APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR TREATING GYNECOLOGICAL DISEASES USING AN ULTRSONIC MEDICAL DEVICE OPERATING IN A TRANSVERSE MODE

摘要

An apparatus and a method for treating gynecological diseases using an ultrasonic medical device (10) operating in a transverse mode to cause fragmentation of diseased tissue without the excision of adjacent non-diseas ed tissue. The ultrasonic medical device (10) includes an elongated probe (20) having a proximal end (22), a distal end (24), and a longitudinal axis that can be inserted into a body lumen, and an ultrasonic generator (99) for providing ultrasonic energy to the elongated probe (20) for emission along t he longitudinal axis of the elongated probe (20) to the tissue adjacent the bod y lumen, wherein the ultrasonic energy creates a standing transverse wave in t he elongated probe (20). A method includes inserting a member (20) having a longitudinal axis into the body cavity, providing ultrasonic energy to the member (20) and generating an area of cavitation along the longitudinal axis of the member (20).