LOW-COST DISPOSABLE ULTRASONIC SURGICAL HANDPIECE

• US 20190321067A1
• Filed: 06/28/2019
• Published: 10/24/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Surgical Design Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Surgical Design Incorporated
• Inventors: Banko, William
• Granted Patent: US 11,369,513 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0023 disposable
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/32007 with suction or vacuum means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320072 Working tips with special features, e.g. extending parts
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320075 single edge blade, e.g. for cutting
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320078 Tissue manipulating surface
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320082 for incising tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320084 Irrigation sleeves
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2217/007 with irrigation system
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/00745 using mechanical vibrations, e.g. ultrasonic

Abstract

A disposable ultrasonic handpiece that contains a transducer and a connecting body that is attached to a tube with a cobra work tip at its distal end. The housing that surrounds the ultrasonic transducer does not require waterproofing for repeated autoclaving. Also, the electrical cord that provides power to the transducer is made of very inexpensive wire, along with a low-cost electrical connector. A power cord can be plugged into and unplugged from a socket at the proximal end of the housing and can be reused. Thus, only the housing and its contents need to be disposed of after a procedure, making the disposable part of the handpiece low cost. In addition, the cobra work tip can be provided with a cutting gap that increases its ability to cut.

Claims

1. An ultrasonic surgical handpiece comprising:

a transducer;

a connecting body attached to said transducer;

a tubular work tip attached to the connecting body;

a housing for containing the connecting body, the transducer and a portion of the tubular work tip, said housing being formed without provisions for water proofing;

an aspiration fluid channel that extends through the work tip, the connecting body and the transducer, and exits the housing at a proximal end thereof;

an irrigation fluid line that extends between an inner surface of the housing and the tubular work tip and exits the housing distal of the connecting body; and

wherein the handpiece so adapted to be reduced in cost and disposable.

2. The ultrasonic surgical handpiece according to claim 1 wherein said housing is in the form of a main housing section from which the irrigation fluid line exits and a connected distal housing section, wherein the distal section is a flexible sleeve located distally of the main housing section.

3. The ultrasonic surgical handpiece according to claim 2 wherein the sleeve is made of silicone and the main housing section is made with a rigid structure.

4. The ultrasonic surgical handpiece according to claim 1 further comprising a power cord for providing an ultrasonic signal to said transducer, said power cord being detachably connected to said housing and the transducer therein, said power cord being formed without provisions for water proofing or corrosion resistance.

5. The ultrasonic surgical handpiece according to claim 4 further comprising:

a socket with connectors, said socket being located at the proximal end of the transducer and said connectors of the socket being electrically attached to the transducer, said socket further being attached to the proximal end of the housing; and

wherein the connectors of the socket are adapted to be electrically connected to and disconnected from the power cord.

6. The ultrasonic surgical handpiece according to claim 1 further comprising a power cord with a plug for providing an ultrasonic signal, a sterile sheet, an electrical socket attached in said housing and connected to said transducer;

wherein the plug of said power cord and said socket have attachable and detachable mating pins and openings, said sterile sheet is located between said plug and socket and being penetrated by the pins when said pins and openings are attached.

7. The ultrasonic surgical handpiece according to claim 1

wherein the work tip is a cobra tip in the form of a tube with a first portion of a certain diameter, a second portion expanded in a cone shape followed by a third portion of an expanded diameter, said cobra tip having a distal opening slanted in the distal to the proximal direction with respect to an axis thereof;

and

wherein said cobra tip further includes a cutting gap in the expanded diameter portion, said cutting gap extending both perpendicular to the axial direction and in the axial direction of the cobra tip sufficient for an edge thereof to engage tissue.

8. The ultrasonic surgical handpiece according to claim 7 wherein said cutting gap is located in a bottom region of the cobra tip adjacent the most proximal edge of the cobra tip slanted opening.

9. The ultrasonic surgical handpiece according to claim 7 wherein said cutting gap is located in a top region of the cobra tip adjacent the most distal edge of the cobra tip slanted opening.

10. A work tip for an ultrasonic surgical handpiece

wherein the work tip is a cobra tip in the form of a tube with a first portion of a certain diameter, a second portion expanded in a cone shape followed by a third portion of an expanded diameter, said cobra tip having a distal opening slanted in the distal to the proximal direction with respect to an axis thereof;

and

wherein said cobra tip further includes a cutting gap in the expanded diameter portion, said cutting gap extending both perpendicular to the axial direction and in the axial direction of the cobra tip sufficient for an edge thereof to engage tissue.

