking or guiding surgical instruments, e.g. for frameless stereotaxis
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/1585 Needle inserters
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/581 by audible feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/582 by tactile feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/583 by visual feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/065 Guide needles
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 37/0092 using ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic vibrations, e.g. phonophoresis
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/00 : Devices for bringing media into the body in a subcutaneous, intra-vascular or intramuscular way; Accessories therefor, e.g. filling or cleaning devices, arm-rests vaccination appliances for veterinary use A61D1/025 ; tube connectors, tube couplings, valves or branch units specially adapted for medical use A61M39/00; containers specially adapted for medical or pharmaceutical purposes A61J1/00; combinations of vial and syringe for mixing or transferring their contents A61J1/20; holders for containers for collecting, storing or administering blood or medical fluids A61J1/16
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/158 : Needles for infusions; Accessories therefor, e.g. for inserting infusion needles, or for holding them on the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/20 : Automatic syringes, e.g. with automatically actuated piston rod, with automatic needle injection, filling automatically A61M5/142 , A61M5/46 take precedence; hypodermic projectiles F42B12/54
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/3287 : Accessories for bringing the needle into the body; Automatic needle insertion A61M5/20, A61M5/31525 take precedence

Abstract

A medical device for reducing the force necessary to penetrate living being tissue using a variety of reciprocating motion actuators, including piezoelectric, voice coil, solenoids, pneumatics or fluidics. The reciprocating actuator drives a penetrating member, such as a needle, through the tissue at a reduced force while the device detects the passage of the penetrating member through the tissue. Upon passage of the penetrating member through the tissue, electrical power to the reciprocating actuator is automatically terminated. One exemplary method for detecting this passage is via a fluid-containing syringe that is coupled to a channel within the penetrating member. Once the penetrating member tip has passed through the living tissue, the fluid within the syringe no longer experiences any pressure and a plunger within the syringe displaces indicating passage of the penetrating member tip. This motion can provide direct tactile feedback to an operator of the medical device or can automatically open a switch providing electrical power to the medical device. Alternatively, a pressure transducer can also monitor the pressure within the penetrating member channel and automatically activate the switch to cut off the electrical power.

Claims

1-33. -33. (canceled)

34. A medical device for penetrating living being tissue, said device comprising:

a penetrating member which is vibrated to reduce the force needed to penetrate living being tissue;

a driving actuator coupled to said penetrating member and causing said vibration when energized; and

an electrical power cut off automatically de-energizing the driving actuator when said penetrating member has passed through the living being tissue.

35. The medical device of claim 34 wherein said penetrating member is one of a hypodermic needle, catheterization needle, Tuohy needle, bone biopsy trocar, spinal needle, nerve block needle, trocar access ports and interventional radiology needle.

36. The medical device of claim 34 wherein a pressure transducer detects pressure within said channel of said penetrating member and activates said electrical power cut off.

37. The medical device of claim 34 wherein the vibrating penetrating member comprises a hollow needle disposed in an attachment fitting, the attachment fitting coupled to the driving actuator.

38. The medical device of claim 34 wherein said driving actuator comprises a voice coil coupled to said penetrating member.

39. The medical device of claim 38 wherein said voice coil comprises a coil surrounding permanent magnets and a portion of said penetrating member.

40. The medical device of claim 38 wherein said voice coil comprises a coil surrounding permanent magnets and a shaft, said shaft coupled to said penetrating member.

41. The medical device of claim 38 further comprising vibration amplifiers positioned on opposite sides of said coil.

42. The medical device of claim 41 wherein the vibration amplifiers comprise springs positioned on opposite sides of said coil.

43. The medical device of claim 34 wherein said driving actuator is one of a pneumatic or fluidic actuator.

44. A medical device for penetrating living being tissue, said device comprising:

a penetrating member which is ultrasonically vibrated to reduce the force needed to penetrate living being tissue;

a driving actuator coupled to said penetrating member and causing said ultrasonic vibration when energized; and

an electrical power cut off automatically de-energizing the driving actuator when said penetrating member has passed through the living being tissue.

45. The medical device of claim 44, wherein said driving actuator comprises a Langevin actuator.

46. The medical device of claim 44, wherein said driving actuator comprises a Langevin transducer.

47. The medical device of claim 44, wherein said driving actuator comprises a flextensional actuator assembly.

48. The medical device of claim 47, wherein said driving actuator comprises a cymbal actuator.

49. The medical device of claim 47, wherein said driving actuator comprises an amplified piezoelectric actuator.