Patent ID: 7883468

Claim:
An ultrasound medical system comprising a controller and an end effector, wherein the end effector includes a sheath having an unobstructed opening to the exterior of the end effector, a medical ultrasound transducer, and an acoustic coupling gel, wherein the medical ultrasound transducer is disposed within and spaced apart from the sheath proximate the opening, wherein the acoustic coupling gel has a transducer-proximal surface disposed in direct physical contact with the medical ultrasound transducer and a transducer-distal surface which defines an acoustic lens protruding from the exterior of the end effector at the opening, wherein the medical ultrasound transducer is disposed to emit medical ultrasound through the acoustic coupling gel from the transducer-proximal surface directly to the transducer-distal surface without passing through any other acoustic coupling medium, wherein the controller is operatively connected to the acoustic coupling gel to change a property of the acoustic coupling gel to controllably change ultrasound focus and/or beam angle during emission, and/or between emissions, of medical ultrasound from the medical ultrasound transducer, and wherein the medical ultrasound transducer is aligned to direct the emissions of medical ultrasound to pass through the opening and the acoustic lens.