DEVICE FOR PERFORATING TISSUE AND ITS USE

Abstract: Device for perforating tissue, especially for transmyocardial revascularisation, comprising an ultrasonic generator coupled to an attachable solid needle.

Description: DEVICE FOR PERFORATING TISSUE AND ITS USE The present invention relates to a device for perforating tissue and to the use of said device. Transmyocardial revascularisation (TMR) has been shown effective in reducing angina and increasing exercise tolerance in patients suffering from an end- stage coronary heart disease who do not respond to medication and are unsuitable for standard revascularisation techniques. TMR is a method for revascularising the myocardial tissue through stimulation of angiogenesis and/or arteriogenesis by perforating the myocardial tissue such that small channels are created in the myocardium. It is known to create such channels in the myocardium using high power pulsed lasers, resulting in an effective relief in angina. The laser energy induces an explosive vaporisation of the tissue associated with mechanical rupture and thermal injury up to several hundreds of micrometers into the tissue. The channels created typically have diameters between 1 and 2 mm, and a length of 5 to 30 mm. Relief of angina of 2 classes with an acceptable mortality (5-10 %) and morbidity (20- 30%) is achieved in the majority of patients treated by such transmyocardial laser revascularisation (TMLR) . Based on experience in over 10,000 patients, TMLR has been shown to be an effective and safe procedure resulting in a significant improvement in the quality of life for a carefully selected patient group suffering from end-stage coronary heart disease. Although TMLR is approved by the FDA and other regulatory agencies, and surgical TMLR can be a valuable adjunct to coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) procedures to induce revascularisation of the myocardium which can not be sufficiently supplied with blood with grafts, the adoption rate by surgeons has been slow. The costs of the equipment, the safety requirements for using lasers, as well as the poorly understood mechanism of > ω o DO H H ( l o cπ o π o LΠ 3 Ω o. CD rf i CQ rr ϋ CD rr H- rr s; et CQ Si H Φ H TJ Ω 3 Ω 0 Hi Q 3 3 μ- V H H- t H- Tj ϋ μ- 3 tr CD X μ- i ø J ø J μ- ø φ φ Φ SD SD 0 ø' Φ μ- 0 ^ 0 0 ø H S Q SD SD H- Si ) SD Si ) CD CO SD CQ H. Φ μ- ΓT H < 3 SD Q H < Si SD Φ cr H. 