A surgical apparatus comprises a transducer assembly and a shaft assembly. The transducer assembly is operable to convert electrical power into ultrasonic vibrations. The shaft assembly comprises an ultrasonic waveguide, a sheath, a shroud, and a torque transfer assembly. The waveguide is configured to couple with the transducer assembly. The waveguide is disposed within the sheath. The sheath extends through the shroud. The torque transfer assembly is contained within the shroud. The torque transfer assembly is configured to transfer a predetermined range of torque from the shroud to the waveguide to thereby couple the waveguide with the transducer assembly. The torque transfer assembly is further configured to prevent transfer of torque from the shroud to the waveguide beyond an upper limit of the predetermined range.

An ablation instrument (e.g., an ablation balloon catheter system) includes an elongate catheter having a housing with a window formed therein. An energy emitter is coupled to the elongate catheter and is configured to deliver ablative energy. A controller is received within the window and is coupled to the energy emitter such that axial movement of the controller within the window is translated to axial movement of the energy emitter and rotation of the controller within the window is translated into rotation of the energy emitter. The instrument includes a motor that is at least partially disposed within the housing of the catheter; a first gear that is operatively connected to and driven by the motor; and a second gear that is coupled to the energy emitter and is driven by the first gear to cause rotation of the energy emitter, while allowing the energy emitter to move axially.

A vibration transmission member for an ultrasonic treatment tool includes: a main body including a central axis, a distal end (DE), and a proximal end (PE), a center moving portion (CMP) at a distal side of a node where the DE meets the CMP, the node being at a most DE of the main body, and a curved portion (CP) at a distal side of the CMP. In a direction from a PE of the CP toward a DE of the CP, the CP is curved in a first direction. The center of gravity of the CMP moves along the CMP toward the DE of the CMP, the center of gravity moves relative to the central axis in a second direction. The CP extends from the DE of the main body to the PE of the CP. The CP includes a plurality of notches along a periphery of the CP.

An ultrasonic surgical drill or drill bit includes a tubular member having a longitudinal axis of symmetry and a plurality of fins extending in longitudinal planes each containing the axis. In a surgical method utilizing the drill bit, one places a distal tip of the drill bit in contact with bone, presses the drill bit against the bone, and during that pressing of the drill bit, conducts ultrasonic vibrations into the drill bit. With the fins in contact with the bone, the drill bit is oscillated or angularly reciprocated about a longitudinal axis, so that the fins fragment bone material located between the fins.

A surgical apparatus comprises a transducer assembly and a shaft assembly. The transducer assembly is operable to convert electrical power into ultrasonic vibrations. The shaft assembly comprises an ultrasonic waveguide, a sheath, a shroud, and a torque transfer assembly. The waveguide is configured to couple with the transducer assembly. The waveguide is disposed within the sheath. The sheath extends through the shroud. The torque transfer assembly is contained within the shroud. The torque transfer assembly is configured to transfer a predetermined range of torque from the shroud to the waveguide to thereby couple the waveguide with the transducer assembly. The torque transfer assembly is further configured to prevent transfer of torque from the shroud to the waveguide beyond an upper limit of the predetermined range.

Disclosed are methods and devices for treatment of subcutaneous fat by simultaneously transdermally inducing both ultrasonic transverse vibrations and ultrasonic longitudinal vibrations in subcutaneous tissue, for example for reduction of subcutaneous fat.

An ultrasonic therapeutic apparatus includes a handle, a horn or concentrator section terminating in an operative tip, and a transducer assembly set disposed in the handle and operatively engaged with the horn or concentrator section for generating ultrasonic mechanical vibrations therein to vibrate the operative tip during contact thereof with target tissue at a surgical site in a patient. An electrical waveform generator is operatively connected to the transducer assembly for energizing the transducer assembly set with one or more predetermined time reversal ultrasonic waveforms that, upon being applied to the transducer assembly set, result in respective predetermined patterns of motion of the operative tip.

A surgical instrument configured to be coupled to an ultrasonic oscillation mechanism for resection of tissue under suction. A tip extends from a shaft and includes teeth formed by slots. Each of the teeth includes a distal end, a distal cutting edge, and a side cutting edge. The distal cutting edge and the side cutting edge are configured to slice the tissue with the tip moving in a first direction of combined longitudinal and torsional vibration and pull the tissue with the tip moving in the second direction opposite the first direction. An intersection of an outer edge, the distal cutting edge, and the side cutting edge defines a sharp cutting point at the distal end. A sloped surface defining the slot maintains coupling of the tip with the tissue with suction during resection of the tissue with the distal cutting edge and the side cutting edge.

An ultrasonic instrument comprises an ultrasonic transducer, an acoustic waveguide, and an ultrasonic blade. The blade includes a pair of obliquely extending edges. The obliquely extending edges diverge away from the longitudinal axis of the waveguide and away from each other along respective paths extending distally in relation to the waveguide. A distal portion of the blade is wider than a proximal portion of the blade along a plane. The blade further includes a curved distal edge and several laterally presented surfaces. The laterally presented surfaces may provide combinations of concave and convex curvatures. The laterally presented surfaces may be angled and/or curved along one or more orthogonal planes associated with the longitudinal axis of the waveguide.

An ultrasonic system includes generator means for ultrasonic microvibrations; waveguide means connected to and extending away from the generator means to bend at least in part; an operating element joined to a stationary bending node, so that flexural microvibrations are transmitted by the waveguide means to the operating element as alternating torsional or flexural microvibrations.