Device for intubating lacrimal ducts
AssigneeWalsh Medical Devices Inc.
InventorsDavid J. Walsh, William Whittington
Life of this patent
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Abstract
In accordance with the invention, an intubation set is provided having an improved connector between the tube and a probe. In a preferred embodiment, the connector includes a deformable sleeve which at one end receives an end of the tube and at the other end is tapered to converge on the probe where it is permanently attached. The tube contains a solid insert which can be set in a compound such as silicone rubber and the sleeve is deformed radially inwardly to trap part of the tube containing the insert thereby locking the tube to the sleeve and hence to the probe. A method of making the intubation set is also provided. The invention also provides an improved intubation set for use in intubating the canaliculi without probing a healthy nasolacrimal duct.
Claims22
An intubation set for use in the canaliculus intubation of the lacrimal ducts, the intubation set including
- a probe of a light wire which can be resiliently deflected to pass from the nasolacrimal duct to the inferior nasal meatus, the probe having an enlarged and olive-shaped tip to limit the possibility of damage to tissue when the probe is inserted, and a proximal end portion;
- a tubular sleeve having a leading end, a trailing end, and a generally cylindrical portion intermediate said leading end and said trailing end, said leading end being attached to said proximal end portion of the probe;
- a very flexible resiliently deformable tube of minimal rigidity having first and second end portions and containing a solid insert securely fixed within said first end portion;
- and
- wherein the insert is disposed within said generally cylindrical portion of the sleeve and a diameter of a portion of the sleeve intermediate said generally cylindrical portion and said trailing end is reduced to trap the insert inside the sleeve thereby securing the tube to the sleeve and hence to the probe.
An intubation set for use in intubating only the canaliculi of the lacrimal ducts, wherein the intubation set includes
- a spiral probe of a light wire having a tip bent into a predefined spiral shape which can be deflected to pass through the puncta and through the canaliculi, the probe having a tip and a proximal end portion;
- and
- a very flexible resiliently deformable tube of minimal rigidity having a first leading end portion and a second trailing end portion, said leading end portion being secured to the proximal end portion of the probe, and the second trailing end portion being remote from said proximal end portion of the probe.
An intubation set comprising
- a stainless steel probe having an enlarged, olive-shaped tip at one end and a proximal end;
- a very flexible tube of minimal rigidity to be placed in the intubation set;
- a connector including a deformable sleeve having a tapered leading end converging on the probe and attached to the proximal end of the probe, and a trailing end, a solid insert engaged in an end portion of the flexible tube with the end portion of the tube containing the insert being contained in the sleeve, and the sleeve being deformable adjacent the trailing end to trap said portion of the tube and the insert in the sleeve to thereby connect the tube to the probe.
An intubation set for use in the canaliculus intubation of the lacrimal ducts, the intubation set including
- a probe of a light wire which can be resiliently deflected to pass from the nasolacrimal duct to the interior nasal meatus, the probe having an enlarged and olive-shaped tip to limit the possibility of damage to tissue when the probe is inserted, and a proximal end portion;
- a tubular sleeve of a stainless steel having a leading end, a trailing end, and a generally cylindrical portion intermediate said leading end and said trailing end, an outer diameter of from about 0.7 mm to about 1.0 mm and an inner diameter of about 0.6 mm, and a length of from about 6 mm to about 16 mm, said leading end being attached to said proximal end portion of the probe;
- a very flexible resiliently deformable tube of minimal rigidity having first and second end portions and containing a solid insert securely fixed within said first and end portion;
- and
- wherein the insert is disposed within said generally cylindrical portion of the sleeve and a diameter of a portion of the sleeve intermediate said generally cylindrical portion and said trailing end is reduced to trap the insert inside the sleeve thereby securing the tube to the sleeve and hence to the probe.
An intubation set including a spiral probe having a tip bent into a predefined spiral shape which can be deflected to pass through the puncta and through the canaliculi, the probe having a tip and a proximal end portion;
- a very flexible resiliently deformable tube of minimal rigidity having a first leading end portion and a second trailing end portion, said first leading end portion being secured to the proximal end portion of the probe, and the second trailing end portion being remote from said proximal end portion of the probe;
- a tubular sleeve of stainless steel having a leading end, a trailing end, a generally cylindrical portion intermediate said leading end and said trailing end, and wherein
- said leading end is coupled to said proximal end portion of said probe;
- said tube contains a solid insert securely fixed within said first end portion;
- said insert is disposed withing said generally cylindrical portion of the sleeve;
- and
- a diameter of a portion of the sleeve intermediate said generally cylindrical portion and said trailing end is reduced to trap the insert inside the sleeve thereby securing the tube to the sleeve and hence to the probe.
An intubation set comprising
- a stainless steel probe having a tip at one end and a proximal end;
- a very flexible tube of minimal rigidity to be placed in the intubation set;
- and
- a connector including a deformable stainless steel sleeve having a tapered leading end converging on the probe and coupled to the proximal end of the probe, and a trailing end, a solid insert engaged in an end portion of the flexible tube with the end portion of the tube containing the insert being contained in the sleeve, the sleeve being deformable adjacent the trailing end to trap said portion of the tube and the insert in the sleeve to thereby connect the tube to the probe.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.