Methods and apparatus for controlling the aerosol envelope generated by ultrasonic devices
First Claim
1. An aerosol recovery assembly for use with an ultrasonic device of the type having an elongate handpiece, a tip, and an orifice through which water spray is jetted toward the tip and generates an aerosol, the combination of said aerosol recovery assembly and a portion of said ultrasonic device comprising:
- a source of suction;
an insert of said ultrasonic device;
a rigid cylinder body insertable on at least a portion of the handpiece, said cylinder body having opposing first and second open ends, said first end being radially spaced from the insert to define an annulus, one end of which is open, said second end fitting securely to the handpiece for supporting and sealing the cylinder body to the ultrasonic device;
a suction tube attached to a sidewall of the cylinder body and sealed around an opening in the sidewall so that when the source of suction is connected to the suction tube, at least a portion of the aerosol is drawn in via the annulus between the ultrasonic insert and the cylinder body and extracted via the suction tube; and
the annulus and a suction path between the open end of the annulus and the suction source being of sufficient area to transfer a volume of air to the suction source such that an envelope of the aerosol surrounding the tip of the ultrasonic device can be controlled and reduced down to a diameter of at least about 2.54 cm, as a function of the amount of suction applied to the suction tube.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Disclosed is a suction hood assembly that is attachable to an ultrasonic handpiece, as well as to a source of suction. The suction hood assembly includes a portion thereof that opens in an area adjacent the ultrasonic tip to provide an area of influence of the suction and thereby recover microdroplets of body fluids, matter and water mist. The suction can be used to control the size of the aerosol envelope generated when the water stream from the ultrasonic device is directed toward the ultrasonic-moving tip. The size of the aerosol envelope can be substantially reduced to a small area of operation, thereby minimizing the dispersion of germs, viruses and body fluids from the patient to the surgeon. The suction tube assembly is easily attached or removed from the ultrasonic handpiece, is easily manufactured, cost effective and thus is disposable.
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Citations
32 Claims
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1. An aerosol recovery assembly for use with an ultrasonic device of the type having an elongate handpiece, a tip, and an orifice through which water spray is jetted toward the tip and generates an aerosol, the combination of said aerosol recovery assembly and a portion of said ultrasonic device comprising:
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a source of suction; an insert of said ultrasonic device; a rigid cylinder body insertable on at least a portion of the handpiece, said cylinder body having opposing first and second open ends, said first end being radially spaced from the insert to define an annulus, one end of which is open, said second end fitting securely to the handpiece for supporting and sealing the cylinder body to the ultrasonic device; a suction tube attached to a sidewall of the cylinder body and sealed around an opening in the sidewall so that when the source of suction is connected to the suction tube, at least a portion of the aerosol is drawn in via the annulus between the ultrasonic insert and the cylinder body and extracted via the suction tube; and the annulus and a suction path between the open end of the annulus and the suction source being of sufficient area to transfer a volume of air to the suction source such that an envelope of the aerosol surrounding the tip of the ultrasonic device can be controlled and reduced down to a diameter of at least about 2.54 cm, as a function of the amount of suction applied to the suction tube. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. An aerosol containment and recovery assembly for use with an ultrasonic device, said combination comprising:
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an ultrasonic scaler, including; a handpiece, an elongated insert inserted into an open end of the handpiece, said insert having an orifice through which water is jetted toward a tip; the aerosol containment and recovery assembly including, a rigid suction hood adapted for enveloping at least a portion of the ultrasonic insert to form an annular space therebetween at a frontal end of the suction hood, and engageable with the ultrasonic handpiece for sealing to the handpiece to support the suction hood to the ultrasonic scaler and to prevent entrainment of air into the annular space at a back end of the suction hood, said annular space being of an area between about 17 mm2 to about 147 mm2 to provide transfer of an effective volume of air to contain and recover an aerosol generated by the jetted water, and said frontal end being spaced sufficiently from an end of the ultrasonic tip for allowing working thereof with tissue without interference by the suction hood and for allowing substantial air and particulate matter to be sucked into the annular space; and a suction tube fixed to a sidewall of the suction hood, about an opening in the sidewall so that a suction channel is formed in the annular space between the suction hood and the insert, the opening in the sidewall of the suction hood being of sufficient area to allow a sufficient volume of air to pass therethrough to contain and control the size of the aerosol generated. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17)
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18. A method of controlling an aerosol envelope generated by an ultrasonic device of the type having a water jet directed toward an ultrasonic operated tip, comprising the steps of:
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developing a suction annularly around a base of the ultrasonic tip so as to influence aerosol mist generated by the tip; recovering a portion of the aerosol mist generated by the ultrasonic tip so that only a small aerosol envelope is developed around the ultrasonic tip; and controlling the size of the aerosol envelope by controlling the amount of suction developed in an annular area adjacent the base of the ultrasonic tip. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. In an ultrasonic device of the type having an ultrasonic operated tip that generates an aerosol mist, a method for influencing the aerosol mist and for cooling the ultrasonic device, comprising the steps of:
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generating an area of suction to influence the aerosol mist; drawing the aerosol mist by use of the area of suction into an area adjacent at least a portion of the ultrasonic device; and cooling the ultrasonic device by the action of the aerosol mist being drawn by the suction. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. An aerosol recovery assembly for use with an ultrasonic device of the type having an elongate handpiece, an insert, a tip, and an orifice through which water spray is coupled to the tip to generate an aerosol, comprising in combination:
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an insert of said ultrasonic device; a rigid cylinder body insertable on at least a portion of the handpiece, said cylinder body being uniform in diameter and having opposing first and second open ends, said first end being radially spaced from the insert to define an annulus, said second end fitting securely to the handpiece for supporting and sealing the cylinder body to the ultrasonic device; a suction tube attached to a sidewall of the cylinder body and sealed around an opening in the sidewall so that when a source of suction is connected to the suction tube, at least a portion of the aerosol is drawn in via the annulus between the ultrasonic insert and the cylinder body and extracted via the suction tube; and the annulus being of sufficient area such that an envelope of the aerosol surrounding the tip of the ultrasonic device can be controlled as to size as a function of the amount of suction applied to the suction tube.
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30. An aerosol recovery assembly for use with an ultrasonic device of the type having an elongate handpiece, an insert, a tip, and an orifice through which water spray is coupled to the tip to generate an aerosol, comprising in combination:
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an insert of said ultrasonic device; a holder for holding the ultrasonic device, said holder having a valve responsive to the placement of the ultrasonic device in said holder to remove the source of suction from the aerosol recovery assembly; a rigid cylinder body insertable on at least a portion of the handpiece, said cylinder body having opposing first and second open ends, said first end being radially spaced from the insert to define an annulus, said second end fitting securely to the handpiece for supporting and sealing the cylinder body to the ultrasonic device; a suction tube attached to a sidewall of the cylinder body and sealed around an opening in the sidewall so that when a source of suction is connected to the suction tube, at least a portion of the aerosol is drawn in via the annulus between the ultrasonic insert and the cylinder body and extracted via the suction tube; and the annulus being of sufficient area such that an envelope of the aerosol surrounding the tip of the ultrasonic device can be controlled as to size as a function of the amount of suction applied to the suction tube. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32)
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Specification