Alcon Laboratories, Inc.

Allon Laboratories, Inc.

Donald A Parker

Wayne W Rogers

Carl C Wang

There is disclosed herein a system for providing control of multiple functions needed to perform eye surgery. A microprocessor based system controls a pneumatic system for driving pneumatic scissors in either a variable frequency, multicut mode or a proportional cut mode where the cutting pressure is proportional to the position of a foot operated position sensor.

Handpiece drive apparatus for powered surgical scissors

There is disclosed herein a system for providing control of multiple functions needed to perform eye surgery. A microprocessor based system controls a vacuum generation system using venturis and linear valves and a pneumatic system for driving vitrectomy probes and pneumatic scissors in either a variable frequency, multicut mode or a proportional cut mode where the cutting pressure is proportional to the position of a foot operated position sensor.

Method of providing pneumatic drive for closing a scissors

There is disclosed a receptacle for a plug on the end of a fiber optic light guide probe used for projecting light into an area in which a surgeon is operating, said receptacle serving to prevent heat transfer from light source to the plug of said probe. A shoulder in the bore of the receptacle engages another shoulder on the plug with minimal area of contact to minimize the area of potential heat transfer. The dimensions of the central bore of the receptacle relative to the plug are such that an air gap exists all around the plug when inserted in the receptacle. The plug is provided with an insulating sleeve behind the plug shoulder, and this sleeve is mechanically supported by a Delrin plate and insert which give the system mechanical support and which minimizes heat transfer between the mechanical support of the receptacle and the plug because of the poor heat conductivity of plastic. There is also disclosed a light concentrator comprised of a parabolic mirror which concentrates light from an input cone entering an input aperture of the mirror into a smaller output aperture of the mirror in which the tip of a fiber optic bundle resides.

Optical system for powered surgical instrument system

A system 10 for proportional control of a pneumatic cutting device 13 includes a linear solenoid valve 11 having a flow rate therethrough proportional to the current passing through the solenoid 32. The linear solenoid valve 11 is actuated by a selectively varied electrical signal generated by a power supply 18 and controlled by a potentiometer 14 which is itself operated by a pedal foot controller 16. Regulated fluid pressure is fed through the linear soleoid valve 11 to a pneumatic cutting device 13 such as an intraocular microscissors which closes increasingly as the applied pressure increases. The linear solenoid valve 11 includes a flow path which is variably constricted or closed by a valve member 36, and a solenoid 32 which is arranged to pull the valve member 36 to open the flow path. An elastic member 35 is disposed to resiliently bias the valve member to the closed position; the linear restoring force of the elastic member provides a generally linear relationship between the fluid flow-through rate and the current through the solenoid 32, and a proportional relationship between the control pedal position and closure of the cutting device.

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Berkeley, CA, United States of America

Donald A Parker