Flexible/expandable phacoemulsification tip
OwnerWilliam F. Wileyinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A phacoemulsification cutting tip, including a rigid tubular portion and a flexible and expandable tip portion located distal to the rigid tubular portion. The flexible and expandable tip portion presents an axial length and an unexpanded radius and is formed such that the axial length shortens while the unexpanded radius increases when differential pressure due to an occlusion of an opening of the flexible tip portion exists.
Claims19
A phacoemulsification cutting tip, comprising:
- a rigid tubular portion and a flexible and expandable tip portion located distal to the rigid tubular portion;
- the flexible and expandable tip portion defining a distal opening at a distal end thereof;
- and
- the flexible and expandable tip portion presenting an axial length and an unexpanded radius and being shiftable between the extended axial length and the unexpanded radius and a shortened axial length and expanded radius when subject to differential pressure due to an occlusion of the distal opening;
- whereby aspiration of crystalline lens fragments is facilitated.
A method of mitigating surges of flow into and through an aspiration channel during a phacoemulsification process, the method comprising:
- utilizing a phacoemulsification cutting tip having a flexible and expandable tip portion;
- making contact between the flexible and expandable tip portion and a crystalline lens of the eye or fragments of the crystalline lens of the eye;
- and
- utilizing an aspiration flow and negative pressure that facilitates radial expansion of the flexible and expandable tip portion upon blockage of an opening of the flexible and expandable tip portion by the fragments of the crystalline lens of the eye.
A method of phacoemulsification, comprising:
- contacting a crystalline lens of an eye with a phacoemulsification tip having a distal expandable portion and a proximal rigid portion;
- and
- increasing a radius of the expandable portion while shortening and axial length of the expandable portion under negative pressure upon a blockage of an opening of the distal expandable portion;
- whereby aspiration of crystalline lens fragments is facilitated.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.