Power-assisted liposuction instrument with cauterizing cannual assembly

• US 6,346,107 B1
• Filed: 11/21/1997
• Issued: 02/12/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Robert L. Cucin
• Original Assignee: Robert L. Cucin
• Inventors: Cucin, Robert L.
• Primary Examiner(s): PEFFLEY, MICHAEL F
• Application Number:
  US08/976,073
• Time in Patent Office: 1,544 Days
• Field of Search: 606/41, 606/42, 606/45, 606/50, 606/167, 606/170, 606/171, 606/180, 604/21, 604/22, 604/35
• US Class Current: 606/49
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/32002 with continuously rotating, oscillating or reciprocating cutting instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00464 Subcutaneous fat, e.g. liposuction, lipolysis
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/84 Drainage tubes; Aspiration tips for negative pressure wound therapy A61M1/90; for surgical cutting instruments A61B17/32
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/89 Suction aspects of liposuction surgical cutting instruments A61B17/32
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2202/0014 removed from the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2202/08 Lipoids
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/106 reciprocating

Abstract

A method and apparatus is disclosed for mechanically-assisted liposuction treatment. The apparatus includes a hand-holdable housing, an electro-cauterizing cannula assembly, and a reciprocation mechanism. The hand-holdable housing has a cavity adaptable for receipt of a portion of the electro-cauterizing cannula assembly. The electro-cauterizing cannula assembly includes an inner cannula and an outer cannula, each having a distal end and a proximal end and at least one aspiration aperture about the distal end. The inner cannula is disposed within the outer cannula and the inner and outer aspiration apertures are in at least partial registration to form an effective aspiration aperture. The reciprocation mechanism is disposed within the housing and is operably associated with either the inner or outer cannula so that one of the cannulas can be selectively caused to reciprocate relative to the housing while the other is stationarily disposed relative to the housing. As one of the cannulas is caused to reciprocate relative to the other the effective aspiration aperture formed through the distal end of the cannula assembly, is caused to undergo periodic displacement. During aspiration of tissue, high-voltage RF power signals are supplied to the inner and outer cannulas to effect hemostasis about the reciprocating aspiration aperture. Such hemostasis is achieved by causing protein molecules within aspirated tissue to coagulate in response to the high-voltage RF signals being supplied across the reciprocating cannulas. In the preferred embodiments, the amount and rate of such aspiration aperture displacement is controllably adjustable. The cannula assembly is releasably detachable from the hand-holdable housing to facilitate cleaning and sterilization of the cannula assembly and the housing.

Claims

1. A powered liposuction device comprising:

a hand-holdable housing provided with a reciprocation means reciprocatable within said hand-holdable housing and a pair of power supply terminals for supplying a radio-frequency (RF) power signal to an electro-cauterizing cannula assembly during liposuction operations,

said electro-cauterizing cannula assembly being operably connectable to said hand-holdable housing and including

a hollow inner cannula having a distal end and a proximal end and an inner suction aperture about said inner cannula distal end, said inner cannula proximal end further including an outlet port and a continuous passageway which communicates said inner suction aperture with said outlet port,

a hollow outer cannula having a distal end and a proximal end and an outer suction aperture about said outer cannula distal end, said hollow inner cannula being disposed within at least a portion of said hollow outer cannula while permitting aspiration of tissue through said outer and inner suction apertures, along said continuous passageway and out of said outlet port,

said hollow inner cannula being operably associatable with said reciprocation means, and said hollow outer cannula being essentially stationary with respect to said hand-holdable housing, so as to effectuate relative sliding movement between said hollow inner and outer cannulas when said reciprocation means reciprocates, so that the location of said aspiration through said outer and inner suction apertures is periodically displaced, and

electro-cauterizing means associated with said hollow inner and outer cannulas, for conducting said RF power signal along said hollow inner and outer cannulas and effecting coagulation of protein molecules within the tissue being aspirated through said outer and inner suction apertures,

