Membrane eraser

• US 5,921,998 A
• Filed: 04/10/1998
• Issued: 07/13/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Synergetics Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Inami & Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Lewis, John M., Ooji, Masato, Won, Park In, Kamei, Motohiro, Saitou, Yoshihiro, Tano, Yasuo
• Primary Examiner(s): Buiz, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): BUI, VY Q
• Application Number:
  US09/058,183
• Time in Patent Office: 459 Days
• Field of Search: 606/161, 606/1, 606/162, 606/131
• US Class Current: 606/161
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/00736 Instruments for removal of intra-ocular material or intra-ocular injection, e.g. cataract instruments A61F9/008 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/013 Instruments for compensation of ocular refraction A61F9/008 takes precedence; Instruments for use in cornea removal, for reshaping or performing incisions in the cornea

Abstract

An instrument for removing proliferative membranes in a treatment for proliferative vitreoretinal disorders includes an ophthalmic treatment tool for using in an ophthalmic surgery, the tool including: a grip portion; a rod-shaped body attached to one end of the grip portion; an elastic body fitted along a direction toward a front end of the rod-shaped body to the front end side of the rod-shaped body; and hard inorganic fine-grains or particles fixed on a tapered tip of the elastic body.

Claims

1. A membrane eraser used for ophthalmic surgery, comprising:

a grip portion;

a rod shaped body attached to one end of said grip portion;

an elastic body fitted along a direction toward a front end of said rod-shaped body to the front end side thereof and having a hollow tapered front tip; and

a plurality of hard, inorganic fine-grains fixed on said tapered front tip of said elastic body wherein said grains are located in a range of 0.5 mm to 3.0 mm from an end portion of said front tip for removal of membrane tissue on a retina of an individual.

2. A membrane eraser according to claim 1, wherein said elastic body comprises silicone rubber.

3. A membrane eraser according to claim 1, wherein said hard inorganic fine-grains comprise grains having a range in diameter from 3 to 80 μ

m.

4. A membrane eraser according to claim 1, wherein said hard inorganic fine-grains comprise diamond particles.

5. A membrane eraser according to claim 1, wherein said rod-shaped body comprises titanium.

6. A membrane eraser according to claim 1, wherein said hard inorganic fine-grains are fixed by a silicone base adhesive to said front tip.