Abstract: A surgical method utilizes a surgical instrument having an elongate probe with a distal end having at least one egress or outlet port. The method comprises inserting a distal end portion of the elongate probe into a spinal disc space adjacent two spinal vertebrae, ejecting or streaming a plasma jet from the at least one egress or outlet port into spinal disc material in the spinal disc space, and subsequently removing the elongate probe from the spinal disc space.

Abstract: A two phase method for reducing the formation of biofilm includes an evacuation of ambient air from a region about the surgical or treatment site, to extract airborne or aerosolized bacteria ejected from the site by the treatment. The extracted bacteria are prevented from settling back onto the cleansed tissue surface, thus at least reducing colonial bacteriological growth and concomitantly exuded biofilm material. A second phase involves the attachment of one or more ultrasonic transducers to the patient over or near a surgical treatment site after the surgery is terminated. Each applied ultrasonic transducer is used to vibrate the patient's tissues at the treatment site to disrupt biofilm formation.

Abstract: A surgical system for transecting osseous tissue includes an ultrasonic waveform generator, a control unit, an ultrasonic instrument assembly including a electromechanical transducer and an ultrasonic blade, and a robotic system. The ultrasonic instrument assembly is attached to the robotic arm. The surgical system is configured so that the robotic arm moves the ultrasonic blade at a constant forward feed speed through the bone during a cutting operation and so that the forward motion is reduced, and preferably halted automatically upon a reduction in load per unit time or applied power, as monitored by a pickup or sensor.

Abstract: An ultrasonic surgical instrument includes a handpiece casing and an electromechanical transducer assembly disposed inside the handpiece casing, where the transducer assembly includes a front driver and the transducer assembly has a longitudinal axis. A probe is operatively connected to the front driver at an acute angle to the longitudinal axis of the transducer assembly. A sheath surrounds the probe and is connected at a proximal end to the handpiece casing. The sheath is attached to the casing by a twist quick release coupling. A diaphragm seal inside the proximal end of the sheath blocks liquid irrigant in a cylindrical space between the sheath and the probe from penetrating proximally of a port feeding irrigant to the space. The front driver is geometrically configured to enable an angled connection of probe to handpiece proximate a nodal plane.

Abstract: In a surgical method, an elongate probe is inserted into a spinal disc exemplarily into a nucleus pulposus thereof in a direction generally parallel to vertebral end faces adjacent to the spinal disc. During the inserting of the elongate probe, the probe is ultrasonically vibrated. Thereafter, while ultrasonically vibrating the elongate probe, one moves the elongate probe to sever a prismatic portion of the spinal disc including a prismatic section of the nucleus pulposus. The prismatic portion of the spinal disc is removed from a remaining portion of the spinal disc.

Abstract: An ultrasonic surgical instrument comprises a cylindrical shaft and a blade at a distal or free end of the shaft, the blade being unitary and continuous with the shaft, without an intervening joint. The shaft has a longitudinal axis and the blade includes a flat or planar blade body with a proximal end eccentrically disposed relative to the shaft axis. Thus, the blade body or at least a proximal end portion thereof is disposed eccentrically relative to the shaft. The blade in its entirely may be inclined relative to the shaft axis or extend parallel thereto.

Abstract: An ultrasonic blade is provided along a convexly arcuate distal edge and at least one longitudinal edge with a continuous array of teeth including a first subset of teeth along the convexly arcuate distal edge and a second subset of teeth along the at least one straight longitudinal edge. The teeth along the convexly arcuate distal edge differ in tooth length and optionally in inter-tooth separation or pitch from the teeth along one or both of the longitudinal edges.

Abstract: An ultrasonic surgical instrument comprises a cylindrical shaft and a blade at a distal or free end of the shaft, the blade being unitary and continuous with the shaft, without an intervening joint. The shaft has a longitudinal axis and the blade includes a flat or planar blade body with a proximal end eccentrically disposed relative to the shaft axis. Thus, the blade body or at least a proximal end portion thereof is disposed eccentrically relative to the shaft. The blade in its entirely may be inclined relative to the shaft axis or extend parallel thereto.

Abstract: An elongate ultrasonic dissector-shaver probe has a laterally enlarged head extending distally and transversely from a distal end of a shaft and provided with sets of spiraling ribs. In a disc space preparation procedure, the probe is inserted into a spinal disc between two vertebral endplates, ultrasonic vibratory energy is conducted into the probe, and the probe is manipulated to move the laterally enlarged head in three spatial directions within the spinal disc to thereby disrupt and shred the spinal disc material into fragments extracted from the space, in part by suction and in part by using forceps to pull spinal disc fragments from the operative space or surgical site between the vertebral endplates.

Abstract: In a surgical method, an elongate probe is inserted into a spinal disc exemplarily into a nucleus pulposus thereof in a direction generally parallel to vertebral end faces adjacent to the spinal disc. During the inserting of the elongate probe, the probe is ultrasonically vibrated. Thereafter, while ultrasonically vibrating the elongate probe, one moves the elongate probe to sever a prismatic portion of the spinal disc including a prismatic section of the nucleus pulposus. The prismatic portion of the spinal disc is removed from a remaining portion of the spinal disc.

