WO2019068151A1

WO2019068151A1 - Portable pressurized infusion system for cataract surgery

Info

Publication number: WO2019068151A1
Application number: PCT/BR2017/050298
Authority: WO
Inventors: Fernando COSTA
Original assignee: Costa Fernando
Priority date: 2017-10-02
Filing date: 2017-10-02
Publication date: 2019-04-11

Abstract

Portable system and method that can be coupled with any commercially available phacoemulsification machine to provide a pressurized and stable flow of irrigating fluid to the eye during the surgery preventing some very undesirable complications. An automated air pump is used to push air into the fluid reservoir thus increasing the pressure with which the fluid flows into the eye. This increases the steady-state pressure of the eye making the anterior chamber deep and well maintained during the entire procedure.

Description

PORTABLE PRESSURIZED INFUSION SYSTEM FOR CATARACT

SURGERY

Field of Invention

(001 ) The present invention generally pertains to phacoemulsification, the most performed type of cataract surgery, and more particularly to provide a pressurized and stable flow of irrigating fluid to the eye during the surgery using a portable pressurized infusion system that can be coupled with any commercially available phacoemulsification machine.

Description of the Background

(002) In the phacoemulsification cataract surgery technique, the surgeon inserts a probe (phaco tip) connected to a phacoemulsification machine through a small corneal incision to emulsify and break the cataract into small pieces. During these surgical procedures, fluid is typically infused into the eye, and the infusion fluid and the small pieces of cataract are aspirated from the surgical site. Subsequently, an intraocular lens is implanted through the incision and most of the patients improve significantly their eyesight.

(003) Since the introduction of phacoemulsification to remove cataracts, it has been undergoing revolutionary changes in an attempt to perfect the technique of extracapsular cataract extraction. Although advantageous in many aspects, this technique is not without its attending complications. A well maintained anterior chamber of the eye, this is, the space in the eye that is behind the cornea and in front of the iris, without intraocular fluctuations is one of the prerequisites for a safe phacoemulsification.

(004) When an occluded cataract fragment is held by high vacuum and then abruptly aspirated, fluid rushes into the phaco tip to equilibrate the built- up vacuum in the aspiration line, which causes surge. Surge occurs when fluid from the anterior chamber rushes into the phaco tip, which leads to shallowing or collapse of the anterior chamber of the eye, leading to a posterior capsule rupture and nucleus drop to the posterior chamber of the eye, an undesirable and potentially harmful complication.

(005) Different phacoemulsification machines employ a variety of methods to combat surge. These include usage of noncompliant tubing, small bore aspiration line tubing, microflow tips, aspiration bypass systems, dual linear foot pedal control and incorporation of sophisticated microprocessors to sense the anterior chamber pressure fluctuations. (006) The surgeon dependent variables to counteract surge include good wound construction with minimal leakage, and selection of appropriate machine parameters depending on the stage of the surgery. An anterior chamber maintainer has also been described in literature to prevent surge, but an extra incision makes it an inconvenient procedure.

(007) Thus, a need continues to exist for an improved system and method that provides better pressurized infusion of fluid to the surgical site avoiding the surge, specially a portable solution that can be used regardless of the phacoemulsification machine that the surgeon is using to perform the surgery.

Summary of the Invention

(008) The present invention is a system and a method of delivering pressurized fluid to the eye preventing some very undesirable complications during the surgery in a portable way and that is not inside but can be easily coupled to any phacoemulsification machine, thus making the invention readily available to any surgeon regardless the phacoemulsification machine used.

(009) An automated air pump is used to push air into the balanced salt solution (BSS) reservoir thus increasing the pressure with which the fluid flows into the eye. The system software may allow the surgeon to select a desired intraocular pressure and would then control the pump and valves to achieve and maintain the selected pressure.

(010) This increases the steady-state pressure of the eye making the anterior chamber deep and well maintained during the entire procedure. It makes phacoemulsification surgery a relatively safe procedure by reducing surge even at high vacuum levels.

Descriptions of the Drawings

(01 1 ) For a more complete understanding of the present invention, and for further objects and advantages thereof, reference is made to the following description taken into conjunction with the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is a schematically represents the connection of the air pump to the BSS (balanced salt solution) bottle. Detailed Description of the Invention

(012) It is to be understood that the figure and descriptions of the present invention have been simplified to illustrate elements that are relevant for a clear understanding of the present innovation, while eliminating, for the purpose of clarity, many other elements found in typical surgical, an particular optical surgical, apparatuses, systems and methods. Those of ordinary skill in the art may recognize that other elements and/or steps are desirable and/or required in implementing the present invention. However, because such elements and steps are well known in the art, and because they do not facilitate a better understanding of the present invention, a discussion of such elements and steps is not provides herein. The disclosure herein is directed to all such variations and modifications to the disclosed elements and methods known to those skilled in the art.

(013) First of all, a balanced salt solution (BSS) bottle 130 is taken and put in the phacoemulsifcation machine pole. An automated air pump 100 which sucks atmospheric air and pushes it into a tubing set 1 1 0 is plugged on to the electrical connection. A tubing set 1 10, which contains an air filter 120, connects the air pump 100 to the infusion bottle 130. The air filter 120 ensures that the air which is being pumped into the infusion bottle 130 is sterile and clean of particulate matter. The tubing set 1 10 passes from the air pump 100 and the end of the tubing set 1 10 is passed into one infusion bottle 130. When the air pump 100 is switched on, it pumps air into the infusion bottle 130. The air goes to the top of the infusion bottle 130 and because of the pressure it pumps the fluid down with greater force. With this, the fluid now flows from the infusion bottle 130 to reach the phacoemulsification machine probe 140. The amount of fluid now coming out of the hand piece 140 is much more that would normally come out and with greater force. This extra amount of fluid coming out compensates for the instability or collapse of the anterior chamber of the eye, which would otherwise occur. The surgeon may preset a desired intraocular pressure for each surgery and would then control the pump and valves to achieve and maintain the selected pressure.

(014) It is believed that the operation and construction of the present invention will be apparent from the foregoing description. While the apparatus and methods shown or described above have been characterized as being preferred, various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Thus, it is intended that the present invention covers such modifications and variations provided they come within the scope the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

PORTABLE PRESSURIZED INFUSION SYSTEM FOR CATARACT SURGERYCLAIMS What is claimed is:

1 . A system for portably providing pressurized fluid to the eye comprising: an automated air pump configured to push air into a connected tubing operatively coupled to an infusion bottle hanged in a phacoemulsification machine pole. a tubing set configured to transfer air that comes from the automated air pump to an infusion bottle hanged in the phacoemulsification machine pole. an air filter configured to ensure that the air which is being pumped into the infusion bottle is sterile and clean of particulate matter.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the automated air pump comprises a mechanism to suck the atmospheric air and deliver it at a predetermined pressure and/or speed.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the tubing set comprises at least an

infusion line that connects the automated air pump to the infusion bottle.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the air filter may be located in or coupled to the tubing set.

5. A method for portably providing pressurized fluid to the eye comprising: sucking atmospheric air through an automated pump. determining the pressure and/or speed of air exiting the pump. transferring the sucked air through a tubing set connected to an infusion bottle. making the sucked air sterile and free of particulate matter before it reaches the infusion bottle.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the atmospheric air is sucked and

delivered at a predetermined pressure and/or speed. The method of claim 5, wherein the air delivered from the automated pump to the tubing set is further delivered to the infusion bottle.

The method of claim 5, wherein the air is filtered to be sterile and free of particulate matter through an air filter that may be located in or coupled to the tubing set.