Multi-compliant tubing

• US 8,631,831 B2
• Filed: 08/12/2009
• Issued: 01/21/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alcon Research, LLC (Alcon Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Alcon Research Limited (Nestle SA)
• Inventors: Liao, Grace Chuang, Peterson, Robert Harry, Dimalanta, Ramon Carsola Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): HOOK, JAMES F
• Application Number:
  US12/540,014
• Publication Number:
  US 20100056991A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,623 Days
• Field of Search: 138/116, 138/119, 138/120, 604/35, 604/118, 604174-180
• US Class Current: 138/116
• 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: A61M 2205/0216 Materials providing elastic properties, e.g. for facilitating deformation and avoid breaking
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/08 Tubes; Storage means specially adapted therefor

Abstract

In various embodiments, aspiration tubing connecting a handpiece to a surgical console may include a high compliant section, a transition section, and a low compliant section. In some embodiments, the high compliant section may have a lower durometer and/or different geometry than the low compliant section. The transition section may take a number of forms, including a connector or a continuous section of tubing that gradually increases in durometer and/or changes geometry through the length of the tubing. In the various embodiments, the high compliant section may provide flexibility near the handpiece to make the handpiece easier to hold and maneuver while the low compliant section may reduce the effects of occlusion break surge. In some embodiments, the high compliant section may include, for example, ribs, stiffening rings, a stiffening sleeve, or a stiffening sock to increase the stiffness of the high compliant section.

Claims

1. An aspiration tubing, comprising:

a high compliant section;

a low compliant section having a different geometry than the high compliant section, wherein the different geometry gives the low compliant section a lower compliance than the high compliant section;

a transition section coupling the high compliant section to the low compliant section such that fluid can travel through the transition section from the high compliant section and into the low compliant section;

wherein the transition section comprises a length of tubing that is continuous with the high compliant section and the low compliant section;

wherein an end of the transition section adjacent the high compliant section matches the geometry of the high compliant section and wherein an opposing end of the transition section that is adjacent the low compliant section matches the geometry of the low compliant section;

wherein the transition section gradually changes geometry along the length of the transition section between matching the end adjacent the high compliant section and matching the opposing end adjacent the low compliant section;

wherein the high compliant section is configured to couple to a handpiece; and

wherein the low compliant section is configured to couple to a surgical console.

2. The aspiration tubing of claim 1,

wherein the handpiece is an ophthalmic handpiece;

and

wherein surgical console is an ophthalmic surgical console.

3. The aspiration tubing of claim 1, wherein the high compliant section has a lower durometer than the low compliant section and wherein a durometer of the transition section gradually changes over the length of the transition section between matching the high compliant section and matching the low compliant section.

4. The aspiration tubing of claim 1, wherein the high compliant section further comprises at least one of ribs, rings, a spine, a sleeve, or a sock to decrease compliance of the high compliant section.

5. The aspiration tubing of claim 1, wherein the high compliant section has a durometer approximately in a range of 50 ShoreA to 70 ShoreA.

6. The aspiration tubing of claim 1, wherein the low compliant section has a durometer approximately in a range of 80 ShoreA to 100 ShoreA.

7. The aspiration tubing of claim 1, wherein the high compliant section has a length approximately in a range of 1 to 2 inches.

8. The aspiration tubing of claim 1, wherein the low compliant section has a length approximately in a range of 50 to 90 inches.

9. The aspiration tubing of claim 1, wherein a geometry of the high compliant section has a higher compliance than the geometry of the low compliant section and wherein an internal geometry of the transition section gradually changes over the length of the transition section between matching the high compliant section and matching the low compliant section.

10. A system, comprising:

an ophthalmic surgical console;

a handpiece coupled to the surgical console by an aspiration tubing and an irrigation tubing;

wherein the aspiration tubing, comprises;

a high compliant section configured to couple to the ophthalmic handpiece;

a low compliant section configured to couple to the ophthalmic surgical console, wherein the low compliant section has a different geometry than the high compliant section, wherein the different geometry gives the low compliant section a lower compliance than the high compliant section; and

a transition section coupling the high compliant section to the low compliant section such that fluid can travel through the transition section from the high compliant section and into the low compliant section;

wherein the transition section comprises a length of tubing that is continuous with the high compliant section and the low compliant section;

wherein an end of the transition section adjacent the high compliant section matches the geometry of the high compliant section and wherein an opposing end of the transition section that is adjacent the low compliant section matches the geometry of the low compliant section;

wherein the transition section gradually changes geometry along the length of the transition section between matching the end adjacent the high compliant section and matching the opposing end adjacent the low compliant section.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the high compliant section has a lower durometer than the low compliant section and wherein a durometer of the transition section gradually changes over the length of the transition section between matching the high compliant section and matching the low compliant section.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the high compliant section of the aspiration tubing further comprises at least one of ribs, rings, a spine, a sleeve, or a sock to decrease compliance of the high compliant section.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the high compliant section of the aspiration tubing has a durometer approximately in a range of 50 ShoreA to 70 ShoreA.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the low compliant section of the aspiration tubing has a durometer approximately in 80 ShoreA to 100 ShoreA.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the high compliant section of the aspiration tubing has a length approximately in a range of 1 to 2 inches.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein the low compliant section of the aspiration tubing has a length approximately in a range of 50 to 90 inches.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein a geometry of the high compliant section has a higher compliance than the geometry of the low compliant section and wherein an internal geometry of the transition section gradually changes over the length of the transition section between matching the high compliant section and matching the low compliant section.