Irrigation system with tubing cassette

A tubing set for use in an irrigation system of the type comprising an irrigation pump housing having a cassette-receiving passageway for releaseably receiving a cassette, a race mounted in the housing on one side of the cassette-receiving passageway, pumping means, mounted in the irrigation housing on the other side of the cassette-receiving passageway from the race, for pumping irrigation fluid to an internal body irrigation site, and means for moving the race and the pumping means relative to one another between a release position, wherein both of the race and pumping means are positioned outside the cassette-receiving passageway, and an operating position, more closely spaced together than in the release position, wherein one of the race and pumping means is positioned within the cassette-receiving passageway;

• the tubing set comprising:
• an inflow line for providing irrigation fluid to the internal body irrigation site, the inflow line having inlet and outlet ends;
• an outflow line for draining irrigation fluid from the internal body irrigation site, the outflow line having inlet and outlet ends;
• and
• a cassette holding a held portion of the inflow line between the ends of the inflow line, the cassette having a first pair of opposed through openings exposing an exposed segment of the held portion of the inflow line for pumping engagement of the exposed segment of the inflow line by the race and pumping means of an irrigation system when the race and pumping means are in their operating position;
• the cassette holding a portion of the outflow line between the inlet and outlet ends thereof, and having a outflow-regulating opening exposing a segment of the outflow line, whereby valve means mounted in the irrigation pump may be operable through the outflow-regulating opening of the cassette for squeezing the outflow line to regulate the flow of irrigation fluid through the outflow line;
• alignment means on the cassette for alignment with cooperable alignment means in the cassette-receiving passageway of the irrigation pump to ensure that the cassette can only be inserted in the cassette-receiving passageway in the proper orientation relative to the race, pumping means and valve means such that the first pair of opposed through openings of the cassette are aligned with the race and pumping means and the outflow-regulating opening of the cassette is aligned with the valve means;
• the cassette comprising a box-like structure enclosing portions of the inflow and outflow lines, the box-like structure having first and second passageways containing the held portions of the inflow and outflow lines, respectively, and maintaining the exposed segment of the inflow line in alignment with the first pair of opposed through openings and the exposed segment of the outflow line in alignment with the outflow-regulating opening, the first and second passageways having a generally U-shaped longitudinal axis and open ends at opposite ends of the passageways extending through a first end of the box-like structure such that the inflow and outflow lines extend out from the first end of the box-like structure, whereby a second end of the box-like structure opposite the first end is adapted to be first inserted into the cassette-receiving passageway of the irrigation pump;
• the alignment means including the second end of the box-like structure having a generally rectangular cross section, whereby the box-like structure is adapted to be received in a cassette-receiving passageway having a generally rectangular cross-section complementary to the second end of the box-like structure;
• and
• the alignment means further comprising opposite side surfaces of the box-like structure extending between the first and second ends, the opposite side surfaces including first and second side surfaces, rib-or-groove indexing means on the first side surface of the box-like structure for allowing the cassette to be inserted in a cassette-receiving passageway, having a rib-or-groove means complementary to the rib-or-groove indexing means of the cassette, in only one orientation in which the first pair of opposed through openings of the cassette are aligned with the race and pumping means and the outflow-regulating opening is aligned with the valve means.

A tubing set for use in an irrigation system of the type comprising an irrigation pump housing having a cassette-receiving passageway for releaseably receiving a cassette, a race mounted in the housing on one side of the cassette-receiving passageway, pumping means, mounted in the irrigation housing on the other side of the cassette-receiving passageway from the race, for pumping irrigation fluid to an internal body irrigation site, and means for moving the race and the pumping means relative to one another between a release position, wherein both of the race and pumping means are positioned outside the cassette-receiving passageway, and an operating position, more closely spaced together than in the release position, wherein one of the race and pumping means is positioned within the cassette-receiving passageway;

• the tubing set comprising:
• an inflow line for providing irrigation fluid to the internal body irrigation site, the inflow line having inlet and outlet ends;
• a cassette holding a held portion of the inflow line between the ends of the inflow line, the cassette having opposed through openings exposing an exposed segment of the held portion of the inflow line for pumping engagement of the exposed segment of the inflow line by the race and pumping means of an irrigation system when the race and pumping means are in their operating position;
• and
• information-conveying means for conveying information about fluid pressure at the irrigation site to an irrigation pump, the information-conveying means including coupling means mounted in the cassette for bringing the information-conveying means into communication with the irrigation pump when the cassette in inserted into the cassette-receiving passageway of the irrigation pump;
• the information-conveying means comprising a pressure sensing line providing a fluid column for transmitting pressure from the internal body irrigation site, the coupling means comprising a fitting mounted on the cassette in communication with the pressure sensing line, the fitting being positioned for connection to a complementary fitting mounted in the irrigation pump when the cassette is inserted into the cassette-receiving passageway of the irrigation pump;
• the fitting comprising a male connector on the cassette in fluid communication with the pressure sensing line, and an elastomeric seal on the male connector adapted to sealingly engage the complementary fitting of an irrigation pump.

