Ophthalmologic aspiration and irrigation system, and method of operating same
AssigneeGrieshaber & Co. AG Schaffhausen
InventorsHans R. Grieshaber, Urs Vogel
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Abstract
An aspiration and irrigation system of an ophthalmologic device for performing surgical operations on an eye of a living being, includes an irrigation unit for conducting a fluid under pressure to the eye via a first passageway, and an aspiration unit for simultaneous removal of fluid and/or tissue from the eye via a second passageway. The aspiration unit includes a two-stage pump system with a primary vacuum pump producing suction to effect a withdrawal of fluid and/or tissue from the eye through the second passageway and a secondary vacuum pump positioned downstream of the primary pump in a third passageway in communication with the second passageway, for boosting the suction pressure produced by the primary pump.
Claims18
An aspiration and irrigation system for use in an ophthalmologic device for performing surgical operations on an eye of a living being, comprising:
- irrigation means for conducting a fluid under pressure to the eye via a first passageway;
- aspiration means for simultaneous removal of fluid and/or tissue from the eye via a second passageway, said aspiration means comprising a two-stage pump system with a primary pump system including a primary vacuum pump producing suction to effect a withdrawal of fluid and/or tissue from the eye through the second passageway and a secondary pump system including a secondary vacuum pump positioned downstream of the primary pump system in a third passageway in communication with the second passageway for boosting the suction pressure produced by the primary vacuum pump,
- wherein the primary pump system includes a filter means for preventing a passage of liquid fluid, a valve arrangement and a pressure gage which are positioned downstream of the filter means to regulate a flow of gaseous fluid in response to a measurement by the pressure gage for ventilation of the aspiration means.
The aspiration and irrigation system of claim 2 wherein the primary pump system includes a first filter downstream of the valve for sterilizing withdrawn fluid, and a second filter arranged downstream of the first filter for separating remaining fluid.
The aspiration and irrigation system of claim 5 wherein the valve arrangement includes a first throttle for effecting a throttled ventilation of the aspiration means.
A method of operating an aspiration and irrigation system of an ophthalmologic device for performing surgical operations on an eye of a living being, comprising the steps of:
- injecting fluid to a surgical site of the eye via a first passageway;
- applying a surgical instrument for removing tissue and/or excess fluid by suction via a second passageway, with suction in the first passageway being generated by a two-stage pump unit comprised of a primary pump system and a secondary pump system which is positioned downstream of the primary pump system;
- and
- regulating the suction by suitably controlling the secondary pump system such that air prevailing in the first passageway of the primary pump system is at least partially sucked off and removed.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.