Modulated pulsed ultrasonic power delivery system and method

• US 9,707,127 B2
• Filed: 10/01/2014
• Issued: 07/18/2017
• 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: Rockley, Paul W., Kadziauskas, Kenneth E.
• Primary Examiner(s): FARAH, AHMED M
• Application Number:
  US14/503,827
• Publication Number:
  US 20150202080A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,021 Days
• Field of Search: 604 19- 22, 604 28, 606 4- 6, 606 10- 12, 600437, 600439, 601 2, 128898
• 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 to an ocular region of a patient during a modulated energy delivery period, comprising;

applying energy during a plurality of burst periods, said burst periods comprising an initial energy burst period having duration less than 3.5 milliseconds during which energy is applied at a first predetermined nonzero level followed a predetermined time thereafter by a nonzero subsequent energy burst period during which energy is applied at a second predetermined nonzero level lower than the first predetermined nonzero level.

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

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

4. The method of claim 3, wherein:

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

said second nonzero subsequent energy burst period comprises a second amplitude;

and said first and second amplitude are different.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein:

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

said second nonzero subsequent 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 burst periods comprising an initial energy burst period followed a predetermined time thereafter by the nonzero subsequent energy burst period tends to induce transient cavitation in the surgical environment.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the initial energy burst induces transient cavitation.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein initial energy burst duration is more than 1.8 milliseconds and induces transient cavitation.