Patent ID: 7220232
Filing Date: 2007-05-22
Classification: A61B,A61N

Abstract:
1. A method comprising (i) selecting a prescribed maximum treatment time having a start of treatment time and an end of treatment time for percutaneously applying ultrasound energy into a thoracic cavity, (ii) placing an ultrasound transducer on a skin surface overlaying the thoracic cavity, (iii) controlling delivery of ultrasound energy percutaneously through the ultrasound transducer at a set transducer output frequency including (a) executing at the start of treatment time, a tuning function that delivers ultrasound energy to the ultrasound transducer at an output frequency that varies over time within a range of output frequencies equal to or less than about 500 kHz and selects from within the range a tuned frequency for the ultrasound transducer based upon preprogrammed selection rules, (b) after the tuning function, registering the tuned frequency in a write-once memory field that cannot be written over, (c) setting the tuned frequency as the set transducer output frequency over the maximum treatment time, (d) over the maximum treatment time, delivering ultrasound energy percutaneously through the ultrasound transducer at only the set transducer output frequency, and (e) disabling operation of the ultrasound transducer at the end of treatment time.