Irrigation/aspiration cannula and valve assembly
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An irrigation/aspiration cannula, which comprises:
- a tube;
a valve housing connected to the tube, said housing having a fluid inlet aperture and a fluid outlet aperture, said housing allowing fluid communication between the tube, the fluid inlet aperture and the fluid outlet aperture;
means for connecting said fluid inlet aperture to a pressurized fluid source and for connecting said fluid outlet aperture to a vacuum source, said means providing a releasable and substantially fluid-tight connection; and
a plurality of valve assemblies for selectively connecting only one of the apertures to the tube at any given moment, mounted and located within the housing such that hydrostatic pressure differentials across the valve assemblies seal the valve assemblies when at least one of the apertures is connected to its respective source.
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Abstract
The invention provides an irrigation and aspiration device for use in laparascopic and other types of surgery. When connected to existing irrigation and suction sources, the device provides fingertip control of the fluid connections between the sources and a tube. The device comprises a valve housing with two valve assemblies inside, mounted and configured to take advantage of the static pressure supplied by the sources for increasing seal integrity of the valves. The internal chambers of the valve housing are also configured such that when one valve is open, the pressure differential across the other valve is increased, further increasing its seal integrity.
248 Citations
13 Claims
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1. An irrigation/aspiration cannula, which comprises:
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a tube; a valve housing connected to the tube, said housing having a fluid inlet aperture and a fluid outlet aperture, said housing allowing fluid communication between the tube, the fluid inlet aperture and the fluid outlet aperture; means for connecting said fluid inlet aperture to a pressurized fluid source and for connecting said fluid outlet aperture to a vacuum source, said means providing a releasable and substantially fluid-tight connection; and a plurality of valve assemblies for selectively connecting only one of the apertures to the tube at any given moment, mounted and located within the housing such that hydrostatic pressure differentials across the valve assemblies seal the valve assemblies when at least one of the apertures is connected to its respective source. - View Dependent Claims (2, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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3. An irrigation/aspiration cannula which comprises:
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a tube; a valve housing connected to the tube, said housing having a fluid inlet aperture adapted to be connected to a pressurized fluid source and a fluid outlet aperture adapted to be connected to a vacuum source, said housing allowing fluid communication between the tube, the fluid inlet aperture and the fluid outlet aperture; a plurality of valve assemblies for selectively connecting only one of the apertures to the tube at any given moment, mounted and located within the housing such that hydrostatic pressure differentials across the valve assemblies seal the valve assemblies when at least one of the apertures is connected to its respective source; wherein the valve housing has a common interior chamber, connected to the tube, the valve housing also having ports through which the chamber is connected to the inlet aperture and the outlet aperture. - View Dependent Claims (4, 9, 10)
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11. An irrigation/aspiration cannula, which comprises:
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a tube; a valve housing connected to the tube, said housing having a fluid inlet aperture adapted to be connected to a pressurized fluid source and a fluid outlet aperture adapted to be connected to a vacuum source, said housing allowing fluid communication between the tube, the fluid inlet aperture and the fluid outlet aperture; a plurality of valve assemblies for selectively connecting only one of the apertures to the tube at any given moment, mounted and located within the housing such that hydrostatic pressure differentials across the valve assemblies seal the valve assemblies when at least one of the apertures is connected to its respective source wherein each valve assembly further comprises a lever on the outside of the housing, each valve assembly being actuated by the lever. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13)
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Specification