A tubing set for use in an irrigation system of the type comprising an irrigation pump housing having a cassette-receiving passageway for releaseably receiving a cassette, pumping means, mounted in the irrigation pump housing on a side of the cassette-receiving passageway, for pumping irrigation fluid to an internal body irrigation site, and valve means mounted in the irrigation pump housing on a side of the cassette-receiving passageway for regulating the flow of irrigation fluid draining from the surgical site;

• the tubing set comprising:
• an inflow line for providing irrigation fluid to the internal body irrigation site, the inflow line having inlet and outlet ends;
• an outflow line for draining irrigation fluid from the internal body irrigation site, the outflow line having inlet and outlet ends;
• and
• a cassette holding a held portion of the inflow line between the inlet and outlet ends thereof and holding a held portion of the outflow line between the inlet and outlet ends thereof;
• the cassette having an inflow-line-exposing opening exposing an exposed segment of the held portion of the inflow line, whereby the exposed segment of the inflow line is held for pumping engagement by the pumping means of an irrigation pump when the cassette is inserted in the cassette-receiving passageway of the irrigation pump;
• and an outflow-regulating opening exposing an exposed segment of the held portion of the outflow line, whereby the exposed segment of the outflow line is held for flow regulating engagement by the valve means of an irrigation pump when the cassette is inserted in the cassette-receiving passageway of the irrigation pump;
• and
• alignment means on the cassette for alignment with cooperable alignment means in the cassette-receiving passageway of an irrigation pump to ensure that the cassette can only be inserted in the cassette-receiving passageway in the proper orientation relative to the pumping means and valve means of the irrigation pump such that the inflow-line-exposing opening of the cassette is aligned with the pumping means and the outflow-regulating opening of the cassette is aligned with the valve means.

A tubing set for use in an irrigation system of the type comprising an irrigation pump having a cassette-receiving passageway in its housing for releaseably receiving a cassette, pumping means, mounted in the housing of the irrigation pump on a side of the cassette-receiving passageway, for pumping irrigation fluid to an internal body irrigation site, and a connector for receiving information about fluid pressure at the internal body irrigation site from the tubing set;

• the tubing set comprising:
• an inflow line for providing irrigation fluid to the internal body irrigation site, the inflow line having inlet and outlet ends;
• a pressure sensing line for transmitting information about fluid pressure at the internal body irrigation site;
• and
• a cassette holding a held portion of the inflow line between the inlet and outlet ends thereof and holding an end portion of the pressure sensing line;
• the cassette having an opening exposing an exposed segment of the held portion of the inflow line, whereby the exposed segment of the inflow line is held for pumping engagement by the pumping means of an irrigation pump when the cassette is inserted in the cassette-receiving passageway of the irrigation pump;
• coupling means on the cassette for bringing the pressure sensing line in communication with the connector of the irrigation pump when the cassette is inserted in the cassette-receiving passageway of the irrigation pump;
• and
• alignment means on the cassette for alignment with cooperable alignment means in the cassette-receiving passageway of an irrigation pump to ensure that the cassette can only be inserted in the cassette-receiving passageway in the proper orientation relative to the pumping means and connector of the irrigation pump such that the opening of the cassette is aligned with the pumping means and the coupling means of the tubing set is connected the connector of the irrigation pump.

A tubing set for use in an irrigation system of the type comprising an irrigation pump having a cassette-receiving passageway in its housing for releaseably receiving a cassette, pumping means, mounted in the housing of the irrigation pump on a side of the cassette-receiving passageway, for pumping irrigation fluid to an internal body irrigation site, and a connector for receiving information about fluid pressure at the internal body irrigation site from the tubing set;

