Hitachi Aloka Medical, Ltd.

Hitachi, Ltd.

Frankel, Bruce M.

Kazutoshi Tsuchida

Hiroaki Wakabayashi

Bruce M Frankel

Hidemitsu Kobayashi

Randall R Baraso

Shigeyuki Hirukawa

Noriaki Tan

An ultrasonic probe for supporting spine surgery serving as a tissue insertion type ultrasonic probe comprises an insertion unit and an operation unit. On a front end portion of the insertion unit, a tactile member and a transducer unit are provided. The insertion unit comprises a pipe, and a sheath tube provided outside of the pipe. An FPC board serving as a line sheet is provided in the pipe. The FPC board is inserted in a rounded shape similar to a tube along an inner wall surface of the pipe. A large number of signal lines are formed on the FPC board through printing. A ground cable is provided in an inside space of the FPC board. In the operation unit, a rear end portion of the FPC board and a front end portion of another FPC board are connected by thermo compression bonding.

Tissue insertion type ultrasonic probe

There is provided an ultrasonic probe for supporting spine surgery which can execute both inspection by tactile sense and inspection by ultrasound diagnosis. A front-end component provided at a front end of an insertion unit. The front-end component comprises a metal component and a resin component, and the metal component comprises a tactile member and an anchor. The resin component comprises a cap portion and a surrounding portion. An insertion portion in the front-end component is inserted into a front end portion of a pipe. The anchor and the front end portion are in close proximity with a certain distance therebetween, such that insulation is secured and vibration transmitted from a head can be transmitted from the anchor to the pipe in a superior manner.

Medical diagnostic instruments and systems are provided that include (i) a proximal handle configured and dimensioned to permit an operator to manually grasp the instrument; (ii) an ultrasound probe including a longitudinal shaft extending distally from the handle and terminating in a distal end, and an ultrasound transducer mounted with respect to the longitudinal shaft proximate the distal end thereof, the ultrasound transducer including an array of ultrasonic energy generation elements; and (iii) a tactile feeler probe mounted with respect to the ultrasound probe, the tactile feeler probe including a longitudinal shaft mounted with respect to the longitudinal shaft of the ultrasound probe and extending distally beyond the distal end thereof, and a feeler probe tip (e.g., a ball tip) defined at a distal end of the longitudinal shaft of the tactile feeler probe. Advantageous methods for use of the disclosed instruments and systems are also provided, e.g., for detecting breaches in cortical bones in connection with pedicle screw placement.

Ultrasound systems and methods for orthopedic applications

Medical diagnostic instruments/systems are provided that include (i) a proximal handle configured and dimensioned to permit an operator to manually grasp the instrument; (ii) an ultrasound probe including a longitudinal shaft extending distally from the handle and terminating in a distal end, and an ultrasound transducer mounted with respect to the longitudinal shaft, the ultrasound transducer including an array of ultrasonic energy generation elements (iii) a tactile feeler probe mounted with respect to the ultrasound probe; and (iv) at least one hollow receiver member mounted with respect to the longitudinal shaft of the ultrasound probe, the at least one hollow receiver member configured to receive a K-wire to permit the instrument to be slidably mounted thereto for purposes of guiding the ultrasound and tactile feeler probes axially relative to a desired anatomical location. Advantageous methods for use of the disclosed instruments/systems are also provided.

Growing community of inventors

Mitaka, Japan

Kazutoshi Tsuchida