Integrated Histotripsy and Bubble Coalescence Transducer for Rapid Tissue Ablation.

Residual bubbles produced after collapse of a cavitation cloud provide cavitation nuclei for subsequent cavitation events, causing cavitation to occur repeatedly at the same discrete set of sites. This effect, referred to as cavitation memory, limits the efficiency of histotripsy soft tissue fractionation. Besides passively mitigating cavitation memory by using a low pulse repetition frequency (~1 Hz), an active strategy was developed by our group.

Removal of residual nuclei following a cavitation event: a parametric study.

The efficacy of ultrasound therapies such as hock-wave lithotripsy and histotripsy can be compromised by residual cavitation bubble nuclei that persist following the collapse of primary cavitation. In our previous work, we have developed a unique strategy for mitigating the effects of these residual bubbles using low-amplitude ultrasound pulses to stimulate their aggregation and subsequent coalescence—effectively removing them from the field. Here, we further develop this bubble removal strategy through an investigation of the effect of frequency on the consolidation process.

Removal of residual nuclei following a cavitation event using low-amplitude ultrasound.

Microscopic residual bubble nuclei can persist on the order of 1 s following a cavitation event. These bubbles can limit the efficacy of ultrasound therapies such as shock wave lithotripsy and histotripsy, because they attenuate pulses that arrive subsequent to their formation and seed repetitive cavitation activity at a discrete set of sites (cavitation memory). Here, we explore a strategy for the removal of these residual bubbles following a cavitation event, using low-amplitude ultrasound pulses to stimulate bubble coalescence.

Acoustic bubble removal to enhance SWL efficacy at high shock rate: an in vitro study.

Rate-dependent efficacy has been extensively documented in shock wave lithotripsy (SWL) stone comminution, with shock waves (SWs) delivered at a low rate producing more efficient fragmentation in comparison to those delivered at high rates. Cavitation is postulated to be the primary source underlying this rate phenomenon. Residual bubble nuclei that persist along the axis of SW propagation can drastically attenuate the waveform's negative phase, decreasing the energy which is ultimately delivered to the stone and compromising comminution.