Surgical irrigation apparatus and methods for use

• US 20030212363A1
• Filed: 06/11/2003
• Published: 11/13/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Surgicon, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Surgicon, Inc.
• Inventors: Shipp, John I.
• Application Number:
  US10/459,020
• Publication Number:
  US 20030212363A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/118
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3344 Measuring or controlling pressure at the body treatment site
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/50 with microprocessors or computers
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 3/0202 with electronic control means or interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 3/0208 before use
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 3/0216 Pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 3/022 Volume; Flow rate
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 3/0258 by means of electric pumps

Abstract

A surgical irrigation apparatus includes a disposable assembly and a reusable assembly. The disposable assembly includes an irrigation fluid pump and a hand piece having a supply passage for delivery of irrigation fluid to the surgical site. The reusable assembly includes a motor, a power source, and a pressure detector. The pressure detector assists in changing the power being supplied to the motor. The power is transferred from the motor to the pump with a magnetic coupler or other suitable device. The reusable assembly may alternatively include a sound receiver for picking up voice commands or other sounds to change the power being supplied to the motor. The reusable assembly may also alternatively include a controller that is operatively connected to a switch on the hand piece to permit a user to manually change the power being supplied to the motor. Related methods for surgical irrigation are also described.

Claims

1. An irrigation system for use in surgery, said system comprising:

a pump housing having a pump therein for pumping irrigation fluid to a patient;

a passage connected to said pump housing for conducting the irrigation fluid from said pump;

a hand piece connected to said passage, said hand piece having a mechanism for initiating a flow of the irrigation fluid from said pump to said hand piece;

a motor housing having a variable speed motor therein for operating said pump, said motor housing being operatively connected to said pump housing;

a power supply for energizing said motor;

a controller operatively connected to said motor and said power supply for regulating power to said motor; and

a pressure transducer housed within at least one of said pump housing and said motor housing, said pressure transducer being operatively connected to said controller for providing pressure data for use in regulating the power supplied to said motor.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said pressure transducer is housed within said motor housing.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said motor housing is detachable from said pump housing.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein said pump housing includes a static pressure chamber in communication with said pressure transducer.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein said pump housing includes a bottom surface having a flexible membrane along at least a portion thereof, said static pressure chamber being located proximate said membrane.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein said system includes a static pressure tube adapted for connection between said static pressure chamber and a trocar.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said motor housing is reusable.

8. A method of irrigating a surgical site, said method comprising the steps of:

providing an irrigation device having a pump housing, a motor housing, and a pressure transducer housed within at least one of the pump housing and the motor housing, the pump housing having a pump, the motor housing having a motor with a controller associated therewith, the controller being operable to change an amount of power supplied to the motor by a power supply for energizing the motor;

pumping irrigation fluid to a patient with the pump;

receiving pressure data through the pressure transducer; and

changing the amount of the power being supplied to the motor based on the pressure data received.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the step of providing an irrigation device includes providing the pressure transducer in the motor housing.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of detaching the motor housing from the pump housing.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of attaching the motor housing to a different pump housing.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the pump housing includes a static pressure chamber and the step of receiving pressure data includes measuring the pressure of the static pressure chamber of the pump housing.

13. An irrigation system for use in surgery, said system comprising:

a pump housing having a pump therein for pumping irrigation fluid to a patient;

a passage connected to said pump housing for conducting the irrigation fluid from said pump;

a motor housing having a variable speed motor therein for operating said pump, said motor housing being operatively connected to said pump housing;

a power supply for energizing said motor;

a controller housed within said motor housing, said controller being operatively connected to said motor and said power supply for regulating power to said motor;

a hand piece connected to said passage, said hand piece having a mechanism for initiating a flow of the irrigation fluid from said pump to said hand piece, said hand piece having a switch adapted to electronically signal said controller to change the amount of power being supplied to said motor in response to an actuation of said switch.

14. The system of claim 13, further comprising a cable connecting said hand piece to said motor housing, said cable being adapted to deliver the signal from said switch to said controller.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein said cable has an end having an electrical connector and said motor housing has a mating connector operatively connected to said controller, said electrical connector being releaseably attachable to said mating connector.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein said motor housing is detachable from said pump housing.

17. The system of claim 13, further comprising a second switch, at least one of said switches being adapted to signal said controller to increase power to said motor, the other of said switches being adapted to signal said controller to decrease power to said motor.

18. A method of irrigating a surgical site, said method comprising the steps of:

providing an irrigation device having a hand piece with a switch, a pump housing, and a motor housing, the pump housing having a pump, the motor housing having a motor and a controller, the controller being operable to change an amount of power supplied to the motor by a power supply for energizing the motor;

pumping irrigation fluid to a patient with the pump;

actuating the switch; and

changing the amount of the power being supplied to the motor in response to the actuation of the switch.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the irrigation device includes a cable connecting the hand piece to the motor housing and the step of actuating the switch includes sending a signal through the cable to the controller in the motor housing.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the cable is detachable from the motor housing, further comprising the step of detaching the cable from the motor housing.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein the motor housing is detachable from the pump housing, further comprising the step of detaching the motor housing from the pump housing.