Method and apparatus for providing enhanced tissue fragmentation and/or hemostasis
First Claim
1. A surgical apparatus for performing one or more surgical procedures at a surgical site on a patient comprising:
- a handpiece,a tool supported by said handpiece,said tool having a vibratable tool tip,an RF current means selectively operable for providing an RF current to said tool tip for allowing performance of an electrosurgical procedure at the surgical site,a vibrating means for ultrasonically vibrating said tool tip,said tool tip having a top opening,said tool having a tool passageway therethrough communicating with said tip opening, andan aspirating means for applying a suction pressure on said tool passageway for aspirating tissue particles and fluid at the surgical site through said tip opening through said tool passageway and away from the surgical site,said RF current means including a switching means for switching the RF current provided to said tool tip to at least an RF cutting current during ultrasonic vibration.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus having a vibratable tip for ultrasonically disintegrating tissue in a surgical procedure and for aspirating the disintegrated tissue and fluids away from the surgical site through an opening in the tip. A connection to an electrosurgical unit provides for delivery of RF cutting current, RF coagulating current or a blend thereof to the tip so that electrosurgical procedures can be conducted separately or simultaneously with ultrasonic aspiration through the tip. It thus is now possible, for example, to electrocauterize simultaneously with ultrasonic fragmentation with a single handheld surgical device. The simultaneous delivery of ultrasonic vibrations and RF current to the tip also has been found to increase the tissue fragmentation rate.
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Citations
54 Claims
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1. A surgical apparatus for performing one or more surgical procedures at a surgical site on a patient comprising:
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a handpiece, a tool supported by said handpiece, said tool having a vibratable tool tip, an RF current means selectively operable for providing an RF current to said tool tip for allowing performance of an electrosurgical procedure at the surgical site, a vibrating means for ultrasonically vibrating said tool tip, said tool tip having a top opening, said tool having a tool passageway therethrough communicating with said tip opening, and an aspirating means for applying a suction pressure on said tool passageway for aspirating tissue particles and fluid at the surgical site through said tip opening through said tool passageway and away from the surgical site, said RF current means including a switching means for switching the RF current provided to said tool tip to at least an RF cutting current during ultrasonic vibration. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 43)
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36. A method for conducting enhanced cutting at a surgical site on a patient comprising:
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applying at least an RF cutting current to an operative tip of an ultrasonic surgical aspirating instrument, ultrasonically vibrating the operative tip, positioning the tip at the surgical site, and thereafter, positioning the tip at the surgical site as needed as the RF cutting current is delivered by the tip to the surgical site. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 44, 45, 46)
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47. A method for electrosurgically cutting tissue at a surgical site on a patient comprising:
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applying an RF cutting or an RF coagulating current to an operative tip of an ultrasonic aspirating instrument, ultrasonically vibrating the tip, thereafter, positioning the tip at the site as needed, as the RF cutting current is delivered to the surgical site to perform the tissue cutting procedure, with the tip being positioned generally at the surgical site, switching the instrument between an RF coagulating mode thereof and an RF cutting mode thereof. - View Dependent Claims (48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54)
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Specification