Aspiration system for ophthalmic medical devices

• US 20060173404A1
• Filed: 01/19/2006
• Published: 08/03/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Data LLC
• Original Assignee: Data LLC
• Inventors: Maaskamp, Armand, Urich, Alex
• Granted Patent: US 8,092,427 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/35
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/00736 Instruments for removal of intra-ocular material or intra-ocular injection, e.g. cataract instruments A61F9/008 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/00745 using mechanical vibrations, e.g. ultrasonic
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/77 Suction-irrigation systems aspiration tips supplying fluids A61M1/85; specific for negative pressure wound therapy A61M1/92; combined with tracheal tubes A61M16/0463
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/79 Filters for solid matter specially adapted for dental use A61C17/065
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2210/0612 Eyes

Abstract

An ophthalmic aspiration system that can be used with a hand piece and a vacuum source. The aspiration system includes a first tube that is connected to the hand piece and a second tube that is connected to a vacuum source. A filter assembly is connected to both tubes to filter out particles aspirated into the system. The second tube has an inner diameter smaller than an inner diameter of the first tube. The smaller second tube limits the amount of flow through the system to minimize vacuum surges caused by occlusions.

Claims

1. An ophthalmic aspiration system that can be used with a handpiece and a vacuum source, comprising:

a first tube adapted to be attached to the handpiece, said first tube having a first inner diameter;

a second tube adapted to be attached to the vacuum source, said second tube having a second inner diameter that is smaller than said first inner diameter of said first tube; and

,

a filter assembly coupled to said first and second tubes.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said second tube has an inner diameter less than 0.05 inches.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said second tube has a length of at least 3 feet.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said filter assembly includes a filter located within a filter housing.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein said filter housing has an inner surface with a roughness between 5 and 500 microns.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein said filter has a shape that creates a channel between said filter and said filter housing.

7. An ophthalmic system, comprising:

a handpiece;

a vacuum source;

a first tube connected to said handpiece, said first tube having a first inner diameter;

a second tube connected to said vacuum source, said second tube having a second inner diameter that is smaller than said first inner diameter of said first tube; and

,

a filter assembly coupled to said first and second tubes.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein said second tube has an inner diameter less than 0.05 inches.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein said second tube has a length of at least 3 feet.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein said filter assembly includes a filter located within a filter housing.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein said filter housing has an inner surface with a roughness between 5 and 500 microns.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein said filter has a shape that creates a channel between said filter and said filter housing.

13. The system of claim 7, wherein said vacuum source generates a vacuum of at least 250 mmHg.

14. The system of claim 7, further comprising an irrigation source to provides irrigation fluid that is aspirated by said vacuum source.

15. A method for operating an ophthalmic aspiration system that can be used with a handpiece and a vacuum source, comprising:

aspirating a fluid through a first tube, a filter assembly and a second tube, the second tube having an inner diameter that is smaller than an inner diameter of the first tube.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said second tube has an inner diameter less than 0.05 inches.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said second tube has a length of at least 3 feet.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the filter assembly filters out particles within the fluid.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the fluid is aspirated at a vacuum pressure of at least 250 mmHg.

20. A filter assembly for an ophthalmic aspiration system that can be used with a handpiece and a vacuum source, comprising:

a filter housing; and

,

a filter that has a shape that creates a channel between said filter and said filter housing.

21. The filter assembly of claim 20, wherein said filter has an oblong shape within said filter housing.

22. The filter assembly of claim 20, further comprising a tube having a diameter less than 0.05 inches attached to said filter housing.

23. The filter assembly of claim 20, wherein said filter housing has an inner surface with a roughness between 5 and 500 microns.

24. The filter assembly of claim 20, wherein said filter housing has a volume of at least 0.25 cc.

25. A method for assembling a filter assembly, comprising:

sealing three sides of a mesh material;

inserting the sealed mesh material into a filter housing; and

,

attaching a cap to said filter housing.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the insertion of the sealed folded piece of mesh material into the filter housing creates an oblong shaped sealed folded piece of mesh material with channels between the oblong sealed folded piece of mesh material and the filter housing.

27. The method of claim 25, further comprising folding a flat piece of mesh material before sealing the mesh material.

28. The method of claim 25, further comprising aligning two separate pieces of mesh material before sealing the mesh material.