Ophthalmic aspirator-irrigator with valve

• US 4,764,165 A
• Filed: 06/25/1987
• Issued: 08/16/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/1986
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mentor O&O Inc (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Mentor O&O Inc (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Walsh, David A., Arsenault, Michael J., Reimels, Harry G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Coven, Edward M.
• Application Number:
  US07/066,347
• Time in Patent Office: 418 Days
• Field of Search: 604/22, 604/27, 604/35, 604/31, 604/32, 604/33, 604/30, 604/50, 604/51, 604/155
• US Class Current: 604/35
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00977 the depression depth determining the power rate
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2046/236 with means for collecting drain fluid, e.g. drain tubes
• 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

Abstract

An ophthalmic aspirator-irrigator system for use during cataract surgery is disclosed. The system frees both hands of the surgeon for the surgical tasks and leaves the automatic operation of the system to a single control input operated by a foot pedal. The pedal controls both the aspiration and ejection functions as well as their respective speeds. The ophthalmic aspirator-irrigator system essentially comprises a hand-held device, a control box operable by the foot pedal and a power cord connecting the device with the box. A source of fluid is connected via a tube to the device to effect the irrigation function. The control box includes a power source and a circuit coupled to the source and via the cord to the device. Preferably, the circuit includes a bridge output network controlled by a linear motion slide type potentiometer controlled by the foot pedal. The circuit further includes dual DC amplifiers and a pulse-width modulated gate circuit to operate the device bidirectionally with a smooth, continuous and variable speed. The foot pedal has two zero control positions: in its off, non-depressed position and in its off position about midway through the pedal'"'"'s downward travel. A vacuum limiting valve assembly permits the system readily to be adapted to posterior capsule polishing following the break-up and removal of the cortex.

Claims

1. An ophthalmic aspirator-irrigator comprising:

(a) a hand-held device;

(b) said device including a cannula having an axial channel and a surrounding annular channel, pressure-differential creating means connected to said axial channel via an aspiration tubing, and drive means operatively connected to said last means for driving the same;

(c) a source of fluid connected via a flexible tube to said annular channel;

(d) foot-operable control means for controlling the operation of said drive means and provided with a pedal, a power source, a circuit connected to said source, and a socket coupled to said circuit;

(e) a flexible power cord having a plug designed to be connected to said socket for coupling power from said power source to said drive means;

(f) a container for enclosing said cannula and said pressure-differential creating means; and

(g) a pressure-differential limiting valve assembly operatively connected between said cannula and said pressure-differential creating means by being spliced into said aspiration tubing, said valve assembly comprising a solid member having a hole in fluid communication with said aspiration tubing and a soft member releasably mated thereto and provided with a plug to seal said hole.

2. The ophthalmic aspirator-irrigator of claim 1 wherein said solid member of said pressure-differential limiting valve assembly comprises a tube portion and a U-shaped portion formed integrally therewith, and said soft member comprises a bowl-shaped diaphragm releasably to be secured within said U-shaped portion and having a slit therein, said plug designed removably to fit within said bowl-shaped diaphragm so as to seal said slit therein.

3. The ophthalmic aspirator-irrigator of claim 2 wherein said plug is connected to said bowl-shaped diaphragm by a flap integrally formed therewith.

4. The ophthalmic aspirator-irrigator of claim 3 wherein said tube and U-shaped portions of said solid member are respectively provided with annular rims, and wherein said bowl-shaped diaphragm is formed with an annular skirting part, said annular skirting part is designed to fit about said annular rim of said U-shaped portion, whereby said soft member is releasably secured to and about said U-shaped portion of said solid member.

5. The ophthalmic aspirator-irrigator of claim 4 wherein said slit is about forty mils in length and said soft member is formed of silicone having a durometer of about 40 shore A.

6. The ophthalmic aspirator-irrigator of claim 5 wherein said solid member is injection formed of a plastic material of a group including teflon, acetal, nylon and polypropylene.

7. A vacuum limiting valve assembly for use in aspirator systems of the kind including a tube and means for creating a pressure-differential within said tube, said vacuum limiting valve assembly comprising:

(a) a solid member formed with an integral tube portion and U-shaped portion provided with a hole communicating with said tube portion;

(b) said tube portion of said solid member designed to be spliced into said tube; and

(c) a soft member formed with a bowl-shaped diaphragm provided with a slit and designed to be releasably secured within said U-shaped portion of said solid member and a plug designed removably to be received within said bowl-shaped diaphragm, to seal said slit.

8. The vacuum limiting valve assembly of claim 7 wherein said plug is connected to said bowl-shaped diaphragm by a flap formed integrally therewith.

9. The vacuum limiting valve assembly of claim 8 wherein said tube and U-shaped portions of said solid member are respectively provided with annular rims, and wherein said bowl-shaped diaphragm is formed with an annular skirting part, said annular skirting part is designed to fit about said annular rim of said U-shaped portion, whereby said soft member is releasably secured to and about said U-shaped portion of said solid member.

10. The vacuum limiting valve assembly of claim 9 wherein said slit is about forty mils in length and said soft member is formed of silicone having a durometer of about 40 Shore A.

11. The vacuum limiting valve assembly of claim 10 wherein said solid member is injection formed of a plastic material of a group including teflon, acetal, nylon and polypropylene.