Modulated pulsed ultrasonic power delivery system and method

• US 8,887,735 B2
• Filed: 06/29/2012
• Issued: 11/18/2014
• 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:
  US13/537,809
• Publication Number:
  US 20120277779A1
• Time in Patent Office: 872 Days
• Field of Search: 606 4- 6, 606 10- 12, 606/166, 606/167, 600/437, 600/439, 600/446, 600/452, 604 19- 22, 601/2, 128/898
• US Class Current: 128/898
• 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 method for delivering energy during a surgical procedure, comprising:

applying energy during a modulated energy delivery period, comprising,;

applying energy during a plurality of short burst periods, said short burst periods comprising a nonzero first energy burst period followed a predetermined time thereafter by a nonzero second energy burst period; and

refraining from applying energy after the nonzero second energy burst period;

wherein energy provided during said nonzero second energy burst period is lower in amplitude than energy provided during said nonzero first energy burst period.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined time is zero.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said short burst periods further comprise a nonzero third energy burst period.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein:

said nonzero second energy burst period comprises a first amplitude; and

said nonzero third low energy burst period comprises a second amplitude;

and the first amplitude is greater than the second amplitude.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein said nonzero second energy burst period comprises a first amplitude;

and

said nonzero third energy burst period comprises a second amplitude;

and said first and second amplitude are equal.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the surgical procedure is performed in a surgical environment, and wherein applying energy during the short burst periods comprising a nonzero first energy burst period, followed a predetermined time thereafter by a nonzero second energy burst period tends to induce transient cavitation in the surgical environment.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein duration of the nonzero first energy burst is at most four milliseconds and said nonzero first energy burst induces transient cavitation.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein duration of the nonzero first energy burst is at most two milliseconds and said nonzero first energy burst induces transient cavitation.