A single-motor surgical system for operating a set of different surgical devices having different operational limits, consisting of a handpiece containing the motor and adapted to alternately receive a proximal portion of each of the surgical devices, each device having an indicator on its proximal portion that denotes its operational limit, the handpiece including an automatic sensor for sensing the indicator, and controls responsive to the sensor to automatically establish the operational limit of the motor in accordance with the respective surgical device received by the handpiece. In preferred embodiments, the system includes an arthroscopic handpiece as above and has a plurality of surgical devices adapted to receive different removable rotary tips that have different operational limits of rotation, each of the plurality of devices having a vacuum passage connectible at one end to a vacuum passage of the respective rotary tip and adjacent the other end, to a vacuum passage associated with the handpiece, whereby tissue severed by the rotary tip can be removed from the surgical site, the surgical device indicating to the sensor the rotational limits of the tips which the devices are adapted to receive.

A vented ultrasonic transducer for a medical handpiece which is provided with a number of vents which extend from the interior mounted crystal drive motor to the rear end of the handpiece so as to allow the handpiece to be rapidly sterilized with a flash autoclave and the vent tubes allow moisture to pass in and out of the handpiece and prevent moisture from remaining in the handpiece and shorting out the crystal electrical drive after sterilization has been completed.

Mammal skin having wrinkles can be treated to remove wrinkles by abrading elevated portions of the epithelial layer with an ultrasonic surgical tool adapted to abrade soft tissue. The subcutaneous tissue in the selected region is medicated by subcutaneous injection of anaesthetic, vaso constrictor and spreading factor in effective quantities.

There is described a device for performing therapeutic treatments, such as notably the moistening of the mouth cavity and lips of a comatose or terminal patient, the retaining in a moist and sterile condition of a wound or operating field, which device is formed by an ultrasound sprayer which receives water or a similar liquid from a tank, said ultrasound sprayer can spray droplets the size of which does not exceed 70 microns, and is mounted on the end of a movable arm, in such a way that the spraying may occur in the direct vicinity of the space or area to be treated, while means are provided to prevent with a stoppage of the sprayer operation, the conveying to the patient of condensed water or moisture spray.

A surgical cutting instrument is provided which includes a handpiece containing an ultrasonic transducer operative to convert electrical energy into ultrasonic longitudinal vibratory motion. A first elongate shaft has a first end operatively connected to the transducer and a second working end extending distally from the handpiece. A first cutting member is fixedly mounted to the working end of the first elongate shaft such that longitudinal vibratory motion generated by the transducer causes longitudinal vibratory motion of the first cutting member, via the first elongate shaft. A second cutting member is pivotally mounted to a nodal point on the working end of the first shaft and is pivotable between an open position and a closed position with respect to the first cutting member. A second shaft has a first end pivotally connected to the second cutting member for affecting pivotable movement of the second cutting member between the open and closed position.