Ultrasonic operation device

• US 6,206,842 B1
• Filed: 08/03/1998
• Issued: 03/27/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Irvine Biomedical, Inc. (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Hosheng Tu, Lily Chen Tu
• Inventors: Tu, Hosheng, Tu, Lily Chen
• Primary Examiner(s): Lateef, Marvin M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lin, Jeoyuh
• Application Number:
  US09/128,452
• Time in Patent Office: 967 Days
• Field of Search: 601/2, 601/46, 601/34, 601/3, 601/65, 601/67, 601/68, 601/69, 601/70, 601/72, 606/41, 606/42, 606/110, 606/112, 606/191, 606/197, 604/22, 604/23, 604/19, 604/27, 604/36, 604/514, 604/515, 604/517, 128/24, 607/2, 607/76, 607/115, 607/116, 607/138, 607/133, 607/149
• US Class Current: 601/2
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/2202 the ultrasound transducer being inside patient's body at the distal end of the catheter
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320078 Tissue manipulating surface

Abstract

A medical device for treating the hemorrhoid or airway obstructions by reducing the mass of cellular tissues, wherein an elongate tubular shaft includes at least one ultrasonic transducer means disposed at its distal section of the shaft and facing one side of the shaft, an ultrasonic energy generating means, and a means for generating vibration at the distal section of the tubular element to effect the ablation having an additional vibrational massage therapy for the tissues.

Claims

1. A medical device system comprising:

an elongate tubular shaft having a distal section, a distal end, a proximal end, and at least one lumen extending therebetween, wherein the distal section has a first side and a second opposite side;

a handle attached to the proximal end of the elongate tubular shaft, wherein the handle has a cavity;

a connector means attached to the handle;

at least one ultrasonic transducer mounted on the distal section of the elongate tubular shaft, wherein one of said at least one ultrasonic transducer is mounted on said first side of the elongate tubular shaft, wherein ultrasonic energy from said one of said at least one ultrasonic transducer is adapted to emit from said first side outwardly, said ultrasonic transducer being in an essentially transverse semi-circular concave shape, wherein said ultrasonic transducer is adapted to be placed in contact with biological tissues and adapted to provide therapeutic energy of ultrasonic microvibration;

an electrical conductor passing through one of said at least one lumen of the tubular shaft;

wherein the electrical conductor is connected to said ultrasonic transducer; and

an ultrasonic energy generating means, wherein the ultrasonic energy is supplied to said ultrasonic transducer through the electrical conductor.

2. The medical device system as in claim 1 further comprising means for generating vibration at the distal section of said elongate tubular shaft, wherein the means for generating vibration at said distal section comprises a motor mounted in the cavity of the handle, which has a rotatable motor shaft, an elongate connecting shaft having a first end to which the distal section is connected, and a second end connected to the handle, a weight eccentrically mounted on the motor shaft with respect to the motor shaft axis, so as to rotate eccentrically, so that when the motor shaft rotates, the distal section of said elongate tubular shaft generates vibration at a frequency range.

3. The medical device system as in claim 1 further comprising at least one temperature sensor, wherein one of said at least one temperature sensor is disposed on the distal section of said elongate tubular shaft.

4. The medical device system as in claim 2 further comprising a temperature control means, wherein the temperature measured from said one of the at least one temperature sensor is relayed to the temperature control means, said temperature control means being adapted to effect the ultrasonic energy supply to the medical device system.

5. The medical device system of claim 1, wherein the ultrasonic energy is adapted to affect said ultrasonic transducer sufficiently to cause said ultrasonic transducer to resonate with frequency of about 1 to 40 MHz.

6. The medical device system of claim 1, further comprising a hollow passage allowing flow of fluid within one of said at least one lumen of the elongate tubular shaft, a fluid inlet port at the handle, wherein the hollow passage is to provide fluid communication and flow of fluid originating from the fluid inlet port through said hollow passage to a portion of exterior surface of said ultrasonic transducer, wherein said exterior surface is on said same first side of the distal section of said elongate tubular shaft and adapted for said ultrasonic transducer to emit ultrasonic energy outwardly, said hollow passage directing the fluid flow from inside the elongate tubular shaft over the exterior surface to provide a fluid protective layer surrounding the ultrasonic transducer, wherein said ultrasonic transducer is adapted to be placed in contact with biologic tissues.

7. The medical device system of claim 2, wherein the frequency range of the vibration is within the range of 60 to 1000 cycles per minute.

8. The medical device system of claim 1, wherein said ultrasonic transducer further comprises ultrasound crystal adapted to generate at least one of focused ultrasound energy or diffused ultrasound energy.

9. The medical device system of claim 1, further comprising a steering mechanism at the handle adapted to deflect the distal section of the elongate tubular shaft.