wherein said hollow outer cannula further comprises an outer cannula base extending from said outer cannula proximal end and being adapted for releasably connecting with said hand-holdable housing,

wherein said hollow inner cannula further comprises an inner cannula base which is operably associatable with said reciprocation means by way of an actuation means disposed in said hand-holdable housing and reciprocatable by said reciprocation means, and

wherein said hollow inner cannula base further includes said outlet port and said continuous passageway,

wherein said hollow outer cannula is electrically non-conductive and said electro-cauterizing means includes a cauterizing electrode provided about said hollow outer suction aperture; and

wherein said hollow inner cannula is electrically conductive and the outer cannula base of said hollow inner cannula includes electrical means for conducting said RF power signal from a first one of said power supply terminals provided in said powered liposuction device to said hollow inner cannula.

2. The powered liposuction device of claim 1, wherein said electrical means comprises a device inserted within the outer cannula base of said hollow outer cannula and having an electrical contact element for conducting said RF power signal from said power supply terminals to said inner cannula while said hollow inner cannula is being reciprocated within said hollow outer cannula.

3. The powered liposuction device of claim 1, wherein the outer cannula base of said hollow outer cannula includes an electrical contact element for establishing electrical contact with one of said power supply terminals within said powered liposuction device.

4. A powered liposuction device comprising:

a hand-holdable housing provided with a reciprocation means reciprocatable within said hand-holdable housing and a pair of power supply terminals for supplying a radio-frequency (RF) power signal to an electro-cauterizing cannula assembly during liposuction operations,

said electro-cauterizing cannula assembly being operably connectable to said hand-holdable housing and including

a hollow inner cannula having a distal end and a proximal end and an inner suction aperture about said inner cannula distal end, said inner cannula proximal end further including an outlet port and a continuous passageway which communicates said inner suction aperture with said outlet port,

a hollow outer cannula having a distal end and a proximal end and an outer suction aperture about said outer cannula distal end, said hollow inner cannula being disposed within at least a portion of said hollow outer cannula while permitting aspiration of tissue through said outer and inner suction apertures, along said continuous passageway and out of said outlet port,

said hollow inner cannula being operably associatable with said reciprocation means, and said hollow outer cannula being essentially stationary with respect to said hand-holdable housing, so as to effectuate relative sliding movement between said hollow inner and outer cannulas when said reciprocation means reciprocates, so that the location of said aspiration through said outer and inner suction apertures is periodically displaced, and

electro-cauterizing means associated with said hollow inner and outer cannulas, for conducting said RF power signal along said hollow inner and outer cannulas and effecting coagulation of protein molecules within the tissue being aspirated through said outer and inner suction apertures,

wherein said hollow outer cannula further comprises an outer cannula base extending from said outer cannula proximal end and being adapted for releasably connecting with said hand-holdable housing,

wherein said hollow inner cannula further comprises an inner cannula base which is operably associatable with said reciprocation means by way of an actuation means disposed in said hand-holdable housing and reciprocatable by said reciprocation means, and

wherein said hollow inner cannula base further includes said outlet port and said continuous passageway,

wherein said hollow inner cannula is electrically non-conductive and said electro-cauterizing means includes a cauterizing electrode provided about said inner suction aperture and the inner cannula base of said hollow inner cannula includes an electrical connection element for electrically connecting said cauterizing electrode with a first one of said pair of power supply terminals provided within said powered liposuction device; and

said outer cannula is electrically conductive and the outer cannula base portion of said hollow outer cannula includes electrical means for maintaining said hollow outer cannula in electrical contact with a second one of said RF power supply terminals conducting RF power signals to said hollow outer cannula.

5. The powered liposuction device of claim 4, wherein said electrical means comprises an electrically conductive element embedded within said outer cannula base of said hollow outer cannula.

