CA2707837A1 - Cordless hand-held ultrasonic cautery cutting device - Google Patents

Abstract

An ultrasonic assembly that is removably connectable to an ultrasonic waveguide of an ultrasonic surgical handle includes a cordless ultrasonic-movement-generation assembly having an ultrasonic generator and an ultrasonic transducer electrically coupled to the generator and having an output couple, a shell housing therein the ultrasonic-movement-generation assembly and having a securing connection shaped to removably connect to the ultrasonic surgical handle. The output couple is operable to impart ultrasonic movement to the ultrasonic waveguide when the securing connection is connected to the ultrasonic surgical handle and the waveguide is connected to the output couple.

Description

CORDLESS HAND-HELD ULTRASONIC CAUTERY CUTTING DEVICE
Technical Field The present invention relates tgenerally to an ultrasonic cutting device and;
more particularly, relates to a cordless, hand-held, fullyr electrically powered and controlled, surgical ultrasonic cutting device.
Ultrasonic instruments are electively used in the treatment of many medical conditions, such as removal of tissue. and cauterization of vessels. Cutting instruments that utilize ultrasonic waves generate vibrations wNith. an ultrasonic transducer along a longitudinal. axis of a cutting blade, By placing a resonant wave along the length of the blade, high-speed longitudinal mechanical movement is produced at the end of the blade. These instruments are advantageous because the mechanical vibrations transmitted to the end of the blade are very effective at cutting organic tissue and, simultaneously, coagulate the tissue using the heat eneqgy produced by the ultrasonic frequencies. Such instruments are particularly well suited for use in minimally invasive procedures, such as endoscopic or laparoseopic procedures, where the blade is passed through a trocar to reach the sur-icrl site.
For each kind of cutting blade (e g., length, material, size), there are one or more (periodic) driving signals that produce a resonance along the length of the blade.
Resonance results in optimal movement of the blade tip and, the:refibre, optimal performance during,;
surgical procedures.
However, producing an effective cutting-blade driving signal is not a trivial task. For instance, the frequency, current, and voltage applied to the cutting tool must all be controlled dynamically, as these parameters change with the varying load placed on the blade and with temperature differentials that result from use of the tool FIG. 1 shows a block schematic diagram of a prior-art circuit used for applying ultrasonic mechanical movements to an end effector. The circuit includes a power source 102, a control circuit 104, a drive circuit 106, a r catching circuit 108, a transducer 110, and also includes a bandpiece 112, and a waved aide 114 secured to the hamdpieee 112 (diagrammatically illustrated by a dashed line) rnd supported by a cannrrla 120 The d rave4zuide 114 terminates to a blade 116 at a distal end. A
clamping mechanism, referred to as an "end effector" 1 IS, exposes and enables the blade portion eft 116 of the waveguide 114 to make contact with tissue and other substances, Commonly, the end effector 118 is a pivoting -arm that acts to grasp or clamp onto tissue between the arm and the blade 116. However, in some devices, the end effector 118 is not present.

The drive circuit 104 produces a high-voltage self-oscillating signal. The high-voltage output of the drive circuit 104 is fed to the matching circuit 108, which contains sigrnal-smooth ng components that, in turn, produce a driving signal (wave) that is fed to the transducer 110. The oscillating input to the transducer 110 causes the mechanical portion of the transducer 110 to move back and forth at a. magnitude and frequency that sets Lip a resonance along the waveguide 114, For optimal resonance and Iong?evit\ of the resonating instrument and its components, the driving si4gnal applied to the transducer 110 should be as smooth a sine wave as can practically be achieved. For this reason, the matching circuit 108, the transducer 110, and the waveguide 114 are selected to work in conjunction with one another and are all frequency, sensitive with and to each other.
Because a relatively high-voltage (e.g., '100 V or more) is required to drive a typical piezoelectric transducer 110, the power source that is available and is used in all prior-art ultrasonic cutting; devices is an electric mains (e.g., a wall outlet) of., typically, up to 15.x, 120 VAC. Therefore, all known ultrasonic cutting devices resemble that shown in FIGs. I and 2 and utilize a countertop box '202 with an electrical cord 204 to be plugged into the electrical mains 206 for supply. of power.
Resonance is maintained by a phase locked loop (11=.:1:.), which creates a closed loop between the output of the matching circuit 108 and the drive circuit 106. For this reason, in prior art devices, the countertop box 202 always has contained all of the drive and control electronics 104,, 106 and the matching circuit(s) 108. A typical retail price for such boxes is in the tens of thousands of dollars, A. supply cord 208 delivers a sinusoidal waveform frog the box 202 to the transducer 110 within the handpiece 1.12 and, thereby, to the waveguide 114. The prior art devices present a great disadvantage because the cord 208 has a length, size, and weight that restricts the mobility of the operator. The cord 2118 creates a tether for the operator and presents an obstacle for the operator and those around him/her during any surgical procedure using the handpiece 11.2.
In addition, the cord must be shielded and durable and is very expensive, Another disadvantage exists in the prior art due to the frequency sensitivity of the matching circuit 108, the transducer 110, and the waveguide 114. By having a phase-locked-loop feedback circuit between the output of the matching circuit 1Ã18 and the drive circuit 104, the hatching circuit 108 is required always to be located in the box 202, near the drive circuit 108, and separated from the transducer 110 by the length of the supply cord 2018. This architecture introduces transmission.
~f} losses and electrical parasitics, which are common products of ultrasonic-frequency transmissions.
In addition, prior-art devices attempt to maintain resonance at varying waveguide 114 load conditions by monitoring and maintaining a constant current applied to the transducer. However, the only predictable relationship between current applied to the transducer I 10 and amplitude is at resonance. Therefore, with constant current, the amplitude of the wave along the waveguide -114 is not constant across all frequencies. When prior art devices are under load, therefore, operation of the wave$guide 114 is not guaranteed to be at resonance and, because only the current is bein ;
monitored and held constant, the a.Ã 3ourit of movement on the waveguide 114 can, vary greatly. For this reason, maintaining constant current is not an effective way of maintaining a constant movement of the waveguide 114.
l~urthermore in the prior art, handpieces 11'2 and transducers 110 are replaced after a finite number of uses, but the box 202, which. is vastly more expensive than the.
handpiece 112, is not replaced. As such, introduction of new, replacement handpieces 112 and transducers 110 frequently causes a mismatch between the frequency-sessi.tive components (108, 110, and 112), thereby disadvantageously altering the frequency introduced to the waveguide 114. The only way to avoid such mismatches is for the prior-art circuits to restrict themselves to precise frequencies, This precision brings with it a significant increase in cost.
Some devices claim to be able to contain all necessary components :for ultrasonic procedures within a single handle. These devices, however, do not currently appear in the marketplace and the written descriptions of each disclose virtually no details of how their circuitry is enabled. At least one such device is described its being completely scaled and all of the device's electronic components., such as the power supply and the transducer, are non-replaceable.
This design is self=
evident, because the tool, used in surgery, must be sterilizable, However, in some surgeries, a cutting tool reaches its max mum lifespan within very few surgeries or, in some cases, even before the surgery is finislaed. With a scaled device design, the entire device must be disposed, including its expensive internal components.
In addition, this device is described as using inductive charging, It was not designed or envisioned to use modern, long-lasting, high-power batteries, such as lithium-ion (Li) batteries. As is known in the art, Lithium batteries cannot be charged in a series co:.niiguration of :multiple cells.
"T"his is because, as the voltage increases in a particular cell, it begins to accept charging energy faster than the other lower-voltage cells. Therefore, each cell must be monitored so that a charge to that cell can be controlled individually. When a Lithium battery is foamed from a group of cells-, a eft multitude of wires extending from the exterior of the device to the battery is needed. Satlcurai cannot provide this necessary feature because, by design, the sealed autocla.vable Sakurai device does not and cannot have a plurality of external exposed contacts to be coupled to a charging device In fact, the inductive charging feature for the sealed device is entirely at odds with exposed contacts.
Therefore, a need exists to overcome the problems associated with the prior art, for example, those discussed above.

Disclosure of Invention Briefly. in accordance with exemplary embodiments of the present invention. a cordless handheld apparatus that is capable of performing continuous ultrasonic cutting and cauterizing is disclosed. The invention includes a. power supply, a control circuit, a drive circuit, and a matching l0 circuit -- all located within a handpiece of the ultrasonic cutting device and all operating and generating waveforms at battery voltages. Advantageously, the invention allows components to be replaced or moved between different devices.
The present invention, according to several embodiments, allows components of the device to to removed, replaced, serviced, and/or interchanged. Some components are "disposable," which, 15 as used herein, means that. the component is used for only one procedure and is then discarded. Still other components are "reusable." which, as used herein, means that the component can be aseptically cleaned and then used for at least a second time. As will be explained., other- components are provided with intelligence that allows them to recognize the device to which they are attached and to alter their function or performance depending on several factors.
20 The invention provides a cordless hand-held ultrasonic catrter~, cutting device that overcomes the hereinafore-mentioned disadvantages of the heretofore-known devices and methods of this general type and that require disposal of and prevent advantageous reuse of costly components.
With the foregoing and other objects in view, there is provided. in accordance with the invention, an ultrasonic assembly removably connectable to an ultrasonic wa.veguide of an 25 ultrasonic surgical handle, the assembly including a cordless taltra oraic-ra~oven ent-;caaertatiora assembly having an ultrasonic generator and an ultrasonic transducer electrically coupled to the , enerator and having an output couple, and a shell housing therein the ultrasonic-movement-generation assembly and having a securing connection shaped to removably connect to the ultrasonic surgical handle. The output couple isoperable to impart ultrasonic movement to the tf} ultrasonic wa.veguide when the securing connection is connected to the ultrasonic surgical handle and the vvave{guide is connected to the output couple.

With the objects of the invention in view, there is also provided an ultrasonic assembly removably connectable to an ultrasonic waveguide of an ultrasonic surgical handle, the assembly including a cordless ultrasonic-nmov?emerrt- enerationn assembly having an ultrasonic generator and an ultrasonic transducer electrically coupled to the generator and having an output couple, and a shell housing therein at least one of the generator and the transducer and having a securin connection shaped to removably connect to the ultrasonic surgical handle. The output couple is operable to :impart ultrasonic movement to the ultrasonic waveguide when the securing connection is connected to the ultrasonic surgical handle and the waveguide is connected to the output couple.
With the objects of the invention in view, there is also provided an ultrasonic-movement-I0 generation assembly to be removably connected to an ultrasonic wave(guide of an ultrasonic surgical handle, the assembly including a cordless ultrasonic transducer having an external output couple operable to impart ultrasonic movement to the ultrasonic. waveguide when the w ve uide is connected to the output couple, a tank circuit electrically connected to the transducer and tuned to match the transducer, and an aseptically sealed assembly shell having disposed therein the transducer and the tank circuit and an external securing connection shaped to removably connect the shell to the ultrasonic surgical handle.
In accordance with another .feature of the :invention, the shell is aseptically sealed.
In accordance with another feature of the invention, the securing connection is a rail or an undercut slot.
In accordance with a further. feature of the invention, there is provided a stet table filter permitting venting after sterilization.
In accordance with an added feature of the invention, the shell has an outer surface and further comprises electrically communicating contacts on the outer surface and conductively connected to the generator for supplying power thereto.
l:n accordance with an additional feaÃure of the :invention, the tank circuit includes an internal driving-wave generation circuit having a generator output; and the transducer is communicatively coupled to the generator output.

In accordance with vet another feature of the invention, the driving-dvave generation circuit comprises a control circuit, a drive circuit, and/or a matching circuit.
tft In accordance with yet a further feature of the invention, the transducer is rotatable with respect to the driving-wave generation circuit.

In accordance with yet an added feature of the invention, the transducer and the tank circuit are powered only by the surgical handle.
In accordance with yet an additional feature of the invention, the surgical handle has an internal battery and the transducer and the tank circuit are powered only by the battery, In accordance with a concomitant feature of the invention, the wraveguide has an identification type and the tank circuit is operable to vary at least one of a driving-wave output frequency and a driving-wave output power based on the identification type, Although the invention is illustrated and described herein as embodied in a cordless hand-held ultrasonic cautery cutting device, it is, nevertheless, not intended to be. limited to the I0 details shown because various modifications and structural changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims. Additionally, well-known elements of exemplary embodiments of the invention will not be described in detail or will be omitted so as not to obscure, the relevant details of the invention.
While the specification concludes with claims defining the features of the invention that are regarded as novel, it is believed that the invention will be better understood from a consideration of the .following description in conjunction .ith the drawing figures, in which like reference numerals are ca7.rried Forward. Accordingly, the apparatus components and method steps have been represented where appropriate by conventional symbols in the drawings, showing only those specific details that are pertinent to understanding the embodiments of the present invention so as not to obscure the disclosure with details that will be readily apparent to those of ordinaryy, skill in the art having the benefit of the description herein.
Other features that are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in the appended claims. As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein:, however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary. of the invention, which can be embodied in various forms. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting., but merely as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one of ordinary skill in the art to variously employ the present invention in virtually any appropriately detailed structure. Further, the terms and phrases used herein are not intended to be limitingg, but rather, to provide an understandable description of the tft invention, While the specification concludes with claims defining the features of the invention that are regarded as novel, it is believed that the invention will be better understood from a consideration of the foil owing description in conjunction with the drawing fares, in which like reference numerals are carried forward. The figures of the drawings are not drawn to scale.

Brief Description of Drawings The accompanying figures, where like reference numerals refer to identical or functionally similar elements throughout the separate views and which together with the detailed description below are incorporated in and form part of the specification., serve to further :illustrate various embodiments and to explain various principles and advantages all in accordance with the present .
invention FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic illustration of components of a prior-art ultrasonic cutting device with separate power, control, drive and matching components in block diagram form.
FIG. 2. is a diagram illustrating.õ the prior-art ultrasonic cutting device of FIG. 1., FIG. 3 is a block circuit diagram of an ultrasonic cutting device in accordance with an exerriplary embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is graph illustrating a square waveform input to the matching circuit in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
FIG 5 is graph illustratingg:: a sinusoidal waveform output from the matching circuit in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 6 is a diagrammatic illustration of the effect that a resonant sine wave input to a transducer has on a waveguide of the ultrasonic cutting device in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention with the sinusoidal pattern shown representing the amplitude of axial motion along the length of the w =avefgtiide.
FIG. 7 is a fragmentary, schematic circuit diagram of an elemental series circuit model for a transducer in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 8 is a fragmentary, , schematic circuit diagram of an inventive circuit s pith the circuit of FiG. 7 and is useful for monitoring a motional current of a transducer in accordance with an exemplary, embodiment of the present inv=ention.
FIG. 9 is a fragmentary, schematic circuit diagram of an elemental parallel.
circuit model of a transducer: in accordance with. an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
If} FIG. 10 is frafinentai), schematic circuit diagram of an inventive circuit with the circuit of FIG. 9 and is useful for monitoring the motional current of a transducer in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG, 11 is a fragmentary, schematic circuit diagram of an inventive circuit with the circuit of FIG. 7 and is useful for monitori. n= the motional current of a transducer in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
FIG, 12 is a fray menta-yr, schematic circuit diagram of an inventive circuit with the circuit of FIG. p and is useful for monitoring the inotianal current of a transducer in accordance with ail exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a left side of an ultrasonic cutting device handle with.
fully integrated control, drive and matching components and removable transducer and power supply in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 14 is a side elevational view of the exemplary handle of FIG. 13) with the left-side shell removed and with the upper slide cover removed to show the integrated control, drive and matching components and removable power supply therein in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 15 is a perspective view of a transducer assembly removed from the exemplary handle of F1G. 14 in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 1.6 is a perspective and partially hidden view of the transducer assembly of H.G..15 in accordance with an exemplary embodiment o t17e present :inveaition.
FIG, 17 is a perspective and partially hidden view of the pack shown in the handle of FIG 14 in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. .18 is a, side elevational view of a left side of an ultrasonic cutting device capable of holding in a top area a reusable pack that includes the battery, circuitry, and the transducer in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 19 is a. side elevational view of a left side of the ultrasonic cutting device of FIG. 18 showing the access door in accordance with an exemplary enibodinient of the present invention.
FIG. 20 the removable, reusable pack used in the device shown in FIG 18 and includes a battery, control circuit, drive circuit, rematching circuit, and transducer.
FIG. 21 is a side elevational view of a left side of an ultrasonic cutting device handle -vvilli f rll.y> integrated control, drive and matching components and removable power supply in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
eft FIG. 212 is a side elevational view of the exemplary handle of FIG. 21 with the left-side shell removed and with the upper slide cover removed to show the integrated control, drive and matching components and removable power supply therein.

