ASSEMBLY FOR INSERTING A PROBE INTO THE LACRIMAL CANAL BY PUSHING FROM THE SIDE OF THE EYE

• US 20120035614A1
• Filed: 01/11/2010
• Published: 02/09/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bruno Fayet
• Original Assignee: Bruno Fayet
• Inventors: Fayet, Bruno
• Granted Patent: US 8,758,362 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/108
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/00772 Apparatus for restoration of tear ducts

Abstract

The invention relates to a monocanaliculonasal and/or monocanalicular intubation assembly particularly intended for lacrimonasal imperforation, comprising: a probe (1) made of a first material, in particular a flexible material such as silicone, the probe having a substantially cylindrical shape along a longitudinal axis; and insertion means for inserting the probe into a lacrimal canal or canaliculus; characterised in that the insertion means comprise: an insertion tube (10) made of a rigid material, such as a metal, having a distal end opening and a proximal end opening, the tube having a shape and a size enabling it to receive the probe therein; and pushing means (20) for pushing the probe and expelling the same from the insertion tube by the distal end opening.

Claims

1. Monocanaliculonasal and/or monocanalicular intubation assembly intended in particular for lacrimonasal imperforation comprising:

a probe (1) made of a first material, in particular a flexible material such as silicone, the probe having a substantially cylindrical shape, for example circular cylindrical or elliptical cylindrical, along a longitudinal axis, and

insertion means for inserting the probe into a lacrimal canal or canaliculus, characterised in that the insertion means comprise;

an insertion tube (10) made of a rigid material such as a metal, having a distal end opening and a proximal end opening, the tube having a shape and size enabling it to receive the probe therein; and

pushing means (20) for pushing the probe and expelling said probe from the insertion tube by the distal end opening.

2. Assembly according to claim 1, characterised in that the pushing means consist of a mandrel made of a second material such as metal, in particular more rigid than the first material, having a shape and size enabling it to be inserted in the insertion tube by the proximal opening to make contact with the probe inserted in the tube so that when the tube and the mandrel slide relative to one another, the probe is expelled by the distal outlet opening.

3. Assembly according to claim 1, characterised in that a locking cap (2) deriving from the probe, is designed to lock the probe in the lacrimal canal and consists of a stem (3) which has at a free end a flange (4) projecting laterally from said stem, said insertion tube comprising on a distal portion for receiving the cylindrical probe a longitudinal slit (15) extending in the longitudinal lateral surface of the tube to the distal opening, the width of this slit in the peripheral direction (transversally to the longitudinal axis of the tube) being sufficient to allow the stem of the locking cap to slide along the insertion tube when the tube and the mandrel slide relative to one another, pushing the cylindrical probe and expelling it by the distal opening.

4. Assembly according to claim 1, characterised in that the probe over at least a portion and the insertion tube are cylindrical with substantially identical non-circular cross-sections, so that the probe cannot twist relative to the insertion tube when it is inside said insertion tube, rotation being prevented by the non-circular shapes of the cross-sections of the tube and the probe.

5. Assembly according to claim 2, characterised in that the mandrel has a length substantially equal to that of the insertion tube.

6. Assembly according to claim 2, characterised in that the probe is substantially in the form of a hollow tube, of which the transverse internal dimension, in particular the internal diameter, is less than that of the mandrel so that said mandrel cannot penetrate inside the hollow tube.

7. Assembly according to claim 1, characterised in that the insertion tube, in particular at the proximal end, comprises at least one tab, for example in the form of a lug, allowing the practitioner to grasp the tube.

8. Assembly according to claim 2, characterised in that the mandrel, in particular substantially in the region of its proximal end, comprises at least one tab in the form of a lug for grasping the mandrel.

9. Assembly according to claim 1, in which the probe is inserted in a distal end portion of the insertion tube.

10. Assembly according to claim 9, characterised in that the insertion tube comprises a slit and the stem and the flange of a cap derived from the probe project outside the insertion tube.