Disposable aspiration sleeve for ultrasonic lipectomy

In an ultasonic lipectomy device, which device includes a handpiece said handpiece comprising an ultrasonic electrostrictive converter element and a substantially cylindrical ultrasonic horn member connected to the converter element which has vibratory nodal planes at the points where no longitudinal motion is occurring, spaced along the horn at intervals of one half the resonant wave length, said horn member being structurally adapted to be inserted into fatty tissue underlying the skin for disrupting fatty tissue, the improvement comprising a removable displable aspiration sleeve said aspiration sleeve further comprising;

• (a) a hollow cylindrical base member operable to be releasably connected to the handpiece;
• (b) a hollow cylindrical sleeve member extending distally from said base member, said sleeve member being structurally adapted for insertion beneath the skin to coaxially and protectively surround the cylindrical ultrasonic horn, said sleeve member having an internal diameter greater than the external diameter of the cylindrical ultasonic horn member the difference in diameters providing an annular passage around the ultrasonic horn, said annular passage being operable to conduct a fatty tissue aspirate from the distal end of the ultrasonic horn to the base end;
• and
• (c) a sleeve support member or members extending radially inward from the interior surface of said sleeve member, said support member or members disposed within the sleeve to touch said untrasonic horn at one or more vibratory nodal planes of said horn.