Eric B Hamilton

US Patent:

6554846, Apr 29, 2003

Filed:

Sep 28, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/967444

Inventors:

Eric B. Hamilton - Washougal WA
Tim Johnson - Seatac WA

Assignee:

SciMed Life Systems, Inc. - Maple Grove MN

International Classification:

A61B 1722

US Classification:

606159, 606171

Abstract:

An ablative burr ( ) that may be used for a medical procedure, such as an atherectomy, that does not require the user of an elongate flexible drive shaft. The burr comprises a main body ( ) that is elastically connected to an abrasive shell member ( ). One or more oscillatory driver(s) ( ), such as a piezoelectric transducer, is disposed between the shell member and the main body to oscillate the shell with respect to the main body. Elastically compressible members ( ) are provided between the shell member and the main body member. The oscillatory drivers are preferably set or tuned to operate at a resonant frequency of the shell member whereby shell member amplitudes larger than the oscillatory driver amplitudes may be induced. Embodiments of longitudinally oscillatory burrs ( ) and rotationally oscillatory burrs ( ) are disclosed.