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According to the present invention the device preferably comprises a tapered solid needle. The shape of the taper is preferably designed to match the ideal curvature to transfer ultrasonic waves through the needle and to obtain a standing wave in the needle. Such designs are well-known in the surgical ultrasound field. The special tapered shape of the needle enables longitudinal oscillation of the needle which will result in an amplification of the wave amplitude at the tip of the needle. The device according to the present invention is for example activated by electrical enery, which induces the ultrasonic vibration generator, such as piezo-electric or ferromagnetic transducers, to expand and contract. The ultrasonic vibration generator generates vibration waves with typical frequencies between 20 and 60 kHz. The ultrasonic vibration frequency preferably is 23 or 35 kHz. Most of ultrasound generators available on the market have frequencies near 23 and 35 kHz. Thus, there are several generators available to drive the needle. These vibration waves are coupled to and passed through the needle. Due to its tapered shape, the initial longitudinal vibration amplitude of the vibration wave is amplified in the needle. Thus an amplitude of around 10 μm at the proximal end of the needle may be amplified to 350 μm expansion and contraction at the distal tip of the needle, as a result of which cavitation effects are induced at the tip of the device . Cavitation, as used in this application, refers to the formation of gas or vapor-filled bubbles caused by sudden reductions in pressure in a fluid-like environment (water, blood, organic tissue) , induced by a fast-moving u> ω to t H H in o in o in O in ø J SD u ø 0 Hi U μ- μ- et H 3 CQ 3 Si H rr CQ CQ ø H >n SU Hi Hi SU φ ≤ O <! ≤- O SD (i ø CQ Φ 0 rr ø ø & Φ SD > < SU Φ Φ - ø 0 CQ Φ 0 CQ Pi 0 0 Hi fu Hi SU μ- ø- cr 0 SD ii Φ Φ H et Ω <! Φ Ω CQ μ- < ώ Φ H ii Φ <! rr CQ Ω H ϋ Hi <! 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CQ φ Φ μ- < fu ø J O O O Φ rr rr μ- μ- Ω 0 0 13 rr H μ- ø- tr CQ Φ ø ø Si CQ μ- ø Φ Hi Hi O ø" Φ 13 Φ Hi 0 Hi H fu Φ if μ- Φ φ Ω fi 13 SD rr . Ω CQ μ- • 3 Φ H H ø Hi 0 H H Ω 3 0 13 μ- φ 3 ø 0 13 et fu rr Φ Φ <! rr rr ϋ SU su ø- cr 13 CQ Φ ø 4 O ø ^ CQ CQ 1 > < ø- CQ ø μ- r t μ- rr 3 rr o μ- 3 H SD Hi Hi o Φ $u φ φ O CO ii Φ Φ ø μ- 13 μ- μ- ϋ Ω fu 0 rr 0 Ω 3 CQ SD μ-" ø J 0 CQ 13 0 Q μ- H fi rr ø" ii SD 0 φ rr cr μ- 0 ø μ- 0 3 13 ø' Φ ii Hi fi μ- Q 0 fi Ω 3 0 Hi φ 1 μ- Φ et fi μ- Ω 0 ϋ ?r Φ Hi μ- ø φ - μ- SU 0 ^ ø φ rr Ω Φ SU 3 cr et fi φ Φ Figure 5 is a visualisation of the thermal effects of ultrasonic needle perforating in transparent gel at 0.3 mm/s (left) and at 1.8 mm/s (right) . Figure 6 shows an image of the device according to the invention perforating the myocardium which is locally immobilised with the "octopus" system. Figure 7 is a H&E stained histological sample of a channel created with the device according to the invention in porcine myocardium, using regular transmission microscopy (left) , and polarised light (right) . At the bottom, a clot of cell debris can be appreciated. Figure 8 shows the channel characteristics (fissures and thermal damage zone) of