FIG. 23 is a side elevational view of a left side of an ultrasonic cutting device handle with fully integrated control, drive and matching components, and transducer in a removable module and also a removable battery pack in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 24 is a side elevational view of the exemplary handle of FIG. 23 with the left-side shell removed and with the upper slide cover removed to show the integrated control, drive and matching components and removable power supply therein.
FIG. 25 is a side elevational view of an exemplary handle with the let-side shell removed to show a TAG, a removable power stupply, and a blade and waveguide attached to the, spindle M.
accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 26 is a side ele.vational view of an exemplary handle with the left-side shell removed to showt electronic coupling between the generator and transducer assembly of the TA6 in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2.7 is an enlarged side elevational view of the exemplary handle of FIG.
23 from the left side thereof with the left-side shell, the slide cover, and the batter: pack removed, and with the Ãr g; e.r in an intermediate actuated posifion.
FIG. 2.8 is an enlarged side elevational view of the exemplary' handle of JIG.
23 from the right side thereof With. the right-side shell, the slide cover, and the battery pack removed, and vViÃ.h the trigger in a fully actuated position.
FIG. 29 is an enlarged side elevational view of the exemplary handle of FIG, 23 from the left side thereof with the shell and left-side slide cover removed.
FIG, 30 is an enlarged side elevational view of the exemplary handle of FIG, 29 from the right side thereof also with internal trigger components removed, FIG. 31 is a perspective view from the front left side of a hand-held ultrasonic cutting pen device with fatly integrated control, drive and matching components and removable power supply in accordance with an exemplary embodiment ofthe present .invention.
FIG. 32 is a side elevational v=ie", of the hand-held ultrasonic cutting pen device of FIG. 21 f~;orn the left side.
FIG. 33 is a side elevational view of the hand-held ultrasonic cutting pen device of FIG. 32 tt} with the left-side shell removed, FIG. 34 is a diagrammatic illustration of a hand-held ultrasonic cutting pen device to be connected to a man-portable, control and power supply assembly in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
FIG, 35 is a perspective view of a hand-held ultrasonic cutting pen device to be connected to 5 a man-portable, control and power supply assembly in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 36 is a perspective view of the hand-held ultrasonic cutting Pen device of I:Ce 3.5 with a left-half shell removed.
FIG. 37 is a perspective view of a. man-portable, control and power supply assembly to be 10 connected to a hand-held ultrasonic cutting pen device M. accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 38 is a different perspective view of the man-portable, control and power supply assembly of FIG, 37.
FIG. 39 is a side elevational view of an exemplary handle with the left-side and upper shell removed to show a wa:.egu de-movement-ye.rxeraa:tiron assembly and a smart battery in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 40 is a perspective view of a left side of an ultrasonic cutting device handle with.fully integrated control, drive and matching components, and transducer in a.
removable module, a removable battery pack, control buttons, and a display screen in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 41 is a perspective rear view of view of the exemplary handle of FIG. 13 N.vith the transducer removed in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4' is a perspective view of the exemplary handle of FIG. 23 with the waveguide-rnovement-generation assembly removed in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the '5 present invention.
FIG. 41 is a perspective cutaway view of the exemplary removed rha ~eguide-movernent-generation assembly of 43 in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 44 is a side elevational cutaway view of the exemplary handle of FIG. 25 with the left-side shell removed to show connection details between the waveguide and wave-guide-movement-=generation assembly in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

li FIG, 45 is a rear perspective view of the SCUD of FIG. 22 with a display included on the z~ e ;uide-move yea t- e er t o assembly and a see-through window on the waveguide-movemeut-generation assembly access door allowing viewing of the display and in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 46 is a side elevational view of an exemplary handle with the right-side shell removed to show an ultrasonic waveguide driving assembly having integrated power source, power source control circuit,, and ultrasonic v4avefc:rm-generating, circuit in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, I0 :Be,-t Alta- for t.Ãarni_rtÃ* (3rrt_tt3c Irr~ ÃttiOil It is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are Ã1Ãerely< exemplary of the invention., which can be embodied in various forms. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention in virtually any appropriately detailed structure. Further, the terms and phrases used herein are not intended to be li.miti.ng; but rather, to provide an understandable description of the invention Before the present i:nve:ntion is disclosed and described, it is to be understood that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting, In this document, the terms "a" or "an", as used herein, are defined as one or more than one. The term "plurality," as used herein, is defined as two or more than two. The term.
` another," as used herein, is defined as at least a second or more. The terms "including" and/or "having," as used herein, are defined as comprising (i.e., open language). The term "coupled," as used herein, is defined as connected, although not necessarily directly., and not necessarily .mechanically. Relational terms such as first and second, top and bottom, and the like may be used solely to distinguish one entity or action fro in another entity or action s ithc ut: necessarily requiring or implying any actual such relationship or order between such entities or actions. The terms Pcomprises,rr "comprising,/ or any other variation thereof are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a. process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements does not include only those elements but may include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such tf} process, method, article:, or apparatus, An element proceeded by "comprises ... a" does not, without more constraints, preclude the existence of additional identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises the element.

1?
As used herein, the term "about" or "approximately" applies to all numeric values, whether or not explicitly indicated. These terms generally refer to a range of numbers that one of skill in the art would consider equivalent to the recited values (i,e., having the same function or result), In many instances these terms may include numbers that are. rounded to the nearest significant figure.
In this document, the term "longitudinal" should be understood to mean in a direction corresponding to an elongated direction of the object being described.
l:t will be appreciated that embodiments of the invention described herein may be comprised of one or more conventional processors and unique stored program instructions that control the orie or more processors to implement, in. conjunction with certain non-processor circuits and other elements. sortie, most, Or all of the functions of ultrasonic cutting devices described herein. The non-processor circuits may include, but are not limited to, signal drivers, clock circuits, power source circuits, and user input and output elements. Alternativel y, some or all functions could be implemented by a state machine that has no stored program instructions, or in one or more application specific integraÃed circuits (ASICs), in -vvhich each function or some combinations of certain of the functions are implemented as custom logic. Of course, a combination of the t.: o approaches could also be used. Thus, methods and means for these functions have been described herein.
The terms "proggram, " "software application," and the like as used herein, are defined as a sequence of instructions designed for execution on a computer sy=stem. A
"program," "computer program," or "softavare application" may include a subroutine, a function, a procedure, an object method, an object implementation, an executable application, an a:pplet, a servlet, a source code, an object code, a shared library/dynamic load library and/or other sequence of instruct=ions designed for execution on a computer system .
The present invention, according to one embodiment, overcomes problems with the prior art by providing a lightweight, hand-holdable, ultrasonic cutting device that is powered by and controlled with components that. fit entirely, with=in a handle of the device 'I'lie hand-held device allows a surgeon to perforr-n ultrasonic cutting and/or- cauterizing in any surgical procedure without the need for external power and, particularly, without the presence of cords tethering the surgeon to a stationary object and constricting the ability of the surgeon while performing the surgical ;eft proce=dure.
ULTRASONIC SURGICAL DEVICE

Described now is an exemplar- apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention, Referring to FIG. 3, a block circuit diagram shows the invention 300, which includes a microprocessor 302, a clock :3:30, a memory, :326 a power supply 304 fe. ., a battery), a switch 306 (e.g., a MOSFET power switch), a drive circuit 308 (PLL), a transformer 310, a signal smoothing circuit 312 (also referred to as a matching circuit and can be, e. ;.. a tank circuit), a sensing circuit 314, a transducer 316, and a waveguide, which terminates into an ultrasonic cutting blade 318, referred to herein simply as the v.w,av. eguide 318. The invention also includes a cannula 32() for covering and supporting the vvave aide >1 As used herein, the " ÃÃe eguidc-movement-4generation assembl.yk" is a sub-assembly including at least the transducer 316, but can also include other components-, such as the drive circuit 308 (?LL), transformer. 310, signal smoothing circuit 312, and/or the sensing circuit 314.
Ultrasonic cutting; blades and waveguides are known in the art. The present iravention.'s ability to provide all of the necessary components of an ultrasonic cuttin ;
tool in a hand-held package provides a great advantage over prior-art devices, which house a majority of the device components within a very expensive and heavy desktop box 202, as shown in FIG.

2, and create an expensive and bulky tether 208 between the device's handpiece 112 and the box 202.
One feature of the present invention that severs the dependency on high voltage (120V.AC) input power (a. characteristic of all prior--art ultrasonic. cutting devices) is the utilization of low-voltage svvitchirt throughout the wave-forcing process and amplification of the driving signal only directly before the transformer stage, For this reason, in one exemplary embodiment of the present invention, power is derived from only a battery, or a group of batteries, small enough to fit either within the handpiece 112 or within a small box that attaches to the user, for example, at a waistband.
State-of-the-art battery technology provides powerful batteries of a few centimeters in height and width and a few millimeters in depth. By combining the features of the present inverifion. to provide an entirely self-contained and self-powered ultrasonic device, the capital outlay of the countertop box 20.2 is eliminated resulting in almost a ten-fold reduction of manufacturing cost.
T be output of the battery 304 i ; fed to and powers the processor 3132. The processor 302 receives and outputs signals and, as will be described below, functions according to custom logic or in accordance with computer programs that are executed by the processor 302.
The device 300 can 3t} also include a main memory 326, preferably, random access memory (RAM), that stores computer-readable instructions and data.

The output of the battery 304 also goes to a switch 306 that. has a duty cycle controlled b the processor 302. By controlling the on-time for the switch 306, the processor 302 is able to dictate the total amount of power that is ultimately delivered to the transducer 316, In one embodiment, the switch 306 is an electrically controlled metal -oxide-semiconductor f=ield-effect transistor ( OSFET). although other switches and switching configurations are adaptable as .well. 1'he output of the switch 306 is fed to a drive circuit 308 that contains, for example, a phase detecting PLL
and/or a low-pass filter and/or a voltage-controlled oscillator. The output of the switch 306 is sampled by the processor 302 to determine the voltage and current of the output signal (referred to in FIG. 3 respectively as AD2 V In and Al I In). These values are used in a feedback architecture to adjust the pulse width modulation of the switch 306. For instance, the duty cycle of the switch 306 can vary from about 20% to about 80%. depending on the desired and actual output from the switch 306.
The drive circuit 308, which receives the signal from the switch $06, includes an oscillatory circuit that turns the output of the switch 306 into an electrical signal having a single ultrasonic frequency, e.g., 55 kHz (referred to as VCO in FIG, 3). As will be explained below, a s.r Ãoothed-cut:
version of this ultrasonic waveform is ultimately .fed to the transducer 316 to produce a. resonant. sine wave along the wavegu:ide 318. I esonance is achieg ect when currer t rÃ.aÃc~
s oltage aÃe substal tially i:rÃ
phase at. the input of the transducer 3 16, For this reason, the drive circuit. 30$ uses a PLL to sense the current and voltage input to the transducer 316 and to synchronize the current and voltage with one another. Thi sensing .s perlcx.rtied inter lià e 3'S. .11cowever, aÃilike pricor-art devices t:liat si.m.ply match the phase of the input current to the phase of the input voltage, the present invention utilizes the inventive concept of matching the current phase with a phase of the "motional" voltage an d/or matches the input voltage phase with a phase of the "motional" current. The concept and technique of measuring motional voltage will be explained in detail below and in conjunction with the figures.
At the output of the drive circuit 308 is a transformer 310 able to step up the low voltage signal(s) to a higher voltage. It is noted that all upstream switching., prior to the transformer 310, has been performed at low (i.e., battery driven) voltayges, something that, to date,, has not been possible for ultrasonic cutting and cautery devices. This is at least partially due to the fact that the drive circuit 308 advantageously uses low on-resistance .'l SF1 T switching devices.
Low on-resistance 3f} NIOSFET switches are advantageous, as they produce Iess heat than traditional MOSFET device and allow higher current to pass through. Therefore, the switching stage (pre transformer) can be characterized as low voltage'high current.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the transformer 31.0 steps up the battery Voltage to 120V RMS. Transformers are known in the art and are, therefore, not explained here in detail.
The output of the transformer }10 resembles a square wave 400, an example of which is shown in FIG. 4, which waveform is undesirable because it is injurious to certain components, in particulax, to 5 the transducer 316. The square ,stave also generates interference between components. The matching circuit 312 of the present invention substantially reduces or eliminates these problems.
The wave shaping or matching circuit 312, sometimes referred to as a "tank circuit,"
smoothes the square wave 400 output from the transformer 310 and turns it into a driving wave 500 (e.g, a sine wave) an. approximation of which is shown in FIG. 5. The matching circuit 3 12, in one 10 embodiment of the present invention, is a series L-C circuit and is controlled by the well-knowwn principles of Kirchhof `s circuit laws. Ho,. ever, any matching circuit can be used here. The smooth side wave 500 output from the matching circuit 312 is, then, fed to the transducer 316. Of course, other driving signals can be output from the matching circuit 312" that are not smooth sine waves.
A transducer 31.6 is an electra-mechanical device that converts electrical signals to play sisal 15 movement. In a broader sense, a transducer is sometimes defined as any device that converts a signal from one form to another. An analogous transducer device is an audio speaker, which converts electrical voltage variations representing music or speech to mechaanicaal cone vibration.
The speaker cone, in turn, vibrates air molecules to create acoustical energy.
1,11 the present invention, the driving wave OO is input to the transducer 316, which then imparts physical movements to the svaw c guide =1 S. As will be shown, this movement sets tip a resonating wave on the wvaw e ;uide 3 i , aesultin ir1 m otion at the end of the wvavehguide 318.
FIG, 6 provides a diagrammatic illustration of the effect that a resonant sine wave input to a transducer has on a ww aveguide of the ultrasonic cutting device in accordance with an e erarplar embodiment of the present invention with the sinusoidal pattern shown representing the amplitude of axial motion along the length of the waveguide. As can be seen in FIG. 6, the transducer 31.6 is coupled to the waveguide 318. Responding to a positive portion 502 of the driving sine wave 500, the transducer 116 moves a portion 604 of the transducer 316, which is physically attached to a portion 606 of the attached waveguide 318, in a first direction 608. Likewise, the transducer 316 responds to a negative portion 504 of the driving. wwave 500 and moves the portion 604 of the ~t} transducer 3 16 in a second direction 612, A smooth sine wave 500, in contrast to the square wave 400, allows the transducer 316 and ww=aveguide 318 to slo-kv before changing directions. The smoother movement is less :injurious to the device's components. One exemplary embodiment of the portion 604 is a stack of piezo-electric crystals.
The alternating movement 608, 612 of the transducer portion 604 places a sinusoidal wave 614 along the length of the wa ~eguide 315. The wave 614 alternatively pulls the end t=2.0 of the guide 318 toward the transducer 316 and pushes it away from the transducer 316, thereby wave.
longitudinally moving the tip 620 of the waveguide 318 along distance 618. The tip is considered an "anti-node" as it is a a moving point of the sine wave 614. The resulting moves ment of the waveLguide 318 produces a"sawing- movement alon4g distance 618 at the; egad of the waveguide 318, (The wave 614 and linear movement along distance. 618 are greatly exaggerated in FIG. 6 for ease of discussion.) This high-speed movement along distance 618, as is known in the art, provides a cutting vaveguide that is able to slice easily through many materials, such as tissue and bone. The '18 also generates a great deal of .frictional heat when so stimu;clated, which heat is wave conducted within the tissue that the waveguide 318 is cutting. This heat is sufficient to cauterize instantly blood vessels within the tissue being cut.
If the driving wave 614 traveling along the waveguide 318 is not a resonant wave, the last anti-node of the wave 614 will not appear at the tip 620 of the wavewnide 318.
In such a. case, the tip 620 of the waveguide 318 may move transverse to the longitudinal axis of the waveguide 31S, creating an incorrect mode, e.g. the tip 620 not moving, a slapping motion with the. tip 620, or several others. This incorrect mode is not ideal and is not reliable for providing? adequate cutting and surggical cautery. The invention, however, utilizes the IT'LL in the drive circuit 308 to ensure that the movement 608, 612 of the wa.vegu:ide 318 remains resonant along the waveguide 31.8 by monitoring the phase 'between the motional current and motional voltage waveforms fed to the transducer 31.6 and sending a correction signal back to the drive circuit 308.
As an added feature, the present invention can be provided with pierce-electric crystal stacks 604 that are cut in a different plane, thereby creating a torsional, or twisting emotion of the blade rather than only a sawing 1,11 otion, The present invention can easily be adapted to a full. set of uses using requiring a drilling-type motion instead of or with the sawing motion just described.
T:Rr NSUUcER.CI:RC'U IT MODEL
FIG. 7 is a schematic circuit diagram of a model transducer 700, such as transducer 316, 1ft which contains piezo-electric material. Pero-electric transducers are.
well known in the art. The mass and stiffness of the piero-electric material creates a mechanically resonant structure within the transducer. Due to the piezo-electric affect, these mechanical properties manifest themselves as electrically equivalent properties. In other words, the electrical resonant frequency seen at the electrical terminals is equal to the mechanical resonant frequency. As shown in FIG, 7, the mechanical mass, stitThess, and damming of the transducer 316 may be represented by a series configuration of an inductor/coil L, a capacitor C2, and a resistor R, all in parallel with another capacitor Cr. The electrical equivalent transducer model 700 is quite similar to the well-known model for a. crystal. Flowing into an input 710 or the electrical equivalent transducer model 700 is a transducer current i-r, A portion is of i,r flows across the parallel capacitor C}. which is of a selected type and value that, for the majority of the expected frequency range, retains a substantially static capacitive value. The remainder of i-r, which is defined as r ;r, is simply I j- --- i.cc and is the actual working current. This remainder current iu.a is referred to herein as the "notional"
current. That is, the motional current is that current actually performing the N pork to niove the wavreguide 318=
Known prior-art designs regulate and synchronize with the total current iT, which includes ic and is not an indicator of the actual amount of current actually causing the motion of the, wave%uide