11. The treatment method as in claim 9, the step further comprising the step of generating vibration at the distal section of said elongate tubular shaft, wherein the step of generating vibration at the distal section comprises a motor mounted in the cavity of the handle, which has a rotatable motor shaft, an elongate connecting shaft having a first end to which the distal section of the elongate tubular shaft is connected, and a second end connected to the handle, a weight eccentrically mounted on the motor shaft with respect to the motor shaft axis, so as to rotate eccentrically, so that when the motor shaft rotates, the distal section of said elongate tubular shaft vibrates.

13. The treatment method as in claim 9, the step further comprising the device having at least one temperature sensor, wherein one of said at least one temperature sensor is disposed at close proximity of said ultrasonic transducer of the elongate tubular shaft.

15. The treatment method as in claim 13, the step further comprising the step of generating vibration at a distal section of the medical device, wherein the step of generating vibration at the distal section comprises a motor mounted in a cavity of a handle of the medical device, which has a rotatable motor shaft, an elongate connecting shaft having a first end to which the distal section of the medical device is connected, and a second end connected to the handle, a weight eccentrically mounted on the motor shaft with respect to a motor shaft axis, so as to rotate eccentrically, so that when the motor shaft rotates, the distal section of the medical device vibrates.

17. The treatment method of claim 13, wherein the step of activating said ultrasonic transducer further comprises the step of applying electrical energy to said ultrasonic transducer sufficiently to cause said ultrasonic transducer to resonate with frequency of about 1 to 40 MHz.

18. The treatment method of claim 13, wherein said medical device further comprises a hollow passage within a lumen of said medical device, a fluid inlet port, wherein the hollow passage is to provide fluid communication and flow of fluid originating from the fluid inlet port through said hollow passage to a portion of an exterior surface of said ultrasonic transducer, wherein said exterior surface is adapted for said ultrasonic transducer to emit ultrasonic energy outwardly, said hollow passage directing the fluid flow from inside said medical device over the exterior surface to provide a fluid protective layer surrounding the ultrasonic transducer, wherein said ultrasonic transducer is adapted to be placed in contact with cellular tissues.

10. A tissue treatment method for reducing the size and mass of cellular tissues of a hemorrhoid comprising the steps of:

(a) inserting a medical device through the anal canal for contacting the hemorrhoid of a patient, wherein the medical device comprises an elongate tubular shaft having a distal section, a distal end, a proximal end, and at least one lumen extending therebetween, wherein the distal section has a first side and a second opposite side;

a handle attached to the proximal end of the elongate tubular shaft, wherein the handle has a cavity;

a connector means attached to the handle;

at least one ultrasonic transducer mounted on the distal section of the elongate tubular shaft, wherein one of said at least one ultrasonic transducer is mounted on said first side of the elongate tubular shaft, wherein ultrasonic energy from said one of said at least one ultrasonic transducer is adapted to emit from said first side outwardly, said ultrasonic transducer being in an essentially transverse semi-circular concave shape, wherein said ultrasonic transducer is adapted to be placed in contact with biological tissues and adapted to provide therapeutic energy of ultrasonic microvibration;

an electrical conductor passing through one of said at least one lumen of the tubular shaft;

wherein the electrical conductor is connected to said ultrasonic transducer; and

an ultrasonic energy generating means, wherein the ultrasonic energy is supplied to said ultrasonic transducer through the electrical conductor;

(b) contacting said ultrasonic transducer against the cellular tissues of the hemorrhoid of a patient;

(c) activating said ultrasonic transducer to direct ultrasonic energy at the hemorrhoid tissue region to be treated, thereby generating thermal energy in the tissue; and

(d) heating the hemorrhoid tissue to a temperature and depth sufficient to ablate the hemorrhoid tissue, thereby reducing the size and mass of cellular tissues of the hemorrhoid.

12. The treatment method as in claim 10, the step further comprising initiating vibration to the distal section of said elongate tubular shaft to effect the vibrational therapeutic massage for treating the tissues.

14. A tissue treatment method for reducing the size and mass of cellular tissues comprising the steps of:

(a) inserting a medical device into the opening of a patient, wherein the medical device comprises at least one ultrasonic transducer mounted on the distal section thereof;

(b) positioning the medical device to place one of said at least one ultrasonic transducer to a tissue region to be treated, wherein said one of said at least one ultrasonic transducer is adapted to be placed in contact with cellular tissues;

(c) activating said ultrasonic transducer to direct ultrasonic energy at the tissue region to be treated, thereby generating thermal energy and microvibration in the cellular tissues; and

(d) heating the cellular tissues to a temperature and depth sufficient to ablate the cellular tissues, thereby reducing the size and mass of said cellular tissues.

16. The treatment method of claim 14, the step further comprising initiating vibration to the distal section of the medical device to effect the vibrational therapeutic massage for treating cellular tissues.