METHOD FOR REDUCING BIOFILM FORMATION

摘要

A two phase method for reducing the formation of biofilm includes an evacuation of ambient air from a region about the surgical or treatment site, to extract airborne or aerosolized bacteria ejected from the site by the treatment. The extracted bacteria are prevented from settling back onto the cleansed tissue surface, thus at least reducing colonial bacteriological growth and concomitantly exuded biofilm material. A second phase involves the attachment of one or more ultrasonic transducers to the patient over or near a surgical treatment site after the surgery is terminated. Each applied ultrasonic transducer is used to vibrate the patient's tissues at the treatment site to disrupt biofilm formation.

主权项

1. A medical therapeutic method comprising:
providing an ultrasonic debridement instrument having an operative tip and a suction channel; manipulating said instrument to place said operative tip against a patient's tissues at a preselected surgical site; during contact of said operative tip with the patient's tissues, generating an ultrasonic standing wave in said instrument, to thereby fragment necrotic tissue and other undesired organic material at said surgical site; during the generating of said ultrasonic standing wave, disposing a suction inlet at a distal end of said suction channel proximate the surgical site; during the generating of said ultrasonic standing wave, applying vacuum or negative pressure to said suction channel to remove tissue debris fragmented organic material from said surgical site via said suction inlet; disposing a suction port at a position spaced from said surgical site; and during and/or after the generating of said ultrasonic standing wave and the fragmenting of tissue and material, sucking ambient air from a region about said surgical site through said suction port at said position.