In an aspect, an ultrasonic horn includes a proximal flange, a first cylindrical portion having a first diameter and positioned distal to the proximal flange, a second cylindrical portion including a second diameter and a distal end, in which the second cylindrical portion is at a position located distal to the first cylindrical portion and in which the second diameter is smaller than the first diameter, a tapered portion disposed between the first cylindrical portion and the second cylindrical portion, and a cylindrical mass disposed about the horn at a position located between the flange and the distal end of the second cylindrical portion. In another aspect, an ultrasonic system comprising an end-bell, an ultrasonic horn as disclosed above, a transducer portion disposed between the end-bell and the ultrasonic horn, and an ultrasonic power source to supply an electrical signal to actuate the transducer portion.

A surgical instrument and method, for example to accomplish phacoemulsification, are disclosed. The surgical instrument includes a handpiece that includes a piezoelectric transducer. A hollow titanium needle having a substantially cylindrical portion and a free distal tip is attached to the handpiece by way of a threaded supported end structure. The piezoelectric transducer is driven by a circuit to periodically expand and contract at a high-ultrasound frequency that rings the hollow titanium needle with a high-ultrasonic frequency standing wave having a node of minimum amplitude residing in the substantially cylindrical portion between the supported end structure and the free distal tip, and to periodically expand and contract at an ultrasound frequency that rings the hollow titanium needle with an ultrasonic frequency standing wave, the circuit adapted to between the high-ultrasonic frequency and the ultrasonic frequency.

A surgical instrument is disclosed including a surgical device including a transducer positioned to provide vibrations along a longitudinal axis at a predetermined frequency and an end effector positioned distally from the transducer. The surgical instrument further includes a sleeve configured to receive the surgical device and a rail positioned along an interior portion of the sleeve. The surgical device includes a feature for receiving the rail. The surgical device is slidable along the rail.

A surgical instrument is disclosed including a surgical device including a transducer positioned to provide vibrations along a longitudinal axis at a predetermined frequency and an end effector positioned distally from the transducer. The surgical instrument further includes a sleeve configured to receive the surgical device and a rail positioned along an interior portion of the sleeve. The surgical device includes a feature for receiving the rail. The surgical device is slidable along the rail.

Various example embodiments described herein are directed to articulating surgical instruments for treating tissue comprising an end effector and a shaft extending proximally from the end effector along a longitudinal axis. In certain embodiments, the shaft comprises a plurality of transverse spacer members as well as first and second rotatable members extending through at least a portion of the plurality of transverse spacer members. The first and second rotatable members may both be biased away from the longitudinal axis such that their respective directions of bias vary with rotation of the first rotatable member. When the respective directions of bias of the first and second rotatable members oppose one another, the shaft may be substantially straight. When the respective directions of bias of the first and second rotatable members are aligned with one another, the shaft may articulate away from the longitudinal axis in the direction of the alignment.

A transducer for an ultrasonic scalpel, which comprises, from distal end to proximal end of a connecting feature, a fixing feature, a horn, a piezoelectric converting body, a rear-end ring, and a connecting member. By following a design principle of constraints in the parameter relationships between the piezoelectric converting body and the horn in the transducer, a transducer having both appropriate gain and stable performance can be achieved.

An ultrasound transducer includes: a drive unit including a piezoelectric device; a proximal end block; and a distal end block. The distal end block includes a first portion, a supported portion, a second portion, and a third portion. The distal end block is configured such that a position of a boundary between the second portion and the third portion corresponds to or substantially corresponds to an antinode of the ultrasonic vibration while the piezoelectric device generates the ultrasonic vibration, and the ultrasonic vibration is being propagated to the proximal end block, the first portion, the second portion, and the third portion. A resonance frequency of the ultrasonic vibration differs according to a position of the boundary between the second portion and the third portion under a condition that a distance from the supported portion to a distal end of the third portion along the longitudinal axis is constant.

A waveguide rod for an ultrasonic scalpel having a relatively desirable amplitude and frequency comprises a proximal gain structure, a distal gain structure, an intermediate structure, and a frequency adjustment structure. The proximal gain structure and the intermediate structure are connected in a position near an antinode of longitudinal vibration of the waveguide rod through a proximal side gain step. The distal gain structure and the intermediate structure are connected in a position near an antinode of the longitudinal vibration of the waveguide rod through a distal side gain step. The intermediate structure comprises N (N>0, and N is an integer) gain holding structures that are connected two by two in a position near an antinode of the longitudinal vibration of the waveguide rod through an intermediate gain step. X (X>0, and X is an integer) frequency adjustment structures exist on the gain holding structure. The waveguide rod provides an ultrasonic scalpel with a relatively large blade amplitude and also enables the ultrasonic scalpel to work at a stable and suitable vibration frequency, so that the ultrasonic scalpel can cut human tissue efficiently.

A surgical instrument including a transducer and an end effector is disclosed. The transducer may be configured to generate an acoustic standing wave of vibratory motion along a longitudinal axis and may include a piezoelectric stack positioned along the longitudinal axis. A length of the transducer may be less than of the wavelength of the acoustic standing wave. The end effector may be acoustically coupled to and may extend distally from the transducer along the longitudinal axis. A sum of the length of the transducer and a length of the end effector may be an integer multiple of of the wavelength of the acoustic standing wave.

A system including a console and a catheter assembly. The console may include an ultrasound-producing mechanism configured to convert an electric current into a vibrational energy. The console also may include a driving-parameter modifier configured to modify driving parameters to selectively provide one or more output modes for the vibrational energy. The catheter assembly may include a sheath including a sheath lumen and a core wire at least partially disposed within the sheath lumen. The core wire may include a proximal portion and a distal portion of the core wire, wherein the proximal portion of the core wire is coupled to the ultrasound-producing mechanism. A working length of the distal portion of the core wire beyond the sheath may be configured for longitudinal, transverse, or longitudinal and transverse displacement in accordance with the one or more output modes for the vibrational energy to effect different intravascular lesion-modification procedures.