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Ultrasonic device for applying cavitation forces

  • US 4,920,954 A
  • Filed: 08/05/1988
  • Issued: 05/01/1990
  • Est. Priority Date: 08/05/1988
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. An ultrasonic device for use in removing an unwanted material from an artery of a human body by cavitation comprising:

  • a wire having a first end portion and having a second end portion for causing cavitation adjacent to the unwanted material;

    support means having a handpiece having a tapered horn end portion with an integral metal joint fixedly connected to the first end portion of the wire;

    drive means including a transducer supported by the handpiece for providing ultrasonic vibration through the tapered horn end portion to the wire and for connection to a generator; and

    a catheter assembly surrounding said wire and moveable relative to the wire to permit the second end portion of the wire to be positioned adjacent to the unwanted material;

    whereinsaid catheter assembly has a catheter tube and a container unit, said container unit including a peripheral wall and a front end wall portion and a rear end wall portion enclosing a cavity, said catheter tube having a first end portion connected to the container unit and having a second end portion disposed around the second end portion of the wire; and

    whereinsaid peripheral wall of said container unit has an annular interior partition projecting into said cavity, said partition having an O-ring member through which the wire passes, said O-ring member and partition forming a front sealed chamber and a separate rear chamber in said cavity; and

    whereinsaid O-ring member and partition are located at a selective distance from the tapered horn end portion, said location of the O-ring member being at a nodal point of a longitudinal wave of vibration of the wire, thereby minimizing transverse movement of the wire at the O-ring member and avoiding relatively high stress due to a transverse wave at the integral metal joint.

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