Surgery – Means for introducing or removing material from body for... – Material introduced into and removed from body through...
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-04
2001-05-22
Mendez, Manuel (Department: 3763)
Surgery
Means for introducing or removing material from body for...
Material introduced into and removed from body through...
C604S043000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06234993
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to surgical devices, in particular to phacoemulsifiers and irrigation-aspiration tools for removing phaco-emulsified lenses and cleaning the lens capsule.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
One of the more common afflictions to affect aging eyes are cataracts, which cause gradually deteriorating vision. Advances in ophthalmic surgery allow many cataracts to be removed and vision restored.
Treating cataracts typically involves the removal of the clouded natural lens and replacement with an artificial lens. Removal of the lens requires an incision or tunnel to be made in and/or adjacent to the cornea and a phaco-emulsifier needle or tip to be inserted into the eye. The phaco-emulsifier tip vibrates ultrasonically to break up or liquefy the lens. The emulsified lens is removed from the eye by aspiration, and the artificial lens is then inserted.
Modern phacoemulsifiers and aspirators have long but narrow cylindrical tips with coaxial passages. Aspiration typically is through a central passage of circular cross section. Simultaneously, irrigation is through an annular passage encircling the aspiration passage. In the typical arrangement, the central, circular aspiration passage extends axially of the phacoemulsifier handpiece for connection to an external vacuum source. The irrigation liquid is conveyed from an external source through a conduit that enters the distal end of the handpiece, near the tip. Both external sources are connected to the handpiece by flexible tubes, so that the handpiece can be manipulated during the phacoemulsifying and cleansing procedures.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides an improved handpiece for a phacoemulsifier or irrigator-aspirator instrument. Similar to known instruments, the handpiece includes a long, substantially cylindrical body with standard connectors at the proximal end for flexible conduits leading to a vacuum source and a source of irrigation liquid. In accordance with the present invention, the irrigation liquid is conveyed along a low profile passage formed between an upper arcuate conduit section and a preferably flat top section of the handpiece body. Water tight integrity of the irrigation passage is achieved by laser welding the arcuate top conduit section to the body of the handpiece. Preferably, the outer periphery of the composite irrigation passage projects beyond the profile of the cylindrical body, but not to as a great a degree as a circular passage of the same cross-sectional area, and with a more gentle transition from the body than for a circular cross-section conduit extending along the body. The composite irrigation passage extends almost the full length of the handpiece and provides convenient tactile recognition to the surgeon of the rotated position of the handpiece. Nevertheless, the lower profile afforded by the noncircular passage allows the instrument to be rotated in the hand as necessary for a desired alignment of a phaco tip, for example, without unduly interfering with the fit and grasp of the instrument in the hand.
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patent: 5984889 (1999-11-01), Christ et al.
Jordan Robert F.
Laks Lawrence
Luxon Timothy E.
Terpilowski Ed
Christensen O'Connor Johnson & Kindness PLLC
Mendez Manuel
MicroSurgical Technology, Inc.
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