System and method for pulsed ultrasonic power delivery employing cavitational effects

• US 20110077583A1
• Filed: 11/18/2010
• Published: 03/31/2011
• 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: Schafer, Mark, Kadziauskas, Kenneth E., Rockley, Paul W.
• Granted Patent: US 8,945,162 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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: A61N 7/00 Ultrasound therapy lithotripsy A61B17/22, A61B17/225; massage using supersonic vibration A61H23/00 ; using ultrasound for introducing media into the body A61M37/0092
• 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 2201/76 Medical, dental

Abstract

A method and apparatus for delivering energy during a surgical procedure such as phacoemulsification is provided. The method and apparatus include delivering energy during a surgical procedure, including applying energy at a level and for a time period sufficient to induce transient cavitation, and reducing applied energy after applying energy during a second nonzero lower energy period.

Claims

1. A method for delivering energy during a surgical procedure performed within a surgical environment comprising a fluid, comprising:

applying energy at a first energy level sufficient to induce transient cavitation within the fluid; and

providing energy at a predetermined period after attaining transient cavitation within the fluid, said providing energy comprising applying energy at a second energy level lower than the first energy level.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined period is less than three milliseconds.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined period is less than one millisecond.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing additional energy at a predetermined period after said providing energy at a third energy level.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the second energy level is essentially zero.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising applying de minimis energy subsequent to said providing energy at the second energy level.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising repeating said applying and providing after applying de minimis energy.

8. A method of delivering ultrasonic energy during a tissue removal procedure employed in association with a fluid, comprising:

applying energy at a high energy amplitude level capable of inducing transient cavitation within the fluid; and

providing energy at a low energy amplitude level, thereby having the effect of minimizing adverse tissue damage resulting from ultrasonic energy transmission.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein providing energy at a low energy level comprises providing energy at a de minimis power level.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising providing additional energy at a second low energy amplitude level subsequent to said energy providing.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising refraining from power delivery subsequent to said energy providing and repeating said applying and providing after a predetermined time period.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein applying energy occurs for a predetermined period of time calculated to induce said transient cavitation.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein applying energy causes a cavitational energy having a duration of less than eight milliseconds.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein applying energy causes a cavitational energy having a duration of less than four milliseconds.

15. A method for providing modulated ultrasonic energy to an ocular region during a phacoemulsification procedure, the method comprising:

applying energy to the ocular region at a high energy level calculated to induce transient cavitation within fluid in the ocular region, said energy applying occurring for a first predetermined time;

reducing application of energy to the ocular region after said first predetermined time;

waiting for a second predetermined period of time; and

repeating said applying and reducing to the ocular region.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein time between completing said applying and initiating said reducing is essentially zero.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein applying energy results in cavitational energy having a duration of less than eight milliseconds.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein applying energy results in cavitational energy having a duration of less than four milliseconds.

19. A surgical method, comprising:

applying transient energy to an opthalmic surgical area comprising a fluid, said transient energy applying means applying energy at an amplitude and for a time period sufficient to induce transient cavitation within the fluid; and

reducing said transient energy to a lower amplitude energy level subsequent to said time period, thereby reducing risk of energy related injury.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein reducing said transient energy comprises providing energy at a de minimis power level.

21. The method of claim 19, further comprising providing additional energy at a second lower amplitude energy level subsequent to reducing said transient energy to a lower amplitude energy level.

22. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

refraining from power delivery subsequent to said transient energy reducing; and

repeating said applying, reducing, and refraining.

23. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

repeating said applying and reducing.

24. The method of claim 19, wherein said applying transient energy causes application of an elevated level of transient cavitational energy for the time period of less than eight milliseconds.

25. The method of claim 19, wherein said applying transient energy causes application of an elevated level of transient cavitational energy for the time period of less than four milliseconds.

26. The method of claim 19, wherein said applying comprises ultrasonically vibrating said needle.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising engaging at a first desired time when energy application is desired and disengaging at a second desired time when energy application is not desired.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein said engaging and disengaging is performed by a switch.