Fluid flow control system and connecting fitting therefor

A fluid control apparatus for use with a surgical irrigation and aspiration instrument adapted for irrigation and aspiration of a surgical site located in a small elastic chamber, said fluid control apparatus including an aspiration fluid conduit for conducting fluid away from the surgical site, a suction pump for providing suction in said aspiration fluid conduit, a pressure relief fluid conduit for releasing fluid into said aspiration fluid conduit, and a transducer in fluid communication with said aspiration fluid conduit and operatively connected to said suction pump, wherein the improvement comprises a connection fitting comprising:

• a first tubular fluid conduit having a fluid connection at a first end connectable to said suction pump and a fluid connection fitting at a second end connectable to said aspiration fluid conduit,
• a second tubular fluid conduit having one end in fluid communication with said first tubular fluid conduit,and another end connectable to said pressure relief fluid conduit,
• said second tubular fluid conduit being arranged substantially at right angles to said first tubular fluid conduit,
• a third tubular fluid conduit having one end in fluid communication with said second tubular fluid conduit,and another end connectable to said pressure relief fluid conduit, and
• said third tubular fluid conduit being arranged generally at right angles to said second tubular fluid conduit and generally parallel to said first tubular fluid conduit.

A fluid control apparatus for use with a surgical irrigation and aspiration instrument adapted for irrigation and aspiration of a surgical site located in a small elastic chamber, said fluid control apparatus comprising:

• an irrigation fluid conduit mans for conducting irrigation liquid from a source of irrigation liquid to the surgical site,
• an aspiration fluid conduit means for removing fluid from the surgical site,
• a suction means in fluid communication with said aspiration fluid conduit means for providing suction in said aspiration fluid conduit means,
• a liquid pressure equalizing means for admitting irrigation liquid from the source of irrigation liquid to said aspiration fluid conduit means when a blockage occurs therein to vent the vacuum therein, and
• a preventing means for preventing at least some of the irrigation liquid from flowing in said irrigation fluid conduit means generally away from the surgical site when said liquid pressure equalizing means is admitting the irrigation liquid into said aspiration fluid conduit means.

A fluid controlled apparatus for use with a surgical irrigation and aspiration instrument adapted for irrigation and aspiration of a surgical site located in a small elastic chamber, said fluid control apparatus comprising:

• an irrigation fluid conduit means for conducting irrigation fluid from a source of irrigation fluid to the surgical site,
• an aspiration fluid conduit means for removing fluid from the surgical site,
• a pump means for providing suction in said aspiration fluid conduit means, and
• a transducer releasing means for releasing the pressure in said aspiration fluid conduit means to equilibrium, at the first indication of an occlusion of said aspiration fluid conduit means, by causing the introduction of venting liquid having the same pressure as that of the irrigation fluid in said irrigation fluid conduit means into said aspiration fluid conduit means.

For a fluid control apparatus for use with a surgical irrigation and aspiration instrument adapted for irrigation and aspiration of a surgical site located in a small elastic chamber, the fluid control apparatus including an aspiration fluid conduit for conducting fluid away from the surgical site, a suction pump for providing suction in the aspiration fluid conduit, a pressure relief fluid conduit for releasing fluid into the aspiration fluid conduit, and a transducer in fluid communication with the aspiration fluid conduit and operatively connected to the suction pump, a connection fitting comprising:

• a first tubular fluid conduit having a fluid connection at a first end operatively connectable to the suction pump and a fluid connection fitting at a second end operatively connectable to the aspiration fluid conduit,
• a second tubular fluid conduit having one end in fluid communication with said first tubular fluid conduit, and another end operatively connectable to the pressure relief fluid conduit,
• said second tubular fluid conduit being arranged substantially at right angles to said first tubular fluid conduit,
• a third tubular fluid conduit having one end in fluid communication with said second tubular fluid conduit, and another end operatively connectable to the pressure relief fluid conduit, and
• said third tubular fluid conduit being arranged generally at right angles to said second tubular fluid conduit and generally parallel to said first tubular fluid conduit,

A fluid controlled apparatus for use with a surgical irrigation and aspiration instrument adapted for irrigation and aspiration of a surgical site located in a small elastic chamber, said fluid control apparatus comprising:

• an irrigation fluid conduit means for conducting irrigation fluid from a source of irrigation fluid to the surgical site,
• an aspiration fluid conduit means for removing fluid from the surgical site,
• a pump means for providing suction in said aspiration fluid conduit means,
• a releasing means for releasing the pressure in said aspiration fluid conduit means to equilibruim, at the first indication of an occlusion of said aspiration fluid conduit means, by using a venting liquid having the same pressure as that of the irrigation fluid in said irrigation fluid conduit means, and
• said releasing means including a transducer in communication with said aspiration fluid conduit means and operatively associated with said pump means, and a bacteria-retentive filter means for filtering the fluid flowing to said transducer.

A fluid control apparatus for use with a surgical irrigation and aspiration instrument adapted for irrigation and aspiration of a surgical site located in a small elastic chamber, said fluid control apparatus comprising:

• an irrigation fluid conduit for conducting irrigation fluid from a source of irrigation fluid to the surgical site,
• an aspiration fluid conduit means for removing fluid from the surgical site,
• a suction means in fluid communication with said aspiration fluid conduit mans for providing suction in said aspiration fluid conduit means,
• a liquid pressure equalizing means for admitting irrigation liquid from the source of irrigation fluid to said aspiration fluid conduit means when a blockage occurs therein to vent the vacuum therein,
• said liquid pressure equalizing means includes a pressure equalizing conduit providing communication for the irrigation fluid from said irrigation fluid conduit means to said aspiration fluid conduit means,
• said pressure equalizing conduit connects directly to said irrigation fluid conduit means so that the irrigation liquid can flow through at least a portion of said irrigation fluid conduit means to said aspiration fluid conduit means.

A fluid control apparatus for use with a surgical irrigation and aspiration instrument adapted for irrigation and aspiration of a surgical site located in a small elastic chamber, said fluid control apparatus comprising:

• an irrigation fluid conduit means for conducting irrigation fluid from a source of irrigation fluid to the surgical site,
• an aspiration fluid conduit means for removing fluid from the surgical site,
• a controllable pump means in fluid communication with said aspiration fluid conduit for providing suction in said aspiration fluid conduit means,
• a pressure sensitive transducer means communicating with said aspiration fluid conduit means for generating a pump control signal for said controllable pump means proportional to the vacuum in said aspiration fluid conduit induced by said pump means,
• said transducer senses a vacuum rise in said aspiration fluid conduit means, and
• said pump control signal causes said controllable pump means to quickly shut off when the vacuum in said aspiration fluid conduit means exceeds a predetermined value.