Apparatus for and method of irrigating and aspirating an eye
First Claim
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1. Apparatus for irrigating and aspirating an eye, utilizing gravity flow, comprising:
- a fluid container containing irrigation fluid disposed at an elevation higher than the elevation of the eye;
a fluid conduit having an open end and extending from said fluid container to said open end disposed at and terminating at an elevation lower than the elevation of the eye, said conduit having two spaced conduit branch means along said conduit for supply and removal of fluid from the eye;
first valve means in a first of said two spaced conduit branch means for controlling fluid flow through said first conduit branch means;
second valve means in said conduit between said two spaced conduit branch means for controlling fluid flow through said conduit between said conduit branch means;
third valve means in the second of said conduit branch means for controlling fluid flow through said second conduit branch means; and
means for individually opening and closing said valve means for priming the apparatus with fluid from the fluid container, for irrigating the eye, and for irrigating and aspirating the eye whereby priming of the apparatus, and irrigation and aspiration of the eye is accomplished without any external pump source other than the gravity flow of the fluid in the conduit.
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Abstract
Apparatus for and method of irrigating and aspirating an eye utilizing valves in a conduit and conduit branches to control the flow of fluid into and out of the eye under the force of gravity.
59 Citations
13 Claims
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1. Apparatus for irrigating and aspirating an eye, utilizing gravity flow, comprising:
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a fluid container containing irrigation fluid disposed at an elevation higher than the elevation of the eye; a fluid conduit having an open end and extending from said fluid container to said open end disposed at and terminating at an elevation lower than the elevation of the eye, said conduit having two spaced conduit branch means along said conduit for supply and removal of fluid from the eye; first valve means in a first of said two spaced conduit branch means for controlling fluid flow through said first conduit branch means; second valve means in said conduit between said two spaced conduit branch means for controlling fluid flow through said conduit between said conduit branch means; third valve means in the second of said conduit branch means for controlling fluid flow through said second conduit branch means; and means for individually opening and closing said valve means for priming the apparatus with fluid from the fluid container, for irrigating the eye, and for irrigating and aspirating the eye whereby priming of the apparatus, and irrigation and aspiration of the eye is accomplished without any external pump source other than the gravity flow of the fluid in the conduit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method of irrigating and aspirating an eye comprising:
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disposing a fluid container containing irrigation fluid at an elevation higher than the elevation of the eye; positioning a fluid conduit with one open end communicating with the fluid in said container and a second open end disposed at an elevation lower than the elevation of said eye; inserting a handpiece into the eye;
opening a fluid passage between the fluid container and the handpiece via said conduit and one of a pair of fluid conduit branches spaced along said conduit for allowing fluid to flow by gravity into the eye to irrigate the eye;opening a second fluid passage between the handpiece and the open end of said conduit via said conduit and the other of said pair of conduit branches spaced along said conduit at said elevation lower than the elevation of the eye for permitting fluid from the eye to flow by gravity to said lower elevation to aspirate the eye; and closing a fluid passage in said conduit between said pair of conduit branches. - View Dependent Claims (10)
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11. A method of irrigating and aspirating an eye comprising:
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disposing a fluid container at an elevation higher than the elevation of the eye; disposing the open end of a fluid conduit extending from the fluid container at an elevation lower than the elevation of the eye, said fluid conduit having two spaced conduit branches along said conduit for insertion in the eye; inserting said conduit branches in the eye; closing first valve means in a first of said conduit branches for controlling fluid flow through said first conduit branch; closing third valve means in the second of said conduit branches for controlling fluid flow through said second conduit branch; opening second valve means in said conduit between said conduit branches for controlling fluid flow through said conduit between said conduit branches, thereby priming apparatus for irrigating and aspirating the eye.
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12. A method of irrigating an eye comprising:
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disposing a fluid container at an elevation higher than the elevation of the eye; disposing the open end of a fluid conduit extending from the fluid container at an elevation lower than the elevation of the eye, said fluid conduit having two spaced conduit branches along said conduit for insertion in the eye; inserting said conduit branches in the eye; opening first valve means in a first of said conduit branches for controlling fluid flow through said first conduit branch; closing third valve means in the second of said conduit branches for controlling fluid flow through said second conduit branch; closing second valve means in said conduit between said conduit branches for controlling fluid flow through said conduit between said conduit branches, thereby irrigating the eye.
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13. A method of irrigating and aspirating an eye comprising:
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disposing a fluid container at an elevation higher than the elevation of the eye; disposing the open end of a fluid conduit extending from the fluid container at an elevation lower than the elevation of the eye, said fluid conduit having two spaced conduit branches along said conduit for insertion in the eye; inserting said conduit branches in the eye; opening first valve means in a first of said conduit branches for controlling fluid flow through said first conduit branch; opening third valve means in the second of said conduit branches for controlling fluid flow through said second conduit branch; closing second valve means in said second conduit between said conduit branches for controlling fluid flow through said conduit between said conduit branches, thereby irrigating and aspirating the eye.
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Specification