Endoscopic ultrasonic rotary electro-cauterizing aspirator

A surgical instrument comprising:

• a handpiece;
• a vibration source within the handpiece for generating mechanical vibrations in response to current applied thereto, said vibration source including a piezoelectric crystal, a union for connecting said crystal to an elongated tool means, and a stem;
• elongated tool means operatively associated with said vibration source and attached to said handpiece at a point where essentially no vibrational motion occurs, said tool means extending away from said handpiece to a work site, whereby vibration of said tool means causes disintegration and removal of hydrated biological material;
• means connected to said vibration source for rotating said vibration source and said elongated tool means about their circumference through at least one revolution, said rotating means enabling said elongated tool means to remove non-hydrated biological material;
• means for irrigating said work site with fluid to assist in withdrawing removed biological material therefrom;
• and
• aspiration means for withdrawing irrigation fluid and removed biological material from said work site;
• and
• means for electrically insulating each of piezoelectric crystal and said rotation means from said stem and union.

A surgical instrument comprising:

• a handpiece;
• a vibration source within the handpiece for generating mechanical vibrations in response to current applied thereto;
• elongated tool means operatively associated with and vibrated by said vibration source and attached to said handpiece at a point where essentially no vibrational motion occurs, said tool means extending away from said handpiece to a work site, whereby vibration of said tool means causes disintegration and removal of hydrated biological material;
• means connected to said vibration source for rotating said vibration source about its circumference through at least one revolution, said rotating means enabling said elongated tool means to remove non-hydrated biological material;
• a support structure located within said handpiece for mounting said vibration source and capable of independent longitudinal movement relative to said handpiece;
• means for longitudinally reciprocating said support structure and elongated tool means towards and away from said work site while said tool is vibrating independently of moving said handpiece;
• means for irrigating said work site with fluid to assist in withdrawing removed biological material therefrom;
• and
• aspiration means for withdrawing irrigation fluid and removed biological material from said work site.

A surgical instrument comprising:

• a handpiece;
• a vibration source within the handpiece for generating mechanical vibrations in response to current applied thereto;
• elongated tool means operatively associated with and vibrated by said vibration source and attached to said handpiece at a point where essentially no vibrational motion occurs, said tool means extending away from said handpiece to a work site, whereby vibration of said tool means causes disintegration and removal of hydrated biological material;
• means connected to said vibration source at said point where essentially no vibrational motion occurs, for rotating said vibration source about its circumference through at least one revolution;
• means for longitudinally reciprocating said support structure and elongated tool means towards and away from said work site while said tool is vibrating independently of moving said handpiece;
• means for irrigating said work site with fluid to assist in withdrawing removed biological material therefrom;
• and
• aspiration means for withdrawing irrigation fluid and removed biological material from said work site.

A surgical instrument comprising:

• an elongated hollow tool for applying mechanical vibrations to a work site;
• means for withdrawing fluid or material from the work site through the tool;
• a handpiece having first and second ends with a first opening defining by the first end wherein the tool extends from the first opening to the work site;
• a vibration source within the handpiece for generating mechanical vibrations in response to electrical current applied thereto, wherein the vibration source is operatively associated with the tool for transmitting vibrations thereto and wherein the tool is attached to the handpiece at a point where no vibration occurs;
• and
• means connected to said point where no vibration occurs for rotating the vibration source and the tool while the tool is vibrating to apply the mechanical vibrations to the work site while also applying shearing forces thereto.