Abstract: An ultrasonic surgical instrument comprises a cylindrical shaft and a blade at a distal or free end of the shaft, the blade being unitary and continuous with the shaft, without an intervening joint. The shaft has a longitudinal axis and the blade includes a flat or planar blade body with a proximal end eccentrically disposed relative to the shaft axis. Thus, the blade body or at least a proximal end portion thereof is disposed eccentrically relative to the shaft. The blade in its entirely may be inclined relative to the shaft axis or extend parallel thereto.

Abstract: An ultrasonic surgical probe has an elongate shaft and a probe head that is enlarged to extend laterally or transversely in two opposed directions relative to the shaft The head is formed with a recess or cavity facing laterally in a third direction relative to the shaft and the axis. Where the head lies in a plane, owing to its lateral enlargement or extension, the recess or cavity faces in a direction perpendicular to that plane. The recess or cavity is defined in part by an inclined floor or base surface contiguous at a proximal end with the shaft. The recess or cavity is defined in part by a peripheral wall extending only partway around the recess or cavity, along a distal side and two lateral sides thereof. The cavity or recess is closed on a proximal side by the inclined surface and the shaft.

Abstract: A medical drill assembly includes a probe connectable at a proximal end to an electromechanical transducer for generating mechanical vibration of an ultrasonic frequency. The probe has a shaft with a central lumen or channel, the shaft being formed at a distal end with a head having a tapered distal side. A source of pressurized liquid communicates with the lumen or channel of the probe, and a translatory or linear drive is operatively connected to the probe for applying a distally directed force to the probe. A controller is operatively connected to the translatory or linear drive for periodically at least reducing the magnitude of the distally directed force.

Abstract: A surgical method utilizes a surgical instrument having an elongate probe with a distal end having at least one egress or outlet port. The method comprises inserting a distal end portion of the elongate probe into a spinal disc space adjacent two spinal vertebrae, ejecting or streaming a plasma jet from the at least one egress or outlet port into spinal disc material in the spinal disc space, and subsequently removing the elongate probe from the spinal disc space.

Abstract: An ultrasonic medical probe has a horn or shaft, a shank at a proximal end of the shaft, a probe head at a distal end of the horn or shaft, opposite the shank, and at least one polymeric component fixed to at least one of the horn or shaft, the shank, and the probe head. The shank is provided at a proximal end opposite the horn or shaft with an externally threaded connector for attaching the probe to a source of ultrasonic vibratory energy. The polymeric component is of a composition that transmits and is essentially impervious to ultrasonic vibratory energy but that degrades or decomposes upon exposure to a source of extreme energy (other than ultrasonic vibratory energy), rendering the probe inoperative for use.

Abstract: An ultrasonic surgical drill or drill bit includes a tubular member having a longitudinal axis of symmetry and a plurality of fins extending in longitudinal planes each containing the axis. In a surgical method utilizing the drill bit, one places a distal tip of the drill bit in contact with bone, presses the drill bit against the bone, and during that pressing of the drill bit, conducts ultrasonic vibrations into the drill bit. With the fins in contact with the bone, the drill bit is oscillated or angularly reciprocated about a longitudinal axis, so that the fins fragment bone material located between the fins.

Abstract: A two phase method for reducing the formation of biofilm includes an evacuation of ambient air from a region about the surgical or treatment site, to extract airborne or aerosolized bacteria ejected from the site by the treatment. The extracted bacteria are prevented from settling back onto the cleansed tissue surface, thus at least reducing colonial bacteriological growth and concomitantly exuded biofilm material. A second phase involves the attachment of one or more ultrasonic transducers to the patient over or near a surgical treatment site after the surgery is terminated. Each applied ultrasonic transducer is used to vibrate the patient's tissues at the treatment site to disrupt biofilm formation.

Abstract: A two phase method for reducing the formation of biofilm includes an evacuation of ambient air from a region about the surgical or treatment site, to extract airborne or aerosolized bacteria ejected from the site by the treatment. The extracted bacteria are prevented from settling back onto the cleansed tissue surface, thus at least reducing colonial bacteriological growth and concomitantly exuded biofilm material. A second phase involves the attachment of one or more ultrasonic transducers to the patient over or near a surgical treatment site after the surgery is terminated. Each applied ultrasonic transducer is used to vibrate the patient's tissues at the treatment site to disrupt biofilm formation.

Abstract: An ultrasonic surgical instrument has a shaft and a probe head, the shaft and the probe head have a lumen or channel and a longitudinal axis and the probe head having a distal end face. The probe head has at least one operative surface engageable with organic tissues for the application of ultrasonic vibratory energy to the tissues. The end face is oriented at least partially transversely to the axis. The lumen or channel has a first outlet opening in the end face and at least one second outlet opening in a lateral surface of either the shaft or the probe head at a position spaced from the end face. The probe head has a plurality of teeth extending laterally from the end face, in two rows on opposing side of the end face.