Controller for use with an air-powered tissue-aspiration instrument system

Abstract

A method and apparatus is disclosed for mechanically-assisted liposuction treatment. The apparatus includes a hand-holdable housing, an electro-cauterizing dual cannula assembly, and a reciprocation mechanism. The hand-holdable housing has a cavity adaptable for receipt of the electro-cauterizing cannula assembly. The electro-cauterizing cannula assembly has a distal end and a proximal end and at least one aspiration aperture about the distal end. The reciprocation mechanism is disposed within the housing and is operably associated with the inner cannula so that the inner cannula can be selectively caused to reciprocate relative to the stationary outer cannula mounted to the hand-supportable housing. As the inner cannula is caused to reciprocate relative to the housing, the aspiration aperture formed through the distal end of the cannula assembly is caused to undergo periodic displacement. During aspiration of tissue, high-voltage RF power signal supplied to electro-cauterizing electrode structures formed about each reciprocating aspiration aperture to effect hemostasis thereabout. Such hemostasis is achieved by causing protein molecules within aspirated tissue to coagulate in response to the high-voltage RF signal being supplied across the electro-cauterizing electrode. In the preferred embodiments, the amount and rate of such aspiration aperture displacement is controllably adjustable. The cannula assembly is releasably detachable from the hand-holdable housing to facilitate cleaning and sterilization of the cannula assembly and the housing.

Description

RELATED CASES [0001] The present application is a Continuation of copending application Ser. No. 10 / 442,645 filed May 21, 2003; which is a Continuation-in-Part of: application Ser. No. 09 / 507,266 filed Feb. 18, 2000, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,394,973 B1; which is a Continuation-in-Part of application Ser. No. 08 / 882,927 filed Jun. 26, 1997, which is a Continuation of application Ser. No. 08 / 307,000 filed Sep. 16, 1994, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,643,198, which is a Continuation of application Ser. No. 07 / 627,240 filed Dec. 14, 1990, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,348,535; each said Application being incorporated herein by reference as if set forth in its entirety.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] 1. Field of Invention [0003] The present invention relates generally to a method and apparatus for performing liposuction, and more particularly to a method and apparatus for performing liposuction in a mechanically assisted manner using powered expedients. [0004] 2. Brief Description of the Prior Art [0005] Suct...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0012] Thus, a primary object of the present invention is to provide an improved method and apparatus for performing liposuction which assists the surgeon in the removal of fat and other subcutaneous tissue (such as but not restricted to gynecomastia, ______) from surrounding tissue, with increased control, patient-safety, and without promoting physical fatigue.

[0016] A further object of the present invention is to provide such a liposuction instrument, in which the cannula assembly can be simply detached from the hand-holdable housing for ease of replacement and / or sterilization.

[0017] An even further object of the present invention is to provide an improved method of performing liposuction, in which one of the cannulas of the cannula assembly is automatically reciprocated back and forth relative to the hand-holdable housing, to permit increased control over the area of subcutaneous tissue where fatty and other soft tissue is to be aspirated.

[0054] Another object of the present invention is to provide such an air-powered tissue-aspiration instrument system with an alternative electro-cauterizing dual cannula assembly, wherein a stream of irrigation fluid is automatically pumped from the base portion of the outer cannula to the distal portion thereof, along a micro-sized fluid conduit formed along the surface walls of the outer cannula, and released into the interior distal portion of the outer cannula through a small opening formed therein, for infiltration and irrigation of tissue during aspiration in order to facilitate pump action.

Problems solved by technology

Due to the trauma involved during the procedure, the patient's skin turns black and blue for several weeks.

Due to the physically exacting nature of the procedure, the surgeon typically comes out of an operating room extremely tired and suffers from muscular fatigue which prevents him from performing, for some time thereafter, delicate operations involved in ordinary plastic surgery.

Although this is a less physically demanding procedure, the surgeon must thrust the cannula even more times through each tunnel to achieve the desired effect and hence is still easily fatigued and prevented from performing, for some time thereafter, delicate operations involved in ordinary plastic surgery.

In addition to the device's overall construction posing difficulties in assembly, cleaning and sterilization, use with a variety of cannulas and highly effective fat aspiration does not appear possible.

When using instruments of this prior art design, it is possible that such large scale movements of the cannula can accidently rupture tissue walls within the patient, causing complications which are best avoided by practicing surgeons at all costs.

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