channels perforated by the Excimer, C0 2 and Holmium laser and the device according to the invention. EXAMPLES EXAMPLE 1 The device characteristics of the device according to the invention were investigated in vitro and in vivo and compared to laser systems currently used for TMR. Mechanism of action The mechanism of action of the device according to the present invention is mainly ascribed to the formation of macro cavitation bubbles. These cavitation bubbles are formed in a fluid-like environment (water, blood, organic tissue) . To characterise and understand the working mechanism of the device high speed visualisation techniques were employed (Verdaasdonk et al., SPIE proceedings 3249: 72-84, 1998; Verdaasdonk et al., SPIE proceedings 2391: 165-175, 1995). The needle was placed in a water bath, and close-up high-speed photographs were taken at 5 μs intervals during the 40 μs motion cycle of the tip (figure 2 and 3) . Using Schlieren techniques very high contrast images are obtained enabling the visualisation of shock waves (figure 3 and 4) . The needle motion in the liquid can be considered best as a cosine function. In the first half period the needle protrudes, whereas the second half period the needle retracts. The frames in figure 2 and 3 show the sequence of a cavitation bubble formation and collapse during the retraction period of the needle. During tip retraction, the cylindrical distal tip moves at a maximum speed of about 20 m/s through a liquid environment. The fluid has difficulty filling the gap that is left behind (frames A to D) . This hole is near vacuum. Due to the extreme under-pressure, the surrounding fluid is sucked inward from all directions at the same time (frames D to F) . The acceleration of the fluid is tremendous. During this process, fragments or layers of soft tissue near the cavitation bubble are separated from the underlying tissue. When the hole is filled, there will be collapse of fluid near the center of the original gap . Since this process is usually not symmetrical, so-called jet-streams are formed focusing the momentum of the accelerated fluid at particular positions preferentially at the surface of tissue. The mechanism described can be selective for tissue structure. Soft tissue is easily fragmented. Hard tissue does not give way and therefore amplifies the jet-streams focussed on the tissue surface which fragment it locally. Elastic tissue can partly follow the 'low' speed part of the expansion and implosions, and deform without breaking, and so stays intact. The extremely high forces during the collapse can also induce shock waves as described below. The multiple shock waves in figure 4 reveal that the cavitation bubble implosion is not symmetrical, ω ω t to H μ> LΠ o in o in o in fi ^ H rr ω <! 