Method and System For Evaluating Performance of Phacoemulsification Systems

A method for evaluating a clinical index during a phacoemulsification operation performed on a patient, comprising:

• providing a phacoemulsification system and at least one sensor coupled with the phacoemulsification system, for sensing an IOP within an eye of the patient;
• obtaining a first sequence of values from the at least one sensor, the first sequence of values indicating an IOP measure at a first plurality of points in time during the phacoemulsification operation;
• obtaining a second sequence of values, each value from the second sequence of values indicating energy emitted by an ultrasonic transducer at a second plurality of points in time during the phacoemulsification operation;
• obtaining a third sequence of values, each value from the third sequence of values indicating a flow of balanced salt solution (B) irrigated into an eye of the patient at a third plurality of points in time during the phacoemulsification operation;
• assessing the clinical index based on a following formula:
• a
• ⁢
• ∫
• t
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• e
• ❘
• "\[LeftBracketingBar]"
• IOP
• ⁡
• (
• t
• )
• -
• target
• ⁢
• _
• ⁢
• IOP
• ❘
• "\[RightBracketingBar]"
• ⁢
• dt
• +
• b
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• ∫
• t
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• E
• ⁡
• (
• t
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• dt
• +
• c
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• t
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• B
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• (
• t
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• dt
• or
• a
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• ∫
• t
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• e
• max
• (
• 0
• ,
• IOP
• ⁡
• (
• t
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• -
• target
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• IOP
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• dt
• +
• b
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• t
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• E
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• (
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• wherein
• a, b, and c are predetermined numerical weights, wherein c may or may not be equal to either a or b,
• t is time from the beginning of the medical procedure,
• IOP(t) is a value of the first sequence at time t,
• target_IOP is an IOP value desired to be maintained during the medical procedure,
• E(t) is value of the second sequence at time t, and
• B(t) is value of the third sequence at time t, and
• providing to a user of the phacoemulsification system an indication of the clinical index.

An ophthalmic surgical system, comprising:

• a phacoemulsification probe for performing a phacoemulsification operation, the phacoemulsification probe having a needle at its distal end, the needle configured to be inserted into an eye of a patient;
• a pressure sensor;
• and
• a processor, configured to repeatedly:
• obtain a first sequence of measured values, the first sequence of values indicating a measurement taken by the at least one sensor during the phacoemulsification operation;
• assess the clinical index based at least on a function of the sequence of measured values, the function involving a deviation from a threshold;
• and
• provide to a user of the medical system an indication of the clinical index to the patient.

A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable medium retaining program instructions, which instructions when read by a processor, cause the processor to perform:

• providing a medical system and at least one sensor coupled with the medical system for sensing a parameter within a body of the patient;
• obtaining a first sequence of measured values, the first sequence of values indicating measurements taken by the at least one sensor at a plurality of points in time during the medical procedure;
• assessing the clinical index based at least on a function of the first sequence of measured values, the function involving a deviation of each value of the first sequence of measured values from a threshold;
• and
• providing to a user of the medical system an indication of the clinical index.