6. A powered liposuction device comprising:

a hand-holdable housing provided with a reciprocation means reciprocatable within said hand-holdable housing and a pair of power supply terminals for supplying a radio-frequency (RF) power signal to an electro-cauterizing cannula assembly during liposuction operations,

said electro-cauterizing cannula assembly being operably connectable to said hand-holdable housing and including

a hollow inner cannula having a distal end and a proximal end and an inner suction aperture about said inner cannula distal end, said inner cannula proximal end further including an outlet port and a continuous passageway which communicates said inner suction aperture with said outlet port,

a hollow outer cannula having a distal end and a proximal end and an outer suction aperture about said outer cannula distal end, said hollow inner cannula being disposed within at least a portion of said hollow outer cannula while permitting aspiration of tissue through said outer and inner suction apertures, along said continuous passageway and out of said outlet port,

said hollow inner cannula being operably associatable with said reciprocation means, and said hollow outer cannula being essentially stationary with respect to said hand-holdable housing, so as to effectuate relative sliding movement between said hollow inner and outer cannulas when said reciprocation means reciprocates, so that the location of said aspiration through said outer and inner suction apertures is periodically displaced, and

electro-cauterizing means associated with said hollow inner and outer cannulas, for conducting said RF power signal along said hollow inner and outer cannulas and effecting coagulation of protein molecules within the tissue being aspirated through said outer and inner suction apertures,

wherein said hollow outer cannula further comprises an outer cannula base extending from said outer cannula proximal end and being adapted for releasably connecting with said hand-holdable housing,

wherein said hollow inner cannula further comprises an inner cannular base which is operably associatable with said reciprocation means by way of an actuation means disposed in said hand-holdable housing and reciprocatable by said reciprocation means, and

wherein said hollow inner cannula base further includes said outlet port and said continuous passageway,

wherein said hollow inner and outer cannulas are both electrically non-conductive;

wherein said hollow outer cannula includes an outer cauterizing electrode provided about said outer suction aperture and first conductive means for conducting said power signal from the outer cannula base of said hollow outer cannula to said outer cauterizing electrode; and

wherein said hollow inner cannula includes an inner cauterizing electrode provided about said inner suction aperture and second conductive means for conducting said RF power signal from said inner cannula base of said hollow inner cannula to said inner cauterizing electrode.

7. The powered liposuction device of claim 6, wherein the outer cannula base of said hollow outer cannula includes a first electrical contact element connected to said first conductive means, for contacting a first one of said a pair of power supply terminals provided in said powered liposuction device;

and wherein the inner cannula base of said hollow inner cannula includes a second electrical contact element connected to said second conductive means, for contacting a second one of said pair of power supply terminals provided in said powered liposuction device.

8. The powered liposuction device of claim 7, wherein said first electrical contact element is embedded within said outer cannula base of said hollow outer cannula;

and wherein said second electrical contact element is embedded within said inner cannula base of said hollow inner cannula.

9. The powered liposuction device of claim 6, wherein said outer suction aperture is elongated in the longitudinal direction of said hollow inner cannula.

10. The powered liposuction device of claim 6, wherein said hand-holdable housing further includes a cannula cavity of cylindrical geometry, and said inner cannula base comprises a first cylindrical structure capable of being slidably received within at least a first portion of said cannula cavity, and wherein a notch means is formed in said first cylindrical structure and is adapted for releasably engaging with said actuation means.

11. A powered liposuction device comprising:

a hand-holdable housing provided with a reciprocation means reciprocatable within said hand-holdable housing and a pair of power supply terminals for supplying a radio-frequency (RF) power signal to an electro-cauterizing cannula assembly during liposuction operations,

said electro-cauterizing cannula assembly being operably connectable to said hand-holdable housing and including

a hollow inner cannula having a distal end and a proximal end and an inner suction aperture about said inner cannula distal end, said inner cannula proximal end further including an outlet port and a continuous passageway which communicates said inner suction aperture with said outlet port,

a hollow outer cannula having a distal end and a proximal end and an outer suction aperture about said outer cannula distal end, said hollow inner cannula being disposed within at least a portion of said hollow outer cannula while permitting aspiration of tissue through said outer and inner suction apertures, along said continuous passageway and out of said outlet port,

