DUAL LUMEN SURGICAL WORK TIP FOR PLACING CHEMICALS TO DISSOLVE CATARACTS

• US 20160106580A1
• Filed: 12/22/2015
• Published: 04/21/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Surgical Design Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Surgical Design Incorporated
• Inventors: Banko, William
• Granted Patent: US 10,350,110 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320084 Irrigation sleeves
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/263 the conversion of laser energy into mechanical shockwaves taking place in a liquid
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2217/005 with suction drainage system
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2217/007 with irrigation system
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2009/0087 Lens
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2009/00887 Cataract
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/0008 Introducing ophthalmic products into the ocular cavity or retaining products therein putting in contact lenses A61F9/0061; introducing or retaining media in cavities of the body in general A61M31/00
• 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: A61F 9/008 using laser
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/774 Handpieces specially adapted for providing suction as well as irrigation, either simultaneously or independently
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2210/0612 Eyes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 3/0283 with at least two inner passageways, a first one for irrigating and a second for evacuating suction-irrigation systems A61M1/77; aspiration tips with fluid supply means A61M1/85; for negative pressure wound therapy A61M1/92

Abstract

A method and apparatus for chemically treating a cataract in the eye of a patient comprising the steps of (a) inserting a dual lumen work tip into the eye and placing it adjacent the cataract tissue; (b) causing the work tip to vibrate so that pieces of the cataract separate or emulsify; (c) moving the work tip into the cataract tissue so as to form a tunnel therein; and (d) injecting into the tunnel a pharmaceutical compound capable of treating cataract tissue.

Claims

1. A method for chemically treating a cataract in the eye of a patient, comprising the steps of:

inserting a dual lumen work tip into the eye and placing it adjacent the cataract tissue;

causing the work tip to vibrate so that pieces of the cataract separate or emulsify;

moving the work tip into the cataract tissue so as to form a tunnel therein;

injecting into the tunnel a pharmaceutical compound capable of treating cataract tissue, where by the transparency of the cataract is at least partially restored.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein, during the formation of the tunnel, an irrigation fluid is inserted into the eye through one of the tubes of the dual lumen work tip, and is withdrawn or aspirated along with pieces of cataract tissue through the other tube of the dual lumen work tip.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the pharmaceutical compound is one of chemical compounds like lanosterol or pharmacological chaperones.

4. The method of claim 1 further including the step of forming a chamber at the base of the tunnel, and wherein the step of injecting a pharmaceutical compound into the tunnel involves injecting the compound into the chamber.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein the step of injecting a pharmaceutical compound is performed by introducing the compound into the irrigation fluid prior to it entering the eye.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the amount of compound delivered into the cataract tissue in the eye is controlled by controlling the rate of irrigation and aspiration of the fluid.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein the amount of compound delivered into the cataract tissue over time is controlled by the amount of compound added to the irrigation fluid.

8. The method of claim 2 wherein aspirated cataract tissue is collected from the end of the lumen that performs the aspiration.

9. A surgical hand piece comprising:

a handle having a distal end;

a hub connected to the distal end of the handle;

a work tip supported by the hub;

said work tip having at least first and second tubes supported by the hub, said first and second tubes being aligned side by side and adjacent to each other over a major portion thereof, said tubes having proximal external openings connectable to respective first and second fluid sources or drains, each of said tubes also having external distal openings; and

wherein each of said first and second tubes has a lumen that is to receive or discharge a fluid at its proximal end from one of first and second fluid sources or drains that are respectively irrigation and aspiration fluids, the lumen of each of said first and second tubes being separate and spaced apart, and each said tube having an opening at its distal end through which the fluid received at or discharged from the proximal end of the respective lumen of each said tube exits from or enters the tube.

10. The surgical hand piece of claim 9 wherein each of said first and second tubes has a slanted opening, said slanted openings being opposite to each other so that combined they from a point.

11. The surgical hand piece of claim 9 further including at least one first opening connecting the first and second lumens.

12. The surgical hand piece of claim 10 further including at least one first opening in the region of the slanted openings connecting the first and second lumens.

13. The surgical hand piece of claim 9 wherein the handle is a connecting body, and further including a source of ultrasonic energy attached to the connecting body so as to convey the ultrasonic energy from said ultrasonic energy source to the distal end of said at least one tube.

14. The surgical hand piece of claim 9 further including a sleeve mounted over the first and second tubes, said sleeve forming a sleeve channel between an interior surface thereof and an external surface of the tubes, said channel being connectable to a source or drain for fluid.

15. The surgical hand piece of claim 9 wherein both the first and second tubes are connected at their proximal ends to one or two separate sources of fluid so as to provide a dual source of fluid at the distal ends.

16. The surgical hand piece of claim 14 wherein both the first and second tubes are connected at their proximal ends to one or two separate sources of fluid so as to provide a dual source of fluid at the distal ends and the sleeve channel is connected to an aspiration source.

17. The surgical hand piece of claim 9 wherein both the first and second tubes are connected at their proximal ends to one or two separate aspiration sources so as to provide dual aspiration of fluid at the distal ends.

18. The surgical hand piece of claim 17 wherein both the first and second tubes are connected at their proximal ends to one or two separate aspiration sources so as to provide dual aspiration of fluid at the distal ends and the sleeve channel is connected to fluid source.

19. The surgical hand piece of claim 9 wherein the first tube is connected at its proximal end to a source of fluid and the second tube is connected at its proximal end to an aspiration source so as to provide fluid circulation at their distal ends.

20. The surgical hand piece of claim 14 further including at least one passage between the lumen of one of the first and second tubes and the sleeve channel.

21. The surgical hand piece of claim 9 wherein passages are formed in at least one of the first or second tube near the distal end. [FIG. 3]

22. The surgical hand piece of claim 21 further including a sleeve mounted over the first and second tubes, said sleeve forming a sleeve channel between an interior surface thereof and an external surface of the tubes, said channel being connectable to a source or drain for fluid;

and wherein the sleeve ends before the location of the passages near the distal end of the tubes.

23. The surgical hand piece of claim 9 wherein the tube connected to the source of aspiration has a tissue collection container between it and the aspiration source.

24. The surgical hand piece of claim 23 wherein the tissue collection container comprises an enlarged chamber, a screen across the chamber and an exit channel beyond the screen leading to the aspiration source.

25. A method for chemically treating tissue of a patient, comprising the steps of:

inserting a dual lumen work tip into the patient and placing it adjacent the tissue of interest;

causing the work tip to vibrate so that pieces of the tissue separate or emulsify;

moving the work tip into the tissue so as to form a tunnel therein;

injecting a pharmaceutical compound capable of treating tissue into the tunnel, where by the tissue is treated.