Phaco thermal control apparatus and method

• US 8,764,699 B2
• Filed: 03/18/2011
• Issued: 07/01/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Johnson & Johnson Surgical Vision, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Abbott Medical Optics Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Kadziauskas, Kenneth E, Rockley, Paul W
• Primary Examiner(s): MENDEZ, MANUEL A
• Application Number:
  US13/051,084
• Publication Number:
  US 20110166504A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,201 Days
• Field of Search: 604/22, 604/31, 604 65- 67, 604/118, 601/2, 606/107, 606/159
• US Class Current: 604/22
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00084 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00119 alarm; indicating an abnormal situation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00199 with a console, e.g. a control panel with a display
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/00745 using mechanical vibrations, e.g. ultrasonic

Abstract

Control apparatus for an ultrasonic phacoemulsification handpiece utilizes flow rates and temperature measurements as well as power provided to a handpiece for calculating a matrix of power level duty cycle combination that would not generate sufficient heat to create a burn in eye tissue and either prevent operation of handpiece in the matrix or alert a surgeon of such use.

Claims

1. A phacoemulsification system for regulating fluid flow and energy into an eye during ocular surgery, comprising:

a handpiece; and

a control console configured to provide phaco power to the handpiece, irrigation fluid to an eye, and an aspiration source for removing fluid from the eye;

a microprocessor configured to establish a correlation between a fluid flow through the eye, the phaco power, and heat generation in the eye without measuring fluid temperatures;

the microprocessor configured to calculate an energy balance within the eye over a predetermined period of time, the calculation based upon a cumulative amount of phaco power delivered over the predetermined period of time and a cumulative amount of fluid removed from the eye over the predetermined period of time;

the system configured to modulate at least one of a phaco power level, a phaco duty cycle, and the fluid flow through the eye, the modulation being based upon the energy balance.

2. The phacoemulsification system of claim 1, further comprising a flow sensor for determining the cumulative amount of fluid removed from the eye.

3. The phacoemulsification system of claim 1, further comprising a matrix comprising phaco power levels and fluid flow conditions that do not generate sufficient heat to create damage of eye tissue within the eye.

4. The phacoemulsification system of claim 3, wherein the system is configured to provide a warning when the system is operated outside the matrix.

5. A phacoemulsification system for regulating fluid flow and energy into an eye during ocular surgery, comprising:

a handpiece;

a control console configured to provide phaco power to the handpiece, irrigation fluid to an eye, and an aspiration source for removing fluid from the eye; and

a microprocessor configured to calculate an eye temperature based upon a cumulative amount of phaco power delivered over the predetermined period of time and a cumulative amount of fluid removed from the eye over the predetermined period of time.

6. A method for regulating fluid flow and energy in a control console during ocular surgery, comprising:

providing a handpiece and a control console having a microprocessor;

determining cumulative phaco power delivered over a predetermined period of time;

determining cumulative fluid removed from an eye over the predetermined period of time;

determining the eye temperature based upon the cumulative phaco power and cumulative fluid removed from an eye over the predetermined period of time;

calculating an energy balance over the predetermined period of time; and

based upon the energy balance, modulating at least one of a phaco power level, a phaco duty cycle, and a fluid flow through the eye.