Power-assisted liposuction instrument with cauterizing cannula assembly

Abstract

A method and apparatus is disclosed for mechanically-assisted liposuction treatment. The apparatus includes a hand-holdable housing, an electro-cauterizing cannula assembly, and a reciprocation mechanism. The hand-holdable housing has a cavity adaptable for receipt of a portion of the electro-cauterizing cannula assembly. The electro-cauterizing cannula assembly includes an inner cannula and an outer cannula, each having a distal end and a proximal end and at least one aspiration aperture about the distal end. The inner cannula is disposed within the outer cannula and the inner and outer aspiration apertures are in at least partial registration to form an effective aspiration aperture. The reciprocation mechanism is disposed within the housing and is operably associated with either the inner or outer cannula so that one of the cannulas can be selectively caused to reciprocate relative to the housing while the other is stationarily disposed relative to the housing. As one of the cannulas is caused to reciprocate relative to the other the effective aspiration aperture formed through the distal end of the cannula assembly, is caused to undergo periodic displacement. During aspiration of tissue, high-voltage RF power signals are supplied to the inner and outer cannulas to effect hemostasis about the reciprocating aspiration aperture. Such hemostasis is achieved by causing protein molecules within aspirated tissue to coagulate in response to the high-voltage RF signals being supplied across the reciprocating cannulas. In the preferred embodiments, the amount and rate of such aspiration aperture displacement is controllably adjustable. The cannula assembly is releasably detachable from the hand-holdable housing to facilitate cleaning and sterilization of the cannula assembly and the housing.

1 - 61 . (canceled)  
   
   
       62 . An air-powered tissue aspiration device comprising: 
 a hand-holdable housing provided with an air-powered reciprocation mechanism reciprocatable within said hand-holdable housing; and    a cannula assembly being operably connectable to said hand-holdable housing and including    (i) a hollow inner cannula having a distal end and a proximal end and an inner suction aperture about said inner cannula distal end, said inner cannula proximal end further including an outlet port and a continuous passageway which communicates said inner suction aperture with said outlet port, and    (ii) a hollow outer cannula mounted stationary relative to said hand-holdable housing and having a distal end and a proximal end and an outer suction aperture about said outer cannula distal end, said hollow inner cannula being disposed within at least a portion of said hollow outer cannula while permitting aspiration of tissue through said outer and inner suction apertures, along said continuous passageway and out of said outlet port, and    said hollow inner cannula being driven said air-powered reciprocation mechanism during device operation, so as to effectuate relative sliding movement between said hollow inner and outer cannulas so that the location of said aspiration through said outer and inner suction apertures is periodically displaced along the length of said cannula assembly.    
   
   
       63 . The air-air-powered tissue aspiration device of  claim 62 , wherein said hollow outer cannula further comprises an outer cannula base extending from said outer cannula proximal end and being adapted for releasably connecting with said hand-holdable housing, 
 wherein said hollow inner cannula further comprises an inner cannula base which cooperates with said air-powered reciprocation mechanism, and    wherein said hollow inner cannula base further includes said outlet port and said continuous passageway.    
   
   
       64 . The air-powered tissue aspiration device of  claim 62 , wherein said tissue aspiration operations include liposuction.  
   
   
       65 . The air-powered tissue aspiration device of  claim 62 , wherein said outer suction aperture is elongated in the longitudinal direction of said hollow inner cannula, and said inner suction aperture is substantially shorter than said outer suction aperture along said longitudinal direction.  
   
   
       66 . The air-powered tissue aspiration device of  claim 62 , wherein said hand-holdable housing further includes a cannula cavity of cylindrical geometry, and said hollow inner cannula base comprises a first cylindrical structure capable of being slidably received within at least a first portion of said cannula cavity.