said hollow inner cannula being operably associatable with said reciprocation means, and said hollow outer cannula being essentially stationary with respect to said hand-holdable housing, so as to effectuate relative sliding movement between said hollow inner and outer cannulas when said reciprocation means reciprocates, so that the location of said aspiration through said outer and inner suction apertures is periodically displaced, and

electro-cauterizing means associated with said hollow inner and outer cannulas, for conducting said RF power signal along said hollow inner and outer cannulas and effecting coagulation of protein molecules within the tissue being aspirated through said outer and inner suction apertures,

wherein said hollow outer cannula further comprises an outer cannula base extending from said outer cannula proximal end and being adapted for releasably connecting with said hand-holdable housing,

wherein said hollow inner cannula further comprises an inner cannula base which is operably associatable with said reciprocation means by way of an actuation means disposed in said hand-holdable housing and reciprocatable by said reciprocation means, and

wherein said hollow inner cannula base further including said outlet port and said continuous passageway,

wherein said hand-holdable housing further includes a cannula cavity of cylindrical geometry, and said inner cannula base comprises a first cylindrical structure capable of being slidably received within at least a first portion of said cannula cavity, and wherein a notch means is formed in said first cylindrical structure and is adapted for releasably engaging with said actuation means, and

wherein said outer cannula base comprises a second cylindrical structure capable of being received within at least a second portion of said cannula cavity, and wherein a flange portion extends from said second cylindrical structure an is adapted for releasably engaging with a matched recess formed in said cannula cavity.

12. An electro-cauterizing cannula assembly for use with a powered liposuction device having a hand-holdable housing provided with a reciprocation means reciprocatable within said hand-holdable housing and a pair of power supply terminals for supplying a radio-frequency (RF) power signal to said cannula assembly during liposuction operations, said electro-cauterizing cannula assembly being operably connectable to said hand-holdable housing and comprising:

a hollow inner cannula having a distal end and a proximal end and an inner suction aperture about said inner cannula distal end, said inner cannula proximal end further including an outlet port and a continuous passageway which communicates said inner suction aperture with said outlet port,

a hollow outer cannula having a distal end and a proximal end and an outer suction aperture about said outer cannula distal end, said hollow inner cannula being disposed within at least a portion of said hollow outer cannula while permitting aspiration of tissue through said outer and inner suction apertures, along said continuous passageway and out of said outlet port,

said hollow inner cannula being operably associatable with said reciprocation means, and said hollow outer cannula being essentially stationary with respect to said hand-holdable housing, so as to effectuate relative sliding movement between said hollow inner and outer cannulas when said reciprocation means reciprocates, so that the location of said aspiration through said outer and inner suction apertures is periodically displaced, and

electro-cauterizing means associated with said hollow inner and outer cannulas, for conducting said RF power signal along said hollow inner and outer cannulas and effecting coagulation of protein molecules within the tissue being aspirated through said outer and inner suction apertures,

wherein said hollow outer cannula further comprises an outer cannula base extending from said outer cannula proximal end and being adapted for releasably connecting with said hand-holdable housing,

wherein said hollow inner cannula further comprises an inner cannula base which is operably associatable with said reciprocation means by way of an actuation means disposed in said hand-holdable housing and reciprocatable by said reciprocation means,

wherein said hollow inner cannula base further including said outlet port and said continuous passageway, and

wherein said hollow inner cannula further comprises a cannula keying means for maintaining said hollow inner and outer cannulas in a predetermined axial alignment so that said outer suction aperture is in registration with at least a portion of said inner suction aperture as said hollow inner and outer cannulas are caused to undergo said slidable movement.