3 18 of the transducer 316. For instance, when the blade of a prior-a.Ã t device moves from soft tissue, to more dense material, such as other tissue or bone, the resistance R
increases greati-v. Ths increase in resistance R causes less current iw,r to flow through the Series confi ur~ation R.4,4'2, and more current icy to flow across capacitive element C1. In such a case, the waveguide 31S slows down, degrading its performance, It may be understood by those skilled in the art that regulating the overall current is not an effective way to maintain a constant waveguide speed. As such, one novel embodiment of the present invention advantageously monitors and regulates the motional current iM
flowing through the transducer 316. By regulating the motional current the movement distance of the wave, guide 18 can be regulated easily .
SURGICAL DEVICE CIRCUIT MODEL
FIG. 8 is a schematic circuit diagram of an inventive circuit 800 useful for understanding bow to obtain the motional current .iM of a transducer 700. The circuit 800 has all of the circuit elements of the transducer 700 plus an additional bridging capacitive element CT-3 in parallel with the transducer 700 of FIG. 7, H:owve.vver, the value of Cu is selected so that Cr /Cr; is equal to a given ratio r. For efficiency, the chosen value for Cr=y should be relat.vely, lowti This limits the current that tft is diverted from iwr. A variable. power source Vr is applied across the.
terminals 802 and 804 of the circuit 800, creating a current ir., through the capacitive element Cu3.. a current iT flowing into the transducer 700, a current is flowing through capacitor C,, and, finally, the motional current M. It then follows that r = 4;, This i s because:

8rBN.. CB.
at ' ' ~ and i` i at Therefore, is :::: r.. ill and, substituting - or is in the equation li1r i.I- - IC, leads to i' i i.I. --- 1 = i13 Now, by knowing only the total current and measuring the current through the bridge capacitor ira, variations of the transducer's motional current isl can be identified and regulated. The, driver circuit 308, then, acts as a current controller and regulates the motional current i~,:r by varying an output of the transformer 310 based on the product of the current flowing through the bridge capacitance Cr_~ multiplied by the ratio r= subtracted from a total current irr flowing into the transducer 700. This regulation maintains a substantially constant rate of movement of the cutting blade portion of the waveguide 318 across a. variety of cutting loads -- something that has .not been possible to date. In one embodiment, the sensing circuits 314 measure the motional voltage and/or motional current. Current and voltage measuring devices and circuit configurations for creating voltage meters and current meters are well known 3 in the art Values of current and voltage can be determined by the present. invention in any way now known or later developed, without limitation.
Regulation o:f the rrmtional current iN.r is a true way to maintain. the integrity of the instrument and ensure that it will operate at its peak performance under substantially all conditions expected in.
an operatin ; environment, In addition, such regulation provides these advantages within a package small enough and light enough to be easily held in one hand - a configuration that has never occurred in the field.
'I'lk fi.NSl i CER CIRCUIT 'MODEL
FIG. 9 shows another embodiment of the present invention, where the transducer 116 is schematically represented as a parallel configuration of a resistive element.
R, an Mductive element L, and a capacitive element C4. An additional capacitive element C_, is in a series configuration between an input 802 and the parallel configuration of the resistive element R, the inductive clement L. and the capacitive element C4. This parallel representation models the action of the transducer M.
the "antiresonant" mode of operation, which occurs at a slightly different frequency. A. transducer voltage y.r is applied between the input terminals 802, 804 of the transducer 316. The transducer voltage V-11 is split between a voltage Vic, across capacitive element C3 and a motional voltage V
across the parallel configuration of the resistive element R, the inductive element L, and the capa.c:itive element C.r. It is the motional voltage \"rm that performs the work and causes the waveguide 318 to r .ove. Therefore, in this exemplary embodiment, it is the r otion.al voltage that should be carefully regulated.
SURGICAL DEVICE CIRCUIT MODEL
FIG. 10 shows an exemplaryr embodiment of an inventive circuit configuration 1000, according to the present invention. The circuit configuration 1000 includes the transducer 900 of FIG. 9 and adds to it three additional capacitive elements C9, C 6, and C7.
Capacitive element C5 is in series with the transducer circuit 900 of FIG. 9 while the capacitive elements CF, and 7 are in series with one another and, together, are in parallel with the series combination of the capacitive element C; and the transducer circuit 900..
This circuit is analogous to a Wheatstone bridge measuring instrument.
Wheatstone bridge circuits are used to measure an unknown electrical resistance by balancing two legs of a bridge circuit, one le- of which includes the unknown component. In the instant circuit configuration shown in FIG. 10, a. motional voltage V ,,j, which equals V-,. - Ve, is the unknown, By determining and regulating the motional voltage V~:r, the inventive configuration allows a consistent waveguide movement to be maintained as set forth below=.
Advantageously, the capacitive element C77 is selected so that its value is a ratio A of capacitive element C;, with A being less than one. Likewise, the capacitive element C (, is selected so that its value is the sage ratioA of the capacitive element C5. The ratio ofC'5/C';3 is also the ratioA.
Because the ratio caf C:,,,C7 is A and the ratio of C5/C6 is also A, the bridge is balanced, It then follows that the feedback voltage VIE,, divided by the Ãa otional voltage VM , is No the ratio A..
Therefore, V... can be represented as simply A = Vj,.
if the voltage across the transducer 900 is still V-a; an input voltage V,,, equals V-r, plus the voltage Vag across the capacitive element C5. The feedback voltage V.rax is measured from a first point located between capacitive elements C6 and C and a second point located between the transducer and the capacitive element C5. Nlowv, the upstream components of the circuit 300 act as a voltage controller and vary the power fir;,, t.o maintain a constant. feedback voltage Via,, resulting in a substantially constant motional voltage and maintaining a substantially constant rate of movement of the cutting blade portion of the waveguide 318 across a variety of cutting loads. Again, unlike the prior art, the present invention is not simply regulating the input voltage Vy,,, it is varying the input ~(} voltage V,, for the purpose of regulating the motional voltage Vra az which is novel in the art, FIG, i i shows another embodiment of the present invention where the transducer 700 is of the circuit configuration shown in FIG 7. The configuration of FIG I I works similarly to that shown in FIG. 8 and as described above in. connection with FIG. S. i-Iowever, in this circuit configuration 1100, a pair of transformers 1104 and 1109 is used to determine and monitor the motional voltage V. In this embodiment, a primary winding 1102 of the first transformer 1104 is in a scrie.s configuration with a bridge capacitor Cr;. Similarly, a primary winding 1106 of the.
5 second transformer 1108 is in a series configuration with the transducer 700. The leads 1110 and 1112 of the secondary winding 1114 of the first transformer 1.104 are coupled through a resistor .R2.
The leads 1116 and 1118 of the secondary winding 1120 of the second transformer 1109 are coupled through a resistor Rr. in addition, the first lead 1 110 of the secondary winding 1114 of the first transformer 1104 is directly connected to the first lead 1116 of the secondary winding 11.20 of the 10 second transformer 1108.
Current ir.r passing through the primary winding 1102 of the first transformer 1104 induces a current in the secondary winding 1.114 of the first transformer 11.04.
Similarly, the currents including ic, passing through the capacitive element CE of the transducer 700 and the motional current i:,.r of the transducer 700 combine and go through the primary winding 1106 of the second 15 transformer 1108 to find ground 1122. The current in the primary winding 1106 induces a current on the secondary= wi.ndi.ng 1.120. As noted by the dots ("+") on the transformers 1.104, 1109, the secondary windings 1114 and 1120 are in opposite directions froÃn one another, with .reference to the pi mar-y windings 1.1.02, 1106, respectively, and induce a voltage \1Ãr, across resistors R, and RN. By selecting values for Rz and R2 so that a ratio of Rr: Ru is equal to the ratio of the values CrXj., the 20 feedback voltage V. will always be proportional to the nnotional current i\.r. Now, the upstream.
components of the circuit 300 (see FIG. 3) act as a voltage controller and vary the input power (V,., and I:r-) to maintain a constant feedback voltage Vii-,, resulting in a substantially constant motional current ,r and maintaining a. substantially constant rate of movement of the cutting blade portion of the waveguide 318 across a variety of cutting loads. Again, unlike the prior art, the present invention is not simply regulating the input voltage V j,,, it :is varying the input current :I r- for the purpose of regulating the motional current 1M:(-- which is novel in the art.
SIG. 12 shows another embodiment of the present invention where the transducer 900 is modeled by the circuit configuration shown in FIC 9. The configuration of FIG.
12 works similarly to that shown in FIG. 10 and as described above in connection with FIG 10.
However, in this 1f} circuit configuration 12001, a transformer 12.10 is used to determine and monitor the motional voltage Va of the transducer 900. In this embodimentõ a primary winding 1206 of the transformer 1210 is in a series circuit configuration with an inductive element L2 and a capacitive element C.I. "A voltage `,,, is applied across input leads 1202 and 12204 of the circuit formed by the primary winding 1206 of the transformer 1210, the inductive element L2., and the capacitive element Cr. A current through the primary winding 1206 induces a corresponding current in the secondarv winding 1208 of the transformer 1210, The secondary winding 1208 of the transformer 1210 is in a parallel configuration with a combination of the transducer 900 and a bridge capacitor Ca. The two components forming the combination are in a. series configuration.
In this embodiment, the secondary winding 1.208 is tapped at a point 1212. By tapping the secondary winding 1208 at a point where a first portion of the secondary winding 1208 has m turns and a second portion of the secondary Zsiridirig 1209 has It turns (where it is less than in), a selectable percentage of the induced voltage on the secondary winding 120 appears from point 121.2 to ground 1214, A ain, this circuit is analogous to a Wheatstone bridge measuring instruniea t. One leg is the first secondary winding rn, the second leg is the second secondary winding n, the third leg is the transducer 900. and the fourth leg is the capacitor Czr. In the instant circuit configuration shown in FIG. 12, the voltage VNJ is the unknown. By determining and regulating the motional voltage V a consistent waveguide movement is maintained..
By selecting a. value of the bridge capacitor Cu to be less than the transducer capacitance C
by the same percentage that the number of turns It is less than the number of turns in (Le_ rri:'ri :::
Ci/Ca), the value of a feedback voltage Via, will reflect the motional voltage Vu.r. The invention can determine: whether the motional voltage: \'' .r is chan~{irig by monitoring the feedback voltage `rE, tier chan;es.
By using the equivalent-circuit transducer model 900, which models a parallel-resonant (or "anti-resonant") transducer, the transducer may be driven in the parallel resonant n rode of operation, where motion is proportional to voltage The advantage of this mode of operation is that the required constant-voltagge-mode power supply is simpler to design and safer to operate than a const.aant-current-rraode power supply. Also, because the transducer has a higher :impedance when unloaded (rather than a lower impedance when unloaded in the series-resonant mode of operation), it naturally tends to draw less power when unloaded. The parallel-resonant mode of operation, however, is more difficult to naaaintain because the resonant bandwidth is narrower than that of the aft series-resonant mode and it has a slightly different natural resonant frequency; hence, the mechanical components of the device must be specifically configured to operate at either the series resonant or parallel-resonant 'mode of operation.

