Retractable backflush instrument

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11433174-B2
Application number	US-201916709681-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 10, 2019
Priority date	Dec 12, 2018
Publication date	Sep 6, 2022
Grant date	Sep 6, 2022

Abstract

Certain embodiments provide a surgical instrument comprising a hand-piece, an outer tube having a proximal end coupled to a distal end of the hand-piece, an inner tube housed within the outer tube and having a distal end coupled to a soft tip and a proximal end coupled to an actuator, and a valve housed inside the hand-piece and coupled to the proximal end of the actuator. Retraction of the actuator is configured to compress the valve and retract the soft tip into a distal end of the outer tube, such that the soft tip at least partially extends beyond the distal end of the outer tube when the valve is in an uncompressed state and at least partially retracts into the distal end of the outer tube when the valve is a compressed state.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A surgical instrument, comprising:
a hand-piece;
an outer tube having a proximal end coupled to a distal end of the hand-piece;
an inner tube housed within the outer tube and having a distal end coupled to a soft tip and a proximal end coupled to an actuator; and
a valve comprising an exterior hole housed inside the hand-piece and coupled to the proximal end of the actuator;
wherein retraction of the actuator is configured to compress the valve; and
wherein the soft tip at least partially extends beyond a distal end of the outer tube when the valve is in an uncompressed state and at least partially retracts into the distal end of the outer tube when the valve is in a compressed state.

2. The surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein the surgical instrument comprises a backflush instrument.

3. The surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein the actuator comprises:
a cylindrical insert configured to be inserted into a distal end of the valve; and
a cylindrical element configured to house the proximal end of the inner tube.

4. The surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein the valve is accordion shaped.

5. The surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein the actuator comprises plastic material.

6. The surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein the hand-piece comprises a cap for housing the actuator at the distal end of the hand-piece.

7. The surgical instrument of claim 6 , wherein the cap comprises a hollow channel through which the actuator is able to retract.

8. The surgical instrument of claim 7 , wherein the actuator partially extends outside of the hollow channel to allow hand manipulation for retracting and releasing the actuator.

Assignees

• Alcon Inc

Inventors

• Grueebler Reto
• Linsi Thomas
• Schaller Philipp

Classifications

• A61M1/85

  with gas or fluid supply means, e.g. for supplying rinsing fluids or anticoagulants (for negative pressure wound therapy A61M1/92, A61M1/94; combined with tracheal tubes A61M16/0463; dental instruments with combined rinsing and aspirating A61C17/0208) · CPC title

• A61M39/225

  Flush valves, i.e. bypass valves for flushing line · CPC title

• A61M1/76 Primary

  Handpieces (specially for suction-irrigation A61M1/774, aspiration tips A61M1/84) · CPC title

• A61F9/00736 Primary

  Instruments for removal of intra-ocular material or intra-ocular injection, e.g. cataract instruments (A61F9/008 takes precedence) · CPC title