Irrigation tubing set having compliant sections

For use in an irrigation system of the type that regulates the supply of fluid to an endoscopic surgical site, a tubing set comprising:

• an inflow line adapted for supplying fluid to the surgical site, the inflow line being adapted for mounting an inflow cannula in fluid communication with the inflow line to supply fluid to the surgical site, and adapted for connection to a source of fluid in fluid communication with the inflow line so that fluid from the source of fluid can be directed through the inflow cannula;
• an outflow line adapted for draining fluid from the surgical site, the outflow line being adapted for mounting an outflow cannula in fluid communication with the outflow line to drain fluid from the surgical site, the inflow and outflow lines defining a fluid pathway through the surgical site;
• and
• inline compliance means provided in at least one of the inflow and outflow lines for accommodating changes in the rate of fluid flow through the surgical site to reduce variations in fluid pressure in the surgical site, the compliance means including means for increasing the fluid volume within the compliance means in response to increasing fluid pressure within the compliance means;
• the inline compliance means comprising a resilient tubing segment defining a substantial portion of the aforesaid at least one of the inflow and outflow lines, the tubing segment having a generally flattened cross section when not expanded that is resiliently expandable in response to increasing fluid pressure within a range to increase the volume of fluid within the tubing segment and thereby to reduce variations in fluid pressure in the surgical site, the resilient tubing segment having a length within the range of approximately 60-90 centimeters.

For use in an irrigation system of the type that regulates the supply of fluid to an endoscopic surgical site, a tubing set comprising:

• an inflow line adapted for supplying fluid to the surgical site, the inflow line being adapted for mounting an inflow cannula in fluid communication with the inflow line to supply fluid to the surgical site, and adapted for connection to a source of fluid in fluid communication with the inflow line so that fluid from the source of fluid can be directed through the inflow cannula;
• an outflow line adapted for draining fluid from the surgical site, the outflow line being adapted for mounting an outflow cannula in fluid communication with the outflow line to drain fluid from the surgical site, the inflow and outflow lines defining a fluid pathway through the surgical site;
• and
• inline compliance means provided in both of the inflow and outflow lines for accommodating changes in the rate of fluid flow through the surgical site to reduce variations in fluid pressure in the surgical site, the compliance means including means for increasing the fluid volume within the compliance means in response to increasing fluid pressure within the compliance means, the compliance means comprising:
• a first resilient tubing segment defining a portion of the inflow line, the first tubing segment having a generally flattened cross section when not expanded, the cross section of the tubing segment being resiliently expandable in response to increasing fluid pressure within a range to increase the volume of fluid within the tubing segment;
• and
• a second resilient tubing segment defining a portion of the outflow line, the second tubing segment having a cross section that is resiliently expandable in response to increasing fluid pressure within a range to increase the volume of fluid within the second tubing segment.

For use in an irrigation system of the type that regulates the supply of fluid to an endoscopic surgical site, a tubing set comprising:

• an inflow line adapted for supplying fluid to the surgical site, the inflow line being adapted for mounting an inflow cannula in fluid communication with the inflow line to supply fluid to the surgical site, and adapted for connection to a source of fluid in fluid communication with the inflow line so that fluid from the source of fluid can be directed through the inflow cannula;
• an outflow line adapted for draining fluid from the surgical site, the outflow line being adapted for mounting an outflow cannula in fluid communication with the outflow line to drain fluid from the surgical site, the inflow and outflow lines defining a fluid pathway through the surgical site;
• inline compliance means provided in the inflow line for accommodating changes in the rate of fluid flow through the surgical site to reduce variations in fluid pressure in the surgical site, the compliance means including means for increasing the fluid volume within the compliance means in response to increasing fluid pressure within the compliance means, the compliance means comprising a resilient tubing segment defining a portion of the inflow line, the tubing segment having a generally flattened cross section when not expanded, the cross section of the tubing segment being resiliently expandable in response to increasing fluid pressure within a range to increase the volume of fluid within the tubing segment;
• and
• means associated with the tubing set for transmitting information about fluid pressure within the surgical site;
• the inflow line, outflow line and means for transmitting information about fluid pressure within the surgical site being joined along a portion thereof in substantially parallel, non-communicating relationship.

