Ophthalmic surgical apparatus for macerating and removing the lens nucleus from the eye of a living being

• US 5,693,062 A
• Filed: 06/06/1995
• Issued: 12/02/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Grieshaber & Company AG Schaffhausen (Alcon Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Grieshaber & Company AG Schaffhausen (Alcon Incorporated)
• Inventors: Demmerle, Rudolf, Stegmann, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Bahr, Jennifer
• Assistant Examiner(s): CARTER, RYAN CHRISTOPHER
• Application Number:
  US08/472,055
• Time in Patent Office: 910 Days
• Field of Search: 606/166, 606/167, 606/170, 606/171, 606/177, 606/178, 606/159, 606/180, 604/22
• US Class Current: 606/166
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/00763 with rotating or reciprocating cutting elements, e.g. concentric cutting needles atherectomy cutting instruments A61B17/3207; endoscopic cutting instruments A61B17/320016

Abstract

An ophthalmic surgical device for macerating the lens nucleus in the eye and for removing particles of the macerated lens nucleus from the eye of a living being, includes a hand-held housing with a head piece attached at one axial end of the housing and supporting a guide tube. Disposed in the guide tube is a tubular probe which is operatively connected to a motor drive and projects beyond the guide tube with its tip to carry a cutting element in form of at least two rotatable wing-like blades oriented approximately transversely to the longitudinal axis of the guide tube. By means of the drive, the tubular probe is rotatable relative to the stationary guide tube about the longitudinal axis and movable at a high frequency in direction of the longitudinal axis.

Claims

1. An ophthalmic surgical apparatus for macerating the lens nucleus in the eye and for removing particles of the macerated lens nucleus from the eye of a living being, comprising:

a housing defining an axis and being adapted for gripping by a user;

a fitting attached to one axial end of said housing and including a forward end supporting a guide tube having at least one lateral outlet, said fitting accommodating a chamber;

cutting means supported by said fitting and including a tubular probe received coaxially in said guide tube to define a feed channel therebetween, and a cutting element extending said tubular probe in axial direction and including at least two rotatable wing-like blades oriented approximately transversely to the axis, said cutting element including a central inlet opening extending in axial direction of said probe in proximity of said wing-like blades;

fluid supply means operatively connected to said fitting for feeding a fluid to a surgical site via said feed channel and said lateral outlet to enable a substitution of withdrawn lens particles with fluid and thereby maintain a sufficient internal pressure; and

suction means communicating with said chamber of said fitting for drawing excess fluid and particles of the lens nucleus through said inlet opening into said chamber of said fitting.

2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said guide tube is stationarily secured in said fitting, and further comprising drive means for moving said cutting means relative to said guide tube about said axis and in direction of said axis.

3. Apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein said drive means oscillates said cutting means at a high frequency.

4. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said wing-like blades diametrically oppose each other.

5. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said cutting means includes a mounting which is traversed by said inlet opening and secured to said tubular probe for supporting said wing-type blades at a distance to a circular upper rim of said guide tube.

6. Apparatus as defined in claim 5 wherein said mounting is of approximate funnel-shaped configuration, with a first cylindrical section secured to said tubular probe, a conical section having one end connected to said first cylindrical section and another end, and a second cylindrical section connected to said other end of said conical part and having an upper surface, said wing-like blades being attached to said second cylindrical section such as to extend flush with said upper surface of said second cylindrical section.

7. Apparatus as defined in claim 5 wherein said mounting includes a cylindrical section secured to said tubular probe and a conical end section connected to said cylindrical section for attachment of said wing-like blades, said wing-like blades being extended in radial direction so as to be spaced from each other at formation of a gap and including cutting edges arranged in axial direction at a slight distance above a circular area of said conical end section.

8. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said wing-like blades of said cutting element are partially spaced from each other by an axial slot and secured to said tubular probe at an extension thereof which projects beyond said guide tube, said extension having a tapered cutting area with a circular cutting edge at a free end thereof.

9. Apparatus as defined in claim 8 wherein said wing-like blades of said cutting element slightly extend beyond said circular cutting edge of said extension of said tubular probe and include a centering element radially spaced at a slight distance from an inner wall of said guide tube.

10. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein each of said wing-like blades is provided with a tapered cutting edge extending from one end facing said guide tube in axial direction toward said inlet opening.

11. Apparatus as defined in claim 10 wherein each of said wing-like blades tapers toward said inlet opening in form of a circular arc.

12. Apparatus as defined in claim 10 wherein each of said wing-like blades tapers toward said inlet opening in a wedge-shaped manner.

13. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said cutting element has a width and said guide tube has an outer diameter, said width of said cutting element exceeding said outer diameter of said guide tube.

14. Apparatus as defined in claim 13 wherein said width is about 1.6 mm.

15. An ophthalmic surgical apparatus for macerating and removing the lens nucleus of the eye of a living being, comprising:

a housing defining an axis and being adapted for gripping by a user; and

cutting means supported by said housing for macerating the lens nucleus, said cutting means including a tubular probe received coaxially within said housing and a cutting element extending in elongation of said tubular probe in axial direction beyond said housing in form of at least two rotatable wing-like blades oriented approximately transversely to the axis and defining an inlet opening in communication with said tubular probe,

said housing having a first passageway with a lateral outlet for feeding a fluid to a surgical site to enable a substitution of withdrawn lens particles with fluid and thereby maintain a sufficient internal pressure, and a second passageway suitably sealed from said first passageway for withdrawing macerated lens nucleus through said inlet opening and said tubular probe.

16. Apparatus as defined in claim 15 wherein said wing-like blades diametrically oppose each other.

17. Apparatus as defined in claim 15 wherein said cutting means includes a mounting attached to a forward portion of said housing and secured to said tubular probe, said mounting being traversed by said inlet opening and supporting said wing-like blades.

18. Apparatus as defined in claim 17 wherein said mounting is of approximate funnel-shaped configuration, with a first cylindrical section secured to said tubular probe, a conical section having one end connected to said first cylindrical section and another end, and a second cylindrical section connected to said other end of said conical pad and having an upper surface, said wing-like blades being attached to said second cylindrical section such as to extend flush with said upper surface of said second cylindrical section.

19. Apparatus as defined in claim 17 wherein said mounting includes a cylindrical section secured to said tubular probe and a conical end section connected to said cylindrical section for attachment of said wing-like blades, said wing-like blades being extended in radial direction so as to be spaced from each other at formation of a gap and including cutting edges arranged in axial direction at a slight distance above a circular area of said conical end section.

20. Apparatus as defined in claim 15 wherein said wing-like blades of said cutting element are partially spaced from each other by an axial slot and secured to said tubular probe at an extension thereof which projects beyond said housing, said extension having a tapered cutting area with a circular cutting edge at a free end thereof.

21. Apparatus as defined in claim 20 wherein said wing-like blades of said cutting element slightly extend beyond said circular cutting edge of said extension of said tubular probe and include a centering element radially spaced at a slight distance from an inner wall of said housing.

22. Apparatus as defined in claim 15 wherein each of said wing-like blades is provided with a tapered cutting edge extending from one housing-proximate end in axial direction toward said inlet opening.

23. Apparatus as defined in claim 22 wherein each of said wing-like blades tapers toward said inlet opening in form of a circular arc.

24. Apparatus as defined in claim 22 wherein each of said wing-like blades tapers toward said inlet opening in a wedge-shaped manner.

25. Apparatus as defined in claim 15 wherein said housing has an inside wall extending extending at a distance to said tubular probe for defining said first passageway between said inside wall of said housing and an outside wall of said tubular probe.

26. Apparatus as defined in claim 25 wherein said housing has a forward end receiving a guide tube extending axially in prolongation of said housing and surrounding said tubular probe at a distance thereto for extending said first passageway.

27. Apparatus as defined in claim 26 wherein said cutting element has a width and said guide tube has an outer diameter, said width of said cutting element exceeding said outer diameter of said guide tube.

28. Apparatus as defined in claim 15 wherein said cutting means includes a drive unit for rotating the cutting element and simultaneously oscillating the cutting element at a high frequency.