US5695510A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Ultrasonic knife
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1994-08-12
•
Granted: 1997-12-09
•
Expires: 2014-08-12
Abstract
Abstract Disclosed is an improved ultrasonic knife of a type for incising various types of material. The knife has a reduced thermal footprint to tailor thermally induced tissue effects. Tooth configuration on the knife cooperates with the stroke of the ultrasonic drive to produce efficient cutting, as well as tactile feedback to the surgeon with respect to the rate of cutting, and changes in tissue density. Ultrasonic knife tip extenders are also disclosed for advancing the ultrasonic knife tip through the working channel of an endoscope or trocar sheath. Methods utilizing the foregoing apparatus are also disclosed.
Inventors
- 👤 Larry L. Hood
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 06:43
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B17/00; A61B17/32; A61B17/320068; A61B17/3209; A61B17/3211; A61B17/3213; A61B2017/00017; A61B2017/00137; A61B2017/00141; A61B2017/00146; A61B2017/0015; A61B2017/320069; A61B2017/320082; A61B2017/320088; A61B2017/320089; A61B90/00; A61B90/03; A61B2090/038
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 30
Claim 1
Independent Claim
86 words
A blade for ultrasonic surgery, comprising: a generally planar body having at least one cutting edge thereon and a longitudinal axis; a connector for coupling the body to a source of ultrasonic vibrations which oscillates said planar body at a predetermined stroke length; and a plurality of teeth formed on said cutting edge, each tooth comprising a pair of generally parallel sidewall portions which terminate at a tooth end, said tooth end extending generally perpendicular to said sidewall portions and generally parallel to said longitudinal axis.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
86 words
A blade for ultrasonic surgery, comprising: a generally planar body having at least one cutting edge thereon and a longitudinal axis; a connector for coupling the body to a source of ultrasonic vibrations which oscillates said planar body at a predetermined stroke length; and a plurality of teeth formed on said cutting edge, each tooth comprising a pair of generally parallel sidewall portions which terminate at a tooth end, said tooth end extending generally perpendicular to said sidewall portions and generally parallel to said longitudinal axis.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
36 words
The ultrasonic blade of claim 1, wherein said tooth end has a width, measured in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis, within the range of from about 30% to about 60% of the stroke length.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
16 words
The ultrasonic blade of claim 2, wherein said width is about 50% of the stroke length.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
39 words
The ultrasonic blade of claim 1, wherein each adjacent pair of teeth defines a recess therebetween, said recess having a generally parabolic shape formed by a curved bottom portion and the generally opposing sidewall portions of said adjacent teeth.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
33 words
The ultrasonic blade of claim 4, wherein a distance between the bottom of said recess and said tooth end is within the range of about 20% to about 100% of the stroke length.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
16 words
The ultrasonic blade of claim 5, wherein said distance is approximately 80% of the stroke length.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
24 words
The ultrasonic blade of claim 1, wherein said pair of sidewalls are spaced apart from each other by no more than about 0.0015 inches.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
32 words
The ultrasonic blade of claim 1, wherein said planar body comprises at least one shallow recess located on a side of the planar body which reduces the cross-sectional width of said blade.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
26 words
The ultrasonic blade of claim 1, wherein said planar body comprises a pair of generally opposing flat tissue contact surfaces positioned proximate to said cutting edge.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
37 words
The ultrasonic blade of claim 1, wherein said cutting edge has a tapered, V-shaped cross-sectional shape which increases in width away from the tooth end at an included angle ranging between from about 10° to about 90°.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
13 words
The ultrasonic blade of claim 10, wherein said included angle is about 60°.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
28 words
The ultrasonic blade of claim 1, wherein said cutting edge is formed by the intersection of two curved surfaces positioned on opposite side surfaces of said planar body.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
26 words
The ultrasonic blade of claim 12, wherein the depth of each tooth is not greater than the radius of said curved surfaces forming said cutting edge.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
26 words
The ultrasonic blade of claim 1 defined by a pair of generally opposing cutting edges and an arcuate distal cutting edge which extends between said edges.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
23 words
The ultrasonic blade of claim 1, additionally comprising a roughened region thereon for increasing cavitation during the cutting of tissue with the blade.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
16 words
