System and method for pulsed ultrasonic power delivery employing cavitational effects
AssigneeAbbott Medical Optics Inc.
InventorsKenneth E. Kadziauskas, Paul W. Rockley, Mark Schafer
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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.
Claims28
A method for delivering ultrasonic energy during a surgical procedure performed within a surgical environment comprising a fluid, comprising:
- applying ultrasonic energy at a first energy level above a de minimis energy level for a time period sufficient to induce transient cavitation within the fluid, wherein the time period is between two and three milliseconds;
- and
- providing ultrasonic energy for a predetermined period after attaining transient cavitation within the fluid according to a successively decreasing stepped-down ultrasonic energy level profile comprising applying energy at a nonzero second lower constant value energy level above the de minimis energy level and lower than the first energy level;
- wherein the predetermined period begins immediately after the time period ends, and wherein ultrasonic energy is provided at a zero energy level before the time period and after applying ultrasonic energy according to the successively decreasing stepped down ultrasonic energy level profile.
A method of delivering ultrasonic energy during a tissue removal procedure employed in association with a fluid, comprising:
- applying ultrasonic energy at a high energy amplitude level above a de minimis energy level capable of inducing transient cavitation within the fluid for a period of time between two and three milliseconds;
- and
- immediately after said period of time, providing ultrasonic energy for a predetermined period according to a successively decreasing stepped-down ultrasonic energy level profile comprising applying energy at a nonzero low constant value energy amplitude level above the de minimis energy level;
- wherein ultrasonic energy is provided at a zero energy level before the period of time and after applying ultrasonic energy according to the successively decreasing stepped-down ultrasonic energy level profile.
A method for providing modulated ultrasonic energy to an ocular region during a phacoemulsification procedure, the method comprising:
- applying ultrasonic energy to the ocular region at a high energy level above a de minimis energy level calculated to induce transient cavitation within fluid in the ocular region, said ultrasonic energy applying occurring for a first predetermined time between two and three milliseconds;
- reducing application of ultrasonic energy to the ocular region according to a successively decreasing stepped-down ultrasonic energy level profile comprising applying energy at a constant nonzero level immediately after said first predetermined time for a predetermined period;
- further reducing application of ultrasonic energy to the ocular region to a zero energy level after applying ultrasonic energy according to the successively decreasing stepped-down ultrasonic energy level profile;
- waiting for a second predetermined period of time;
- and
- repeating said applying, reducing, and further reducing.
A surgical method, comprising:
- applying transient energy to an opthalmic surgical area comprising a fluid using transient ultrasonic energy applying means, said transient ultrasonic energy applying means configured to apply ultrasonic energy at an amplitude above a de minimis energy level and for a calculated time period sufficient to induce transient cavitation within the fluid, wherein the calculated time period is between two and three milliseconds;
- reducing said transient energy according to a successively decreasing stepped-down ultrasonic energy level profile comprising applying energy at a lower constant value nonzero amplitude energy level immediately after said calculated time period and applying the transient energy at the lower constant value nonzero amplitude energy level for a further time period;
- and
- further reducing said transient energy to a zero energy level after applying ultrasonic energy according to the successively decreasing stepped-down ultrasonic energy level profile;
- wherein the lower constant value nonzero amplitude energy level is greater than the zero energy level and less than the amplitude.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.