• the tubing set comprising:
• an inflow line for providing irrigation fluid to the internal body irrigation site, the inflow line having inlet and outlet ends;
• a pressure sensing line for transmitting information about fluid pressure at the internal body irrigation site;
• and
• a cassette holding a held portion of the inflow line between the inlet and outlet ends thereof and holding an end portion of the pressure sensing line;
• the cassette having an opening exposing an exposed segment of the held portion of the inflow line, whereby the exposed segment of the inflow line is held for pumping engagement by the pumping means of an irrigation pump when the cassette is inserted in the cassette-receiving passageway of the irrigation pump;
• coupling means on the cassette for bringing the pressure sensing line in communication with the connector of the irrigation pump when the cassette is inserted in the cassette-receiving passageway of the irrigation pump;
• and
• alignment means on the cassette for alignment with cooperable alignment means in the cassette-receiving passageway of an irrigation pump to ensure that the cassette can only be inserted in the cassette-receiving passageway in the proper orientation relative to the pumping means and connector of the irrigation pump such that the opening of the cassette is aligned with the pumping means and the coupling means of the tubing set is connected the connector of the irrigation pump;
• the cassette comprising a box-like structure enclosing the held portions of the inflow and pressure sensing lines, the box-like structure having a U-shaped passageway containing the held portion of the inflow line and maintaining the exposed segment of the inflow line in alignment with the opening, the U-shaped passageway having a generally U-shaped longitudinal axis and open ends at opposite ends of the passageway extending through a first end of the box-like structure such that the inflow line extends out from the first end of the box-like structure, the coupling means of the cassette being on the second end of the cassette, whereby a second end of the box-like structure opposite the first end is adapted to be first inserted into the cassette-receiving passageway of the irrigation pump;
• the alignment means including the second end of the box-like structure having a generally rectangular cross section, whereby the box-like structure is adapted to be received in a cassette-receiving passageway having a generally rectangular cross-section complementary to the second end of the box-like structure;
• and
• the alignment means further comprising opposite side surfaces of the box-like structure extending between the first and second ends, the opposite side surfaces including first and second side surfaces, rib-or-groove indexing means on the first side surface of the box-like structure for allowing the cassette to be inserted in a cassette-receiving passageway, having a rib-or-groove means complementary to the rib-or-groove indexing means of the cassette, of an irrigation pump in only one orientation, in which the opening of the cassette is aligned with the pumping means of the irrigation pump and the coupling means of the cassette is aligned for connection with the connector of the irrigation pump.

A tubing set for use in an irrigation system of the type comprising an irrigation pump having a cassette-receiving passageway in its housing for releaseably receiving a cassette, pumping means, mounted in the housing of the irrigation pump on a side of the cassette-receiving passageway, for pumping irrigation fluid to an internal body irrigation site, and a connector for receiving information about fluid pressure at the internal body irrigation site from the tubing set;

• the tubing set comprising:
• an inflow line for providing irrigation fluid to the internal body irrigation site, the inflow line having inlet and outlet ends;
• a pressure sensing line for transmitting information about fluid pressure at the internal body irrigation site;
• and
• a cassette holding a held portion of the inflow line between the inlet and outlet ends thereof and holding an end portion of the pressure sensing line;
• the cassette having an opening exposing an exposed segment of the held portion of the inflow line, whereby the exposed segment of the inflow line is held for pumping engagement by the pumping means of an irrigation pump when the cassette is inserted in the cassette-receiving passageway of the irrigation pump;
• coupling means on the cassette for bringing the pressure sensing line in communication with the connector of the irrigation pump when the cassette is inserted in the cassette-receiving passageway of the irrigation pump;
• and
• alignment means on the cassette for alignment with cooperable alignment means in the cassette-receiving passageway of an irrigation pump to ensure that the cassette can only be inserted in the cassette-receiving passageway in the proper orientation relative to the pumping means and connector of the irrigation pump such that the opening of the cassette is aligned with the pumping means and the coupling means of the tubing set is connected the connector of the irrigation pump;
• the pressure sensing line providing a fluid column for transmitting pressure from the internal body irrigation site, the coupling means comprising a fitting mounted on the cassette in communication with the pressure sensing line, the fitting being positioned for connection to the connector mounted in an irrigation pump when the cassette is inserted into the cassette-receiving passageway of the irrigation pump;
• the fitting comprising a male connector on the cassette in fluid communication with the pressure sensing line, and an elastomeric seal on the male connector adapted to sealingly engage a female connector of the irrigation pump.

A tubing set for use in an irrigation system of the type comprising an irrigation control module having a cassette-receiving passageway in its housing for releaseably receiving a cassette, valve means mounted in the housing of the irrigation control module on a side of the cassette-receiving passageway for regulating the flow of irrigation fluid draining from the surgical site, and a connector for receiving information about fluid pressure at the internal body irrigation site from the tubing set;

• the tubing set comprising:
• an outflow line for draining irrigation fluid from the internal body irrigation site, the outflow line having inlet and outlet ends;
• a pressure sensing line for transmitting information about fluid pressure at the internal body irrigation site;
• and
• a cassette holding a held portion of the outflow line between the inlet and outlet ends thereof and holding an end portion of the pressure sensing line;
• the cassette having an opening exposing an exposed segment of the held portion of the outflow line, whereby the exposed segment of the outflow line is held for flow-regulating engagement by the valve means of an irrigation control module when the cassette is inserted in the cassette-receiving passageway of the irrigation control module;
• coupling means on the cassette for bringing the pressure sensing line in communication with the connector of the irrigation control module when the cassette is inserted in the cassette-receiving passageway of the irrigation control module;
• and
• alignment means on the cassette for alignment with cooperable alignment means in the cassette-receiving passageway of an irrigation control module to ensure that the cassette can only be inserted in the cassette-receiving passageway in the proper orientation relative to the valve means and connector of the irrigation control module such that the opening of the cassette is aligned with the valve means and the coupling means of the tubing set is connected the connector of the irrigation control module.