3 13 SU Hi Ω rr H Hi 3 CQ CQ rr μ- ≤ φ H S rr _ s; SU ι-3 0 rr O 0 μ- Ω H ø μ- SD H Ω μ- SD H Ω H 0 f Φ 0 μ- 13 if μ- ø if SD Φ μ- μ- 0 μ- ø J <! μ- 0 0 SU Φ H CQ μ- SD - CQ ^ 0 Ω μ- ø ø 0 0 et ø Φ CO H 1 rr Φ SD et μ- ω H rr ii rr CQ Φ Φ ΓT Φ i TJ < CQ μ- O Ω CQ μ- ø J φ rr SU rr Ω μ- SD μ SU fi ø- 0 H SD Φ H μ- 0 ø H cr CQ μ- SD SU Φ 0 rr μ- H CQ O fi rr ø ir " rr 0 μ- •rj ø Ω ii 0 rr CQ Φ 0 13 Φ H Ω a 0 μ- ϋ Φ et z rr Φ μ- μ- ■ ! μ- 13 μ- ø fu cr H H μ- fϋ 0 CQ SU et s; u H μ- et et rr 0 Φ CQ SD if ΓT H ø 01 Si <! ø ø SD ø Φ Φ in ø 0 Φ μ- rr μ- 13 in - H Φ Q μ- Φ ø H μ- ø et Φ ø- μ- 3 0 μ- Φ CQ 3 H fi Φ CO o 3 SU 0 μ- 0 Φ Φ ø φ SD < ϋ • fu o Ω if ii ø Ω Φ ø ø J > < ø Φ o CO et ø 0 CQ ø CO 3 0 fi O Φ cr ø φ φ Hi 0 Q SD CQ et "< rr 3 ø ø φ if ø Φ ø' ' rT μ- H Hi μ. H 1 CQ •» H ø α m Ol 0 SD μ- H μ- Ω Ω 3 Φ φ 13 μ- rr 0 φ 3 0 * SU CO 0 ø φ 3 0 CQ 0 μ- if Φ 0 W CQ O 3 0 rr 0 Φ \ Φ et H cr ø H S H 3 su CQ φ ir H O φ 0 ø ø J H rr φ - 0 et if SU Φ ø- 0 03 ϋ rr if 0 ø fu CQ Φ o CQ μ- μ- 1 φ rr Hi 0 rr rr μ- (T ø- su μ- μ- Ω SU 0 Hi 0 ^1 ø * Φ Ω cr 3 rr fi μ- ø Ό 0 $u 0 ø J ϋ φ μ- rr ø rr 3 μ- Φ H ø o if fi ø μ- Hi φ ϋ Φ cr rr ø μ- H φ ø CQ H cr et 01 Φ 0 Ω H 0 SD CQ 0 Φ 01 fi 13 CD su fi rr H rr rr ø 03 0 - Φ H Q Φ H if μ- Φ 0 CQ ø ø φ rr φ CQ rr μ- ø μ- 3 Ω ø- rr Φ CQ Φ rr ø Φ fi SD 01 μ- ø Si 0 ^ fi <! CO SD ø Hi 0 H ø μ- rr SD φ Sϋ Φ μ- rr Φ • μ- rr rr Φ Ω 13 CQ Φ rr rr Hi μ- 3 o 0 Hi μ- rr Ω μ- o. < ^ 13 - ø J o. if 13 μ- et H μ- Φ CQ 0 SD fu CQ 0 fu μ- σ CQ cr SU ii rT 3 ø * Si su 0 cr μ- φ Hi H ø Φ Φ 01 Ω Tj Ω ø CQ rr μ- Ω 01 ø μ- ø H rr Ω 3 Φ μ- ø μ- μ- rr Si > Φ ø J Φ Φ rr 13 Oi " φ Φ rr CQ ø- CQ rr rr Φ fi μ- su μ- 0 rr -— - H 0 ø SD μ- CΛ Φ SD 0 13 H ø ø Ω μ- Φ ø ø J . Si φ fi rr 13 3 SU μ- lO rr φ φ rr μ- 1 rr 03 μ- H 03 Hi Φ Φ Φ μ- μ- SD SU ø Φ μ- ΓT μ- 13 13 ΓT CQ o μ- Ω Hi 0 0 fu μ- CQ ø Φ 0 • μ- 0 <-r H CQ Λ su 0 ø cQ μ- 0 Hi CQ 0 O fu 0 μ- ξ Φ 01 co rr Hi Q 0 μ- Ω cr H 3 Ω μ- SD Φ fu ø fi fi H Hi ø J ' CO ø ø ø φ μ- rr SU ø i CQ Φ rr μ- rr ø "r5 φ 0 Hi 13 0 μ- Q rr 0 H φ 0 H μ- Φ μ- Hi H fi Ω μ- φ φ ø Ω Ω if Ω H su ø SU 13 CO ø et Φ CQ 0 Φ Ω < μ- rr CQ 13 H Hi φ rr H 1 • Q φ 0 et Φ SD Su cr rr rr 0 Ω O 0 ø H CQ • 13 X 0 φ CQ ø- ø J rr SD μ- fu rr rr CQ μ- H ø CQ 0 0 Φ if i Φ 01 μ- Hi Φ φ <! et rr 0 H SU Φ Φ rr Ω Ω μ- ø J • T3 0 fi t Φ sS rr Ω CO cr φ • μ- • et ø μ- H μ- Φ rr CQ 3 Φ rr Φ CQ Φ 0 ø ø μ- Φ μ- SD SD $u rr 13 cr μ- Hi 0 μ- Φ ø J Q Φ Ω ø μ- rr μ- rr W 13 & μ- CQ 0 Φ 0 CQ rr Ω ii <! μ- SU ø CO ii ø Hi 3 Hi Hi Φ ø 3 SU rr ø tf 0 μ- Φ Φ 0 0 ø rr ø Hi — ø' rr Φ μ- CQ H Φ if O CQ CQ H 13 J Hi SD Tj CQ Φ 0 13 φ H ø H Φ μ- ϋ 0 rr 0 rr CO Φ CO 0 0 3 SU M Φ Φ ø J φ O fi SU i . 