Coopervision, Inc.

Nestle S.a.

Other

Alcon Laboratories, Inc.

Alcon Surgical, Inc.

Stephen W Haines

Dennis L Steppe

Mark E Steen

James R Dennewill

Peter D Casica

Stephen R Marshall

Peter Wypych

Hardy A Feierabend

Robert C Swanland

Cutting tip wrench

An irrigating sleeve for use in combination with the cutting tip of a phacoemulsification handpiece containing a base having a nose and a hollow interior; a tube connected to the base at the nose having an interior surface, an open end opposite the nose and a longitudinal bore to receive the cutting tip in communication with the hollow interior of the base; and a rough texture comprised of random bumps and pits on the interior surface of the tube for reducing the amount of surface contact between the cutting tip and the interior surface of the tube during tube compression and for bathing the cutting tip continuously in a lubricant.

Textured irrigating sleeve

An improved irrigation fluid conduit for use with a coaxial surgical irrigator-aspirator for ophthalmic surgery. The conduit includes a hollow body adapted for attachment to the surgical irrigator-aspirator and a thin-walled tubular sleeve extending from the hollow body to surround the aspiration conduit of the instrument. The body and sleeve are homogeneously molded from polypropylene, which permits a rigid thin wall sleeve having a wall thickness not greater than 0.006 inches and a length-to-wall thickness ratio of more than two, and which is transparent when immersed in the aqueous humor of the eye for increased visibility by the surgeon of the adjacent tissues.

Rigid transparent fluid conduit for ophthalmic surgical irrigation

A fluid flow control apparatus specially adapted for use with an ultrasonic surgical tool which provides for irrigation of a surgical site and for aspirating fluid from the site comprises a source of irrigation fluid, comprises an irrigation fluid conduit for conducting the irrigation fluid to a surgical site, an aspiration fluid conduit for conducting fluid away from the surgical site, a suction pump connected to the aspiration fluid conduit for aspirating fluid from the surgical site, a pressure-sensitive control system for removing the source of suction from the aspiration conduit when a predetermined value of suction is exceeded, and a valve for controllably admitting irrigation fluid into the aspiration fluid conduit. A check valve in the irrigation conduit prevents a reverse surge when the irrigation fluid is admitted to the aspiration conduit.

Opthalmic fluid flow control system

A fluid flow control apparatus specially adapted for use with an ultrasonic surgical tool which provides for irrigation of a surgical site and for aspirating fluid from the site comprises a source of irrigation fluid, comprises an irrigation fluid conduit or conducting the irrigation fluid to a surgical site, an aspiration fluid conduit for conducting fluid away from the surgical site, a suction pump connected to the aspiration fluid conduit for aspirating fluid from the surgical site, a pressure-sensitive control system for removing the source of suction from the aspiration conduit when a predetermined value of suction is exceeded, and a valve for controllably admitting irrigation fluid into the aspiration fluid conduit. A check valve in the irrigation conduit prevents a reverse surge when the irrigation fluid is admitted to the aspiration conduit.

Fluid flow control system and connecting fitting therefor

An improved irrigation fluid conduit for use with a coaxial surgical irrigator-aspirator for ophthalmic surgery comprises a hollow body adapted for attachment to the surgical irrigator-aspirator and a thin-walled tubular sleeve extending from the hollow body to surround the aspiration conduit of the instrument. The body and sleeve are homogeneously molded from polypropylene, which permits a rigid thin wall sleeve having a wall thickness not greater than 0.006 inches and which is transparent for increased visibility of the adjacent tissues.

Rigid, transparent fluid conduit for surgical irrigation

A fluid coupling has a male member having a generally rigid base and an attached, relatively resilient face with a first fluid flow path opening from the resilient face. A female member of the coupling has a generally cylindrical receptacle with an opening for admitting the male member and a second fluid flow path for communication with the first fluid flow path in the male member when the male member is inserted into and rotated in the receptacle. The male and female members have cooperating cam surfaces opposite the opening into the fluid flow path in the member for urging the members together with a force directed at the opening. The force compresses the resilient face of the male member against the receptacle to seal the fluid flow paths about the openings. The preferred embodiment is a T coupling in which the male member has a third fluid flow path extending through it and in communication with the first fluid flow path. The third fluid flow path is preferably eccentric of the cross section of the male member to aid and show the rotation of the male member in the receptacle. The male member also preferably has further cam surfaces tapered in the direction of the rotation in the receptacle for aligning the male member in the receptacle.

Growing community of inventors

Santa Ana, CA, United States of America

Stephen W Haines