Now, the upstream components of the circuit 300 act as a voltage controller and vary the power vi,, to maintain a constant feedback voltage Vth, resulting in a substantially constant nmrotion.al voltage M and maintaining a substantially constant rate of movement of the cutting blade port=ion of the wavegttide 316 across a varety of cutting loads. Again, unlike the prior art, the present invention is not simply regulatin4g the input voltage V,,, it is varying the input voltage Vj for the purpose of regulating the motional voltage \' ..r -- which is novel in the art.
In each of the circuit configurations described and shown in R Gs. 7-12, circuit component degradation can impact nega Lively the entire circuit's performance. One factor that directly at sects component performance is heat. Known circuits generally monitor switching temperatures (e.g., IDSFET temperatures) However, because of the technological advancements in.NMMOSl f T desi.(gns, and the corresponding reduction in size, MOSFET temperatures are no longer a valid indicator of circuit loads and heat. For this reason; the present invention senses with the sensing circuit 314 the temperature of the transformer 310 according to an exemplary embodiment. This temperature sensing is very advantageous as transformer 3 10 is run at or very close to its maximum tea mperature during use of the device. Additional temperature will cause the core material, e.4n., the ferrite, to break down and permanent damage can occur. The present invention can respond to a maximum temperature of the transformer 310 by, for example, reducing the driving power in the transformer 3117, signaling the user, turning the power off completely, pulsing the power, or other appropriate responses.
Referring back to FIG 1, in one embodiment, the. processor 302 is communicatively= coupled to the clamping mechanism 1 1.8, which is used to place material in physical contact v,,ith the blade portion of the w vaveguide 318. The clamping mechanism 118 has a ran{ge of clamping force values and the processor 302 varies the motional voltage VNr based upon the received clamping force value.
Because high force values combined with a set motional rate can result in high blade temperatures, a temperature sensor t22 can be communicatively coupled to the processor 3022, where the processor 302 is operable to receive and interpret a signal indicating a current temperature of the blade from the temperature sensor 322 and determine a target frequency of blade movement based upon the received temperature.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the PL_<IL 308, which. is coupled to the aft processor 302, is able to determine. a. frequency of waveguide (318) movement and Communicate the frequency to the processor 302. The processor 302 stores this frequency value in the memory 326 when the device is turned off By reading the clock 330, the processor 302 is able to determine an elapsed time after the device is shut off and retrieve the last frequency of wave aide movement if the elapsed time is less than a predetermined value. The device can then start up at the last frequency, which, presumably, is the optimum frequency for the current load.
TRANSDUCER
FIGs. 13 to 30 show various exemplary embodiments of a "gun" type device 1300, 1800, 2300 suitable to hold and/or contain the entire inventive device illustrated in the diagram of F16. 3.
More specifically, as shown in the cutavvayr view of F.R.Y. 14, the ultrasonic surgical device 1.300 includes a disposable ultrasonic cutting tool handle 1408 that has a water-tight sealable battery-holding compartment 1422, a driving-weave generation circuit 1420 in electrical contact with the battery-holding compartment 1422; a transducer attachment dock 1.404 accessible from an exterior of the handle and operable to releasably physically couple the transducer 1302 to a waveguide 1:310 (represented as a dotted line in FIG, 13) coupled to the handle 1408 through a waveguide attachment dock 1406 that is disposed to accept and physically couple the ultrasonic wwaveguide. 1310 to the transducer 1302..
The ultrasonic surgical device 1300 includes a disposable handle body 1308 defining a bat.tery7--holding compartment :1422 shaped to receive a. battery. 1700 therein and operable to couple a proximal end of the ultrasonic waveguide '1 +10 to the ultrasonic transducer 130.2 theretlrrough. The handle body 1308 has a transducer dock. 4102 (shown best. in FIG. 41) exposed to the environment and shaped to interchangeably house at :least a portion of the transducer '130? thereat, The handle body 1.308 further includes a. wave guide attachment dock 1428 shaped to align and attach the proximal end of the waveguide 131.0 to the transducer 1302 and thereby hold the wvaveguide 1.310 and the transducer 1302 at least partially within the body when the transducer 1302 is docked in the transducer dock. 41.02 and the wvaveguide 1310 is docked in the waveguide attachment dock 1428.
1- .n upper portion of the handle body 1308 houses a disposable driving--waive generation circuit 1420 that is in electrical contact with the battery 1700 and the transducer 1.302 when the battery 1700 and transducer are disposed, respectively, in the battery-holding compartment. 1422 and the transducer dock 4102. The generation circuit 1420 is operable to generate an Output waveform sufficient to generate ultrasonic movement along the sh'ak'ewide. by exciting the transducer when the transducer is coupled to the waveguide 1310..
The transducer 1302 is generally secured by scre vinf the transducer 1302 onto a waveguide 1310, both being; at least partially within the transducer port 1404. The physical couple bemleen the handle 1408 and the transducer 1302, once attached, can be water-tight and, in some embodiments, can be aseptic. As explained above, the transducer 1302 imparts the physical forces to the wa=eiuide 319 at the proper frequency and force and receives power from the battery 1700 through conductive power leads 142.6. The transducer assembly 1302 is shown in greater detail in FIGS. 15 and 16, Referring to l~IG. 15, the reusable cordless transducer assembly 1402 is shown separate from the device 1300. The inventive transducer assembly 14022 includes a shaft 1.50$ with an ultrasonic wwave. aide couple 1508 that. is able to attach to a waveguide and,, upon activation of the transducer shaft 1.504, excite the attached waveguide, i.e , impart. ultrasonic waves along the length of the w vavegui:de:. The transducer assembly 1402 also has a housing 1506 that protects and seals the internal working components (shown M. FIG. 16) from. the environment. It is advantageous for the transducer assn mbIv 1402 to be selectively removable from the device 1300. As a separate component, the transducer assembly 1402 can be medically disinfected or sterilizedõ e.g., put in an autoclave, and used for multiple surgeries, while the less-expensive- gun itself may be disposable. In addition, the transducer assembly 1102 can be used in multiple guns or in the same gun up to a desired maximum number of times before it is required to be disposed.
FIG. 16 shows one exemplary embodiment of the transducer assembly 1302. Within the housing 1506 is the Ãnc>vable shat 1504. When an electric field rs created in the piezoelectric Crystal stack 1604 at one end 1606 of the shaft 1.504, the shall. 1504 t loves laterally within and relative to the housing .1506. 1:r this embodiment, the wwwaave aide couple 1508 is male and includes threads 1610, which are used to secure the transducer assembly 1302 to the non-illustrated waveguide 318 by screwing the waveguide 318 onto the threads 1610 with an appropriate amount of torque. In contrast, in FIG. 15, the waveiuide couple 1508 was female allowing the waveguide to be screwed into the weave aide couple 1.508.
..novel feature of the transducer 1.402 is its ability to mechanically and electrically connect 5 at the same time. FIG. 15 slat ww s an exemplary embodiment of electrical connector rings 15 10 of the transducer 1402. As the transducer 1402 is being coupled by the waveguide couple 1508 to a waveguide attached to the handle 1408, the connector rings 1510 are brought into contact with, for example, a set of power contacts 4104, shown in FIG. 4'l.. The power contacts 4104 places the piezoelectric crystal stack 1604 in contact with the power source 1.700 of the handle 1408. This i(1 substantially simultaneous coupling can be configured to occur in all embodiments of the present invention.

The transducer assembly 1302 and the transducer assembly housing 1.404 can be sealed so that, in the rare event of surgical fluids contacting the transducer assembly 1302, they will not introduce themselves into the interior of the housing 1506, The gun 1;100, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, has, within 5 its handle 1408, a power assembly 1700 (including power source 1.702 and a generator 1704),.
referred to herein as a battery-and-generator assembly or "BAG" 1700, shown in detail in FIG, 17.
The batten; 1702 within the BAG 1.700 can be a single battery or a. plurality of battery cells operating as a unit. Both battery configurations (single or multiple cr ll.s) will be referred to herein as the "battery" 1.702 herein.
10 The battery 1702 powers the generator 17104, which can include some or all of the components shown in HG. 3 and described in detail above. Specifically, the generator 1704 powers the transducer and includes the processor 302, the switch 306 (e.g,, a MOSFET
power switch), the drive circuit 308 (PL:L), the transformer 310, the signal snror~ihirtMtrtratchirtg circuit 312, and the sensing circuit 314. The present invention's ability to provide all of the necessary reusable IS generator components of the ultrasonic cutting, tool within the disposable handle 1408 of the gun-type device 1.300 provides a grerr.t advantage over prior--art devices, ti Which house a majority of the device components within the very expensive and heavy desktop box 202 shown in FIG, :2 and which also creates an expensive and bulky tether 208 between the device (FIGs.
1 and 2) and the box 202, The inventive circuit techniques of the present invention sever the dependency on high 20 voltage (I2OVAC) input power, a characteristic of all prior-art ultrasonic cutting devices, and utilizes 0111v low-voltage switching throughout the wave-forming process l:n addition to the advantages of reduced cost, reduced size, elimination of a tethering cord for supplying power and carrying signals, and a constant motional voltage, the instant invention provides unique advantages for maintain ing a sterile environment in an operating or other 25 environment. 1 '4:ore specifically, in exemplary embodiments of the present. invention, the handle includes an aseptic seat. An "aseptic" seal, as used herein, means a seal that sufficiently isolates a compartment (e.g., inside the handle) and components disposed therein from a sterile field of an operating environment into Which the handle has been introduced so that no contaminants from one side of the seal are able to transfer to the other side of the seal As shown in FIG, 14, for example, the handle 1408 is also provided with a closable door 1412, for instance, at its bottom 1401. This provides a variety of possible assemblies. In one assembly, the gun body 1414, which includes the transducer coupling port 1404 and the triggering mechanisms 141.8, is disposable and never used more than for a single surgery.
This sub-assembly is generally the least expensive of all of the components of the dev ice in some cases, it is 1 /100"' of the total cost of the dev ice. The transducer 1302; which is much more expensive and is autoclavable, can be roused multiple times.
An exemplary procedure for use of the device with the BAG 1700 is explained with regard to F [Gs. 13 and 14. To start, a person in the sterile field opens a sealed pack-age containing the new sterile gun body? 1404 and removes it .for use during the operation.
The _gun body 1408 can either already include the cannula 320 and waveguide 1310 (indicated with a dashed line) or can be coupled to a cannula 320 and waveguide 1310 after the package is opened. Next, the sterile (autoclaved) transducer assembly 1302 is inserted into the gun body 1404 and appropriately attached to the waveguide 1310. The surgeon then presents the underside of the gun body 1408 (with the door 1412 open) to the circulating nurse, who drops the BAG 1700 into the grip portion 144 of the gun handle 1408 without contacting the exterior of the gun body 1408, Someone in the operating field (e.g_-, the surgeon) then closes the door 1412, thereby securing the non-sterile BAG' 1700 within the gun 1300 through a sterile seal 1.401 and preventing it from contaminating the sterile field.
Because the .semen able BAG 1700 is sealed within the handle 1404, it is "outside" the sterile field during surgery.
~'cXt (_oiittrr ed ...ltrasonic )c is (SS.CL ) F Gs. 18 and 19 show yet another embodiment of the present invention in which the gun-shaped exterior body 1.400 has a different shape than exterior body 1 300 off1IG:s. 13 and '14, The exterior body 1800 is shaped with a larger upper portion 1802. In this case, the generator, battery, and transducer are able to be inserted, either together as an assembly (referred to herein as an ultrasonic-iiiovement-generation assembly") or as separate components into a water-tight sealable cordless ultrasonic-mo elWent- eiaeia.tion-assenibiy-h )ding compartment 1904 within the upper portion 1402 of the exterior body 1.800. The interior of the compartment 1904 remains outside the sterile field during surgery with the aid of a sterile seal 1.801. This insertion is performed through use of as shown in FIG. 19, a door 1806, 1e706 that can be opened and closed.
When closed, the door 1806, 1906 seals the interior of the gun -1800 from the exterior environment of the gun 1900 and vice versa.
3() FIG. 20 shows an embodiment of the ultr tsoriic move te..r t-generaation assembly 2000 that includes a battery 2002 (in this embodiment, sit filar to the embodiment of FIG. 17, the battery is a pack of batteries), a drivinLg-wave generation circuit 2004 (i.e., ggeneratoi) and a transducer 20016.

