CAVITATION-GENERATING TIP FOR DISINTEGRATING TISSUE

摘要

An improved cutting tip (18) for use with a device (10) for disintegrating tissue located in a predominantly liquid environment. The device (10) includes an oscillation generator (14) which provides an oscillation movement along an axis (B) at an ultrasonic frequency. A cutting tip (18) is attached to the oscillation generator and is drawn and advanced in oscillating movement along the axis (B). The cutting tip is positioned in proximity to the tissue wherein the oscillations of the cutting tip cause the tissue to disintegrate, at least in part, through cavitation effects. The cutting tip (18) has a specific shape and leading frontal area (42) which provides means for creating and subsequently collapsing cavitation bubbles within the liquid during the oscillation movement. The tip also has a beveled exposed forward-facing edge (46), surrounding an aspiration opening, whose angled bevel prevents continuous 'vacuum bonding', due to vacuum aspiration, between the tip and the tissue being disintegrated.