Ultrasonic surgical instruments with translational capability

Abstract

An ultrasonic surgical instrument having an ultrasonic resonant frequency when operatively connected to an ultrasonic generator, the surgical instrument including an ultrasonic transducer assembly adapted for converting electrical energy into longitudinal vibrational motion at an ultrasonic frequency, the transducer assembly having an axial passageway extending proximally from a distal end of the transducer through at least a portion of a length of the transducer assembly, an ultrasonic waveguide having a proximal portion and a distal end, and an end effector at the distal end of the waveguide. The proximal portion of the waveguide is adapted to be operatively and selectively coupled within the axial passageway of the ultrasonic transducer such that the waveguide will transmit ultrasonic energy from the transducer to the end effector, and further wherein the waveguide is selectively coupleable within the transducer to provide at least two different effective lengths without altering the resonant frequency of the instrument.