The entire device 1900, shown in Fi.Gs. 19, 21, and 22, is referred to herein as a Sell--Contained Ultrasonic Device or "SCUD."' The ultra sonic-mov ement- eneration assembly 2000 can be easily inserted within the compartment 1904 of the disposable handle body 1800 and then sealed from the environment by the door 1806, 1906, Advantageously, in this exemplary embodiment, the ultrasonic-Ãzmoverrmennt-generation assembly 2000, similar to the power source 1700, shown in M, 17, can be sterilized, but does not necessarily need to he sterile because it is shielded from the operating environment. This provides a tremendous advantage over prior art devices because the ultraasonic-iiroveme:nt-gerneratioÃr assembly 2000 and BAC1 1700 do not have to be watertight or a atoclaavable. Without the requirements of being watertight and sterilizable, the electrical connectivity of the components can be easily and inexpensively obtained. For instance, when electrically connected components must be hermetically, or simply waterproof-sealed, the contacts need to be securely protected from moisture and from separation during the high temperature solutions to which they are exposed. For instance, leads would need to be.
soldered together or others rise securely affixed to one another and wrapped with a protective coating to prevent rrust"ta:rnishing andIor separation. This protective requirement is not present or at least not as stringent if the components can simply be slipped inside of an outer protective chamber, such as the handle of the ultrasonic gun 1300, 1800 of the present :invention. These advantageous features reduce costs aid failures, 7-cake troubleshooting much easier, and allow replacing or switching parts to be relatively simple. For instance, from time-to-time, a battery will "go bad" or not function properly. When a unit is fully sealed, opening it to replace the barters; with another renders the device no longer hermetically sealed or, at a minimum, no longer reliably sealed. In contrast to such hermetically sealed devices, when the ultraso is nao enaent- eneraation assembly 2000 (e.g., shown in FIG. 2.0) is made to be inserted into a sealed chamber, it can be configured to open easily and allow any component therein to be removed and exchanged as desired. Including all of the expensive components, of the system in the reusable ultrasota:ic~raacazerrrent-genera:tio assembly 2000 allows for a simple and inexpensive design for the disposaible ultrasonic gun portion of the system.
FIGs. 2.1. and 2.2 show the disposable handle body 1800 with the ultrasonic-moverarent-gener-aation assembly 2000 inserted in the upper chamber 1904. The disposable handle body 1800 has a waveguide attachment clock 21 04 disposed on an exterior of the body 1.800, which is exposed to the environment and has a first couple. 2108 operable to releasably physically couple a wavegu.ide to the handle body 1800. The upper chamber 1904 is a water-tight, aseptically sealable, wave uide-iiiovemetrt-generartiori-assem-rbly-bolding compartment and has within its interior a. wave ,uide-moverrment-generation assembly attachment dock 2106 that is operable to releasably physically couple the ultrasonic-naovenrent-generation assembly 2000 to the handle 2101 and place the ultrasonic à m~ vermrernt- enerat orn assembly 2000 in direct physical contact with an ultrasonic } a eguide. The rrltrasorrie-mover rent generation assembly 2000 is held in place by a door 1906 having an open position (shown in F1G 22) that allows entry of the Erltrasc zr:ic-traover e.nt-genera:ti n bly 2000 into the chamber 1.904 and removal of ultrasonic-mt)A.,e.i-iient-generatioti assembly 2000 from the chamber 1904.. The door 1.906 also has a closed position (shown in FIG. 21) that aseptically seals the interior from the exterior of the handle, In one exemplary embodiment, the chamber 1.904 has a motion-generator-assembly ejector 2110 extending at least partially within the holding compartment 1904 and operable to activate by movement of the door 1906 from the closed position to the open position) and at least partially eject the assembly 2000 from the holding compartment 1.904.
Once inserted, the gun 1800 is fully, functional and ready to use with a 4ave uide (see, e.g., FIG. 25). The exemplary embodiment shown in pis. 18-22 allows the costliest portions of the gun to be reused as many times as desired and, advantageously, the portion of the device that is subject to fluids and other contaminates, :i.e.. the gun 1800, to be of low cost and disposed after the surgery.
Another advantage of a removable ultrasonic-Ã o em r71- ener'tatior~ assembly 2000 or the BAG- '1709 is realized when lithium-ion (Li) batteries are used. As previously stated herein, lithium batteries should not be charged in a parallel configuration of multiple cells.. This is because, as the voltage increases in a particular cell, it begins to accept more charge faster than the other lower-voltage cells. Therefore, each cell must be monitored ski that a charge to that cell can be controlled individually, When a lithium battery is farmed from a group of cells, a multitude of wires extending from the exterior of the device to the battery 1 702 is needed, at least one additional wire for each battery cell beyond the first. By having a removable generation assembly 2000 or - AG 1.700, each batteryy, cell can have its own exposed set of contacts and, when not present inside the device, each set of contacts can coupled to a corresponding set of contacts in an external, non-sterile battery-charging device.
Trar schiccr-and Generator Ass-ernbly (TAq FIGS. 23-10 and 42-45 show yet another exemplary embodiment 2300 of the present invention, which includes a disposable ultrasonic cutting tool handle 2301, a waveguide 2504, 2508õ
a dvave.yrride-movertaent_generation assembly 230:3, which includes the transducer and driving-wave 2t generation circuit (generator shown in FIG. 24), and a battery 304. This embodiment, for ease of reference, is referred to herein as a "transducer-arnd- enerator assembly, or 'TAG" 2300, which acronym refers to the contents of the removable waveguide-inovernent-generation assembly 2303, The handle 2301 of the TAG 2300 includes a first handle body portion 2302 defining therein an aseptically, sealable battery-holding compartment 2410 shaped to receive a removable battery., 304 therein. 'h'ere handle 23031 further includes a second handle body portion 2310 that is connected to, or integral with, the first handle body portion 2302. The second handle body portion 2310 has a waveguide attachment dock 2416 exposed to the environment and having a first couple 2418 operable to connect an ultrasonic waveguide 2504, 2508 thereto, as shown in FIG. 25. The handle 2301 also includes an ultrasonic-rirovement-(generati.on assembly dock 4202 (shown in FIG.
42) exposed to the environment and shaped to connect the ultrasonic cvaveguide 2508 in the, waveguide attachment dock 2418 to an ultrasonic-movemenat-generation assembly 23433 through the second handle body portion 2310. An electrical couple (such as couple. 4106, shown in FIG. 41), connects the battery 304 within the battery-holding compartment 2410 to the ultrasonic-movement-cienera:tion assembly: 2303 when the ultrasonic-move.mentr erleraÃ..ion assembly 7303 is docked at the ultrasonic mo e.rrtent eneraÃ:ion assembly dock 4202. As an alternative to this exemplary embodiment., the battery 304 can include part or all of the driving-wave generation circuit.
The removable ultaatsonic-movement-ge er~7.tion assembly 2303 is a cordless (i..e., battery powered) assembly and has a selectively removable securing connector 4204 and an output couple 4206 .operable to impart ultrasonic movement to the ultrasonic waveguide 2508 when. the wave(guide 2508 is con ected thereto. The assembly 2303 includes a shell 2304, shown in FIG. 23, housing an ultrasonic generator 2404 and an ultrasonic transducer 2406, both shown in FIG. 24. The shell 2304 has a securing connection 4204 shaped to selectively removably connect to a first connector part 420$ of the ultrasonic surgical handle 2300. shown in FRIG. 42 The connection 4204 can be a "dove-tail," as shown in the exemplary embodiment of the figfures or any other coupling method that allows the rtlt:tat.sc>rric-.nro er tent-` eneraÃic~rt assembly 2:303 to be removably attached to the handle 2301. The transducer 2406 has an output couple 4'206 operable to impart ultrasonic movement to as ultrasonic waveguide 250$ when the wave4guide 2508 is. connected thereto. In one embodiment, the output couple 4206 is a threaded connection that can be screwed onto or into a waveguide 2508. in 14} addition, the ultrasonic-mo ,ement-generation assembly 2303 can be a sealed watertight and/or autoclavable assembly that can be used in a. surgical procedure, sterilized, and then simply be coupled to a brand new handle 2300 to per-form. a second surgical procedure..
As will be described, the TAG 2303 can take several different embodiments.
FIG. 24 is a cutaway view showing the interior of the TAG 2300 with the near-side (left side) cover of the handle 2.301 and the shell 2304 of the ultrasonic-movement-generation assembly 5 2303 removed, Flere, the power supply 304 (e.g., a battery) fits entirely within the first portion 2302 of the handle 2301. The cylindrical device 2406 shown in I{ IG. 24 is the transducer assembly, such as the transducer assembly 316 of FIG. 3. t.:ocated above the transducer assembly 2406 is the generator 2404. The two ult.raasonic moves ent enervation assembly components 2404, 2406, when placed inside the covering shell 2304, advantageously can be easily detached from the handle 2301 10 and sterilized or replaced as a complete unit. In one embodiment, the ultrasonic-mover rent-generation assembly components 2404, 2406 are hermetically sealed inside the cover 21304, rendering the ultrasonic-movenrerat-generation assembly '2303 autoclavable so that it can be attached to and used w pith several different de-vices. The ultrasonic-movemeent-genneration assembly 2303 is coupled to the second portion 2310 of the handle 2302 through a port 2408. The port 2408, when 15 the ultrasanic-rrrovement-generation assembly 2303 is removed, is visible and accessible from an exterior of the handle 2301. However, once the ultra.::sonic-rnoveme.rnt--wene.rartion assembly 2303 is snapped onto the handle .2301, the handle 2301 and ultra c:r7:ic-rrroserrrer~t-e.rre:rri:tion assembly 2303 could be shaped to create a water-tight seal With one another and prevent moisture on the exterior of either one of the handle 2_302 and ultrasonic-g overment- eneration assembly 2303 frog entering the 20 junction between. the handle 2.301 and ultrasonic-nro5ernerrt- enercrtion assembly 2301.
FIG. 24 also shows a battery door 241.2 that, when opened, allows a battery 304 to be inserted into the battery-holding compartment 21410 and, when closed, as shown in FIG, 24, creates a water-tight seal (e.g., aseptic seal) between the interior of the handle 2302, shown in the cutaway view, of FIG. 24.. and the exterior of the handle 2302, shown in the elevatiorra.l view of FIG. 23 25 Once the ultra,onic_movement-generation assembly 2303 is coupled to the handle 23.01, the drivi.ng-wave generation circuit, or "generator" 2404, is placed in electrical contact with the batter,-holding compartment 2410 so that a battery 304, when inserted, can supply power to the ultrason c-nrcrvement- ener rticrrr assembly 2303. Additionally, referring now to FIG. 25, when an ultrasonic-rrrt~~ e:ment d eneraticrrr assembly 2502 is coupled to a handle 2514, the transducer 251.6 is 3t} caused to be realeasably physically coupled to a waveguide 2504. 2508 through the transducer attachment port 2518 and waveguide attachment port 2520. It is envisioned that the transducer assembly 2516 can be temporarily locked into a fixed rotational position so that the waveuide 2504 can be attached to the threads .1610 (see, e.g., FIG. 16) with sufficient force. This physical coupling between the waveguide 2504 and the transducer assembly 2516 allows the transducer assembly 2516 to impart movement to the waveguide 2504 when power is applied to the transducer assembly 2516.
The ;tin 2500 has a spindle 2506 that attaches to the wai ~eguide 2508, The spindle 2506 has indentions that allow a surgeon to easily rotate the spindle 2506 and, therefore, the attached wave ;aide 2508 and transducer assembly 2516 that is attached to the waveguide 2508. Such a configuration is useful for obtaining the proper cutting-blade angle during surger\y. To provide for this rotation, in one exemplary err .bodimerit, the transducer assembly 251.6 is able to rotate freely within the transducer housing 2510..
During initial coupling of the transducer assembly 2516 and wave(guide 2504, all that is needed is that one of the transducer assembly 2516 and the waveguide 2504 remains relatively stationary with respect to the other. According to one exemplary embodiment of the present invention, when the transducer assembly 2516 is located inside the housing 2510 ------ where it cannot be readily secured by the operator, for example, by holding it steady by hand when the waveguide 2508 is being secured ------ the ultrasonic-movei-rrerrtrgeneration assembly 2502 is provided with a button (not shown) that slides into a recess in the housing 2510 or, alternatively,, by fixing the rotation of the transducer assembly 2516 at a maximum rotational angle so that, once the maxim urn rotation is reached, for example, 360 degrees of rotation, no additional rotation is possible and the waveguide 2504 can be screwed thereon. Of course, a maximum rotation in the opposite direction will allow the was egu cle 25 04 to be removed as well FIG.-16 sho,~wws one example of how the generator assembly 251.2 and transducer assembly 2516 are electrically coupled so that a physical rotation of the transducer assembly 2516 with respect to the generator assembly- 2512 is possible. In this example, the generator assembly 2512 has a pair of contacts 2602 protruding from its underside, adjacent the transducer assembly 2516. Proximity of the transducer assembly 2516 to the 4generator assembly 2512 places one of the pair of contacts 2602 (circled) in physical communication with a pair of contact rings 2604 at the transducer body 2610 so that a. driving signal can be steadily applied to the transducer assembly 2516 when needed.
Advantageously, the pair of contacts 2602 maintains electrical contact regardless of an angle of rotation of the transducer assembly 2516. Therefore, the transducer assembly 2516 can rotate lft without any limitations as to the maximum angle or number of rotations. In one embodiment of the present invention, the waveguide-movement-generation assembly 2303 can include a battery, 304.

This embodiment. is advantageous, as it, allows the handle portion. 2302 to be made smaller or cheaper, as battery contacts are not necessary in the handle portion 2302.
TRANSDUCER
In another non-illustrated embodiment, the cover 2304 is not present and the transducer assembly 2516 and generator assembly 2512 assemblies are individually covered, i.e., sealed and autoclavable, with each cover being exposed and accessible to a user's f.n4gers. With the main cover 2304 not present, an operator attaching the transducer assembly 251.6 to the waveguide 2508 has direct access to the transducer assembly 251.6 and is able to hold both the transducer assembly 2516 and the wave4gÃride 2508 and turn either one relative to the other during coupling.
FI:Cis. 27-30 show more detailed views of exemplary embodiments of the device and the trigger mechanisms. It is noted that there is a difference between the activation trigger of the device shoum in F Gs. 19-22 and the trigger shown in FIGS. 23-30_ Specifically, in the device 1800 of FIGS. 19-22, and shown more particularly in FIG, 21, the upper handle portion 1802 is hollow.
Because it is hollow, the tri=gger 2102 can be a thick object that, when squeezed, is able to retract at least partially into the interior of the handle 2101. The thick trigger 2102 has the advantage of preventing a user's fingers from getting pinched when the trigger 2102 is squeezed. In contrast to this embodimentõ the embodiment of F IC-i. 24 includes a battery 304 within the interior of the hand grip 2302. Because the interior- of the hand grip 2302 is filled with the battery 304, the trigger 2308 cannot retreat inside the hand grip 23022 when actuated, as does the trigger 2102 of FIG. 21. For this reason, the trigger 2308 is thinner than the trigger 2102 of FIG. 21 in the trigger actuation direction.
and simply moves toward the hand grip 2302 during actuation (it does not enter the interior of the hand grip 23102, or enters it only Ãr inimally).
Advantageously, to prevent a. user's finger frorn getting caught between the trigger 1318, 1418, 2308 and the hand grip 1308, 1408, 2.302, the trigger includes a protrusion 1306, 2306 extending from the hand grip 1308, 23Ã12 and preventing the user's finger from .moving up and under the trigger 1318, 2308. Not on y does the protrusion 1306, 2306 prevent the user's finger from getting pinched and causing possible discomfort, the protrusion 1306, 2306 also prevents the user's finger from interfering with functioning of the trigger 1318, 2308.
In. an alternative exemplary embodiment to the gun device, FIGS. 3I. to 34 illustrate an.
3f} entirely hand-held and fully self-contained cautery and cutting device 3300. This cutting device 3300 reduces the size of the power supply 3302 considerably. Here, in comparison to the previous embodiments, the ivaveguide 3304 is reduced in length. All of the power modification components.

3(the control, drive, and matching circuits 304, 106, 308) and the power supply 33302 reside at the handpiece 3310_ As in the other embodiments described above, the pen shaped device shown in .FIGS. 31 to 34 could have, in accordance with one embodiment, a sealed body 3302, where the body 3302 housing the power modification components (the control, drive, and matching circuits 306, 308) and the power supply 3302 is autoclavable and the waveguide 3304 is simply replaced for each procedure. Alternatively, the body 3102 could open up and receive the power modification components (the control, drive, and matching circuits 304, 306, 308) and the power supply 3302 in an aseptic transfer, similar to the device shown in FIG. `21 and described above.
In further exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the power supply can be separated from the handpiece and can, for example, be worn on a physician's belt. An example of such embodiments can be seen in FIGS. 34 to 38. In these embodiments, the base 3700, shown in FIG. 37, has a body 3706 that houses a self-contained power source (i.e., a battery) and a generator circuit operable to generate an output waveform and. is sized to be handheld.
The base 3700 is connected through a communications and power tether cord 3702, illustrated diagrammatically in the figures with a dashed line, to the pen-shaped ultrasonic waveguide handle 3600, shown in TACT,.
34-36. When in operation, the transducer 3602 within the handle 3600 is driven by a plurality of driving waves output from the waveform generator within the body 3706.
The base 3700 has a user interface 3704 that can be used to communicate data and carry out functions of the device, such as testing and operation. Through the user interface 3704, the device can be tested in the sealed package without even opening the package.
For instance, in one embodiment, a user can press one or more non-illustrated buttons (physical or electronic) in a given sequence (e {, ., 5 times in a row) and, thereby, cause the user interface 3704 to display a status of the battery and/or a status Of the logic circuitry,. all without having to remove it from the sealed package.
This is helpful in case of a defect, such as a. bad battery, as the purchaser would be able to return the device to the manufacturer before use and, thereby, prove non-use of the device to receive credit. In this enrbodi:ment, all of the power modification components (the power supply 304, the processor 302, the drive circuit 308, and the matching circuit 312) reside in the base 3700.
The base 3700 is also provided uv ith. a non-illustrated clothing attachment mechanism that can be a simple belt clip, or any other way of attaching a device to a wearer.
The clothing 3f} attachment mechanism allows a. surgeon or nurse to wear the base 3700 duri ng a. surggery so that the cord 3702 vvill always be of sufficient length, Le., as long as his arm can reach, no matter where the sur= eon is standing.

