Wound shaper sleeve

• US 6,033,376 A
• Filed: 09/30/1998
• Issued: 03/07/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Johnson & Johnson Surgical Vision, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Allergan Sales LLC (Abbvie Incorporated)
• Inventors: Rockley, Paul W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Stright, Jr., Ronald K.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Thissell, Jeremy
• Application Number:
  US09/163,985
• Time in Patent Office: 524 Days
• Field of Search: 604/22, 604/27, 604/35, 604/43, 138/172
• US Class Current: 604/22
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320084 Irrigation sleeves
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/00745 using mechanical vibrations, e.g. ultrasonic

Abstract

A sleeve apparatus for a phacoemulsification/irrigation and aspiration handpiece having an ultrasonic drive assembly attached to a hollow needle includes a compressible sleeve for establishing an annular passage around the needle and enabling the irrigation fluid to pass into an eye through a cornea/sclera wound while cooling the needle. The compressible sleeve includes a wall configuration for controlling compression of the sleeve in order to cause the compressible sleeve to shape and conform to the corneal/sclera wound and limit fluid egress from the wound. A hub is provided for attaching the compressible sleeve to the handpiece and enabling the needle to be angularly displaced within the compressible sleeve means during phacoemulsification.

Claims

1. Sleeve apparatus for a phacoemulsification/irrigation and aspiration handpiece having an ultrasonic drive assembly attached to a hollow needle for emulsifying and aspirating a cataract lens through a corneal/sclera wound, said sleeve apparatus comprising:

compressible sleeve means for establishing an annular passage around the needle and enabling irrigation fluid to pass into an eye through the cornea/sclera wound while cooling the needle; and

depending member means disposed within said compressible sleeve means, for limiting compression of opposing walls of said compressible sleeve means in order to prevent contact of said compressible sleeve means with said needle and maintain the annular passage for flow of irrigation fluid past said needle;

hub means for attaching said compressible sleeve means to the handpiece and for enabling the needle to be angularly displaced within said compressible sleeve means.

2. The sleeve apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said depending member means have a length greater than a diameter of said needle.

6. The sleeve apparatus according to claims 1, 3 or 5 wherein said depending member means comprises two depending members, said needle being disposed between said two depending members.

7. The sleeve apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said compressible sleeve means has a cylindrical shape before compression by the cornea/sclera wound.

3. Sleeve apparatus phacoemulsification/irrigation and aspiration handpiece having an ultrasonic drive assembly attached to a hollow needle for emulsifying and aspirating a cataract lens through a corneal/sclera wound, said sleeve apparatus comprising:

compressible sleeve means for establishing an annular passage around the needle and enabling irrigation fluid to pass into an eye through the cornea/sclera wound while cooling the needle, said compressible sleeve means including wall means for controlling compression of the sleeve means in order to cause said compressible sleeve means to shape and conform to the corneal/sclera wound and limit fluid egress from the wound, said wall means including a variation in wall thickness of said compressible sleeve means around a circumference of said compressible sleeve means, said variation in wall thickness comprising two areas of sleeve means wall having greater thickness than adjoining areas of sleeve means wall, the two areas being spaced apart from one another at 180°

around the sleeve means circumference;

depending member means, disposed within said compressible sleeve means and attached to opposing walls of the sleeve means between the two areas, for limiting compression of the opposing walls in order to prevent contact of said compressible sleeve means with said needle and maintain annular flow of irrigation fluid past said needle and hub means for attaching said compressible sleeve means to the handpiece for enabling the needle to be angularly displaced within said compressible sleeve means.

4. The sleeve apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said depending member means has a length greater than a diameter of said needle.

5. Sleeve apparatus for a phacoemulsification/irrigation and aspiration handpiece having an ultrasonic drive assembly attached to a hollow needle for emulsifying and aspirating a cataract lens through a corneal/sclera wound, said sleeve apparatus comprising:

compressible sleeve means for establishing an annular passage around the needle and enabling irrigation fluid to pass into an eye through the cornea/sclera wound while cooling the needle, said compressible sleeve means including wall means for controlling compression of the sleeve means in order to cause said compressible sleeve means to shape and conform to the corneal/sclera wound and limit fluid egress from the wound, said wall means including a variation in wall density of said compressible sleeve means around a circumference of said compressible sleeve means, said variation in wall density comprising two areas of sleeve means wall having a lower density than adjoining areas of sleeve means wall, the two areas being spaced apart from one another at 180°

around the sleeve means circumference;

depending member means, disposed within said compressible sleeve and attached to opposing walls of the sleeve means between the two area, for limiting compression of the opposing walls in order to prevent contact of said compressible sleeve means with said needle and maintain an annular flow of irrigation fluid past said needle; and

hub means for attaching said compressible sleeve means to the handpiece and for enabling the needle to be angularly displaced within said compressible sleeve means.

8. The sleeve apparatus according to claim 5 wherein said depending member means has a length greater than a diameter of said needle.

9. Sleeve apparatus for a phacoemulsification/irrigation and aspiration handpiece having an ultrasonic drive assembly attached to a hollow needle for emulsifying and aspirating a cataract lens through a corneal/sclera wound, said sleeve apparatus comprising:

a compressible sleeve for establishing an annular passage around the needle and enabling irrigation fluid to pass into an eve through the corneal/sclera wound while cooling the needle, said compressible sleeve means having an initial uncompressed circular inside diameter, said compressible sleeve including a wall for controlling compression of the sleeve in order to cause said compressible sleeve to shape and conform from the initial circular diameter to the cornea/sclera wound and limit fluid egress from the wound;

depending members disposed within said compressible sleeve, for limiting compression of opposing walls of said compressible sleeve in order to prevent contact of said compressible sleeve with said needle and moisten annular flow of irrigation fluid past said needle; and

a hub for attaching said compressible sleeve to the handpiece and for enabling the needle to be angularly displaced within said compressible sleeve.

10. The sleeve apparatus according to claim 9 wherein said depending members have a length greater than a diameter of said needle.