Ultrasonic Restoration of Severely Calcified Aortic Valve

Ultrasonic Devices in Cardiac Surgery

“…Other devices employing the same principles are Ultra ultrasonic aspirators (Sharplan Lasers, Inc., Needham, MA, USA), Sonotec ME 2000 and ME 2100 (Sumitomo Corp., Tokyo, Japan) and Dr. Loschilov's URSK7N (developed in Moscow, Russia, and reported from Moscow and Kaunas, Lithuania). [2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9] These ultrasonic aspirators (USAs) vibrate at 23 kHz to fragment tissue and they require coaxial irrigation with a powerful aspiration device to remove cellular debris and water. A tip-cooling system is essential.…”

“…1 Both in-vitro and in-vivo decalcification of valve leaflets and annuli have been performed with CUSA, Sonocor, and other devices. [7][8][9][10] Renewed clinical interest in ultrasonic debridement, especially in senile aortic valve disease, in several centers in the late 1980s and early 1990s, led to satisfactory early results in reduction of transvalvular gradients but disappointing late outcome due to aortic cuspal retraction and progressive aortic regurgitation. [25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32][33][34] Such changes may be due to a higher ultrasonic power setting and aggressive application for longer duration.…”

“…1 Current use of these devices in cardiovascular surgery has developed mostly in the last decade. [2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21] Earlier, water-cooled ultrasonic aspirators with magnetostrictive transducers were used to fragment and aspirate calcium, fat, and soft tissues. Subsequently, ultrasonic aspirators were modified, employing a piezoelectric ceramic electrostrictive transducer that required no cooling and these have been used in coronary artery surgery.…”