For ease of use, the cautery /cutting device 3400 is shaped to fit into a surgeon's hand.
The shape illustrated in FIG. 34 is, therefore, only exemplary. Another exemplary shape for the pen device 3600 is shown in FIGS, 35 and 36 and is similar to a writing pen so that the surgery can be carried out with the device 3600 to approximate writing - a process that is comfortable to most physicians, The pen 3400, 3600 includes all of the transducer components --the transducer 3402.
3602, the protective cannula. 3404, 3604, and the waveguide 3406, 3606.
In various other embodiments of the present :invention, one or more of the components., together or separate, can be removed f:roni or exchanged between the handprece 2300, 3300, 3410, 3100 and the base 3700 for service, replacement, storage, inspection, or other purposes as desired.
103 The component(s) of the devices described herein. (whether separately, as a unit, or a frame to which they are connected to one another) can implement a confirmation process for ensuring that the various component(s) can or should be used in or with the device. For instance, the components can perform a check (possibly with encryption) to see whether they match the particular handpiece 2300. 3300, 3400, 3600 or base 3700, i.e., to see if they have the correct rtrarrrrta:cturers':rtrodel number to work with the part in which or to which it is connected.
In an exemplary safety embodiment for any of the configurations of the :invention, the systern can have a safety mechanism where the surgeon using the device is grounded to the circuit 300, In the event the wwaveguidr 318, 3306, 3406, 3606 accidentally makes contact with the surgeon, the device senses this grounding and immediately ceases movement of the waveguide 318, 3.306, 3406; 3606, thereby instantly preventing the surgeon from cutting hie /herself Because the hand-held instrument 2300, 3300, 3400, 3600, 3700 is not connected to earth .õround, it will be possible to provide a safety circuit that can sense contact with the surgeon and interrupt ultrasonic power delivery. For example, a capacitive contact patch located on the hand grip 2302, 331.03, 3400, 3600, 3700 is connected to a capacitive-touch sensing circuit (such as is used for capacitive switching and known to those in the art) and disposed to detect contact of the working tip with the surgeon. When such contact. is detected, the drive circuit of the instrument will be shut down to avoid applying cutting energy to the surgeon. Such a sensing circuit would be impractical in systems of the pricer art, where the ttandpicc<c is connected to a large piece of earth-grounded electrical equipment.
aft FIG, 39 shows another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, which includes a "smart" or "intelligent" battery 3902. The smart battery 3902 is used to power a surgical or ether device., such as the gun 3900. However, the smart battery 3902 is not limited to the gun 3900 and, as will be explained, can be used in a variety of devices, which may or may not have power (i_e., current and voltage) requirements that vary from each other. The smart battery 3902 is advantageously able to identify the particular device to which it is electrically coupled. it does this through encrypted or unencrypted identification methods. For instance, the battery 3902 can have a 5 connection portion, such as portion 3901 shown in :F'IG. 19. The gun's handle ?901 can also be provided with a device identifier 3906 coninrunicatively coupled to the batter-:-holdincy compartment .3908 and operable to communicate at least one piece of information about the handle 3901. This information can pertain to the number of tunes the handle 3901 has been used, the number of time,,, a TAG unit 3910 has been used, the number of times a wa veguide (not shown) has been used, the type 10 of waveguide connected to the handle 3901, the type or identity of TAG 3910 connected to the handle 3901, or many other characteristics. When the battery 3902 is inserted in the handle 3901,.
the connection portion 3904 makes communicating contact with the device identifier 390. The handle 3910, through hardware, software, or a combination thereof, is able to transmit information to the smart battery assembly 3902. This coin municated identifier is received by the connection 15 portion 3904 of the smart battery., assembly 3902.
In one embodiment, once the smart battery asse.mbly7 3902 receives the Information, the communication portion 3904 is operable to control the output of the battery assembly 3902 to comply with the device's specific power requirements. By integrating a r 7icrocontroller 3916 in the communication portion 3904 of the battery assembly 3902, it is no longer required that a 20 programmable device be place(] in the disposable handle portion 39011. As a result, the handle rnay be sterilized by gamma radiation, which is more economical than other sterilization measures.
in accordance with another embodiment, the battery-holding compartment 3908 has a batter, ejector device 3912 that extends at least partially within the battery-holding compartment :3908 and is able to cause at least a portion of the battery 3902 to be ejected from the battery-holding 25 compartment '905. This prevents an operator from having to reach his or her potentiall : soiled or otherwise non-sterile fn4~ ers inside the device in order to remove the battery assembly 3902. In one embodiment, the battery-holding compartment 3908 is activated by a movement of the door from the closed position to the open position. In other words, once the door is opened, the batter 3902 partially ejects out of the compartment 3908.
30 In some exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the transducer assembly 1302, shown in FIG. 15, contains additional circuit components, such as the tank circuit 312 shown in FIG.
3. In practice; the tank circuit 312 is tuned to crutch the transducer to which it feeds. Therefore, transducers and tank circuits are best matched if they remain as a pair and are not placed in combination with other device. In addition, if each transducer assembly 1302 had its own tanik-circuit, the smart battery 3902 could feed different frequencies to the different transducer assemblies 1302, the frequencies being respectively matched to a particular blade and wa.veguide assembly, Two popular frequencies for ultrasonic surgery devices are 551<H and 40kHz.
In one exemplary embodiment, the communication portion 3904 includes a processor, such as processor 302, and a memory, such as memory 326, which may be separate or a single component. The processor 302, in combination with the memory 326, is able to provide intelligent power management for the gun device 3900. This embodiment is particularly advantageous because an ultrasonic device, such as device 300, has a power requirement (frequency, current, and voltage) that may be unique to the device 300.. In fact, device 300 may have a particular power requirement or limitation for one dimension or type of wwaveguide 3 19 and a second different power requirement for a second type ofwaaveguide having a different dimension, shape, and/or configuration.
if a set of different devices having different waveguides exists., theta each of the waveguides Would have a respective maximum allowable power limit. E_ xceedin4g the power limit overstresses the waaveguide and eventually causes it to fracture. One waveguide from the set of wwave"aides will naturally have the smallest maximum power tolerance. Because the prior-art batteries lack intelligent battery power rnanaagement, the output of prior-art batteries must be limited by a value of the smallest maximum allowable power input fiwr the smallestftlrinnest/most frail waaveguide in. the set that is envisioned to be used with the device/batterv.
This would be true even.
though larger, thicker waveguides could later be attached to that handle and, by definition, allow a greater force to be applied.
This limitation is also true for maximum battery power. If one battery is designed to be used in multiple devices, its, maximum output power will be limited to the lowest maximum power rating of any of the devices in which it :is to be used. With such a con:f figuration, one or more devices,

4 or device configurations would not be able to i aaxirnize use of the battery because the battery does not know the device's limits.
In contrast thereto, exemplary embodiments of the present invention. utilizing the smart bat eery }902 are able to intelligently circumrvent, any previous linii.tation of ultrasonic devices. The i( smart batten, 3902 can produce one output for one device or a particular device configuration and the sa:rne battery, 3902 can later produce a different output for a second device or device configuration. This universal smart battery surgical system lends itself well to the modern operating .

room where space and time are at a premium By having a single battery pack that operates many different devices, the nurses can easily manage the storage and retrieval of the packs.
Advantageously, the smart battery system requires only one type of charging station, thus increasing ease and efficiency of use and decreasing cost.
In addition, other devices, such as an electric stapler, may have a completely different power requirement than that of the ultrasonic device 300. With the present invention, a. single smart battery 3902 can be used with any one of an entire series of devices and is able to tailor its own pow er output to the particular device in which it. is installed. In one embodiment, this power tailoring is performed by controlling the duty cycle of a swvitched mode power supply, such as buck, buck-boost, boost, or other configuration, integral with or otherwise coupled to and controlled by the smart battery 3902.
in other exemplary embodiments, the smart battery 3902 can dynamically change its power output during device operation. For instance, in vessel scaling devices, power management is very important. In these devices, large constant current values are needed.
The total power output needs to be adjusted dynamically because, as the tissue is sealed, its impedance changes.
Embodiments of the present invention provide the smart battery 3902 with a.
variable maximum current limit. The current limit can vary from one application (or device) to another, based on the requirements of the application or device, More specifically, referring to FIG 44, an ultrasonic surgical device 4400 has an ultrasonic waveguide 4402 with one of a set of different waveguide types. An ultrasonic transducer 4404 is physically coupled to the waveguide 4402 and is operable to impart ultrasonic movement to the ultrasonic waveguide 4402. A cordless ultrasonic movert~ent-gea erration assembly 4406 is connected to either the waveguide or the transducer and is operable to generate and deliver a driving-wave frequency and a driving-wave power to the transducer 4404.
Because the device 4400 is able to accept and drive waveguides 4402 of varying dimensions, the device 4400 is providedwith a wavegu de detector 4408 coupled to the taltrast .rric-movemeÃrt-gerre.rct:tion assembly 4406 and operable to detect the type (e.g., the dimensions) of the waveguide 4402 attached to the transducer 4404 and to cause the crltrasonie-rlrtrvcment-gener,ticrrr 4406 assembly to vary the driving-wave frequency and/or the drivirnng wave power based upon the detected waveguide type. The waaveguide tt} detector 4408 can be any device, set of components, software, electrical connections, or other that is/are able to identify at least one property of a waveguide 4402 connected to the device 4400.

In a further exemplary embodiment, the smart battery 3902 stores in its memory 326 a record of each time a particular device is used. This record can be useful for assessing the end of a device's useful or permitted life, For instance, once a device is used 20 tunes, all such batteries 3902 connected to the device will refuse to supply power thereto -- because the device is defined as a "no longer reliable" surgical instrument. Reliability is determined based on a number of factors.
fine factor can be wear; after a certain number of uses, the parts of the device can become worn and tolerances between parts exceeded. This wear can lead to an unacceptable failure during a procedure. In some exemplary embodiments, the smart battery 3902 can recognize which parts are combined and even how many uses each part has experienced. For instance, looking at FIG. 14, if the battery 1700 is a smart battery, it can i:dcntif\. both the gun 1300, as well as the particular transducer assembly 1302, A memory vOthin the smart battery 3902 can record each time the transducer assembly 1302 is operated. If each transducer assembly 1302 has an individual identifier, the smart battery 3902 can keep track of each transducer assembly's use and refuse to supply power to that transducer assembly 1302 once the gun 1300 or the transducer assembly 1302 exceeds its maximum number of uses. The TAG, stapler, vessel sealer, etc. circuitry can include a memory chip which records this information also. This Way any number of smart batteries can be used with any number of lAGs. staplers. vessel sealers, etc. and still be able to determine the, total .number of uses, or the total time of use (through use of clock 330)., or the total number of actuations etc.. of each TAG, stapler, vessel sealer etc Referring now to FIG. 40, another embodiment of the present invention is shown. In the embodiment of FIG. 40, the device 4000 is provided xw=ith a plurality of buttons 4002a-n, although not all can be seen in the left-side view of FIG, 40. These buttons can have various functions that pertain to operation of the device 4000. As. explained above, previous devices were tethered by a cord 208 to a desktop box 202. If a prior-art device wished to add an additional function, associated with a buÃton, then an additional communication wire would .rxeed to be added to the nort-cliang able strand of wires in the tether 208. The addition of wires renders the tether even less desirous, as the surgeon must work. with and support the ever-increasing bundle of wires. The present invention is impervious to this disadvantage because all. communication is contained within the handle itself and no external wires are needed. The device 4000 will generally operate the same and weigh the same, tf} no matter how many buttons are added, In accordance with yet another embodiment, the present invention is provided %?wlith a display screen 4004 that conveys visual information to an operator. The visual information can be, for instance, the number of uses a particular waveguide has been subjected to, the battery voltage, the status of the device, such as indicating a non-en a ec1 condition of the device components', button states, warnings, and many others.
The present invention, according to an embodiment, as shown in FIG. 45, has a window 4502 on the compartment door 4504 that allows a user to view a display screen 4506 on a movement-generation assembly within the compartment. 4508.
In one embodinient of the present invention, as shown in FIG 46, the ultrasonic surgical device 4600 includes a cordless unitary housing 4602 sired to fit withiÃl a surgical instrument handle 4604, The housing 4602 houses a self-contained power source 4606 and a power source control circuit 4508 that is electrically coupled to the power source 4606 and is operable to control distribution of powver from the power source 4606. The housing 4602 also holds an ultrasonic waveform- eraeaaatiÃa; circuit 4610 electrically coupled to the control circuit 4708 and operable to output a waveform sufficient to drive an ultrasonic transducer of the ultrasonic surgical instrument 4600. In this embodiment, the ultrasonic vaaveguide, driving assembly 4601 can be inserted into the inexpensive handle 4604, used for a single sur ;erv, the handle 4604 disposed of, and the assembly can then be inserted and used in .multiple other handles to perform additional surgeries.. In this embodiment., all of the expensive components are reused and do not need to be aseptically sealed since they are contained within a battery-holding compartment 4612 of the handle 4604 and are never e>aposed to the operating environment.
As has been described, the present, invention provides a small and efficient hand-held ultrasonic cutting, device that is self-powered and, therefore, cordless.
Alternatively, and/or additionally, the invention has a separate body -worn pack that houses any combination of the control electronics and the self-contained power supply. in either embodiment, the expensive set-top box is eliminated entirely. The invention provides low-voltage or battery-voltage switching or wave-forming stages prior to the transducer. Advaanta4geouslyF, the device allos,s aa. user to operate completely -free of cords or other tethering devices. The present invention, by "marrying" all of the frequency sensitive components within one place (e.g., the handle), also eliminates any inductive losses that occur between prior art set-top boxes and handpieces - a disadvantage suffered by all prior-art ultrasonic cautery/cutting devices. Because of the close coupling between the drive circuit tt} '308 and the matching network 312, the overall power modification circuit is tolerant of higher Q
factors and larger frequency ranges.

The present invention provides additional advantages in the ways the device is kept sterile.
Because the inventive device is a fraction of a size of the prior art devices, the driving circuit can be placed within the handle. The handle, transducer, waveguide, and blade are sterilized and the handle has a door that opens, allowing the battery and driving circuits, which are outside the sterile field, to

5 be dropped inside the }candle, When the door is closed, the non-sterile portions are scaled within the handle.

Claims (165)

Claims

1. An ultrasonic surgical assembly comprising:
a reusable cordless ultrasonic transducer; and a disposable handle body:
defining a battery-holding compartment therein;
having an ultrasonic surgical waveguide; and operable to removably couple the transducer to the waveguide, the transducer being removably couplable to the handle body,

2. The ultrasonic surgical assembly according to claim 1, further comprising;
a battery disposed within the battery-holding compartment.

3. The assembly according to claim 2, wherein the battery is one of integral with the handle body and removable from the handle body.

4. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein the handle body rotatably couples the waveguide and the transducer thereto such that a rotation of the waveguide causes a corresponding rotation of the transducer.

5. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein the waveguide is rotatably coupled to the handle body and is interchangeably removable from the handle body.

6. The assembly according to claim 5, wherein the waveguide is disposable.

7. An ultrasonic surgical assembly, comprising;
an ultrasonic surgical waveguide;
a reusable cordless ultrasonic transducer, a battery; and a disposable handle body operable to removably couple the waveguide and the transducer thereto, the transducer being separable from the handle body.

8. The assembly according to claim 7, wherein:
the battery is one of integral with the handle body and removable from the bandle body;
the handle body rotatably couples the waveguide and the transducer thereto such that a rotation of the waveguide causes a corresponding rotation of the transducer, and the waveguide is rotatably coupled to the handle body and is interchangeably removable from the handle body.

9. An ultrasonic surgical assembly, comprising:
a disposable ultrasonic waveguide having a proximal couple part;

a reusable cordless ultrasonic transducer having a distal couple part operable to removably couple to the proximal couple part;
a battery, and a disposable handle body defining a battery-holding compartment shaped to removably receive the battery therein and having:
a transducer dock exposed to the environment and shaped to interchangeably hold the transducer thereat, a waveguide attachment dock shaped to align and attach the distal and proximal couple parts together and thereby hold the waveguide, and the transducer at the handle body when the waveguide is docked in the attachment dock, and a disposable driving-wave generation circuit at the handle body and electrically contacting the battery and the transducer, the generation circuit operable to generate an output waveform causing ultrasonic movement in the waveguide, through the transducer when the transducer is coupled to the waveguide.

10. The assembly according to claim 9, wherein the distal and proximal couple parts include a threaded hole and a threaded rod

11. The assembly according to claim 9, wherein the waveguide is longitudinally fixed to the handle body

12. The assembly according to claim 9, wherein the waveguide is releasably connected to the handle body.

13. The assembly according to claim 9, wherein the battery is disposable.

14. The assembly according to claim 9, wherein the battery is reusable, and further comprising a compartment door movably attached to the handle body at the battery-holding compartment, the door having:
an open position permitting entry and removal of the battery respectively into and out from the battery-holding compartment, and a closed position aseptically sealing the battery-holding compartment from the environment.

15. The assembly according to claim 9, wherein the transducer dock is operable to rotatably connect the waveguide threrein, and the attachment dock and the transducer dock are shaped and disposed to directly physically couple the waveguide and the transducer and cause a corresponding rotation of the transducer with respect to the handle body when the waveguide rotates,

16. The assembly according to claim 15, wherein the waveguide dock is operable to limit a maximum amount of rotation of the waveguide therein with respect to the handle body.

17. The assembly according to claim 15, wherein the transducer dock is operable to limit a maximum amount of rotation of the transducer therein with respect to the handle body,

18. The according to claim 9, wherein the handle body has a handgrip and the battery-holding compartment is within the handgrip.

19. The assembly according to claim 9, further comprising a device identifier communicatively coupled to the handle body and operable to communicate at least one piece of information about at least one of the waveguide, the transducer, the battery, the generation circuit, and the handle body

20. The assembly according to claim 19, wherein the at least one piece of information is at least one of a waveguide identifier, an information list of previous waveguide use, a transducer identifier, an information list of previous transducer use, a battery identifier, an information list of previous battery use, a battery status, a handle identifier, and an information list of previous handle use.

21. he assembly according to claim 20, wherein the device identifier is operable to communicate with the battery when the battery is in the battery-holding compartment

22. The assembly according to claim 9, wherein the handle body has a battery ejector at the battery-holding compartment operable to cause at least a portion of a battery within the battery-holding comparment to eject therefrom.