An irrigation system for supplying fluid to an endoscopic surgical site, the system comprising:

• a tubing set comprising:
• an inflow line adapted for supplying fluid to the surgical site, the inflow line being adapted for mounting an inflow cannula in fluid communication with the inflow line to supply fluid to the surgical site, and adapted for connection to a source of fluid in fluid communication with the inflow line so that fluid from the source of fluid can be directed through the inflow cannula;
• an outflow line adapted for draining fluid from the surgical site, the outflow line being adapted for mounting an outflow cannula in fluid communication with the outflow line to drain fluid from the surgical site, the inflow and outflow lines defining a fluid pathway through the surgical site;
• and
• inline compliance means provided in both the inflow and outflow lines for accommodating changes in the rate of fluid flow through the surgical site to reduce variations in fluid pressure in the surgical site, the compliance means including means for increasing the fluid volume within the compliance means in response to increasing fluid pressure within the compliance means, the inline compliance means comprising a resilient tubing segment defining a substantial portion of the aforesaid at least one of the inflow and outflow lines, the tubing segment having a generally flattened cross section when not expanded that is resiliently expandable in response to increasing fluid pressure within a range to increase the volume of fluid within the tubing segment;
• and
• a pump adapted to receive a portion of the inflow line to pump fluid through the inflow line.

An irrigation system for supplying fluid to an endoscopic surgical site, the system comprising:

• a tubing set comprising:
• an inflow line adapted for supplying fluid to the surgical site, the inflow line being adapted for mounting an inflow cannula in fluid communication with the inflow line to supply fluid to the surgical site, and adapted for connection to a source of fluid in fluid communication with the inflow line so that fluid from the source of fluid can be directed through the inflow cannula;
• an outflow line adapted for draining fluid from the surgical site, the outflow line being adapted for mounting an outflow cannula in fluid communication with the outflow line to drain fluid from the surgical site, the inflow and outflow lines defining a fluid pathway through the surgical site;
• and
• inline compliance means provided in at least one of the inflow and outflow lines for accommodating changes in the rate of fluid flow through the surgical site to reduce variations in fluid pressure in the surgical site, the compliance means including means for increasing the fluid volume within the compliance means in response to increasing fluid pressure within the compliance means, the inline compliance means comprising a resilient tubing segment defining a substantial portion of the aforesaid at least one of the inflow and outflow lines, the tubing segment having a generally flattened cross section when not expanded that is resiliently expandable in response to increasing fluid pressure within a range to increase the volume of fluid within the tubing segment, the resilient tubing segment having a length within the range of approximately 60-90 centimeters;
• and
• a pump adapted to receive a portion of the inflow line to pump fluid through the inflow line.

An irrigation system for supplying fluid to an endoscopic surgical site, the system comprising:

• a tubing set comprising:
• an inflow line adapted for supplying fluid to the surgical site, the inflow line being adapted for mounting an inflow cannula in fluid communication with the inflow line to supply fluid to the surgical site, and adapted for connection to a source of fluid in fluid communication with the inflow line so that fluid from the source of fluid can be directed through the inflow cannula;
• an outflow line adapted for draining fluid from the surgical site, the outflow line being adapted for mounting an outflow cannula in fluid communication with the outflow line to drain fluid from the surgical site, the inflow and outflow lines defining a fluid pathway through the surgical site;
• and
• inline compliance means provided in both the inflow and outflow lines for accommodating changes in the rate of fluid flow through the surgical site to reduce variations in fluid pressure in the surgical site, the compliance means including means for increasing the fluid volume within the compliance means in response to increasing fluid pressure within the compliance means;
• and
• a pump adapted to receive a portion of the inflow line to pump fluid through the inflow line;
• the compliance means of the tubing set comprising:
• a first resilient tubing segment defining a portion of the inflow line, the first tubing segment having a generally flattened cross section when not expanded that is resiliently expandable in response to increasing fluid pressure within a range to increase the volume of fluid within the tubing segment;
• and
• a second resilient tubing segment defining a portion of the outflow line, the second tubing segment having a cross section that is resiliently expandable in response to increasing fluid pressure within a range to increase the volume of fluid within the second tubing segment.

