Disposable transducer seal

Abstract

A disposable transducer seal designed to seal an open aperture of a transducer housing for a therapeutic ultrasound procedure. The seal has a membrane, a retainer and a mating device for locking in place with the transducer housing. The membrane is essentially transparent to ultrasound energy while being stretched taunt about the retainer.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] The subject matter of the present application is related to that of the following applications each of which is being filed on the same day as the present application: U.S. Ser. No. ______, entitled “Medical Device Inline Degasser” (Attorney Docket No. 02356-000500US); U.S. Ser. No. ______, entitled “Articulating Arm for Medical Procedures” (Attorney Docket No. 02356-000600US); U.S. Ser. No. ______, entitled “Acoustic Gel with Dopant” (Attorney Docket No. 02356-000800US); ______, entitled “Position Tracking Device” (Attorney Docket No. 021356-000900US); ______, entitled “Ultrasound Therapy with Hood Movement Control” (Attorney Docket No. 021356-001100US); ______, entitled “Systems and Methods for the Destruction of Adipose Tissue” (Attorney Docket No. 021356-001200US); ______, entitled “Component Ultrasound Transducer” (Attorney Docket No. 021356-001300US); the full disclosure of each of these applications are incorporated herein by re...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

"The present invention relates to a sealing device for retaining degassed water within an ultrasound transducer housing. The technical effect of this invention is to reduce the presence of air bubbles and the adverse effects caused by bubble formation, such as reduced effectiveness of therapy, destruction of the cap or seal, or patient skin burns. The invention also addresses the issue of re-gassing, or the re-formation of bubbles caused by dissolved gases being drawn out of solution, which can occur during long procedures or at higher powers. The invention proposes various methods to prevent or reduce re-gassing, including the use of low permeability materials for the tubing, the introduction of surfactants or wetting agents, and the introduction of a component ultrasound transducer."

Problems solved by technology

One of the biggest issues in coupling transducers to a patient either for a diagnostic ultrasound device, or a therapeutic ultrasound device, is the presence of air.

One major issue with such a system arises from bubble formation caused by dissolved gasses being drawn out of solution.

These bubbles provide an impedance mismatch to the ultrasound energy, causing reflections and localized heating, leading to observed effects such as reduced effectiveness of therapy, the destruction of the cap or seal, or patient skin burns.

During short procedures or low power ultrasound procedures the re-gas rate is usually slow enough not to cause problems.

In longer procedures and / or at higher powers, the probability that re-dissolved gas will be drawn into the fluid, and subsequently interfere with ultrasound transmission, goes up considerably since it is impossible to prevent gas diffusing through the system lining, joints and seals without investing in prohibitively expensive parts and materials.

Precautions such as using low permeability materials for the tubing are regularly employed, but even with such precautions, the re-gas rate can become a major issue.

However there has been thus far nothing demonstrating the feasibility or utility of an in line degassing mechanism combined with a HIFU therapy system during an actual medical procedure or application.

The inability of the prior art to maintain a controlled dissolved gas content in a cooling fluid over a prolonged procedure acts as a forced limitation to prolonged HIFU therapy.

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