Automatically switching different aspiration levels and/or pumps to an ocular probe

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9566188-B2
Application number	US-61409309-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 6, 2009
Priority date	Nov 7, 2008
Publication date	Feb 14, 2017
Grant date	Feb 14, 2017

Abstract

Methods and apparatuses for automatically switching different aspiration levels to an ocular probe are disclosed herein. The probe may be a phacoemulsification probe. A first aspiration level, supplied by a first pump, may be applied to the probe simultaneously with ultrasonic energy. A second aspiration level, supplied by a second pump, may be automatically switched from the first aspiration level. Control feed back of the pumps may be varied according to set thresholds.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for applying aspiration to a probe, the method comprising:
applying a base vacuum level from a first pump to the probe to achieve a base level flow-rate;
applying a secondary vacuum level from a second pump to the probe to achieve an additive level flow-rate, wherein the additive level flow-rate is additional to the base level flow-rate;
increasing an irrigation flow-rate to match the additive level flow-rate;
decreasing the additive flow-rate to match the irrigation flow-rate on a condition that the irrigation flow-rate exceeds a maximum irrigation rate; and
detecting that the probe is at least partially occluded based on a measured change in pressure in the second pump.

2. The method of claim 1 , additionally comprising applying ultrasonic energy to the probe when the probe is occluded.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method is computer implemented.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first pump comprises a flow based pump and the second pump comprises a vacuum based pump.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the vacuum based pump comprises a venturi pump.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein the flow based pump comprises a peristaltic pump.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein said detecting that the probe is at least partially occluded causes a change in an ultrasonic energy delivered to the probe.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising switching the first pump off to allow aspiration to be performed by the second pump.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the applying the secondary vacuum level from the second pump to the probe occurs when the first pump is operating at its maximum aspiration level.

10. A method for removing material from an eye, comprising:
generating a base level aspiration flow to a probe by applying a base aspiration pressure differential using a pressure pump to an aspiration flow pathway from the eye;
generating an additive level flow to the probe, during the base level flow, by ramping-up the additive level flow with a volumetric pump;
increasing an irrigation flow to match the additive level flow;
decreasing the additive flow to match the irrigation flow on a condition that the irrigation flow exceeds a maximum irrigation rate; and
detecting an occlusion of the aspiration flow pathway based upon a measured pressure differential above the base pressure differential generated by the pressure pump.

11. The method of claim 10 , additionally comprising applying ultrasonic energy to a probe device when the probe is occluded.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the pressure pump comprises a venturi pump and the volumetric pump comprises a peristaltic pump.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein said detecting causes a change in an ultrasonic energy delivered to the probe.

14. The method of claim 10 , further comprising switching the pressure pump off to allow aspiration to be performed by the volumetric pump.

15. The method of claim 10 , wherein the generating the additive level flow to the probe occurs when the pressure pump is operating at its maximum aspiration level.

Assignees

• Raney Rob
• Claus Michael J
• Gerg James
• Wong Wayne S
• King David A
• Staggs James W
• Lee Fred
• Abbott Medical Optics Inc

Inventors

• Raney Rob
• Claus Michael J
• Gerg James
• Wong Wayne S
• King David A
• Staggs James W
• Lee Fred

Classifications

• A61M2205/3331

  Pressure; Flow · CPC title

• A61M2210/0618

  Nose · CPC title

• A61M2210/0612

  Eyes · CPC title

• A61F9/00736

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

• A61F9/00754

  for cutting or perforating the anterior lens capsule, e.g. capsulotomes · CPC title