Ultrasonic Horn Tip Isolation for Fluid Damping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Ultrasonic tips used in fluid-filled cavities, such as the brain ventricle, become inoperative due to energy absorption or dispersion by the irrigation fluid, leading to ineffective tissue fragmentation during surgical procedures.
Innovation Solution
An ultrasonic horn assembly that isolates the vibrating tip from irrigation fluid by supplying fluid only to the tip portion and aspirating through a non-contacting portion, with controlled irrigation and suction systems to minimize damping, and an optical viewing element for tip visualization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If ultrasonic tip is used in fluid-filled cavities such as brain ventricle, then tissue fragmentation function is needed, but energy is absorbed or dispersed by irrigation fluid making the tip inoperative
Solution Approach 1:
The ultrasonic horn is segmented into a distal ultrasonic tip portion that vibrates for tissue fragmentation and a proximal non-vibrating portion that serves as an aspiration pathway. This segmentation allows the tip to maintain ultrasonic vibration functionality while the proximal portion remains free of irrigation fluid to prevent energy damping.
Solution Approach 2:
The aspiration pathway is extracted as a separate functional component within the horn structure. The internal channel provides a dedicated route for fluid removal that is spatially separated from the ultrasonic tip, allowing irrigation fluid to be aspirated before it can reach and dampen the vibrating tip.
2Temperature
If irrigation fluid is supplied to cool the ultrasonic tip, then thermal management is improved, but fluid contact with the tip causes energy damping and inoperativity
Solution Approach 1:
The proximal portion of the horn acts as an intermediary element. It allows thermal management through controlled fluid contact in the cooling channel while preventing direct fluid contact with the distal ultrasonic tip, thus mediating between the need for cooling and the need to maintain tip operability.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling function is extracted from direct tip contact. Instead of irrigating the tip directly, the system aspirates fluid through the proximal portion, removing heat-generating fluid before it can reach the tip, thereby separating the thermal management function from the ultrasonic vibration function.
3Productivity
If aspiration is applied through the entire horn length, then fluid removal efficiency is improved, but ultrasonic energy is damped along the tip length
Solution Approach 1:
The aspiration function is segmented to operate only through the proximal non-vibrating portion of the horn via the internal channel. This segmented approach maintains high fluid removal efficiency in the proximal region while leaving the distal ultrasonic tip portion free from fluid contact, preventing energy damping.
4Quantity of substance
If flue is used to supply irrigation fluid around the tip, then fluid delivery is improved, but fluid fills the flue and renders the tip inoperative
Solution Approach 1:
The irrigation fluid delivery function is extracted from the traditional flue configuration. Instead of allowing fluid to fill the space around the tip, the system uses a controlled delivery mechanism that supplies fluid through the internal channel for aspiration, removing the harmful fluid accumulation while maintaining necessary fluid delivery for cooling and irrigation.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables effective tissue fragmentation by maintaining tip functionality in fluid-filled environments, ensuring efficient energy transfer and preventing fluid-induced inoperativity, while allowing for real-time visualization during surgical procedures.
Implementation Method 1
ultrasonic horn operatively disposed within the flue, the ultrasonic horn assembly being configured to supply irrigating fluid only to a vibrating tip portion of the ultrasonic horn
Implementation Method 2
energy is absorbed or dispersed from ultrasonic tips by fluid along the tip length
Implementation Method 3
an optical viewing element operatively connected to the flue and configured to view at least the vibrating tip portion of the ultrasonic horn
Data Source
AI summary
An ultrasonic horn assembly is configured so that irrigating fluid can be supplied only to a vibrating tip portion of the ultrasonic horn and so that suction aspiration can occur through a portion of the ultrasonic horn not in contact with the irrigating fluid. Controllers supplying irrigation fluid during a surgical procedure and controlling suction aspiration via monitoring of fluid level in the patient cavity are operatively coupled one to another to coordinate control of the fluid level in the patient cavity. Circuitry controlling power, frequency and amplitude of the tip of the ultrasonic horn occurring as a result of operation of a source of ultrasonic signal generating power controls either or both the supply of irrigation fluid and the suction aspiration so as to minimize damping of vibration of the tip of the ultrasonic horn. An optical viewing element is provided to view the tip of the ultrasonic horn.