Selectively moveable valve elements for aspiration and irrigation circuits

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9561321-B2
Application number	US-201213685860-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 27, 2012
Priority date	Dec 8, 2011
Publication date	Feb 7, 2017
Grant date	Feb 7, 2017

Abstract

Various arrangements of fluidics systems are disclosed. In one arrangement, an aspiration circuit for a fluidics system is disclosed that selectively controls aspiration. The aspiration circuit comprises an aspiration line operatively connected to a surgical instrument, an aspiration exhaust line operatively connected to a waste receptacle; an aspiration vent line connected at a first end to the aspiration line; and a selectively variable vent valve operatively connected to the aspiration vent line. The variable vent valve may be selectively moved to vary aspiration pressure within the aspiration line. Other fluidics systems are disclosed that include a selectively positionable irrigation valve that may also be incorporated into a fluidics system that includes a variable vent valve.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An aspiration circuit for a fluidics system for selectively controlling aspiration, comprising:
an aspiration line operatively connected to a surgical instrument;
an aspiration pump to create an aspiration flow in the aspiration line;
an aspiration exhaust line operatively connected to the aspiration pump on one end and to a waste receptacle on an opposing end;
an aspiration vent line connected at a first end to the aspiration line between the aspiration pump and the surgical instrument; and
a selectively variable vent valve operatively connected to the aspiration vent line, wherein the variable vent valve may be selectively moved to selectively change aspiration pressure within the aspiration line;
wherein the vent valve is a rotary valve that further comprises an input opening, an output opening and a channel that connects the input opening to the output opening;
wherein the vent valve may be selectively rotated to selectively position the channel in at least partial communication with the aspiration vent line.

2. The aspiration circuit of claim 1 , wherein the aspiration vent line is connected at a second end to the aspiration exhaust line to form a bypass around the aspiration pump.

3. The aspiration circuit of claim 1 , wherein the aspiration vent line is connected at a second end to atmosphere.

4. The aspiration circuit of claim 1 , wherein the aspiration vent line is connected at a second end to a vent pressure source of pressurized fluid or saline.

5. The aspiration circuit of claim 1 , wherein the aspiration vent line is connected at a second end to an irrigation line.

6. The aspiration circuit of claim 1 , further comprising:
a pressure sensor and an actuator, the pressure sensor being operatively connected to the aspiration line and the actuator being operatively connected to the vent valve,
wherein the pressure sensor and the actuator are connected to a controller, and
wherein the controller is operative to initiate the actuator to move the vent valve in response to predetermined pressure values detected by the pressure sensor to vary the aspiration pressure within the aspiration line.

7. The aspiration circuit of claim 6 , wherein the actuator is a motor.

8. The aspiration circuit of claim 1 , wherein the variable vent valve is operatively connected to an irrigation line such that the variable vent valve may be selectively moved so as to selectively interrupt fluid flow in the irrigation line and to selectively vary aspiration pressure within the aspiration line.

9. The aspiration circuit of claim 8 , wherein the variable vent valve is configured with first and second flow paths formed therein, wherein the first flow path may be selectively, and at least partially, aligned with an irrigation supply line and the irrigation line to open the irrigation line to an irrigation supply source, and wherein the second flow path may be selectively, and at least partially, aligned with the aspiration line and the aspiration exhaust line to selectively vary the aspiration pressure within the aspiration line.

10. The aspiration circuit of claim 1 , wherein the vent valve is operably connected to an actuator having an angular position encoder.

11. The aspiration circuit of claim 10 , wherein the actuator is configured to move the vent valve to provide a variable orifice size to selectively modulate aspiration within the aspiration line.

12. The aspiration circuit of claim 6 , wherein the controller is operative to move the vent valve by a predetermined amount to reduce the aspiration pressure in the aspiration line wherein a predetermined pressure value is detected.

13. The aspiration circuit of claim 1 , wherein the aspiration pump comprises a series of rollers acting upon an elastomeric sheet defining part of the aspiration line.

14. The aspiration circuit of claim 1 , further comprising:
an irrigation line operatively connected to the surgical instrument;
an irrigation pressure sensor and an actuator, the irrigation pressure sensor being positioned to detect irrigation pressure in the irrigation line and the actuator being operatively connected to the vent valve,
wherein the irrigation pressure sensor and the actuator are connected to a controller, and
wherein the controller is operative to initiate the actuator to move the vent valve in response to pressure detected by the irrigation pressure sensor to vary the aspiration pressure within the aspiration line.

15. The aspiration circuit of claim 14 , wherein the irrigation pressure sensor is located in the surgical instrument.

16. The aspiration circuit of claim 15 , wherein the surgical instrument is a surgical handpiece.

17. The aspiration circuit of claim 14 ,
wherein the irrigation line provides irrigation fluid to the surgical instrument from an irrigation source; and
wherein the irrigation pressure sensor is located in the irrigation line between the irrigation source and the surgical instrument.

18. The aspiration circuit of claim 14 ,
wherein the controller, using information from the irrigation pressure sensor, is configured to detect an occlusion break onset, and
wherein the controller is configured to minimize the occlusion break onset by initiating the actuator to move the vent valve.

19. The aspiration circuit of claim 6 ,
wherein the controller, using information from the pressure sensor operatively connected to the aspiration line, is configured to detect an occlusion break onset, and
wherein the controller is configured to minimize the occlusion break onset by initiating the actuator to move the vent valve.

Assignees

• Alcon Res Ltd

Inventors

• Sorensen Gary P
• Morgan Michael D
• Oliveira Mel Matthew

Classifications

• A61M2205/128

  with incorporated valves · CPC title

• A61M2210/0612

  Eyes · CPC title

• A61B2217/005

  with suction drainage system · CPC title

• A61B2217/007

  with irrigation system · 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