23. An ultrasonic surgical waveguide driving assembly to be attached to a surgical ultrasonic instrument handle having a cordless power source therein and waveguide, the assembly comprising:
a reusable cordless ultrasonic transducer (1402) having:
an ultrasonic waveguide couple at which the transducer (1402) is operable to excite the waveguide attached thereto; and an ultrasonic handle couple operable to substantially simultaneously connect-the transducer to the instrument handle, and a power input to the power source

24. The assembly according to claim 23, wherein the ultrasonic bandle couple is operable to also substantially simultaneously connect the waveguide couple to the waveguide.

25. The assembly according to claim 23, wherein the transducer includes a distal end at which is disposed the waveguide couple, the handle couple, and the power input

26. The assembly according to claim 23, wherein the transducer includes, a cord-free proximal end.

27. The assembly according to claim 23, wherein the power input is pair of ring-shaped contacts

28. The assembly according to claim 27, wherein the ring-shaped contacts circumscribe the waveguide couple.

29. The assembly according to claim 23, wherein the power source is a battery

30. The assembly, according to claim 29, wherein the battery is rechargeable

31. The assembly according to claim 23, wherein the substantially simultaneous connection places the transducer in communicative contact with the power source one of before and upon finalizing mechanical connection of the transducer and the waveguide

32. An ultrasonic surgical waveguide driving assembly to be attached to a surgical ultrasonic instrument handle having a waveguide and a cordless power source therein, the assembly comprising:
a reusable cordless ultrasonic transducer having a cord-free transducer body having a power input cordlessly connectable to the power source;
an ultrasonic waveguide couple at the transducer body and at which the transducer is operable to excite the waveguide attached thereto, and an ultrasonic instrument handle couple at the transducer body and operable to substantially simultaneously connect the transducer to the instrument handle, and the power input to the power source.

33. A method for assembling an ultrasonic surgical instrument, the method comprising in a single step, simultaneously:
mechanically coupling a reusable cordless ultrasonic transducer to a waveguide supported by a surgical ultrasonic instrument handle; and connecting the transducer to a cordless, power supply located within the handle.

34. A disposable ultrasonic surgical handle, comprising:
a disposable handle body defining a battery-holding compartment shaped to receive a battery therein and operable to couple a proximal end of an ultrasonic vvaveguide to an ultrasonic transducer therethrough, the handle body having.
a transducer dock exposed to the environment and shaped to interchangeably house at least a portion of the transducer thereat;

a waveguide attachment dock shaped to align and attach the proximal end of the waveguide to the transducer and thereby hold the waveguide and the transducer at the handle body when the transducer is docked in the transducer dock and the waveguide is docked in the waveguide attachment dock, and a disposable driving-wave generation circuit in the handle body and disposed to electrically contact the battery and the transducer when the battery and the transducer are disposed respectively in the battery-holding compartment and the transducer dock, the generation circuit operable to generate an output waveform capable of causing ultrasonic movement at the output of the transducer,

35. The handle according to claim 34, further comprising a disposable, ultrasonic waveguide having a proximal couple part connected to the handle body.

36. The handle according to claim 35, wherein the waveguide is axially fixedly and rotatably freely connected to the handle body.

37. The handle according to claim 34, wherein the driving-wave generation circuit comprises at least one of a control circuit, a drive circuit, and a matching circuit

38. The handle according to claim 34, wherein:
the transducer dock is operable to rotatably connect the transducer therein with respect to the handle body; and the attachment dock and the transducer dock are disposed to directly physically couple the waveguide and the transducer and cause a corresponding rotation of the transducer with respect to the handle body when the waveguide rotates

39. The handle according to claim 34, wherein at least one of the attachment dock and the transducer dock is operable to limit a maximum amount of rotation of the transducer therein with respect to the handle body

40. The handle according to claim 34, wherein the handle body has a handgrip portion and the battery-bolding compartment is within the handgrip portion

41. The handle according to claim 34, wherein the battery-holding compartment has an interior and further comprising a compartment door movably attached to the handle body at the batten-holding, compartment, the door having:

all open position permitting entry and removal of the battery respectively into and out from the compartment, and a closed position aseptically sealing the compartment from the environment

42. The handle according to claim 34, wherein the handle body has a lower portion in which the battery-holding compartment is disposed and an upper portion in which the transducer dock is disposed.

43 The handle according to claim 34, further comprising a device identifier communicatively coupled to at least one of the battery-holding compartement, the transducer dock, and the waveguide attachment dock and operable to communicate at least one piece of information about the handle body.

44. The handle according to claim 43, wherein the at least one piece of information is at least one of a handle identifier, an information list of previous use, and a waveguide identifier.

45. The handle according to claim 44, wherein the device identifier is operable to communicate with at least one of:
the battery when the battery is in the battery-holding compartment;
the transducer when the transducer is in the transducer dock; and the waveguide when the waveguide is in the attachment dock.

46 The handle according to claim 34, wherein the handle body has a battery ejector at the battery-holding compartment; and the battery ejector is operable to cause at least a portion of the battery with the battery-holding compartment to eject therefrom.

47. An ultrasonic surgical instrument assembly, comprising:
a disposable ultrasonic waveguide having a proximal couple part; and a disposable handle body defining a battery-holding; compartment shaped to receive a battery therein and operable to couple the proximal couple part of the waveguide to an ultrasonic transducer therethrough, the handle body having a. transducer dock exposed to the environment and shaped to interchangeably house at least a portion of the transducer thereat, a waveguide attachment dock shaped to align and attach the proximal couple part of the waveguide to the transducer and thereby hold the waveguide, and the transducer at least partially within the handle body when the transducer is docked in the transducer dock and the waveguide is docked in the waveguide attachment dock; and a disposable driving-wave generation circuit disposed in the handle body and disposed to electrically contact the battery and the transducer when the battery and the transducer are disposed respectively in the battery-holding compartment and the transducer dock, the generation circuit operable to generate an output waveform sufficient to generate ultrasonic movement along the waveguide by exciting the transducer when the transducer is coupled to the waveguide.

48. The assembly according to claim 47, wherein the battery-holding compartment has an interior and further comprising a compartment door movably attached to the handle body at the battery-holding compartment, the door having:
an open position permitting entry and removal of the battery respectively into and out from the compartment; and a closed position aseptically sealing the compartment from the environment.

49. The assembly according to claim 47, wherein the transducer dock is operable to releasably couple the ultrasonic transducer thereat.

50. The assembly according to claim 47, wherein the driving-wave generation circuit comprises at least one of:
a control circuit;
a drive circuit; and a matching circuit.

51. The assembly according to claim 47, wherein:
the transducer dock is operable to rotatably connect the transducer therein with respect to the handle body; and the attachment dock and the transducer dock are disposed to directly physically couple the waveguide and the transducer and cause a corresponding rotation of the transducer with respect to the handle body when the waveguide rotates.

52. The assembly according to claim 47, wherein at least one of the waveguide attachment dock and the transducer dock is operable to limit a maximum amount of rotation of the transducer therein with respect to the handle body.

53. The assembly according to claim 47, wherein:
the handle body has a battery ejector at the battery-holding compartment; and the battery ejector is operable to cause at least a portion of the battery within the battery-holding compartment to eject therefrom.

54. An ultrasonic surgical assembly connectable to an ultrasonic surgical handle having an ultrasonic waveguide, the assembly comprising:
an exterior body defining an internal compartment and having a connection operable to removably secure the body in a body-holding compartment within the ultrasonic surgical handle, a cordless ultrasonic-movement-generation assembly disposed in the internal compartment and having an output couple removably attachable to the ultrasonic waveguide and operable to impart ultrasonic movement to the ultrasonic waveguide; and a battery disposed in the internal compartment and electrically connected to and powering the ultrasonic-movement-generation assembly.

55. The ultrasonic surgical assembly according to claim 54, wherein the ultrasonic-movement-generation assembly comprises:
a driving-wave generation circuit electrically coupled to the battery and having a generator output;
and an ultrasonic transducer communicatively coupled to the generator output.

56. The ultrasonic surgical assembly according to claim 55, wherein the driving-wave generation circuit comprises at least one of:
a control circuit;
a drive circuit;
and a matching circuit.

57. The ultrasonic surgical assembly according to claim 55, wherein the transducer is rotatable with respect to at least one of the body and the driving-wave generation circuit.

58. The ultrasonic surgical assembly according to claim 55, further comprising:
a reusable compartment door movably connected to the body to selectively expose the compartment to the environment and having:
an open position permitting entry and removal of at least one of the ultrasonic-movement-generation assembly and the battery respectively into and out from the compartment; and a closed position sealing the compartment from the environment.

59. The ultrasonic surgical assembly according to claim 58, wherein the closed position at least one of water-tightly and aseptically seals the compartment from the environment.

60. The ultrasonic surgical assembly according to claim 59, wherein the battery is interchangeably disposed in the body.

61. The ultrasonic surgical assembly according to claim 54, wherein the ultrasonic-movement-generation assembly is powered only by the battery.

62. The ultrasonic surgical assembly according to claim 54, wherein the ultrasonic-movement-generation assembly is operable to vary at least one of a driving-wave frequency and a driving-wave power based on an identified type of the waveguide.

63. The ultrasonic surgical assembly according to claim 54, wherein the output couple extends out of the body from the ultrasonic-movement-generation assembly.

64. The ultrasonic surgical assembly according to claim 54, wherein the battery is interchangeably disposed in the body.

65. The ultrasonic surgical assembly according to claim 54, wherein:
at least one of the exterior body and the cordless ultrasonic-movement-generation assembly is reusable.

66. An ultrasonic surgical handle for receiving a powered-ultrasonic-motion-generation assembly therein and coupling an ultrasonic waveguide thereto, the handle comprising:
a handle body having:
a first handle body portion defining a handgrip;
a second handle body portion connected to the first handle body portion and having:
a waveguide attachment dock exposed to the environment and having a first couple operable to connect the waveguide thereto; and an aseptically sealable powered-ultrasonic-motion-generator assembly dock shaped to connect the waveguide in the attachment dock to the powered-ultrasonic-motion-generator assembly disposed within the assembly dock through the second handle body portion; and a compartment door movably connected to the second handle body portion to selectively expose the assembly dock to the environment and having:
an open position exposing the assembly dock to the environment and permitting entry and removal of the powered-ultrasonic-motion-generator assembly respectively into and from the assembly dock; and a closed position aseptically sealing the assembly dock from the environment.

67. The ultrasonic surgical handle according to claim 66, wherein:
the attachment dock has a waveguide axis;
the assembly dock has a transducer axis; and the attachment dock and the assembly dock are shaped to coaxially align the transducer axis with the waveguide axis.

68. The ultrasonic surgical handle according to claim 66, wherein the handle body is disposable.

69. The ultrasonic surgical handle according to claim 66, wherein at least one of the door and the second handle body portion has a transparent portion for viewing a display disposed within the second handle body portion from outside the second handle body portion.

70. The ultrasonic surgical handle according to claim 66, wherein the attachment dock is operable to releasably physically couple the waveguide to the second handle body portion.

71. The ultrasonic surgical handle according to claim 66, wherein the attachment dock is rotatably coupled to the second handle body portion and is shaped to rotatably couple the waveguide thereto.

72. The ultrasonic surgical handle according to claim 71, wherein:
the attachment dock is rotatably attached to the second handle body portion;
the first couple is operable to rotatably connect the ultrasonic waveguide to the second handle body portion; and the assembly dock is shaped to rotatably connect the waveguide in the attachment dock to the powered-ultrasonic-motion-generator assembly through the second handle body portion to correspondingly rotate a transducer of the powered-ultrasonic-motion-generator assembly with respect to the second handle body portion with rotation of at least one of the waveguide and the attachment dock.

73. The ultrasonic surgical handle according to claim 66, further comprising a memory for storing a handle use history.

74. The ultrasonic surgical handle according to claim 66, further comprising a device identifier communicatively coupled to the assembly dock and operable to communicate at least one piece of information about the handle body.

75. The ultrasonic surgical handle according to claim 74, wherein the at least one piece of information is at least one of a handle identifier and an information list of previous use.

76. The ultrasonic surgical handle according to claim 66, wherein the second handle body portion further comprises an assembly ejector operable to cause at least a portion of the powered-ultrasonic-motion-generator assembly to eject from the assembly dock.

77. The ultrasonic surgical handle according to claim 66, wherein the first and second handle body portions are integral.

78. The ultrasonic surgical handle according to claim 66, wherein the powered-ultrasonic-motion-generator assembly comprises:
a driving-wave generation circuit generating an output waveform;
an ultrasonic transducer operable to connect to the waveguide in the attachment dock and ultrasonically move the waveguide when supplied with the output waveform; and a self-contained power source electrically powering the driving-wave generation circuit.

79. The ultrasonic surgical handle according to claim 78, wherein the driving-wave generation circuit comprises at least one of:
a control circuit;
a drive circuit;
and a matching circuit.

80. The ultrasonic surgical handle according to claim 66, further comprising a device identifier communicatively coupled to the assembly dock and operable to communicate at least one piece of information about the handle body.

81. The ultrasonic surgical handle according to claim 80, wherein the at least one piece of information is at least one of a handle identifier, an information list of previous use, and a waveguide identifier.

82. The ultrasonic surgical handle according to claim 81, wherein the device identifier is operable to communicate with the powered-ultrasonic-motion-generator assembly.

83. The ultrasonic surgical handle according to claim 66, further comprising a display operable to indicate at least one of:
a power state;
a number of handle uses;
a number of waveguide uses;
a number of battery uses;
a battery condition;
a waveguide identifier;
a battery identifier; and a handle identifier.

84. An ultrasonic surgical assembly, comprising:
an exterior assembly body;
a cordless ultrasonic-movement-generation assembly disposed in the assembly body;

a battery removably disposed in the assembly body, a handle having:
a handle body;
an ultrasonic waveguide rotational freely connected to the handle body, the ultrasonic-movement-generation assembly operable to generate ultrasonic movement of the waveguide when connected thereto, and an aseptically sealable assembly dock exposed to the environment and shaped to connect the waveguide to the ultrasonic-movement-generation assembly through the handle body when the cordless ultrasonic-movement-generation assembly is removably disposed in the assembly dock, and a compartment door movably, connected to the handle body to selectively expose the assembly dock to the environment and having:

an open position permitting entry and removal of the ultrasonic-movement-generation assembly respectively into and out from the assembly dock, and a closed position aseptically sealing the assembly dock from the environment.

85. The ultrasonic surgical assembly according to claim 84, wherein the ultrasonic-movement-generation assembly comprises.
a driving-wave generation circuit electrically coupled to the battery and having a generator output, and an ultrasonic transducer communicatively coupled to the generator output

86. The ultrasonic surgical assembly according to claim 95, wherein the driving-wave generation circuit comprises at least one of:
a control circuit, a drive circuit: and a matching circuit.

87. The ultrasonic surgical assembly according to claim 85, wherein the assembly body has an interior compartment and further comprising:
an assembly door movably connected to the assembly body to selectively expose the interior an compartment to the environment and having an open position permitting entry and removal of at least one of the ultrasonic-movement-generation assembly and the battery respectively into and out from the interior compartment, and a closed position sealing the interior compartment from the environment.

89. The ultrasonic surgical assembly according to claim 87, wherein the closed position at least one of water-tightly and aseptically seals the interior compartment from the environment.

89. The ultrasonic surgical assembly according, to claim 85, wherein the transducer extends out of the assembly body.

90. The ultrasonic surgical assembly according to claim 85, wherein the handle further comprises a waveguide attachment dock exposed to the environment and operably connecting the waveguide to the handle.

91. The ultrasonic surgical assembly according to claim 90, wherein the attachment dock rotatably couples the waveguide to the assembly body.

92. The ultrasonic surgical assembly according to claim 90, wherein:
the attachment dock rotatably couples the waveguide to the assembly body;
the transducer is disposed rotatably in the ultrasonic-movement-generation assembly; and the assembly dock connects the rotatable waveguide in the attachment dock to the rotatable transducer of the ultrasonic-movement-generation assembly to correspondingly rotate the transducer with respect to the assembly body with rotation of at least one of the waveguide and the attachment dock.

