Fluid management apparatus for a surgical instrument having fluid irrigation and aspiration lines, said fluid management apparatus comprising: a console having an aspiration pump; a housing having a longitudinal axis and a chamber formed therein; chamber inlet means, adapted for connection to the aspiration line, for introducing aspirated fluid into the chamber; chamber outlet means, adapted for connection to the pump, for removing the introduced fluid from the chamber, said chamber outlet means being disposed along the housing longitudinal axis; means, disposed in said console, for engaging and holding said housing, and chamber, to the console with the longitudinal axis in a generally vertical orientation, with said chamber outlet means below the pump, in order to promote rise of gas, in the introduced fluid, toward said chamber outlet means and thereafter into the pump; and chamber shape means for directing rising gas, within the vertically oriented chamber, toward said chamber outlet means. view more

A method for reducing expandable gas in the aspiration line of a fluid management system for a surgical instrument, the method comprising the steps of: providing a console having an aspiration pump; providing a housing having a longitudinal axis and a chamber with an aspiration fluid inlet and an aspiration fluid outlet, the outlet being disposed along the housing longitudinal axis; connecting the outlet to the aspiration pump; engaging and holding said housing and chamber to the console with the longitudinal axis in a vertical orientation with the fluid outlet disposed below the pump thereby enabling rise of gas, generated in or introduced into the chamber, from the chamber and into said aspiration pump; and providing said chamber with a shape for directing rising gas, within the vertically oriented chamber, toward said aspiration fluid outlet. view more

A method for operating a phacoemulsification system, the system including a phacoemulsification handpiece, an ultrasonic power source, a vacuum source, a source of irrigating fluid, and a control unit having a vacuum sensor for controlling ultrasonic power provided to the handpiece and the aspiration of irrigating fluid from the handpiece, said operating method comprising the steps of: (a) placing the handpiece in an operative relationship with an eye for a phacoemulsification procedure; (b) supplying irrigation fluid from the irrigation fluid source to and through the handpiece and into said eye; (c) providing ultrasonic power from the ultrasonic power source to the handpiece for performing the phacoemulsification procedure; (d) applying vacuum from the vacuum source to the handpiece and thereby aspirating the irrigating fluid from the eye through the handpiece at a selected rate; (e) during said fluid aspiration step, sensing a vacuum level in the handpiece corresponding to an occluded condition of the handpiece; and (f) variably controlling, in response to a sensed vacuum level in the handpiece corresponding to the occluded condition of the handpiece, the ultrasonic power being provided to the handpiece. view more

The operating method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the variably controlling step comprises increasing the ultrasonic power being provided to the handpiece, in response to the sensed vacuum level in the handpiece, corresponding to the occluded condition of the handpiece. view more

The operating method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the variably controlling step comprises decreasing the ultrasonic power being provided to the handpiece, in response to the sensed vacuum level in the handpiece, corresponding to the occluded condition of the handpiece. view more

Phacoemulsification apparatus which comprises: a phacoemulsification handpiece; means for providing irrigation fluid to the handpiece; a variable speed pump connected in fluid communication with said handpiece for aspirating, by vacuum, irrigation fluid from said handpiece; a power source connected for providing ultrasonic power to said handpiece; a sensor connected in fluid communication with said handpiece for sending vacuum levels in said handpiece; an a control unit, responsive to the sensed vacuum levels in said handpiece, for varying the ultrasonic power level provided to said handpiece by said power source. view more

The phacoemulsification apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein said control unit is responsive to the sensed vacuum levels in said handpiece for varying a pulse duty cycle of the ultrasonic power provided to said handpiece by the power source.