13 H 0 CQ 0 Φ Z SU SU ø 0 ø Ω rr ' rr CQ 0 Ω μ- μ- H 3 Hi 3 ø Hi rr Φ SD rr 0 μ- Hi X μ- H 1 rr φ et SU ?r et ø" Pi 3 CQ rr et CQ Oi $u φ Φ Φ M Hi 3 ø U ø if ι-3 ^ ø SD rr Ω rr rr CQ μ- 0 ^ if Φ Φ μ- Φ CO if φ et rr et ϋ Φ 0 H 0 ii rr fi Φ μ- μ- if SD rr ii ø- 0 0 cr 13 ϋ φ Φ ø 0 3 Φ fi ø ø J if μ- fi μ- μ- rr Φ μ- 01 rr 3 Φ 0' Φ ø 0 0 SU u CQ rr 0 3 SU CQ H 0 Φ 0 Si Ω μ- ø 3 0 CQ if φ φ 3 rr 13 0 O < CO ø' 13 CQ Φ H et ^ Φ Si H 3 Φ et 0 ii CQ φ Φ ø Φ rr cr - Φ t H φ ø *< ø J Hi Φ 0 0 H 0 01 3 • Hi μ- ø μ- Ω Φ Φ 3 SD 0 SU rr φ Φ Hi Si su o Φ CQ H Ω fu o. m SD ø et μ- cr fu H 0 01 rr if ϋ 0 rr r- 1 cr H μ- Hi CQ Hi SD Ω Ω , Hi ? Ω ø ø- rr ø Φ Ω ø SU μ- 1 S 0 ø SU Φ if su M μ- <! μ- cr fi 13 0 rr Φ Φ H H ?r 3 fu Φ H Φ ø fi 0 Ω CQ 0 * 3 ø Φ ø Φ ø Φ Ol H μ- 0 Ω • . 3 O Ω S μ- H 13 H H φ φ μ- 3 fi Ω μ- ω μ- Φ rr Ω Ω co rr rr ^ μ- <! Φ SD SD ø 0 Φ et Φ 0 Φ fi Hi Ω rr Su SD rr Ω ^ Ω SD 0 f μ- SU Φ CQ • 01 su u Ω Φ <! cr CQ ii - H 0 SU Hi i ø- ^ rr ø μ- su μ- 0 rr Φ Φ μ- 01 0 CO ø ~ CQ 3 <; H! 0 Φ 0 μ- H Φ fu H 0 Φ Φ ø J CQ μ- 1 0 3 CO • φ s! μ- Φ 0 SD Hi CQ 0 rr CQ μ- rr CQ φ 0 Ω Hi cr Φ cr CQ rr ø 4 CQ 13 ø Ω ** ø J Oi 03 CQ et rr ø J μ- CQ rr ø CQ rr 0 13 φ φ 0 SU μ- 0 H" φ ø Hi φ Φ Φ et CQ φ ø φ μ- H 0 Ω O H M Φ 0 Ω CQ ii 0 - rr ' μ- ø ø- Ω 03 if i t su 13 Φ Hi μ- 0 rr SU 0 et * Hi 0! Φ rr CQ SD 0 13 Φ 0 o μ- • ø H s. ø' μ- rr SU μ- ΓT Φ CQ 0 Φ S o 01 rr 0 Φ et ø Ω 0 ø J Si Φ ø' SU H CQ H μ- φ ø Φ CQ fi " 5= Φ 0 Ω l CO 3 highest at the tip due to energy dissipation of the cavitation bubbles and friction. During tissue penetration a 'thermal tail' is left behind while the tissue is cooling down. The extent of thermal effects depend on the needle penetration speed. The left panel in figure 5 shows the thermal effects while penetrating at 0.3 mm/s and the right panel at 1.8 mm/s. The thermal effects are also dependent on the power applied. By activating the tip sequentially, as one would do during ECG triggering, the thermal effects would decrease due to sufficient cooling between the activations. EXAMPLE 2 In vivo application of the device according to the invention The device according the invention was tested in a pig model in comparison to laser modalities. The handheld ultrasound device was tested for intra-operative surgical application during a coronary artery bypass graft ( ' CABG' ) procedure. The animals underwent surgery according standard protocols approved for animal experiments. After thoracotomy, the heart was locally immobilised using the ' octopus' stabilisation techniques for off-pump bypass surgery (developed in Utrecht and distributed by Medtronic) . Between the ' tentacles' of the ' octopus' holes were drilled while recording close-up images with a video system (figure 6) . During tissue penetration, the ECG was recorded to identify any potential arrhythmias. The animal was sacrificed after 1 hour, and the myocardium containing the channels was taken out and fixated for histological examination. Figure 7 shows the myocardium with H&E staining in normal light (left) and polarised light (right). Along the