The ultrasonic blade of claim 15, wherein said roughened region is formed on said cutting edge.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
20 words
The ultrasonic blade of claim 1, wherein said planar body has a root-means-squared surface roughness of about 20 or greater.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
23 words
The ultrasonic blade of claim 17, wherein the sizes of surface irregularities of said surface roughness are no greater than about 400 microns.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
108 words
An ultrasonic knife comprising a source of ultrasonic vibrations, a knife blade coupled to said source, said knife blade having a cutting edge supporting a plurality of teeth having a spacing apart from one another of 10 microns or smaller, and a control for selecting causing said source to produce ultrasonic vibrations to induce reciprocal movement of the knife blade through a predetermined stroke length, said cutting edge of said knife blade being formed of a material having a Rockwell (c) hardness of at least about 55 and an ultimate yield strength generally about four times greater than internal stresses produced by the ultrasonic vibrations in the material.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
108 words
An ultrasonic knife comprising a source of ultrasonic vibrations, a knife blade coupled to said source, said knife blade having a cutting edge supporting a plurality of teeth having a spacing apart from one another of 10 microns or smaller, and a control for selecting causing said source to produce ultrasonic vibrations to induce reciprocal movement of the knife blade through a predetermined stroke length, said cutting edge of said knife blade being formed of a material having a Rockwell (c) hardness of at least about 55 and an ultimate yield strength generally about four times greater than internal stresses produced by the ultrasonic vibrations in the material.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
23 words
The ultrasonic knife of claim 19, wherein said hard material is selected from the group consisting of diamond, sapphire and a metal/ceramic composite.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
42 words
The ultrasonic knife of claim 20, wherein said metal/ceramic composite forming said blade cutting edge comprises a titanium alloy base and a ceramic coating, said ceramic being selected from the group consisting of titanium-nitride, silicon-carbide, plasma-chrome oxide, tungsten carbide, and aluminum oxide.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
64 words
A blade for ultrasonic surgery, comprising a generally planar body having at least one cutting edge thereon, said cutting edge being formed by the intersection of two curved surfaces extending along a portion of the length of the blade on opposite sides of the planar body, and a connector to couple the body to a source of ultrasonic vibrations which oscillate said planar body.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
64 words
A blade for ultrasonic surgery, comprising a generally planar body having at least one cutting edge thereon, said cutting edge being formed by the intersection of two curved surfaces extending along a portion of the length of the blade on opposite sides of the planar body, and a connector to couple the body to a source of ultrasonic vibrations which oscillate said planar body.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
17 words
The ultrasonic blade of claim 22, wherein a plurality of teeth are formed on said cutting edge.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
16 words
The ultrasonic blade of claim 23, wherein said teeth each have a generally blunt, squared tip.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
55 words
A blade for ultrasonic surgery, comprising a generally planar body having at least one cutting edge thereon, said cutting edge being formed by the intersection of at least one curved surface and at least one straight surface, and a connector to couple the body to a source of ultrasonic vibrations which oscillate said planar body.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
55 words
A blade for ultrasonic surgery, comprising a generally planar body having at least one cutting edge thereon, said cutting edge being formed by the intersection of at least one curved surface and at least one straight surface, and a connector to couple the body to a source of ultrasonic vibrations which oscillate said planar body.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
80 words
The blade of claim 25, wherein said cutting edge includes a plurality of teeth, each tooth having an end formed by the intersection of one of said at least one curved surface and one of said at least one straight surface, each tooth being arranged so that said curved surface which forms the edge of said tooth extends into the blade from a side of the blade opposite that from which curved surfaces of adjacent teeth extend into the blade.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3086288A
Cited
US2845072A
Cited
US3898992A
Cited
US3654701A
Cited
US3805787A
Cited
US3888004A
Cited
US4188952A
Cited
US4634420A
Cited
US5047043A
Cited
US4825545A
Cited
US4988334A
Cited
US4736842A
Cited
US4960419A
Cited
US4979952A
Cited
US5059210A
Cited
US5026387A
Cited
US5263957A
Cited
US5167725A
Cited
US5163553A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2000-12-08 | 2001-06-09 | 2001-12-09 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2004-12-08 | 2005-06-09 | 2005-12-09 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2008-12-08 | 2009-06-09 | 2009-12-09 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |