US 12,458,711 B2 · Ultrasonic irrigator device for in-body cleaning and disinfection

Abstract

Nanoparticles are suspended in a fluid medium which is activated using an ultrasonic transducer in contact with the fluid medium. The fluid may be injected into a body cavity and ultrasonically activated to induce a cavitation effect. The body cavity may contain a natural or artificial hard surface, inflamed or with a biofilm harnessing bacteria, such as a bone, joint or implant, as well as the surrounding tissue. In an embodiment, a treatment device may be used before, during or after a procedure such as a minimally invasive or open surgery to disinfect the body cavity via irrigation with liquid containing suspended nanoparticles and ultrasonically activated. The irrigation device may supply the cavity with the liquid and include therein an ultrasonic transducer. The cleaning and disinfecting process may be performed as treatment of infection in absence of another surgical procedure.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A method for ultrasonically cleaning an internal body part comprising:

providing into a cavity of a living body a liquid;
providing into the cavity nanoparticles which have a morphology which includes one or more sharp shapes capable of piercing infectious agents;
generating ultrasonic waves in the liquid with the nanoparticles suspended therein for a defined period of time, wherein said ultrasonic waves are used to generate imploding cavitation bubbles, creating micro-jets in said liquid when said nanoparticles are suspended therein, resulting in bombarding surfaces of said internal body part with said nanoparticles to clean and disinfect said surfaces of said internal body part;
and
removing from the cavity the liquid with the nanoparticles suspended therein, after the defined period of time has lapsed.

2 more elements

An irrigation system for ultrasonic cleansing of an internal body part, comprising:

an irrigator comprising:
an ultrasonic transducer, an inlet and an outlet;
at least one control unit comprising:
at least one power supply configured for supplying power at least to the control unit;
a liquid supply configured for storing liquid;
a nanoparticles supply configured for storing one or more nanoparticles which have a morphology which includes one or more sharp shapes capable of piercing infectious agents;
a pump configured for supplying liquid from the liquid supply to a body cavity via the irrigator inlet, and/or for supplying said one or more nanoparticles from said nanoparticles supply, and/or for extracting at least one of liquid and said nanoparticles from the body cavity;
and
a control circuitry configured for coupling to one or more of:
the power supply, the liquid supply, the nanoparticles supply and the pump;
wherein the control circuitry and the at least one power supply are further configured for coupling to the ultrasonic transducer, the ultrasonic transducer being configured to contact the liquid;
and
wherein said control circuitry is configured to cause said ultrasonic transducer to generate imploding cavitation bubbles, creating micro-jets in said liquid when said nanoparticles are suspended therein, resulting in bombarding surfaces of said internal body part with said nanoparticles to clean and disinfect said surfaces of said internal body part.

10 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Ultrasonic irrigator device for in-body cleaning and disinfection

Life of this patent

Ultrasonic irrigator device for in-body cleaning and disinfection

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20