channel wall, small fissures can be appreciated, and the zone of thermal injury can be seen up to 500 μm from the channel in polarised light . These channels are comparable to the ω to to H H o in o in o m fi μ- r ii 3 U3 CQ CQ Ξ 3 Oi ø s; μ- et Hi rr 3 H et fi Ω et if Ω rr 13 O cr rr Ω μ- 3 Φ Φ 0 0 0 * ø" ^ SU 0 μ- (- ■ \r H if O φ ir μ- H ir Φ SU μ- ø μ- 0 0 ir co 13 Ω <! ii ii CQ μ- 0 3 et rr φ O φ CO CQ Φ Hi Φ φ < CQ μ j CQ rr rr SD Φ ii 0 SU Φ μ- CQ ΓT Ω Ω fu ø J ø H 3 H et φ Hi fϋ ≤ μ- CO TJ Ω rr SD ø SU 0 3 CQ Oi μ- φ ø J SU CQ ? CQ 3 3 • 3 μ- Φ rr 3 Φ rr ø ii O H ø CQ <! Φ Ω Ω Ω 3 H Φ 0 <! rr SU rr SD cr ø H Φ ø H" SU Φ 3 μ- 3 M Φ Φ Φ ø 0 et fu CQ μ- i 0 SD H if Hi <! φ fi CQ H" et SD 3 ^ • SU CQ μ- ^ ø μ- Ω $. H fϋ Φ if φ φ 0 Ω μ- μ- rr μ- O CQ rr < SU rr rr 0 0 0 μ- ΓT fi •<: φ ø rr cr fi O 03 Φ ø Hi 13 ø J SU H 1 SD ø 0 ø 3 0 0 Φ SD Ω rr rr ^ Φ μ- ø H su ø Ω Φ μ- H Φ ø rr Ω Hi • rr rr ø fi 3 ø 4 Oi μ- - μ- H 1 "^ Q *"* μ- rr rr H M μ- Hi μ- rr μ- Φ 4 ii 0 03 SD SU SU ø Φ 0 SD H 1 μ- Hi rr cr CQ SU Φ rr ø- <! φ fu O Hi 0 H H CD φ μ- μ- CQ 0 3 0 CO SD CQ μ- μ- 0 ii O- φ Φ SD H cr su Φ 3 fu μ- cr =s 13 ø Φ 0 SU Ω • φ CQ 0 tr ø cr O • ii rr Φ rr Ω CO N CQ TJ 0 if P> Φ iQ μ- ir ii Φ ii Φ iQ cr ø Ω μ- Φ Su φ μ- rr ø 0 μ- μ- H rr Su H Hi μ- Φ < su Hi ii φ H ø ø ι-3 SU - CQ Si et 0 μ- φ ø ø 3 Φ Φ rr SD μ- ø fi 0 ø if 3 CQ CQ μ- Φ fi if SD φ 3 μ- ø <! φ ø Q μ- 03 O 3 Q fi s; ø φ O oo • co 03 μ- rr 0 fi ≤ φ ø φ fi fi H" φ Φ Φ 0 ø SU N φ Φ fi O 4 • co ir 0 μ- ø 3 H su 0 rr X et H Ω o X CQ SU cr 03 Φ rr 0 φ rr rr rr Ω SD SD Φ Φ φ H rr 0 rr Φ φ φ 0 τ3 CO ir H 1 rr if fi O Ω 0 μ- ir φ ^ 13 • Λ H Φ ii Oi • φ Φ su μ- SD 0 CQ . Q 0 0 13 ø fu ΓT μ- ΓT 0 CQ in ii 0 TJ rr μ- S i 03 13 φ 4 CQ et Hi et cr H ttf μ- rr μ- ø ø * rr ~. cr Hi φ μ- cr Φ μ- ø 03 ø O μ- SD H ø if Φ φ 0 ^ T3 μ- 03 <! φ CQ ! X 3 rr φ Φ Φ φ ii Ω 0 Φ Φ 13 H SD 3 < CQ Φ rr ø rr μ- rr Φ su su CO o. rr rr Ω Φ fi SU CO Su Ω 13 Φ φ ø 0 Hi if Ω if rr CQ Φ ø μ- ø - rr 0 ^ φ > <: H 1 μ- Ω ) rr fi ^ ii 0 H" φ rr 0 Φ if φ ø- ø et ø fi SD μ- Φ O Φ CO < SD o μ- rr o 0 rr ^ μ- H Φ μ- ϋ m Φ ø ø 03 μ- 0 oo Φ * •ϋ rr < φ 0 3 et SD et CQ μ- fi CQ fi Ω rr N if ir 0 O. ø H rr 0 μ- Ω CQ Hi ø su if 03 ir K ø μ- SD ø- ø 1 o 0 ø ø cr ø et 0 Φ 0- 0 μ- Hi et Φ Φ O 3 CQ if ^ ISl rr ø Su Φ 0 $, Ω SD Φ 3 ø O χ μ- 0 3 Φ et μ- H 13 H 0 0 μ- φ ir 0 ii φ et CQ iQ 3 ø 0 O Ω ø" O 3 Φ 3 3 H fu ≤ rr Φ et SD if Φ u Φ 3 ø- 3 ?d ιq Φ H 1 rr ø ø fu 0 SU μ- φ 13 Φ ør 0 ir Ω O o Φ ir μ- Ω •τ X μ- 0 0 - Ω Φ 03 CQ M Φ ø TS < Hi o. Φ rr CQ Hi 0 Φ 13 Ω rr ø H fu rr 0 ΓT 3 Ω ii Φ et Φ ii Φ 03 Hi s; fu M H μ- ø" rr Φ rr Φ u fu 13 Hi SU H Φ O O ii ir rr < ii rr 0 ii Φ 3 ii Q o. 0 03 H 0 SD Hi 3 X Φ ir μ- CO μ- O - ii Φ φ 03 Ω φ Ω rr H SU μ- ϋ 0 Ω fi rr Hi fu 13 μ- Φ Ω et ω Hi Φ Ω Hi μ- H 0 - fu ø 3 rr rr <! U μ- Φ CQ Sϋ 3 01 φ Φ ø rr ii Φ Hi •P Ω SD H. Φ ' j CO 13 0 