13. A powered liposuction device comprising:

a hand-holdable housing provided with a reciprocation means reciprocatable within said hand-holdable housing and a pair of power supply terminals for supplying a radio-frequency (RF) power signal to an electro-cauterizing cannula assembly during liposuction operations,

said electro-cauterizing cannula assembly being operably connectable to said hand-holdable housing and including

a hollow inner cannula having a distal end and a proximal end and an inner suction aperture about said inner cannula distal end, said inner cannula proximal end further including an outlet port and a continuous passageway which communicates said inner suction aperture with said outlet port,

a hollow outer cannula having a distal end and a proximal end and an outer suction aperture about said outer cannula distal end, said hollow inner cannula being disposed within at least a portion of said hollow outer cannula while permitting aspiration of tissue through said outer and inner suction apertures, along said continuous passageway and out of said outlet port,

said hollow inner cannula being operably associatable with said reciprocation means, and said hollow outer cannula being essentially stationary with respect to said hand-holdable housing, so as to effectuate relative sliding movement between said hollow inner and outer cannulas when said reciprocation means reciprocates, so that the location of said aspiration through said outer and inner suction apertures is periodically displaced, and

electro-cauterizing means associated with said hollow inner and outer cannulas, for conducting said RF power signal along said hollow inner and outer cannulas and effecting coagulation of protein molecules within the tissue being aspirated through said outer and inner suction apertures,

wherein said hollow outer cannula further comprises an outer cannula base extending from said outer cannula proximal end and being adapted for releasably connecting with said hand-holdable housing,

wherein said hollow inner cannula further comprises an inner cannula base which is operably associatable with said reciprocation means by way of an actuation means disposed in said hand-holdable housing and reciprocatable by said reciprocation means, and

wherein said hollow inner cannula base further including said outlet port and said continuous passageway, and wherein said hollow outer cannula further comprises an outer cannula base which extends from said inner cannula proximal end and is adapted for releasably connecting with said hand-holdable housing, and

wherein said electro-cauterizing cannula assembly comprises first, second and third pairs of said outer and inner suction apertures, each said pair of suction apertures being at least partial registration when said hollow inner cannula is inserted within said hollow outer cannula.

14. Apparatus for use in liposuction treatment, which comprises:

a hand-holdable housing having a first cavity;

a cannula assembly operably connectable to said hand-holdable housing and including a 2ollow inner cannula having a distal end and a proximal end and an inner suction aperture disposed about said inner cannula distal end, said inner cannula proximal end further including an outlet port and a continuous passageway which communicates said inner suction aperture with said outlet port, and

a hollow outer cannula having a distal end and a proximal end and an outer suction aperture disposed about said outer cannula distal end, said hollow inner cannula being positionable within at least a portion of said hollow outer cannula and being essentially stationary with respect to said hand-holdable housing so as to enable said hollow inner cannula to slide within said hollow outer cannula while permitting aspiration through said outer and inner suction apertures, along said continuous passageway and out of said outlet port;

radio-frequency (RF) power supply terminals disposed within said hand-holdable housing, for supplying to said cannula assembly during liposuction operations, power signals produced by a RF power signal generator;

reciprocation means disposed within said hand-holdable housing and operably associated with said hollow inner cannula, so as to effectuate relative sliding movement between said hollow inner and outer cannulas when said reciprocation means causes said hollow inner cannula to reciprocate, so that the location of said aspiration through said outer and inner suction apertures is periodically displaced; and

electro-cauterizing means electrically connected to said RF power supply terminals, and operably associated with said hollow inner and outer cannulas, for conducting said RF power signals along said hollow inner and outer cannulas and effecting coagulation of protein molecules within tissue being aspirated through said outer and inner suction apertures.

15. The powered liposuction device of claim 14, wherein said outer suction aperture is elongated in the longitudinal direction of said hollow inner cannula.

16. The powered liposuction device of claim 15, wherein said hollow outer cannula is electrically non-conductive and includes a cauterizing electrode provided about said hollow outer suction aperture;

and

wherein said hollow inner cannula is electrically conductive and said hollow inner cannula base includes electrical means for conducting said RF power signal from one of said power supply terminals to said hollow inner cannula.

