Hydraulic vitrectomy probe
AssigneeAlcon Research, Ltd.
InventorsJack Robert Auld, John Christopher Huculak
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Hydraulic vitrectomy probes and methods and systems associated therewith are discussed. Example hydraulic vitrectomy probes may include a pressure multiplier that is operable to output a hydraulic pressure at a multiple of a received pneumatic pressure. Because of the incompressible nature of liquid, hydraulic vitrectomy probes are, among other things, more responsive, may be operated at higher cutting rates, provide improved patient safety, and have a form factor (e.g., size and/or shape) that may be more easily maneuvered by a surgeon.
Claims26
A hydraulic vitrectomy probe system comprising:
- a pneumatic pressure source adapted to repeatedly cycle application of a pressurized gas;
- a hydraulically actuated vitrectomy probe;
- and
- a pressure multiplier coupled at a first portion to the pneumatic pressure source and at a second portion to the hydraulically actuated vitrectomy probe and adapted to convert a pneumatic pressure received from the pneumatic pressure source into a hydraulic pressure output to the hydraulically actuated vitrectomy probe, the pressure multiplier comprising:
- a first chamber;
- a first diaphragm housed in the first chamber;
- a second chamber;
- a second diaphragm housed in the second chamber, the first diaphragm and the second diaphragm coupled to each other.
A method of operating a hydraulically actuated vitrectomy probe, the method comprising:
- applying a pneumatic pressure from a pneumatic pressure source to a pressure multiplier;
- converting the pneumatic pressure into a hydraulic pressure with the pressure multiplier;
- and
- actuating a cutter of the vitrectomy probe with the hydraulic pressure supplied from the pressure multiplier to the hydraulically actuated vitrectomy.
A hydraulic vitrectomy probe system comprising:
- a pneumatic pressure source adapted to produce a pulsed pneumatic pressure by repeatedly cycling application of a pressurized gas;
- a hydraulic vitrectomy probe adapted to receive a pulsed hydraulic pressure;
- and
- a pressure multiplier in fluid communication with the pneumatic pressure source and adapted to receive the pulsed pneumatic pressure and in fluid communication with the hydraulic vitrectomy probe and adapted to transmit the pulsed hydraulic pressure to the hydraulic vitrectomy probe, the pressure multiplier comprising:
- a housing;
- a first chamber defined by a first portion of the housing;
- a second chamber defined by a second portion of the housing;
- a first diaphragm disposed in the first chamber, the first diaphragm having a surface in contact with the pressurized gas;
- and
- a second diaphragm disposed in the second chamber, the second diaphragm having a surface in contact with hydraulic fluid used to transmit the pulsed hydraulic pressure to the hydraulic vitrectomy probe,
- the first diaphragm coupled to the second diaphragm to form an operational assembly, the operational assembly adapted to convert the received pulsed pneumatic pressure into the pulsed hydraulic pressure.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.