11. The work tip for an ultrasonic surgical handpiece according to claim 10 wherein said cutting gap is located in a bottom region of the cobra tip adjacent the most proximal edge of the cobra tip slanted opening.

12. The work tip for an ultrasonic surgical handpiece according to claim 10 wherein the first and third portions have cylindrical shapes.

13. The work tip for an ultrasonic surgical handpiece according to claim 10 wherein said cutting gap has a semicircular shape in plan view with its major portion toward the distal end of the work tip, and in side view the edge at its major portion is generally perpendicular to a central axis of the work tip and the more proximal edges are a curve that extends toward the outer surface.

14. The work tip for an ultrasonic surgical handpiece according to claim 10 wherein said cutting gap has a semicircular shape in plan view with its major portion toward the proximal end of the work tip, and in side view the edge at its major portion is generally perpendicular to a central axis of the work tip and the more distal edges are a curve that extends toward the outer surface.

15. The work tip for an ultrasonic surgical handpiece according to claim 10 wherein said cutting gap has an oval shape in plan view with its major axis transverse to the axis of the work tip, and in side view the cutting gap has an inverted U shape.

16. The work tip for an ultrasonic surgical handpiece according to claim 10 wherein said cutting gap has a triangular shape in plan view with a base portion toward the distal end of the work tip, and in side view its distal edge is generally perpendicular to a central axis of the work tip and the more proximal edges are along a straight that extends toward the outer surface.

17. The work tip for an ultrasonic surgical handpiece according to claim 10 wherein said cutting gap has a triangular shape in plan view with a base portion toward the proximal end of the work tip, and in side view its proximal edge is generally perpendicular to a central axis of the work tip and the more distal edges are along a straight that extends toward the outer surface.

18. An ultrasonic surgical handpiece comprising:

a transducer;

a connecting body attached to said transducer;

a tubular work tip;

a tube attaching the connecting body to the tubular work tip;

a rigid housing for containing the connecting body, the transducer and a portion of the tube;

an aspiration fluid channel that extends through the work tip, the connecting body and the transducer, and exits the housing at a proximal end thereof;

a flexible sleeve fastened to the distal end of the rigid housing and extending to a position just short of the tubular work tip;

a connector for an irrigation fluid line located toward the distal end of the rigid housing, whereby an irrigation fluid channel extends between an inner surface of the flexible sleeve and the tube, and exits at the tubular work tip.

19. The ultrasonic surgical handpiece according to claim 18 wherein the tubular work tip is a cobra tip.

20. The ultrasonic surgical handpiece according to claim 19 wherein the cobra tip includes a cutting gap in an expanded diameter portion thereof.

21. The ultrasonic surgical handpiece according to claim 19 wherein the rigid housing has a particular diameter to contain the transducer and a portion of the connecting piece, and a reduced diameter portion to contain the other portion of the connecting piece, the tube and the connector.

22. The ultrasonic surgical handpiece according to claim 19 wherein the flexible sleeve is made of silicone.

23. The ultrasonic surgical handpiece according to claim 21

wherein the tube is a continuous piece from the work tip to the proximal end of the handpiece and forms the aspiration fluid channel through the connecting piece and transducer and

wherein the rigid housing is in the form of two axial halves that can be placed about the assembled transducer and connecting body, and sealed.

24. The ultrasonic surgical handpiece according to claim 21 wherein the tube is in a plurality of sections connected together.

25. An ultrasonic surgical handpiece comprising:

a transducer;

a connecting body attached to said transducer;

a tubular work tip attached to the connecting body;

a housing for containing the connecting body;

an aspiration fluid channel that extends through the work tip, the connecting body and the transducer, and exits the housing at a proximal end thereof;

irrigation fluid line that extends between an inner surface of the housing and the tubular work tip and exits the housing distal of the connecting body; and

a power cord for providing an ultrasonic signal to said transducer, said power cord being detachably connected to said housing and the transducer therein.

26. The ultrasonic surgical handpiece according to claim 25 further comprising:

a socket with connectors, said socket being located at the proximal end of the transducer and said connectors of the socket being electrically attached to the transducer, said socket further being attached to the proximal end of the housing; and

wherein the connectors of the socket are adapted to be electrically connected to and disconnected from the power cord.