An articulating ultrasonic surgical end effector for use with a hand-held surgical instrument or a robotic surgical system includes an articulation assembly, a clevis operably coupled to the articulation assembly, and a transducer assembly pivotably coupled to the clevis. The transducer assembly includes a transducer housing and an ultrasonic transducer and a waveguide disposed within the transducer housing. The waveguide is coupled to the ultrasonic transducer and extends distally from the ultrasonic transducer. The transducer assembly also includes an ultrasonic blade disposed at the distal end of the waveguide and extending from the transducer housing and a clamp arm pivotably coupled to the transducer housing and movable relative to the ultrasonic blade between an open position and a clamping position. Ultrasonic energy produced by the ultrasonic transducer is transmitted along the waveguide to the ultrasonic blade for treating tissue.

A TL/T tip is made by scaling down the dimensions of an L/T tip by the ratio of the TL/T frequency to the L/T frequency so that the TL/T tip can operate by excitement from a transducer at the same frequency that would have produced L/T motion in the L/T tip. A reductive resonator may be included between the transducer and the TL/T tip.

An ultrasonic surgical tool system with a tip capable of simultaneously vibrating in plural modes. The system includes a console capable of supplying a drive signal to the tip that includes plural components. Each component has a frequency characteristic that is based in part on the equivalent of current through the mechanical components of the tip. The frequency components are different from each other. Based on the application of drive signal the tip undergoes non-linear vibrations.

The present invention discloses a ball probe ultrasonic bone removal device that is designed to assist surgeons with foraminotomy procedures. The device comprises a shaft at a first end of the device and a spherical ball tip at a second end of the device. In between the shaft and the ball tip is a foot piece that connects to the shaft through an angle. On the foot piece, serrations or a course surface cover a portion of the circumference of the foot piece. In some embodiments, serrations or a course surface may also cover a portion of the circumference of the shaft. The spherical ball tip is smooth and designed to cause no damage to the sensitive nerves and tissue in the intervertebral foramina, but the surface with the serrations or the course protrusions are designed to remove bone and tissue under ultrasonic movement (e.g., vertical vibration, rotational oscillation).

A surgical tool may move a saw blade in a sagittal plane. The saw blade has a distal blade end with teeth. The surgical tool comprises a handpiece body and a carrier operatively attached to the handpiece body. The carrier is configured for oscillating movement about a pivot axis. A retainer is operatively attached to the carrier for concurrent movement and releasably secures the saw blade in the sagittal plane relative to the handpiece body. An actuator is coupled to the handpiece body to selectively oscillate the carrier relative to the handpiece body such that the retainer and the saw blade pivot back and forth about the pivot axis within the sagittal plane. An ultrasonic transducer is operatively attached to the handpiece body to selectively generate ultrasonic energy to resonate the saw blade such that the teeth at the distal blade end reciprocate proximally and distally within the sagittal plane.

The invention is generally directed to phacoemulsification systems and methods, and more particularly to systems and methods for providing transverse phacoemulsification. In accordance with one embodiment, a phacoemulsification system is provided having a handpiece with a needle, wherein the phacoemulsification system is configured to vibrate the distal end of the needle in both an effective transverse direction and an effective longitudinal direction when power, having a single effective operating frequency is applied to the handpiece.

A surgical instrument end effector assembly includes a first jaw member defining an insulative tissue-contacting surface and first and second electrically-conductive tissue-contacting surfaces disposed on either side of the insulative surface. A second jaw member of the end effector assembly includes an ultrasonic blade body positioned to oppose the insulative surface of the first jaw member, and first and second electrically-conductive tissue-contacting surfaces disposed on either side of the ultrasonic blade body and positioned to oppose the first and second electrically-conductive surfaces, respectively, of the first jaw member. The first jaw member is movable relative to the second jaw member between a spaced-apart position and an approximated position to grasp tissue therebetween. The first and second electrically-conductive surfaces of the second jaw member are movable, independent of the first jaw member, relative to the first jaw member and the ultrasonic blade body between a retracted position and an extended position.

Apparatus for generating torsional-mode ultrasonic vibrations, for example in a surgical tool, comprises an ultrasonic transducer that would conventionally produce longitudinal-mode ultrasonic vibrations, with a long, hollow, cylindrical, mode converter mounted coaxially to its distal end. A plurality of holes are formed through the walls of the mode converters. These holes are arranged in multiple parallel helical rows, extending along and around the cylindrical mode converters. Holes within the same row are spaced relatively closely, compared with the spacing between rows. Relationships have been established between the hole diameter (d), the spacing between rows (W), the spacing between holes in the same row (l), the spacing between individual holes in adjacent rows (L), and the overall diameter of the mode converter (D). In a preferred version, the holes through the walls of the second mode converter are tapered inwardly, rather than being cylindrical holes as in the first mode converter.

An apparatus includes a body assembly, an acoustic waveguide, an ultrasonic blade, a liquid dispensing feature, and a control module. The liquid dispensing feature is positioned distally relative to the body assembly. The liquid dispensing feature is positioned adjacent to the ultrasonic blade. The liquid dispensing feature is configured to deliver a flow of cooling liquid to the ultrasonic blade. The control module is operable to regulate fluid flow through the liquid dispensing feature.

An ultrasonic surgical instrument includes a transducer configured to produce a first mode of ultrasonic energy and a waveguide coupled to the transducer. The waveguide includes a proximal body portion coupled to and extending distally from the transducer. The proximal body portion is configured to receive the first mode of ultrasonic energy from the transducer for transmission therealong. The waveguide further includes a distal body portion, a blade extending distally from the distal body portion, and an articulation portion interconnecting the proximal and distal body portions. The articulation portion is configured to enable articulation of the distal body portion relative to the proximal body portion, to receive the first mode of ultrasonic energy from the proximal body portion, convert the first mode of ultrasonic energy into a second mode of ultrasonic energy, and transmit the second mode of ultrasonic energy along the distal body portion to the blade.