93. The ultrasonic surgical assembly according to claim 92, wherein the transducer is rotatable with respect to the driving-wave generation circuit.

94. The ultrasonic surgical assembly according to claim 84, wherein the assembly body is reussable.

95. The ultrasonic surgical assembly according to claim 84, wherein the handle is disposable.

96. The ultrasonic surgical assembly according to claim 84, wherein the ultrasonic-movement-generation assembly is powered only by the battery.

97. The ultrasonic surgical assembly according to claim 84, wherein the ultrasonic-movement-generation assembly is operable to vary at least one of a driving-wave frequency and a driving-wave power based on an identified type of the waveguide.

98. The ultrasonic surgical assembly according to claim 84, further comprising a device identifier communicatively coupled to the assembly dock and operable to communicate at least one piece of information about at least one of the waveguide, the ultrasonic-generation assembly, the battery, the handle, and the door.

99. The ultrasonic surgical assembly according to claim, 98, wherein the at least one piece of information is at least one of an identity of the handle, previous uses of the handle, an identity of the waveguide, previous uses of the waveguide, an identity of the battery, a status of the battery, previous uses of the battery, and a status of the door.

100. The ultrasonic surgical assembly according to claim 84, wherein the ultrasonic-movement-generation assembly is operable to vary at least one of a driving-wave frequency and a drive-wave power based on an identified type of the waveguide.

101. The ultrasonic surgical assembly according to claim 84, wherein the ultrasonic-movement-generation assembly has a display operable to display information.

102. The ultrasonic surgical assembly according to claim 101, wherein at least one of the door and the handle body has a transparent portion for viewing the display disposed within the handle body from outside, the handle body.

103. The ultrasonic surgical assembly according to claim 84, further comprising a memory for storing a use history.

104. The ultrasonic surgical assembly according to claim 84, further comprising a device identifier communicatively coupled to the assembly dock and operable to communicate at least one piece of information about at least one of the waveguide, the battery, the handle, and the door.

105. The ultrasonic surgical assembly according to claim 104, wherein the at least one piece of information is at least one of a handle identifier, an information list of handle previous use, a waveguide identifier, an information list of waveguide previous use, a battery identifier, an information list of battery previous use, and a battery status.

106. The ultrasonic surgical assembly according to claim 104, wherein the device identifier is operable to communicate with the ultrasonic-movement-generation assembly.

107. The ultrasonic surgical assembly according to claim 84, wherein the handle further comprises an assembly ejector operable to cause at least a portion of the ultrasonic-movement-generation assembly to eject from the assembly dock.

108. The ultrasonic surgical assembly according to claim 84, wherein the ultrasonic-movement-generation assembly further comprises a display operable to indicate at least one of:
a power state, a number of handle uses;
a number of waveguide uses;
a number of battery uses, a battery condition;
a waveguide identifier;

a battery identifier, and a handle identifier.

109. An ultrasonic surgical assembly, comprising an exterior assembly body defining an internal compartment;
a cordless ultrasonic-movement-generation assembly removably disposed in the internal compartment and having an output couple operable to generate ultrasonic movement thereat;
a battery disposed in the internal compartment and electrically connected to and powering the ultrasonic-movement-generation assembly;
a handle body having:
a first handle body portion defining a handgrip, a second handle body portion connected to the first handle body portion and having:
an ultrasonic waveguide rotational freely connected to the handle body, the ultrasonic-movement-generation assembly operable to generate ultrasonic movement of the waveguide when connected thereto, and an aseptically sealable assembly dock exposed to the environment and shaped to connect the waveguide to the output couple through the second handle body portion when the ultrasonic-movement-generation assembly is disposed in the assembly dock, and a compartment door movably connected to the second handle body portion to selectively expose the assembly, dock to the environment and having, an open position permitting entry and removal of the ultrasonic-movement-generation assembly respectively into and out from the assembly dock; and a closed position aseptically sealing the assembly dock from the environment

110. An ultrasonic surgical assembly, comprising:
an ultrasonic waveguide, a cordless ultrasonic-movement-generation assembly having:
a selectively removable securing connector, and an output couple operable to impart ultrasonic movement to the ultrasonic waveguide when the waveguide is connected thereto, a removable battery; and a surgical handle having a first handle body portion defining therein an aseptically sealable battery-holding compartment:
selectively exposed to the environment;
aseptically removably holding therein the battery; and electrically connecting the battery therein to the ultrasonic-movement-generation assembly; and second handle body portion connected to the first handle body portion and having a waveguide attachment dock exposed to the environment and having a first couple operable to connect the waveguide thereto, and an ultrasonic-movement-generation assembly dock exposed to the environment and shaped to removably secure the second handle body portion to the securing connector; and connect the ultrasonic waveguide in the attachment dock to the output couple through the second handle body portion.

111. The ultrasonic surgical assembly according to claim 110, wherein the ultrasonic-movement-generation assembly comprises.

a driving-wave generation circuit electrically coupled to the battery and having a generator output, and a transducer communicatively coupled to the generator output.

112. The ultrasonic surgical assembly according to claim 111, wherein the ultrasonic-movement-generation assembly comprises:
a shell housing therein the driving-wave generation circuit and the transducer, the shell having the securing connector, and the transducer having the output couple

113 The ultrasonic surgical assembly according to claim 111, wherein the driving-wave generation circuit comprises at least one of a control circuit, a drive circuit, and a matching circuit.

114. The ultrasonic surgical assembly according to claim 111, wherein:

the waveguide attachment clock is rotatably attached to the second handle body portion, the first couple is operable to rotatably connect the ultrasonic waveguide to the second handle body portion;
the transducer is rotatable with respect to the driving-wave generation circuit;
the ultrasonic-movement-generation assembly dock is shaped to rotatably connect the ultrasonic waveguide in the attachment dock to the transducer through the second handle body portion and the waveguide attachment dock and the ultrasonic-movement-generation assembly dock are disposed to directly physically couple the waveguide and the transducer and cause a corresponding rotation of the transducer with respect to the handle when at least one of the waveguide and the attachment clock rotates.

115. The ultrasonic surgical assembly according to claim 110, further comprising, conductive power leads in the compartment shaped to electrically connect the battery to the ultrasonic-movement-generation assembly at least when the battery is sealed in the compartment.

116. The ultrasonic surgical assembly according to claim 110, wherein the attachment dock has a first releasable couple operable to at least one of releasably connect the waveguide thereto and physically couple the waveguide to the output couple.

117. The ultrasonic surgical assembly according to claim 115, wherein the assembly dock has a second couple operable to releasably connect the securing connector of the ultrasonic-movement-generation assembly thereto and at least one of physically and electrically couple the ultrasonic-movement-generation assembly to the power leads and to the waveguide when the ultrasonic-movement-generation assembly is docked thereat.

118. The ultrasonic surgical assembly according to claim 110, further comprising a movable compartment door connected movably to the second handle body portion and having:
an open position permitting entry and removal of the battery respectively into and from the compartment; and a closed position aseptically sealing the compartment from the environment

119. The ultrasonic surgical assembly according to claim 118, wherein the releasable second couple of the assembly dock is operable to water-tightly connect the ultrasonic-movement-generation assembly releasably thereto when docked.

120. The ultrasonic surgical assembly according to claim 110, wherein:

the second handle body portion has a lower portion in which is disposed the compartment, and the lower portion is a handgrip.

121. The ultrasonic surgical assembly according to claim 110, further comprising a memory electrically connected to the ultrasonic-movement-generation assembly and operable to store a device use history.

122. The ultrasonic surgical assembly according to claim 110, further comprising a device identifier communicatively coupled to the battery-holding compartment and operable to communicate at least one piece of information about the handle.

123. The ultrasonic surgical assembly according to claim 122, wherein the at least one piece of information is at least one of a handle identifier, an information list of previous use, and a waveguide identifier.

124. The ultrasonic surgical assembly according to claim 122, wherein the device identifier is operable to communicate with the battery.

125. The ultrasonic surgical assembly according to claim 122, wherein:
the battery has a power source and a power-source controller;
the at least one piece of information is an identifier selected from at least one of a waveguide type, a handle type, and a transducer type, and the power-source controller is operable to select one of a set of different battery output powers dependent upon an identification of the identifier

126. The ultrasonic surgical assembly according to claim 110, wherein:
the battery has a power source and a power-source controller; and the power-source controller is operable to maintain one of a power source output voltage, a power source output current, and a power source output power.

127. The ultrasonic surgical assembly according to claim 124, wherein the battery comprises a plurality of Lithium-Ion cells electrically connected together in series

128. The ultrasonic surgical assembly according to claim 110, wherein the waveguide has one of a set of different waveguide types, the ultrasonic-movement-generation assembly generates a driving-wave frequency and a driving-wave power; and the ultrasonic-movement-generation assembly is operable to vary at least one of the driving-wave frequency and the driving-wave power based on an identified one of the waveguide types.

129. The ultrasonic surgical assembly according to claim 110, wherein the ultrasonic-movement-generation assembly is aseptically sealed.

130. An ultrasonic assembly removably connectable to an ultrasonic waveguide of an ultrasonic surgical handle, the assembly comprising.

a cordless ultrasonic-movement-generation assembly having an ultrasonic generator, and an ultrasonic transducer electrically coupled to the generator and having an output couple, a shell;
housing therein the ultrasonic-movement-generation assembly; and having a securing connection shaped to removably connect to the ultrasonic surgical handle;
and the output couple operable to impart ultrasonic movement to the ultrasonic waveguide when the securing connection is connected to the ultrasonic surgical handle and the waveguide is connected to the output couple.

131. The assembly according to claim 130, wherein the shell is aseptically sealed.

132. The assembly according to claim 130, wherein the securing, connection is a rail

133. The assembly according to claim 130, wherein the securing connection is an undercut slot

134. The assembly according to claim 130, further comprising a sterizable filter permitting venting after sterilization.

135. The assembly according to claim 130, wherein the shell has an outer surface and further comprises electrically communicating contacts on the outer surface and conductively connected to the generator for supplying power thereto.

136. An ultrasonic assembly removably connectable to an ultrasonic waveguide of an ultrasonic surgical handle, the assembly comprising.
a cordless ultrasonic-movement-generation assembly having:
an ultrasonic generator, and an ultrasonic transducer electrically coupled to the generator and having an output couple;
a shell;
housing therein at least one of the generator and the transducer; and having a securing connection shaped to removably connect to the ultrasonic surgical handle, and the output couple operable to impart ultrasonic movement to the ultrasonic waveguide when the securing connection is connected to the ultrasonic surgical handle and the waveguide is connected to the output couple.

137. The assembly according to claim 136, wherein the shell is aseptically sealed

138. The assembly according, to claim 136, wherein the securing connection is one of a rail and an undercut slot.

139. The assembly according to claim 136, further comprising a sterizable filter permitting venting after sterilization.

140. The assembly according to claim 136, wherein the shell has an outer surface and further comprises electrically communicating contacts on the outer surface and conductively connected to the generator for supplying power thereto.

141. An ultrasonic-movement-generation assembly to be removably connected to an ultrasonic waveguide of an ultrasonic surgical handle, the assembly comprising:
a cordless ultrasonic transducer having an external output couple operable to impart ultrasonic.
movement to the ultrasonic waveguide when the waveguide is connected to the output couple, a tank circuit electrically connected to the transducer and tuned to match the transducer, and an aseptically sealed assembly shell having:
disposed therein the transducer and the tank circuit, and an external securing connection shaped to removably connect the shell to the ultrasonic surgical handle.

142. The assembly according to claim 141, wherein:
the tank circuit includes an internal driving-wave generation circuit having a generator output; and the transducer is communicatively coupled to the generator output.

143. The assembly according to claim 142, wherein the driving-wave generation circuit comprises at least one of:

a control circuit;

a drive circuit; and a matching circuit.

144. The assembly according to claim 142, wherein the transducer is rotatable with respect to the driving-wave generation circuit.

145. The assembly according to claim 141, wherein the transducer and the tank circuit are powered only by the surgical handle.

146. The assembly according to claim 141, wherein;
the surgical handle has an internal battery; and the transducer and the tank circuit are powered only by the battery.

147. The assembly according to claim 141, wherein:
the waveguide has an identification type; and the tank circuit is operable to vary at least one of a driving-wave output frequency and a driving-wave output power based on the identification type.

148. A disposable ultrasonic surgical handle connectable to an ultrasonic waveguide, a battery, and an ultrasonic-movement-generator assembly, the handle comprising:
a first handle body portion defining therein an aseptically sealable battery-holding compartment shaped to receive the battery therein;
a second handle body portion connected to the first handle body portion and having:
a waveguide attachment dock exposed to the environment, and an ultrasonic-movement-generator assembly dock exposed to the environment and shaped to connect the ultrasonic waveguide in the waveguide attachment dock to the ultrasonic-movement-generator assembly through the second handle body portion, and an electrical couple operable to connect the battery within the battery-holding compartment to the ultrasonic-movement-generator assembly when theultrasonic-movement-generator assembly is docked at the ultrasonic-movement-generator assembly dock.

149. The handle according to claim 148, wherein the ultrasonic movement-generator assembly dock is one of a rail, a dovetail, a T-slot, and an undercut slot

150. The handle according claim 148, wherein the assembly is an ultrasonic transducer-and-generator assembly.

151. The handle according to claim 148, wherein the electrical couple comprises conductive power leads disposed in the battery-holding compartment and positioned to electrically contact the battery.

152. The handle according to claim 148, wherein at least one of the waveguide attachment dock and the ultrasonic-movement-generator assembly dock rotatably couples at least one of the ultrasonic-movement-generator assembly and the waveguide to the second handle body portion.

153. The handle according to claim 152, wherein the waveguide attachment dock is rotatably attached to the second handle body portion and is operable to rotatably connect the ultrasonic waveguide to the second handle body portion, and the ultrasonic-movement-generator assembly dock is shaped to rotatably connect the ultrasonic in the waveguide attachment dock to the ultrasonic-movement-generator assembly through the second handle body portion to correspondingly rotate at least one component of the ultrasonic-movement-generator assembly with respect to the second handle body portion with rotation of the waveguide.

154. The handle according to claim 148, further comprising a compartment door movably attached to the first handle body portion and having all open position permitting entry and removal of the battery respectively into and out from the compartment; and a closed position aseptically sealing the compartment from the environment

155. The handle according to claim 148, wherein the first handle body portion is a handgrip

156. The handle according to claim 155, wherein the battery-holding compartment is disposed in a lower portion of the handgrip.

157. The handle according to claim 148, further comprising a memory for storing a handle use history.

158. The handle according to claim 148, further comprising a device identifier communicatively coupled to the battery-holding compartment and operable to communicate at least one piece of information about at least one of the handle, the waveguide, the battery, and the ultrasonic-movement-generator assembly.

159. The handle according to claim 158, wherein the at least one piece of information is at least one of a handle identifier, an information list of previous use, and a waveguide identifier.

160. The handle according to claim 158, further comprising a removable battery assembly, the device identifier being operable to communicate with the battery assembly and to transfer information therebetween.

161. The handle according to claim 148, wherein the second handle body portion further comprises a battery ejector operable to cause at least a portion of the battery to eject from the battery-holding compartment.

162. The handle according to claim 148, wherein the first and second handle body portions are integral.

63 161. The handle according to claim 148, further comprising conductive power leads in the compartment and positioned to electrically contact the battery when the battery is in the compartment.

164. The handle according to claim 148, further comprising an ultrasonic-movement-generator assembly having:
a driving-wave generation circuit generating an output waveform, and a transducer having an output couple shaped to connect to the ultrasonic waveguide and being communicatively coupled to the driving-wave generation circuit to create ultrasonic movement at the output couple to ultrasonically move the waveguide when attached thereto.

165. The handle according to claim 164, wherein the driving-wave generation circuit comprises at least one of a control circuit, a drive circuit; and a matching circuit.