Method of use of an ultrasonic surgical pre-aspirator having a orifice by-pass

Claim 1

A method for preventing clogging of a surgical aspirator with fragmented tissue and blood removed from a surgical site by aspiration through a suction passage of said surgical aspirator, said aspirator comprising an ultrasonic tool having a longitudinal axis and a free end portion adapted to ultrasonically vibrate along said axis of said tool, a suction passage extending through said tool generally parallel to said axis, said suction passage defining a suction port at said free end portion, a sleeve coaxially surrounding said tool and spaced therefrom and extending substantially to said free end of said tool to define an annular fluid supply passage having an annular orifice surrounding said tool, and at least one orifice extending through said tool from said fluid supply passage to said suction passage, said orifice disposed adjacent said free end of said tool and wherein said method comprises: ultrasonically framgenting tissue causing bleeding and body fluid excretes; supplying an anticoagulating and irrigating fluid to said fluid supply passage; introducing substantially all of said anticoagulating fluid together with irrigation fluid into said suction passage through said orifice extending from said fluid supply passage to said suction passage; diluting said tissue and blood with said anticoagulating fluid; preventing substantially all of said anticoagulating and irrigating fluid from contacting said free end of said tool and from reaching the surgical site through the tool so as to prevent excessive bleeding at the surgical site and to further prevent atomization of said anticoagulating and irrigating fluids with said free end of said ultrasonic tool; and aspirating fragmented tissue, body fluids, anticoagulant and irrigation fluids.

Claim 2

A method for preventing clogging of a surgical aspirator with fragmented tissue and blood removed from a surgical site by aspiration through a suction passage of said surgical aspirator, said aspirator comprising an ultrasonic tool having a longitudinal axis and a free end portion adapted to ultrasonically vibrate along said axis of said tool, a suction passage extending through said tool generally parallel to said axis, said suction passage defining a suction port at said free end portion, a sleeve coaxially surrounding said tool and spaced therefrom and extending substantially to said free end of said tool to define an annular fluid supply passage having an annular orifice surrounding said tool, and at least one orifice extending through said tool from said fluid supply passage to said suction passage, said orifice disposed adjacent said free end of said tool and wherein said method comprises: ultrasonically framgenting tissue causing bleeding and body fluid excretes; supplying an anticoagulating and irrigating fluid to said fluid supply passage; introducing substantially all of said anticoagulating fluid together with irrigation fluid into said suction passage through said orifice extending from said fluid supply passage to said suction passage; diluting said tissue and blood with said anticoagulating fluid; preventing substantially all of said anticoagulating and irrigating fluid from contacting said free end of said tool and from reaching the surgical site through the tool so as to prevent excessive bleeding at the surgical site and to further prevent atomization of said anticoagulating and irrigating fluids with said free end of said ultrasonic tool; and aspirating fragmented tissue, body fluids, anticoagulant and irrigation fluids.