17. The powered liposuction device of claim 16, wherein said electrical means comprises a device inserted within the outer cannula base of said hollow outer cannula and having an electrical contact element for conducting said RF power signal from one of said power supply terminals to said hollow inner cannula while said hollow inner cannula is being reciprocated within said hollow outer cannula.

18. The powered liposuction device of claim 16, wherein said outer cannula base includes an electrical contact element for establishing electrical contact with one of said power supply terminals.

19. The powered liposuction deivce of claim 15, wherein said hollow inner cannula is electrically non-conductive and includes a cauterizing electrode provided about said inner suction aperture and the inner cannula base of said hollow inner cannula includes an electrical connection element of electrically connecting said cauterizing electrode with a first one of said power supply terminals;

and

said outer cannula is electrically conductive and has an outer cannula base and said hollow outer cannula base includes electrical means for maintaining said hollow outer cannula in electrical contact with a second one of said power supply terminals and conducting RF power signal to said hollow outer cannula.

20. The powered liposuction device of claim 19, wherein said electrical means comprises an electrically conductive element embedded within the outer cannula base of said hollow outer cannula.

21. The powered liposuction device of claim 19, wherein said hollow inner and outer cannulas are both electrically non-conductive;

wherein said hollow outer cannula includes an outer cauterizing electrode provided about said outer suction aperture and first conductive means for conducting said RF power signal from the outer cannula base of said hollow outer cannula to said outer cauterizing electrode; and

wherein said hollow inner cannula includes an inner cauterizing electrode provided about said inner suction aperture and second conductive means for conducting said RF power signal from said hollow inner cannula base to said inner cauterizing electrode.

22. The powered liposuction device of claim 21, wherein the outer cannula base of said hollow outer cannula includes a first electrical contact element connected to said first conductive means for contacting a first one of said power supply terminals;

and wherein said hollow inner cannula base includes a second electrical contact element connected to said second conductive means for contacting a second one of said power supply terminals.

23. The powered liposuction device of claim 22, wherein said first electrical contact element is embedded within said hollow outer cannula base;

and said second electrical contact element is embedded within said hollow inner cannula base.

24. The powered liposuction device of claim 15, wherein said outer suction aperture is elongated in the longitudinal direction of said hollow inner cannula, and said inner suction aperture is substantially shorter than said outer suction aperture along said longitudinal direction.

25. The powered liposuction device of claim 15, wherein said hand-holdable housing further includes a cannula cavity of cylindrical geometry, and said hollow inner cannula base comprises a first cylindrical structure capable of being slidably received within at least a first portion of said cannula cavity, and wherein a notch means is formed in said first cylindrical structure and is adapted for releasably engaging with said actuation means.

26. The powered liposuction device of claim 25, wherein said outer cannula base comprises a second cylindrical structure capable of being received within at least a second portion of said cannula cavity, and wherein a flange portion extends from said second cylindrical structure and is adapted for releasably engaging with a matched recess formed in said cannula cavity.

27. The powered liposuction device of claim 15, which further comprises a cannula keying means for maintaining said hollow inner and outer cannulas in a predetermined axial alignment so that said outer suction aperture is in registration with at least a portion of said inner suction aperture as said hollow inner and outer cannulas are caused to undergo said slidable movement.

28. The powered liposuction device of claim 15, which further comprises first, second and third pairs of said outer and inner suction apertures, each said pair of suction apertures being at least partial registration when said hollow inner cannula is inserted within said hollow outer cannula.

29. The powered liposuction device of claim 15, which further comprises RF power signal generator realized as a device, external to said hand-holdable housing, for generating said RF power signal.

30. The powered liposuction device of claim 29, which further comprises a flexible cable for conducting said RF power signal from said external device to said power supply terminals in said power hand-holdable housing.

31. The powered liposuction device of claim 30, which further comprises a control means including a manually actuated trigger integrated with said hand-holdable housing.