Alcon Research, Ltd.

Alcon, Inc.

Roderick S Van

Shawn X Gao

Raphael Gordon

Vincent A Baxter

Ivan Milutinovic

Systems and methods are disclosed for measuring fluid pressure in an ophthalmic surgical system. An example system comprises a fluid flow path and a pressure sensor system for measuring pressure in the fluid flow path. The pressure sensor system comprises a conductive, movable diaphragm having a first side and a second side, the first side of the diaphragm facing the fluid flow path, and an eddy current position sensor positioned on the second side of the diaphragm without contacting the diaphragm. The eddy current position sensor comprises a position sensor coil activatable by high frequency alternating current and signal conditioning electronics capable of sensing inductance or impedance or resonant frequency variation in the position sensor coil as a gap between the diaphragm and the position sensor coil changes and of translating that variation into a displacement signal correlated to fluid pressure. A method of measuring fluid pressure may be performed using one or more of the systems described herein.

Ophthalmic fluidics system with eddy current pressure sensor

The present disclosure relates in general to an apparatus and method for priming a liquid or surgical cassette. In one embodiment, an infusion system within the liquid cassette is primed using a forward flow of a liquid and a backward flow of the liquid. The forward flow of the liquid creates a first volume of liquid stored within an infusion conduit, which is connected to an infusion chamber via a first valve. The infusion conduit has an infusion port exposed to a non-liquid environment having a first pressure. A second pressure is created in the infusion chamber that is lower than the first pressure. Opening the first valve causes a second volume of liquid within the infusion conduit to flow over the first valve and towards the infusion chamber. The second volume of liquid is less than or equal to the first volume of liquid.

System and method of priming a surgical cassette

Embodiments of this disclosure provide an apparatus and method for gas and debris management. The apparatus comprises a surgical cassette, wherein the surgical cassette is at least partially formed of a cassette material defining a chamber. The surgical cassette has a floor and a plurality of walls. The apparatus also has a drain conduit with a drain entry and a drain exit. The drain entry is connected to the chamber near the floor. The drain conduit has a top portion and a bottom portion. The apparatus also has an aspiration conduit. The aspiration conduit has an aspiration port and an aspiration exit. The aspiration conduit is in liquid communication with the chamber and the drain conduit. At least a portion of the top portion of the drain conduit is positioned above at least a portion of the aspiration exit.

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Long Beach, CA, United States of America

Roderick S Van