Ophthalmologic cannula

• US 5,407,441 A
• Filed: 03/31/1993
• Issued: 04/18/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Scott Greenbaum
• Original Assignee: Scott Greenbaum
• Inventors: Greenbaum, Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): Green, Randall L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): REICHLE, KARIN M
• Application Number:
  US08/041,140
• Time in Patent Office: 748 Days
• Field of Search: 604/51, 604/55, 604/239, 604/264, 604/272, 604/275, 604/278, 604/280, 604/117, 604/283, 604/273, 604/274, 604/164, 604/27, 604/30, 604/46, 604/158, 604/170, 604/294, 604/160 , 604/902, 604/174, 604/177, 606/107
• US Class Current: 604/523
• 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: A61M 31/00 Devices for introducing or retaining media, e.g. remedies, in cavities of the body A61M25/00 takes precedence ; introducing or retaining ophthalmic products into the ocular cavities A61F9/0008

Abstract

A cannula for applying anesthetic to the eye is a longitudinal housing, having a rounded upper surface that terminates in a blunt closed distal end and a flat lower surface that has an exit port at its distal end and an increased transverse dimension at a proximal end to seal the tissue opening through which the cannula is inserted into the eye.

Claims

1. A cannula for use in applying liquid media to an eye comprising:

a housing having a longitudinal axis, a sealing portion at a proximal end and a main shaft extending from said sealing portion to a distal end, said housing defining a longitudinal passageway through which the liquid media can be applied,

said main shaft having an upper surface and a bottom surface,

said bottom surface of said main shaft having first and second longitudinal edges which define the width of said main shaft,

said longitudinal edges on said bottom surface defining a plane, said bottom surface being contained in said plane,

said main shaft having a height, said width of said main shaft being greater than said height of said main shaft,

said housing having an exit port, said exit port being located at the distal end of said bottom surface of said main shaft, said distal end of said upper surface of said housing being smooth and rounded,

said sealing portion being a bulbous portion of said housing and having lateral dimensions greater than those of said main shaft, said sealing portion having a bottom surface which is continuous with said bottom surface of said main shaft,

said bottom surface of said main shaft being planar and said bottom surface of said sealing zone being co-planar with said bottom surface of said main shaft,

whereby said bulbous sealing portion serves to block whatever opening is made in tissue for inserting said main shaft into the eye to thereby prevent outflow of the liquid media applied through said cannula.

2. The cannula of claim 1 wherein said housing is a thin wall flexible plastic material.

3. The cannula of claim 2, wherein the ratio of said width to said height is approximately 5.

4. The cannula of claim 2, wherein said width measures approximately 2.5 millimeters and said height measures approximately 0.5 millimeters.

5. The cannula of claim 1, wherein the ratio of said width to said height is approximately 5.

6. The cannula of claim 1, wherein said width measures approximately 2.5 millimeters and said height measures approximately 0.5 millimeters.