Each of segments of a vibration transmitting member has a dimension of a half-wave length between mutually neighboring vibration anti-nodes and sets a vibration node as a center. In each of recess segments included in the segments, the vibration node is located in a groove, and an intermediate extension extends from a proximal end to a distal end in the groove in a longitudinal direction. At least two of the recess segments are different from each other with respect to at least one of a dimension in the longitudinal direction of the intermediate extension and a cross-sectional area perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the intermediate extension.

This disclosure disclosed an ultrasonic needle and apparatus used for removal of the vitreous body and other tissues. An ultrasonic vitrectomy needle, comprising: a connector, a connected inner needle, and an outer sheath. The length of the outer sheath at the distal end is slightly longer than that of the inner needle; the sheath distal end is of blind with smooth surface, but there is an open cut at the side of the distal end used for aspirating the vitreous body. The benefits of this disclosure: due to the difficulty if not impossible in the prior arts making a slim long center bore needle for ultrasonic surgical system, this disclosure clears the way to make the ultrasonic vitrectomy a practical reality; the ultrasonic vibration inherent advantages of the quietness, minuscule displacement, liquid repulsion and viscosity reduction improve safety of the surgery; the possibility of integrating ultrasonic vitrectomy and ultrasonic phaco emulsification procedures simplifies the complexity from prior arts, thus brings ease to the ophthalmic surgeries and reduces the cost.

A vibration generating unit includes a proximal side vibration transmitting section extended from a proximal end of the ultrasonic transducer toward a proximal direction. A proximal end of the proximal side vibration transmitting section is placed at a position apart from a reference antinode position toward the proximal direction by an extending dimension equal to an integral multiple of a half wavelength, when the reference antinode position is the closest to the ultrasonic transducer among antinode positions placed on the proximal direction side with respect to the ultrasonic transducer. The vibration generating unit includes an amplitude increasing section increasing an amplitude of the ultrasonic vibration transmitted toward the proximal direction in the proximal side vibration transmitting section.

In an ultrasonic probe, a curved portion gravity center of a probe curved portion located on a first perpendicular direction side with respect to a longitudinal axis. A boundary position between a probe relay portion and a probe main body portion is located on a distal side with respect to a reference antinode position which is located most distally among antinode positions of a longitudinal vibration located on a proximal direction side with respect to the probe curved portion. By a cross-section changing portion located at the boundary position, a cross section gravity center in a cross section of the probe relay portion perpendicular to the longitudinal axis is away from the longitudinal axis toward a second perpendicular direction opposite to the first perpendicular direction.

A method for generating a mechanical wave, including generating a high amplitude mechanical pulse; coupling the mechanical pulse in a proximal end of a transmission member; propagating the mechanical pulse into the transmission member from the proximal end and a distal end thereof; and transmitting the mechanical pulse at the distal end.

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 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.

A catheter assembly includes an outer sheath and a hypotube ultrasonic transmission member. The outer sheath has a first end, a second end, a frustoconical side wall portion located proximal to the second end, and a sheath lumen extending from the first end to the second end. The hypotube ultrasonic transmission member is disposed in the sheath lumen. The hypotube ultrasonic transmission member has a hypotube side wall, a proximal hypotube portion, a distal hypotube portion, and a tapered intermediate portion. The proximal hypotube portion is configured to be operatively coupled to an ultrasonic transducer. The proximal hypotube portion has a first diameter, and the distal hypotube portion has a second diameter that is less than the first diameter. The tapered intermediate portion is configured to transition from the first diameter to the second diameter. The tapered intermediate portion is located proximate the frustoconical side wall portion.

A surgical instrument including a shaft including a distal portion and an articulatable portion is disclosed. The articulatable portion, positioned proximal to the distal portion, includes a plurality of joint members. A first articulation cable extends through each first channel of each of the plurality of joint members and a second articulation cable extends through each second channel of each of the plurality of joint members to the distal portion. The first and second articulation cables are transitionable between: (i) an unlocked state, where the first and second articulation cables are free to translate distally and proximally and the plurality of joint members are slidable relative to one another to pivot the distal portion away from a longitudinal axis, and (ii) a locked state, where translation of the first and second articulation cables is locked, causing a position of the distal portion relative to the longitudinal axis to be locked.

An endovascular apparatus for crossing through an obstruction in a blood vessel comprises an elongate endovascular wire and a coupling. The coupling when in use transmits ultrasonic energy along the wire from an ultrasonic energy source to an active tip at a distal end of the wire. The coupling is arranged to couple the source to the wire at any of a plurality of discrete operational positions along the length of the wire for said transmission of ultrasonic energy to the active tip.