Modulated pulsed ultrasound power delivery system and method

• US 8,852,138 B2
• Filed: 09/16/2011
• Issued: 10/07/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Johnson & Johnson Surgical Vision, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Abbott Medical Optics Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Kadzlauskas, Kenneth E., Rockley, Paul W.
• Primary Examiner(s): FARAH, AHMED M
• Application Number:
  US13/200,061
• Publication Number:
  US 20120010560A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,117 Days
• Field of Search: 604 19- 22, 604/28, 604/43, 604/44, 606 4- 6, 606 10- 12, 606/166, 606/167, 600/437, 600/439, 601/2
• US Class Current: 604/22
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00176 Two pulses, e.g. second pulse having an effect different from the first one
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00194 Means for setting or varying the repetition rate
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00666 using a threshold value
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/00745 using mechanical vibrations, e.g. ultrasonic
• CPC Class Codes: B06B 1/0215 for generating pulses, e.g. bursts of oscillations, envelopes
• CPC Class Codes: B06B 1/023 and stepped in amplitude, e.g. square wave, 2-level signal
• CPC Class Codes: B06B 1/0253 taken directly from the generator circuit
• CPC Class Codes: B06B 1/06 operating with piezoelectric effect or with electrostriction piezoelectric or electrostrictive devices per se H10N30/00
• CPC Class Codes: B06B 2201/76 Medical, dental
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/0223 User address space allocation, e.g. contiguous or non contiguous base addressing
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

A method and apparatus for delivering energy during a surgical procedure such as phacoemulsification is provided. The method and apparatus include applying energy during at least one pulsed energy on period, typically sufficient or intended to rapidly induce and beneficially employ transient cavitation. Applying energy during the pulsed energy on period comprises applying energy during a first high energy period, and applying energy during a second nonzero lower energy period.

Claims

1. A surgical apparatus, comprising:

means for applying ultrasonic energy to an ocular region of a patient, comprising;

means for applying modulated ultrasonic energy to the ocular region of the patient during a plurality of short burst periods, said short burst periods comprising a first energy burst period followed immediately thereafter by a nonzero second energy burst period;

wherein the first energy burst period comprises a calculated time period sufficient to induce transient cavitation within fluid within the ocular region of the patient, wherein the calculated time period is between 1.8 and 3.5 milliseconds.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, said means for applying ultrasonic energy comprising an ultrasonically vibrated needle.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said means for applying comprise a phacoemulsification handpiece having a needle and electrical means for ultrasonically vibrating said needle.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said means for applying modulated ultrasonic energy comprise means for delivering energy in said plurality of short burst periods interspersed by multiple de minimis power application periods.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second energy burst period is followed by a zero energy period.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said modulated ultrasonic energy application means further provides a nonzero third energy burst period after the second energy burst period and before the zero energy period.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein amplitude of ultrasonic energy provided during said third energy burst period is lower than amplitude of said second energy burst period.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein amplitude of ultrasonic energy provided during said third energy burst period is equal to amplitude of said second energy burst period.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the modulated energy application means produces ultrasonic energy during the first energy burst period at a first amplitude and during the second energy burst period at a second amplitude, wherein the second amplitude is greater than half of the first amplitude.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the modulated energy application means produces ultrasonic energy during the first energy burst period at a first amplitude and during the second energy burst period at a second amplitude, wherein the second amplitude is less than half of the first amplitude.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising engagement/disengagement means, wherein operation of the apparatus is engaged at a first desired time when energy application is desired and operation of the apparatus is disengaged at a second desired time when energy application is not desired.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein said engagement/disengagement means comprises a switch.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the calculated time period is between 2.0 and 3.0 milliseconds.

14. A surgical apparatus, comprising:

an ocular surgical handpiece configured to apply ultrasonic energy to a surgical site, comprising;

electrical means configured to apply modulated ultrasonic energy to the surgical site via a needle during a plurality of short burst periods, said short burst periods comprising a first ultrasonic energy burst period followed by a second ultrasonic energy burst period, wherein ultrasonic energy applied during the second ultrasonic energy burst period is nonzero and lower in amplitude than ultrasonic energy applied during the first ultrasonic energy burst period;

wherein the first ultrasonic energy burst period comprises a calculated time period sufficient to induce transient cavitation within fluid within the surgical site, wherein the calculated time period is between 1.8 and 3.5 milliseconds.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said electrical means comprise means for delivering energy in said plurality of short burst periods interspersed by multiple de minimis power application periods.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said electrical means further provides a subsequent nonzero third ultrasonic energy burst period.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein amplitude of said subsequent nonzero third ultrasonic energy burst period is lower than amplitude of said second ultrasonic energy burst period.

18. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the second energy burst period is followed by a zero energy period.

19. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the electrical means produces ultrasonic energy during the first energy burst period at a first amplitude and during the second energy burst period at a second amplitude, wherein the second amplitude is greater than half of the first amplitude.

20. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the electrical means produces ultrasonic energy during the first energy burst period at a first amplitude and during the second energy burst period at a second amplitude, wherein the second amplitude is less than half of the first amplitude.

21. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising engagement/disengagement means, wherein operation of the apparatus is engaged at a first desired time when energy application is desired and operation of the apparatus is disengaged at a second desired time when energy application is not desired.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein said engagement/disengagement means comprises a switch.

23. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the calculated time period is between 2.0 and 3.0 milliseconds.