Laura T Gallagher

US Patent:

6423082, Jul 23, 2002

Filed:

Mar 31, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/540620

Inventors:

Kevin L. Houser - Springboro OH
Jorge N. Gutierrez - Cincinnati OH
Sarah A. Cook - Cincinnati OH
Laura A. Gallagher - Cincinnati OH

Assignee:

Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. - Cincinnati OH

International Classification:

A61B 1732

US Classification:

606169

Abstract:

The present invention is directed to an ultrasonic surgical blade including a top surface, a bottom surface and a cutting-edge. The cutting-edge is defined by a cutting-surface intermediate the top surface and the bottom surface, and the top surface has a width greater than the width of the bottom surface. The blade may be straight or curved. In one embodiment of the invention, at least a portion of the cutting-surface is substantially parallel to at least a portion of the top surface. In still another embodiment of the invention first and second side-walls intersect the top surface to form first and second cutting-edges that may be sharp or blunt. Alternately, a second cutting-edge may be defined by a second cutting surface intermediate the top and bottom surfaces. Depending on the angle between the intermediate cutting-surface and the top surface, the cutting-edge may be sharp or blunt. In yet another embodiment of the present invention, a central ridge is provided on the bottom surface of the blade to eliminate blade burrowing and improve precision during coagulation.

US Patent:

8540742, Sep 24, 2013

Filed:

Jun 23, 2010

Appl. No.:

12/821541

Inventors:

Kevin L. Houser - Springboro OH, US
Laura A. Gallagher - Cincinnati OH, US
Jean M. Beaupre - Cincinnati OH, US

Assignee:

Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. - Cincinnati OH

International Classification:

A61B 17/32

US Classification:

606169

Abstract:

An ultrasonic surgical blade includes an ultrasonic-surgical-blade body having a longitudinal axis, a distal tip, a proximal end adapted for longitudinal ultrasonic vibrational excitation, a most-distal longitudinal vibration node, a treatment portion extending from the distal tip toward the most-distal longitudinal vibration node, and a functional asymmetry. The functional asymmetry is asymmetric about the longitudinal axis and translates longitudinal ultrasonic vibrational movement of the proximal end into a combination of a longitudinal ultrasonic vibration and a transverse ultrasonic vibration in at least some of the treatment portion of the ultrasonic-surgical-blade body. An amplitude of the transverse ultrasonic vibration at the distal tip is less than substantially ten percent of a maximum amplitude of the transverse ultrasonic vibration of the treatment portion of the ultrasonic-surgical-blade body. An alternate embodiment of the ultrasonic surgical blade includes at least one functional asymmetry and at least one balance asymmetry.

US Patent:

20020156493, Oct 24, 2002

Filed:

Jun 10, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/166314

Inventors:

Kevin Houser - Springboro OH, US
Jorge Gutierrez - Cincinnati OH, US
Sarah Cook - Cincinnati OH, US
Laura Gallagher - Cincinnati OH, US

International Classification:

A61B017/32

US Classification:

606/169000

Abstract:

The present invention is directed to an ultrasonic surgical blade including a top surface, a bottom surface and a cutting-edge. The cutting-edge is defined by a cutting-surface intermediate the top surface and the bottom surface, and the top surface has a width greater than the width of the bottom surface. The blade may be straight or curved In one embodiment of the invention, at least a portion of the cutting-surface is substantially parallel to at least a portion of the top surface. In still another embodiment of the invention first and second side-walls intersect the top surface to form first and second cutting-edges that may be sharp or blunt. Alternately, a second cutting-edge may be defined by a second cutting surface intermediate the top and bottom surfaces. Depending on the angle between the intermediate cutting-surface and the top surface, the cutting-edge may be sharp or blunt. In yet another embodiment of the present invention, a central ridge is provided on the bottom surface of the blade to eliminate blade burrowing and improve precision during coagulation. The cutting-edge is optimized to increase cutting speed of the blade while providing desirable hemostasis. The invention is of particular benefit for breast surgery, due to its cutting and coagulation characteristics.

US Patent:

20050234484, Oct 20, 2005

Filed:

Feb 24, 2005

Appl. No.:

11/065667

Inventors:

Kevin Houser - Springboro OH, US
Laura Gallagher - Cincinnati OH, US
Jean Beaupre - Cincinnati OH, US

International Classification:

A61B017/32

US Classification:

606167000

Abstract:

An ultrasonic surgical blade includes an ultrasonic-surgical-blade body having a longitudinal axis, a distal tip, a proximal end adapted for longitudinal ultrasonic vibrational excitation, a most-distal longitudinal vibration node, a treatment portion extending from the distal tip toward the most-distal longitudinal vibration node, and a functional asymmetry. The functional asymmetry is asymmetric about the longitudinal axis and translates longitudinal ultrasonic vibrational movement of the proximal end into a combination of a longitudinal ultrasonic vibration and a transverse ultrasonic vibration in at least some of the treatment portion of the ultrasonic-surgical-blade body. An amplitude of the transverse ultrasonic vibration at the distal tip is less than substantially ten percent of a maximum amplitude of the transverse ultrasonic vibration of the treatment portion of the ultrasonic-surgical-blade body. An alternate embodiment of the ultrasonic surgical blade includes at least one functional asymmetry and at least one balance asymmetry.