Aspiration system for medical devices

• US 8,475,402 B2
• Filed: 08/02/2005
• Issued: 07/02/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Data LLC
• Original Assignee: Data LLC
• Inventors: Urich, Alex
• Primary Examiner(s): Lucchesi, Nicholas
• Assistant Examiner(s): Eisenberg, Rebecca E
• Application Number:
  US11/196,044
• Publication Number:
  US 20060058729A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,891 Days
• Field of Search: 604/22, 604/126, 604/190
• US Class Current: 604/22
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/22 Implements for squeezing-off ulcers or the like on the inside of inner organs of the body; Implements for scraping-out cavities of body organs, e.g. bones; Calculus removers; Calculus smashing apparatus; Apparatus for removing obstructions in blood vessels, not otherwise provided for dilators A61M29/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2217/005 with suction drainage system
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/00745 using mechanical vibrations, e.g. ultrasonic
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/77 Suction-irrigation systems aspiration tips supplying fluids A61M1/85; specific for negative pressure wound therapy A61M1/92; combined with tracheal tubes A61M16/0463
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/79 Filters for solid matter specially adapted for dental use A61C17/065

Abstract

An aspiration tube has a relatively high fluidic resistance. The tube is coupled to a medical device and a pump of an aspiration system. The tube can be designed to create a pressure drop that at least equals the maximum vacuum pressure of the pump. The fluidic resistance can be accomplished with a tube having an inner diameter less than 0.05 inches. The aspiration tube and an irrigation tube may be coupled to an anterior chamber of a cornea during a phaco procedure. The aspiration tube is sized so that even if a maximum pressure occurs, the resultant aspiration flowrate will be such that the cornea will not be damaged when an occlusion is cleared from the tube. An in-line filter may also be attached to the aspiration tube to filter out particles in the system.

Claims

1. A medical aspiration system, comprising:

a pump;

a tube that is connected to said pump, said tube having an inner diameter less than 0.05 inches but no less than 0.01 inches, and a length of at least 3 feet, and

a filter coupled to said tube, the filter including a filter mesh within a filter case, the filter case having an inner surface that includes a plurality of longitudinal grooves running along and outside of the filter mesh.

2. The aspiration system of claim 1, wherein said filter is in-line with said tube.

3. The aspiration system of claim 1, wherein said filter mesh has a U-shape.

4. The aspiration system of claim 1, wherein said tube creates a pressure drop of at least 150 mmHg and allows a maximum flow of 60 cc/min when said pump is generating a maximum vacuum.

5. The aspiration system of claim 1, wherein the filter case is cylindrical and the longitudinal grooves are disposed radially outside the filter mesh.

6. The aspiration system of claim 1, wherein the longitudinal grooves are configured to allow small particle to escape the filter.

7. A medical cutting system, comprising:

a handpiece;

a cutting element attached to said handpiece;

a tube that is connected to said handpiece and that has an inner diameter less than 0.05 inches but no less than 0.01 inches, and a length of at least 3 feet;

a pump connected to said tube; and

a filter coupled to said tube, the filter including a filter mesh within a filter case, the filter case having an inner surface that includes a plurality of longitudinal grooves running along and outside of the filter mesh.

8. The cutting system of claim 7, wherein said filter is in-line with said tube.

9. The cutting system of claim 7, wherein said filter mesh has a U-shape.

10. The cutting system of claim 7, wherein said tube creates a pressure drop of at least 150 mmHg and allows a maximum flow of 60 cc/min when said pump is generating a maximum vacuum.

11. The cutting system of claim 7, wherein the filter case is cylindrical and the longitudinal grooves are disposed radially outside the filter mesh.

12. The cutting system of claim 7, wherein the longitudinal grooves are configured to allow small particle to escape the filter.