Syringe and cannula for insertion of viscoelastic material into an eye and method of using same
First Claim
1. A method for dispensing a viscoelastic material, said method comprising the steps of:
- providing a supply of viscoelastic material having an initial viscosity of about 40,000 centipoise;
compressing the viscoelastic material in a syringe in order to force the viscoelastic material out of an opening in the syringe;
passing the forced viscoelastic material through a 19-gauge portion of a needle to establish flow of the viscoelastic material; and
thereafterpassing the forced viscoelastic material through a 26-gauge portion of the needle for dispensing through an orifice therein.
9 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A syringe for insertion of viscoelastic material into an eye includes a syringe body having an end with an opening therein and a pseudoplastic viscoelastic material disposed in the syringe body. The viscoelastic material is pseudoelastic and may have an initial viscosity of between about 5,000 and about 60,000 centipoise. Correspondingly a cannula is provided which includes a needle having a dispensing orifice on one end thereof and a first portion of between about 23- and about 18-gauge tubing, distal from the dispensing orifice and a second portion of between about 30- and about 23-gauge tubing, proximal to the dispensing orifice. Additionally a housing is provided for attaching another end of the needle, proximal to the first portion, to the end of the syringe body. A method for dispensing the viscoelastic material includes compressing the viscoelastic material in order to force the viscoelastic material out of the syringe and passing the forced viscoelastic material through a large gauge portion of a needle to establish flow of the viscoelastic material. Thereafter the forced viscoelastic material is passed through a narrow gauge portion of the needle for dispensing through an orifice therein.
215 Citations
15 Claims
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1. A method for dispensing a viscoelastic material, said method comprising the steps of:
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providing a supply of viscoelastic material having an initial viscosity of about 40,000 centipoise; compressing the viscoelastic material in a syringe in order to force the viscoelastic material out of an opening in the syringe; passing the forced viscoelastic material through a 19-gauge portion of a needle to establish flow of the viscoelastic material; and
thereafterpassing the forced viscoelastic material through a 26-gauge portion of the needle for dispensing through an orifice therein.
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2. A syringe for insertion of viscoelastic material into an eye, said syringe comprising:
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a syringe body having an end with an opening therein; a pseudoplastic viscoelastic material disposed in said syringe body, the viscoelastic material having an initial viscosity of about 40,000 centipoise; a cannula including a needle having a first large diameter section and a second small diameter section with a dispensing orifice disposed on an end of the second section, the first section comprising about 19-gauge tubing and the second section comprising about 26-gauge tubing; and means for attaching the first section to the end of the syringe body. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A syringe for insertion of viscoelastic material into an eye, said syringe comprising:
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a syringe body having an end with an opening therein; a pseudoplastic viscoelastic material disposed in said syringe body, the viscoelastic material having an initial viscosity of between about 5,000 and about 60,000 centipoise; a cannula including a needle having a first large diameter section and a second small diameter section with a dispensing orifice disposed on an end of the second section the first section comprising tubing of between less than about 23-gauge and about 18-gauge and the second section comprising tubing of between about 30-gauge and more than about 23-gauge; and means for attaching the first section to the end of the syringe body, the means for attaching comprising a conical housing disposed coaxially on the first section with means for defining a hollow interior sized to fit onto the end of the syringe body, with a void established between the first section of the needle and the end of the syringe body and plug means for filling the void, said plug means having a bore therethrough aligned with the syringe body end opening.
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9. A syringe for insertion of viscoelastic material into an eye, said syringe comprising:
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a syringe body having an end with an opening therein; a pseudoplastic viscoelastic material disposed in said syringe body the viscoelastic material having an initial viscosity of between about 5,000 and about 60,000 centipoise; a cannula including a needle having a first large diameter section and a second small diameter section with a dispensing orifice disposed on an end of the second section the first section comprising tubing of between less than about 23-gauge and about 18-gauge and the second section comprising tubing of between about 30-gauge and more than about 23-gauge; and means for attaching the first section to the end of the syringe body, the means for attaching comprising a conical housing disposed coaxially on the first section with means for defining a hollow interior sized to fit onto the end of the syringe body, with a void established between the first section and the end of the syringe body, said conical housing being disposed at a point along the first section to enable contact of the first section with the end of the syringe body as the hollow interior is fit onto the end of the syringe body.
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10. A cannula for insertion of viscoelastic material into an eye said cannula comprising:
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a needle having a first large diameter section and a second small diameter section with a dispensing orifice disposed on the second section; and means for attaching the first section to an end of a conventional syringe to establish fluid communication therebetween, the means for attaching comprising a conical housing disposed coaxially on the first section with means for defining a hollow interior, said hollow interior being sized to fit onto the end of the conventional syringe, with a void established between the first section and the end of the conventional syringe, and plug means for filling the void, said plug means having a bore therethrough aligned with the first section and an opening in the conventional syringe. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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Specification