Modified ultrasound aspirator for use in and around vital structures of a body

Abstract

An ultrasonic aspirator includes a body, an aspirator wand extending from the body, a shield to cover the aspirator wand, a removable headpiece removably attached to the aspirator wand, and a guard extending past an end of the headpiece in a direction distal to the body. the aspirator also includes a generator or a detector to generate or detect electrical pulses, light sources, endoscopy, modified body angles, image navigation integration for improved visualization and optimization of the surgical field.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An ultrasonic aspirator, comprising:
 a body;   an aspirator wand extending from the body;   a shield configured to cover the aspirator wand;   a removable headpiece removably attached to the aspirator wand; and   a guard extending past an end of the headpiece in a direction distal to the body.   
     
     
         2 . The ultrasonic aspirator of  claim 1 , wherein the guard is attached to the shield. 
     
     
         3 . The ultrasonic aspirator of  claim 1 , wherein the guard is attached to the body. 
     
     
         4 . The ultrasonic aspirator of  claim 1 , wherein the guard is integral with the headpiece. 
     
     
         5 . The ultrasonic aspirator of  claim 1 , wherein the guard is separated from the headpiece by a material, that is non-conductive of heat or vibration. 
     
     
         6 . The ultrasonic aspirator of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a light integrally formed at an end of the shield in a direction distal to the body.   
     
     
         7 . The ultrasonic aspirator of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an endoscope integrally formed with the body and the shield, extending from the body to an end of the shield in a direction distal to the body.   
     
     
         8 . The ultrasonic aspirator of  claim 1 , wherein a first side of the headpiece includes a working surface configured to aspirate an object, and
 wherein the first side of the headpiece further includes a suction opening in a direction proximal to the body from the headpiece.   
     
     
         9 . The ultrasonic aspirator of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 a hollow tube extending from the body through the shield and terminating at the suction opening.   
     
     
         10 . The ultrasonic aspirator of  claim 1 , wherein the headpiece includes a working surface having a plurality of protrusions configured to cut the object. 
     
     
         11 . The ultrasonic aspirator of  claim 1 , wherein the headpiece includes a working surface being having a width greater than a width of the headpiece. 
     
     
         12 . The ultrasonic aspirator of  claim 1 , wherein the headpiece includes at least one joint around which a working surface of the headpiece can bend. 
     
     
         13 . The ultrasonic aspirator of  claim 1 , wherein the headpiece includes a sensor configured to receive an input from an adjacent object. 
     
     
         14 . The ultrasonic aspirator of  claim 13 , wherein the sensor receives as input a vibration of the adjacent object. 
     
     
         15 . The ultrasonic aspirator of  claim 1 , wherein the headpiece includes a grasper at the end of the headpiece distal to the body. 
     
     
         16 . An ultrasonic aspirator, comprising:
 a body;   an aspirator wand extending from the body;   a shield configured to cover the aspirator wand;   a removable headpiece removably attached to the aspirator wand; and   a sensor configured to determine a change in a density of an object contacted by the headpiece, wherein   the aspirator is stopped when the sensor determines that the density of the object has changed.   
     
     
         17 . The ultrasonic aspirator of  claim 16 , wherein the sensor is a pressure sensor. 
     
     
         18 . The ultrasonic aspirator of  claim 16 , wherein the sensor is an ultrasonic sensor. 
     
     
         19 . The ultrasonic aspirator of  claim 16 , wherein the sensor is a displacement sensor. 
     
     
         20 . An ultrasonic aspirator, comprising:
 a body;   an aspirator wand extending from the body;   a shield configured to cover the aspirator wand;   a removable headpiece removably attached to the aspirator wand, wherein at least part of the headpiece is configured to bend according to a user's input.   
     
     
         21 . The ultrasonic aspirator of  claim 20 , wherein the headpiece, wand and cover are bent or angled such that the ultrasonic aspirator is capable of accessing a minimally invasive tube access system.