MATERIAL REMOVAL APPARATUS AND METHOD EMPLOYING HIGH FREQUENCY VIBRATIONS

• US 3,589,363 A
• Filed: 07/25/1967
• Issued: 06/29/1971
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/1967
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: CooperVision Incorporated (The Cooper Cos., Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Anton Banko, Charles D. Kelman
• Inventors: Banko, Anton, Kelman, Charles D.
• Application Number:
  US04/655,790
• Time in Patent Office: 1,435 Days
• US Class Current: 604/22
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/32007 with suction or vacuum means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320073 probe
• 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 2017/320084 Irrigation sleeves
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320089 node location
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/00745 using mechanical vibrations, e.g. ultrasonic
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/774 Handpieces specially adapted for providing suction as well as irrigation, either simultaneously or independently

Abstract

An instrument for breaking apart and removal of unwanted material, especially suitable for surgical operations such cataract removal, including a handheld instrument having an operative tip vibrating at a frequency in the ultrasonic range with an amplitude controllable up to several thousandths of an inch. The operative tip is itself hollow and is in turn surrounded by a tubular sleeve to form an annular passage. The handpiece includes transducer means for converting a high frequency alternating current into mechanical vibrations and an impedance transformer for coupling these vibrations to the operative tips. Connections are also provided on the handpiece to a source of treatment fluid and a pump. The treatment fluid may be coupled to either the hollow interior of the tool or the surrounding annular passage, while the pump is coupled to the other. During use, the vibration of the operative tip against the tissue to be removed causes the latter to break apart into small particles which are then dispersed in the fluid flowing over the operative region. Concurrently, the pump withdraws the suspension of the tissue particles in the fluid from the operative site. The fluid flow must be regulated so as to control the pressure within limits at the operative site. The instrument is thus suitable for removing tissue from an enclosed area whereby the opening to permit access to the tissue to be removed need only be large enough to admit the tip of the operative tool.

Claims

1. Apparatus for the breaking apart and removal of animal tissue from an enclosed area, an elongated working tip adapted to have one end placed directly against the tissue and capable of supporting ultrasonic vibrations, means for applying ultrasonic vibrations of variable amplitude and duration to said working tip, means for supplying a treatment fluid to bathe said tissue in the region adjacent said working tip, and pumping means adjacent said working tip for withdrawing the suspension of particles of said tissue of said fluid resulting from ultrasonic vibration of said working tip.

2. Apparatus for the breaking apart and removal of animal tissue and the like comprising, an elongated, hollow working tip adapted to have one end placed against the tissue to be removed and capable of supporting ultrasonic vibrations, means for applying ultrasonic vibrations to said working tip, means including a tubular sleeve surrounding a portion of said working tip for providing a first fluid passage between said tip and a point remote therefrom, means coupled to said tip for providing a second fluid passage between the hollow interior of said tip and a point remote therefrom, means for supplying a fluid to one of said passages and means for applying a suction force to the other of s aid passages.

3. A surgical instrument adapted to be held in the hand and moved freely during operative use comprising, a casing of size and configuration comfortable to the hand, transducer means within said casing for generating high frequency mechanical vibrations upon excitation with a high frequency alternating current electrical signal, an operative tool external of said casing and coupled to said transducer means to be vibrated thereby, a first fluid passage extending through said casing and in surrounding relation to at least a portion of said operative tool, and a second passage formed in part internally of said operative tool and extending into said casing, one of said passages being adapted to conduct a fluid to said operative tool and the other of said passages being adapted to withdraw fluid from the region adjacent said operative tool.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3 above wherein said operative tool is elongated and formed with an axial bore providing a part of said passage.

5. Apparatus according to claim 3 above wherein said casing includes an extension surrounding and spaced from the peripheral surface of a portion of said tool, the space between the inner surface of said cAsing extension and said peripheral surface of said took providing a part of said first passage.

6. Apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said transducer means includes an acoustic impedance transformer having a relatively massive input section and a relatively slender output section, said output section extending within said casing extension and being coupled at its free end to said tool, said output section having a cross-sectional area smaller than the internal cross-sectional area of said casing extension, the spacing therebetween forming a continuation of said first passage, said transformer further having an axial bore extending from the free end of said output section to a point within said input section, and a radial bore from said axial bore to the periphery of said input section, said axial and radial bores forming a continuation of said second passage.

7. Apparatus according to claim 6 above further comprising a pair of spaced-apart resilient sealing means around said input section of said transformer within said casing, each of said sealing means providing a circumferential fluidtight seal between said input section and said casing, the peripheral opening of said radial bore being between said sealing means.

8. Apparatus according to claim 6 above further comprising a first opening in said casing located between said sealing means, a second opening in said casing located between said casing extension and the sealing means closest to the output section of said transformer, and means mounted exteriorly of said casing adjacent each of said openings adapted to be connected to a fluid conduit.

9. A surgical instrument for breaking apart and removing unwanted material comprising, a handpiece including transducer means for converting high frequency alternating current into high frequency mechanical vibrations, an operative tip coupled to said transducer means to be vibrated thereby, said tip having an axial bore therethrough defining a first passage sleeve means surrounding and spaced from said tip defining a second passage, a source of high frequency alternating current coupled to said transducer, a source of treatment fluid coupled to one of said passages, pumping means coupled to the other passage for withdrawing a suspension of unwanted material in said treatment fluid, and switch means for controlling the application of said alternating current and the suction force provided by said pumping means to said handpiece.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 further comprising valve means interposed between said pumping means and said handpiece, and control means for said valve means for selectively coupling the axial bore in said tip to said pumping means or to atmospheric pressure.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said switch means includes a control member selectively movable between a first position in which no alternating current is supplied to said transducer means and said valve control means couples the axial bore in said tip to atmospheric pressure, a second position in which no alternating current is supplied to said transducer means and said valve control means couples the axial bore in said tip to said pumping means, and a third position in which alternating current is supplied to said transducer means and said valve control means couples the axial bore in said tip to said pumping means.

12. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said sleeve means includes a readily removable sheath extending to a point closely adjacent the free end of said operative said sheath being formed of a relatively hard, heat resistant, plastic material.

13. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said casing is formed of a material providing a magnetic and electrical shield for the components enclosed therein.

14. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said source of fluid includes control means for maintaining the pressure of said fluid at a level such that an equilibrium condition between supply and removal of fluid at the operative site may be maintained.

15. Method for the breaking apart and removal of a cohesive mass of unwanted material from an enclosed area comprising the simultaneous steps of, applying high frequency vibrations directly to the unwanted material to reduce said mass of material to small particles, bathing the material in the region in which said vibrations are applies with a treatment fluid, and withdrawing the resulting suspension of particles in said treatment fluid.

16. Method for the breaking apart and removal of animal tissue and the like from an enclosed area, employing an elongated working tip comprising the simultaneous steps of, applying ultrasonic vibrations of variable amplitude and duration to said working tip in contact with said tissue, supplying a treatment fluid to bathe said tissue in the region adjacent said working tip, and withdrawing the suspension of particles of said tissue in said fluid so that the pressure within the enclosed area is controlled.