Method of ultrasonic cryogenic cataract removal
AssigneeUltrasonic Systems, Inc.
InventorJohn P. Shock
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Ultrasonic and cryogenic instrumentation for the removal of unwanted tissue material from an animal, such as a human, and more particularly, adapted for the removal of cataracts, in surgical operations. The ultrasonic and cryogenic instrumentation include hand-held instruments with the cryogenic instrumentation adapted to first freeze the cataract lens and after the cataract lens has unfrozen the ultrasonic instrumentation is adapted by a vibrating tool to reduce the volume of the cataract and thereafter, through the simultaneous introduction of a fluid and creating a flow, the cataract mass exits through the incision around the vibrating tool until all of the unwanted tissue forming the cataract lens is removed.
Claims59
The method of removing a mass of unwanted tissue from an enclosed area in an animal with a tool member having an output edge, comprising the steps of:
- A. forming an incision in an area proximate to the mass of unwanted tissue,
- B. freezing the mass of unwanted tissue,
- C. defrosting the mass of unwanted tissue,
- D. reducing the size of the mass in its enclosed area by engaging the output edge of the tool member against the mass and ultrasonically vibrating the output edge, and
- E. removing the reduced mass from the incision.
The method of removing a mass of unwanted tissue from an enclosed area in an animal with a tool member having an output edge, comprising the steps of:
- A. forming an incision in an area proximate to the mass of unwanted tissue,
- B. freezing the mass of unwanted tissue by means of:
- 1. forming an aperture within said mass,
- 2. inserting in said aperture a cryogenic probe,
- 3. retaining said cryogenic probe within said aperture for a period of time,
- 4. maintaining the temperature of said cryogenic probe in a temperature range to effect a freezing of said mass, and
- 5. thereafter removing said cryogenic probe from said mass,
- C. defrosting the mass of unwanted tissue,
- D. increasing the length of the incision,
- E. reducing the size of the mass in its enclosed area by engaging the output edge of the tool member against the mass and ultrasonically vibrating the output edge,
- F. supplying a fluid to the area adjacent the vibrating tool member, and
- G. removing the reduced mass from the incision.
The method of removing a cataract mass of tissue from its enclosed area in the eye, comprising the steps of:
- A. forming an incision on the eye in order to gain access to said cataract,
- B. freezing said cataract,
- C. defrosting said cataract,
- D. inserting a tool member having an output edge through the incision,
- E. engaging the output edge of said tool member with the surface of said cataract,
- F. supplying a fluid to the area adjacent the output edge of said tool member,
- G. reducing the size of the cataract in its enclosed area by:
- 1. vibrating the tool member to provide peak accelerations of at least 1,000g, to transmit said vibrations to the tissue of the cataract in engagement therewith,
- 2. moving said vibrating tool member relative to said cataract to form an aperture in said cataract to reduce the volume thereof,
- 3. retracting said vibrating tool member from the aperture formed within said cataract, and
- H. removing said cataract from the incision.
The method of removing a cataract mass of tissue from the eye, comprising the steps of:
- A. forming an incision on the eye in order to gain access to said cataract tissue,
- B. freezing said cataract mass,
- C. defrosting said cataract mass,
- D. inserting a tool member having an output edge through the incision,
- E. engaging the output edge of said tool member with the surface of said cataract,
- F. supplying a fluid through said tool member adjacent said cataract,
- G. vibrating the tool member to provide peak accelerations of at least 1,000g to transmit said vibrations to the tissue of said cataract in engagement therewith,
- H. moving said vibrating tool member relative to said cataract to form an aperture in said cataract,
- I. retracting said vibrating tool member from the aperture formed within said cataract,
- J. rotating said cataract to expose another portion of said cataract,
- K. reinserting said vibrating tool member into said cataract to form another aperture therein, until a plurality of masses are formed, and
- L. progressively reducing the size of the respective masses by contacting the output edge of the tool member thereagainst and energizing said vibratory tip to further reduce the size thereof so as to permit said mass to exit from the incision.
The method of softening the lens of the eye prior to removing same therefrom with ultrasonic energy, comprising the steps of:
- A. freezing the lens of the eye, and
- B. defrosting the lens of the eye.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.