An ultrasonic transducer for an ultrasonic surgical instrument includes a proximal hub, a piezoelectric rod array including a plurality of piezoelectric rods spaced-apart from one another and disposed in parallel and longitudinally-extending orientation relative to one another, and a distal horn including a distal connector configured to engage a waveguide. The proximal hub and the distal horn are configured to engage one another to retain the piezoelectric rod array therebetween under compression.

A method of fabricating an ultrasonic medical device is presented. The method includes machining a surgical tool from a flat metal stock, contacting a face of a first transducer with a first face of the surgical tool, and contacting a face of a second transducer with an opposing face of the surgical tool opposite the first transducer. The first and second transducers are configured to operate in a D31 mode with respect to the longitudinal portion of the surgical tool. Upon activation, the first transducer and the second transducer are configured to induce a standing wave in the surgical tool and the induced standing wave comprises a node at a node location in the surgical tool and an antinode at an antinode location in the surgical tool.

A method of treating a calculi mass can include using an ultrasonic probe to produce acoustic energy and fragment the mass. The method can include varying the frequency at which fragmentation occurs to treat the mass with a resonant frequency. The ultrasonic probe can have a distal tip for contact with the mass, where the tip has a morphology for concentrating stress on the mass. The ultrasonic probe can have two or more ultrasonic horns to allow for higher voltage and power levels.

A method includes attaching one or more heat exchangers to one or more of a distal handle end and a proximal handle end of a lithotripter, the lithotripter including a handle, the handle having a handle distal end and a handle proximal end; a probe housed within the handle, the probe having a probe distal end and a probe proximal end; a passageway extending through the handle at least partially containing the probe; and a shielding insert contained within the passageway; wherein the probe, the passageway, and the shielding insert are contained within a central lumen of a driver resource; and performing a sterilization procedure on the surgical device; wherein the one or more heat exchangers collect and transfer heat at least through a full length of the handle, particularly to the lumen contained within the handle.

A device for therapeutic ablative treatment of residual plaque on, in, and/or surrounding a stent within a blood vessel of a subject includes a jacket configured for insertion within a stent within a blood vessel of a subject. The device further includes an ultrasound transducer located within the jacket and having at least one active element oriented to deliver ultrasound energy in a radial and/or axial direction of the jacket from within the stent to ablate the residual plaque.

A flexible ultrasonic wave generating device (2) is inserted into a flexible tube (10) having flexibility, and an inductor (15), a discharge resistor (21), an FET (22), and an SBD (23) constituting a drive circuit (25) are mounted on first to third flexible substrates (11) to (13). An actuator (14) is connected to the distal end portion of the flexible ultrasonic wave generating device (2). An active blade (30) is attached to the actuator (14).

An endovascular apparatus for crossing through an obstruction in a blood vessel comprises an elongate endovascular element such as a wire. The element has a proximal section, a distal tip section of smaller diameter than the proximal section; and a distally-tapering intermediate section extending between the proximal and distal tip sections . The apparatus comprises an ultrasonic transducer, mechanically coupled to the proximal section of the element for ultrasonically activating the element, hence exciting the distal tip section to facilitate crossing through the obstruction. A catheter surrounds the element, leaving at least part of the distal tip section of the element protruding distally beyond a distal end of the catheter.

An endovascular apparatus for crossing through an obstruction in a blood vessel comprises: an elongate endovascular element such as a wire; an ultrasonic transducer, mechanically coupled to the endovascular element for ultrasonically exciting a distal tip portion thereof to facilitate the crossing through the obstruction, and one or more damping features, mechanically coupled to the endovascular element to attenuate lateral displacement of the endovascular element at positions away from the distal tip portion.

A medical device may include an elongated body, a balloon positioned at a distal portion of the elongated body, and one or more pressure-wave emitters positioned along a central longitudinal axis of the elongated body within the balloon. The one or more pressure-wave emitters may be configured to propagate pressure waves radially outward through the fluid to fragment a calcified lesion at the target treatment site. The at least one of the one or more pressure-wave emitters may include an electronic emitter comprising a first electrode and a second electrode. The first electrode and the second electrode may be arranged to define a spark gap between the first electrode and the second electrode, and the second electrode may comprise a portion of a hypotube.

An elongate endovascular element for crossing through an obstruction in a blood vessel comprises: a proximal section; a distal tip section of smaller diameter than the proximal section; and a distally-tapering intermediate section extending between the proximal and distal tip sections; wherein the tapered intermediate section has a length that is substantially λ/2 or a multiple of λ/2, where λ is a wavelength of a driving frequency that will produce longitudinal resonance in the element.