Ω if μ- 13 3 O Ω Φ H SD if X Ω 0 χ μ- 13 3 CO Φ ii SU rr H" 0 μ- 3 H 0 Φ Oi μ- φ ø rr fi SD rr 0 Ω if SD *< Ω 0 SU Ω Φ 0 Φ Su 0 S 0- ^ Φ rr 0 φ Ω 03 • cr φ ≤ μ- fϋ Ω O O rr 01 fi CQ Sϋ o 0 ø- < ι-3 CO ir 03 φ 3 ø Ω Ω fu Hi μ- φ 0 Φ H H • Ω SU Φ Φ 3 SD su TS SD φ •• <. Si Φ ø O O O ii fi < ø O SD H • ; H SD ø 0 fti fu H ø Φ H 03 H Φ H 3 Hi μ- SU rr Φ rr rr • fi H fi ø rr μ- μ- Φ Φ rr in SU fi 13 03 3 if H 1 SD SD o. 0 μ- i φ Ω fi O o 03 μ- fu Ω su SU Φ "< μ- 0 rr ii rr 0 μ- 3 <! 0 SU φ CO fu H o SU ø ii ø- cr Q ø 0 i et O fi U ø Φ ø O < φ rr 03 iQ μ- SD μ- Φ et CQ Φ 3 Φ H 1 Ω M SD Φ μ- μ- H ir " ?: Φ ø 0 O 0" rr Φ SD H 3 0" H 1 H Ω ø rr SD Φ 3 ii rr Q 0 ø Ω Φ ir ii CQ ^ SD Φ rr O Φ SD Φ CQ rr μ- φ et O 0 cr ø- CQ O ir CQ Hi φ O Φ φ Hi

Claims: CLAIMS 1. Device for perforating tissue, comprising an ultrasonic vibration generator coupled to an attachable solid needle. 2. Device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the needle is shaped in a conical taper. 3. Device as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein the solid needle is machined from titanium. 4. Device as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein the distal tip diameter of the needle is approximately 1 mm. 5. Device claimed in any one of claims 1-4, wherein, during use, the ultrasonic vibration generator generates a vibration with a frequency in the range of 20-60 kHz. 6. Device as claimed in claim 5 wherein the ultrasonic vibration frequency is 23 kHz. 7. Device as claimed in claim 5 wherein the ultrasonic vibration frequency is 35 kHz. 8. Device as claimed in any one of claims 1-7 wherein the ultrasonic vibration generator is incorporated in a handpiece to which the solid needle is attached. 9. Device as claimed in any one of claims 1-8 wherein the ultrasonic vibration generator comprises a piezo-electric or ferromagnetic transducer. 10. Device as claimed in claim 8 or 9 wherein the handpiece incorporates an elongated small-diameter section between the transducer and the solid needle. 11. Device as claimed in any one of claims 1-10 wherein the needle is enveloped by a sheath of plastic material . 12. Use of a device as claimed in any of claims 1-11 for performing transmyocardial revascularisation. 13. Use of a device as claimed in any of claims 1-11 for the prevention and/or treatment of angina pectoris . 14. Method for revascularising myocardial tissue by creating channels in the myocardial tissue using a device as claimed in claims 1-11.

Inventors: VERDAASDONK RUDOLF MARIUS, VERDAASDONK, RUDOLF, MARIUS
Applicants: UNIV MEDISCH CENTRUM UTRECHT, UNIVERSITEIT UTRECHT FACULTEIT, VERDAASDONK RUDOLF MARIUS, UNIVERSITAIR MEDISCH CENTRUM UTRECHT, UNIVERSITEIT UTRECHT (FACULTEIT GENEESKUNDE), VERDAASDONK, RUDOLF, MARIUS
Application year: 2001
Main classification: A61B17
IPC codes: A61B17