Medical applications of ultrasonic energy

• US 5,807,285 A
• Filed: 03/29/1996
• Issued: 09/15/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Adams, Ronald David, Vaitekunas, Jeffrey Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): Casler, Brian L.
• Application Number:
  US08/624,238
• Time in Patent Office: 900 Days
• Field of Search: 601/2, 128/660.03, 128/662.03, 604/22, 607/50, 607/51
• US Class Current: 601/2
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/22012 in direct contact with, or very close to, the obstruction or concrement for removing obstructions in blood vessels by laser A61B18/245
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320073 probe

Abstract

Ultrasonic energy is used to cause a given nerve to become dysfunctional without substantially damaging tissues surrounding or associated with the nerve. A nerve to be treated is placed in the near field or evanescent field of an ultrasonic wave front emitted by an appropriately formed contact or non-contact ultrasonic probe or transducer.

Claims

1. A method of causing nerve dysfunction without substantially damaging surrounding tissue, said method comprising the steps of:

locating a nerve which is to be made dysfunctional;

sweeping an ultrasonic probe over said nerve in at least one sweep such that said nerve is within a near field of ultrasonic energy applied by said probe; and

driving said ultrasonic probe to apply said ultrasonic energy to said nerve by producing an interference pattern in the near field of the ultrasonic energy applied by said probe with constructive interference peaks being spaced equal to or less than a cross sectional diameter of said nerve.

2. A method of causing nerve dysfunction without substantially damaging surrounding tissue, said method comprising the steps of:

locating a nerve which is to be made dysfunctional;

touching an ultrasonic probe to tissue overlying said nerve such that said nerve is within a near field of ultrasonic energy applied to said probe; and

driving said ultrasonic probe to apply said ultrasonic energy to said nerve by producing an interference pattern in the near field of the ultrasonic energy applied by said probe with constructive interference peaks being spaced equal to or less than a cross sectional diameter of said nerve.

3. A method of causing nerve dysfunction without substantially damaging surrounding tissue, said method comprising the steps of:

locating a nerve which is to be made dysfunctional;

sweeping an ultrasonic probe over said nerve in at least one sweep such that said nerve is within a near field of the ultrasonic energy applied by said probe; and

driving said ultrasonic probe to apply said ultrasonic energy to said nerve producing an interference pattern in the near field of the ultrasonic energy applied by said probe with constructive interference peaks being spaced greater than or equal to a cross sectional diameter of tissue cells surrounding said nerve.

4. A method of causing nerve dysfunction without substantially damaging surrounding tissue, said method comprising the steps of:

locating a nerve which is to be made dysfunctional;

touching an ultrasonic probe to tissue overlying said nerve such that said nerve is within a near field of ultrasonic energy applied by said probe; and

driving said ultrasonic probe to apply said ultrasonic energy to said nerve by producing an interference pattern in the near field of the ultrasonic energy applied by said probe with constructive interference peaks being spaced greater than or equal to a cross sectional diameter of tissue cells surrounding said nerve.

5. A method of causing nerve dysfunction without substantially damaging surrounding tissue, said method comprising the steps of:

locating a nerve which is to be made dysfunctional;

positioning an ultrasonic probe adjacent said nerve by touching said probe to tissue overlying said nerve such that said nerve is within a near field of ultrasonic energy applied to said probe;

sweeping said probe over said nerve in at least one sweep; and

driving said ultrasonic probe to apply ultrasonic energy to said nerve by producing an interference pattern in the near field of the ultrasonic energy applied by said probe with constructive interference peaks being spaced equal to or less than a cross sectional diameter of said nerve.

6. A method of causing nerve dysfunction without substantially damaging surrounding tissue, said method comprising the steps of:

locating a nerve which is to be made dysfunctional;

positioning an ultrasonic probe adjacent said nerve by touching said probe to tissue overlying said nerve such that said nerve is within a near field of ultrasonic energy applied by said probe;

sweeping said probe over said nerve in at least one sweep; and

driving said ultrasonic probe to apply said ultrasonic energy to said nerve by producing an interference pattern in the near field of the ultrasonic energy applied by said probe with constructive interference peaks being spaced greater than or equal to a cross sectional diameter of tissue cells surrounding said nerve.