A method for irrigating an endoscopic surgical site in a patient with fluid, the method comprising the following steps:

• providing an irrigation system comprising (1) a tubing set comprising (a) an inflow line for supplying fluid to the surgical site, the inflow line being adapted for connection to a source of fluid;
• (b) an outflow line for draining fluid from the surgical site;
• and (c) inline compliance means provided in at least one of the inflow and outflow lines for accommodating changes in the rate of fluid flow through the surgical site to reduce variations in fluid pressure in the surgical site, the compliance means including means for increasing the fluid volume within the line in response to increasing fluid pressure within the compliance means, the compliance means comprising a resilient tubing segment defining a portion of the inflow line, the tubing segment having a cross section that is resiliently expandable in response to increasing fluid pressure within a range to increase the volume of fluid within the tubing segment;
• connecting inflow and outflow cannulae to the inflow and outflow line respectively;
• inserting the inflow and outflow cannulae into the patient to establish a fluid pathway through the surgical site with the tubing set;
• introducing irrigation fluid into the surgical site via the inflow line and cannula;
• draining the irrigation fluid out from the surgical site through the outflow cannula and line;
• allowing the fluid volume to increase within the compliance means in response to increasing fluid pressure within the compliance means, and allowing the fluid volume to decrease within the compliance means in response to decreasing fluid pressure within the compliance means, including the step of allowing the cross section of the resilient tubing segment to expand in response to the increasing fluid pressure within a range of expansion.

For use in an irrigation system of the type that regulates the supply of fluid to an endoscopic surgical site, a tubing set comprising:

• an inflow line adapted for supplying fluid to the surgical site, the inflow line being adapted for mounting an inflow cannula in fluid communication with the inflow line to supply fluid to the surgical site, and adapted for connection to a source of fluid in fluid communication with the inflow line so that fluid from the source of fluid can be directed through the inflow cannula;
• an outflow line adapted for draining fluid from the surgical site, the outflow line being adapted for mounting an outflow cannula in fluid communication with the outflow line to drain fluid from the surgical site, the inflow and outflow lines defining a fluid pathway through the surgical site;
• and
• two resilient-compliant tubing segments defining a substantial portion of each of the inflow and outflow lines, the resilient-compliant tubing segment having a generally flattened cross section when not expanded that is expandable to increase the fluid volume within the tubing segment in response to increasing fluid pressure within the tubing segment, thereby accommodating changes in the rate of fluid flow through the surgical site to reduce variations in fluid pressure in the surgical site.

For use in an irrigation system of the type that regulates the supply of fluid to an endoscopic surgical site, a tubing set comprising:

• an inflow line adapted for supplying fluid to the surgical site, the inflow line being adapted for mounting an inflow cannula in fluid communication with the inflow line to supply fluid to the surgical site, and adapted for connection to a source of fluid in fluid communication with the inflow line so that fluid from the source of fluid can be directed through the inflow cannula;
• an outflow line adapted for draining fluid from the surgical site, the outflow line being adapted for mounting an outflow cannula in fluid communication with the outflow line to drain fluid from the surgical site, the inflow and outflow lines defining a fluid pathway through the surgical site;
• and
• a first resilient-compliant tubing segment in fluid communication with the inflow line for accommodating changes in the rate of fluid flow through the surgical site to reduce variations in fluid pressure in the surgical site, the first resilient-compliant tubing segment having a generally flattened cross section when not expanded that is expandable to increase the fluid volume within the tubing segment in response to increasing fluid pressure within the tubing segment;
• and
• a second resilient-compliant tubing segment in fluid communication with the outflow line, the second tubing segment having a cross section that is resiliently expandable in response to increasing fluid pressure within a range to increase the volume of fluid within the second tubing segment.