Author(s)

Z. Xu, A. Ludomirsky, L. Y. Eun, T. L. Hall, B. C. Tran, J. B. Fowlkes & C. A. Cain

Abstract

Cavitational tissue erosion by therapeutic ultrasound Z. XU', A. ~udomirsk~~, L.Y. ELK?, T.L. all', B.C. ran', J. B. ~owlkes' & C.A. cainl 1 Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA 2 Division of Pediatric Cardiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA Abstract The ability of ultrasound to produce highly controlled tissue erosion through cavitation was investigated in this paper. Studies were performed in vitro on porcine atrial wall with a 788 kHz single element transducer. We show that the tissue can be eroded away at a relatively constant etching rate. The relationship between the etching rate and other parameters (i.e. pulse repetition frequency (PRF), pulse duration (PD), and gas saturation) has been explored. The relationship between (a) the etching rate and PRF and (b) the etching rate and PD were investigated by setting PD to 3, 6, 12, 24 cycles in the waveform, varying PRF for each PD and keeping the gas saturation constant at 40-55%. (c) The

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