MX2008007254A - Priming a microsurgical system - Google Patents

Abstract

A microsurgical system capable of priming its aspiration circuit using a pressurized gas source, a pressurized infusion fluid source, an aspiration chamber fluidly coupled to the pressurized gas source and the pressurized infusion fluid source, and a computer.

Description

PRIMING A MICROCHIRURGICAL SYSTEM FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates generally to the priming of a suction circuit of a microsurgical system and more particularly to the priming of the suction circuit of an ophthalmic microsurgery system. DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART During small incision surgery, and particularly during ophthalmic surgery, small probes are inserted at the site of the operation to cut, remove or manipulate tissue in another way. During these surgical procedures, the fluid is typically infused into the eye, and the infusion fluid and tissue are aspirated from the surgical site. Such probes are typically connected in fluid form to a microsurgical system through a plastic tubing. The priming of the suction fluid paths of such microsurgical systems is typically effected by the aspiration of an infusion fluid from a container in the sterile field. Said process requires a user to manually fill a container with infusion fluid after priming the infusion circuit of the microsurgical system, immerse a probe in the container, and then instruct the surgical system to prime the suction circuit from the fluid in the container towards the probe. As the surgical probes have become smaller, the aspiration of the fluid through the small port of the probe has become an operation that requires more time. In addition, this process becomes more complicated if an additional aspiration tool is required after the start of the surgical procedure. In this case, a second container of infusion fluid is required to prime the additional suction tool and its associated tubing. Said interruption of the surgical procedure is not desirable. This process may also require the use of system infusion circuit. The use of the infusion circuit of the system to fill a second container, and the corresponding loss of infusion pressure in the eye is even less desirable. Accordingly, there remains a need for an improved method of priming a suction circuit of a microsurgery system. COMPENDIUM OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides improved apparatuses and methods for priming a suction circuit of a microsurgery system. In one aspect of the present invention, a microsurgery system is provided comprising a source of pressurized gas, a source of pressurized infusion fluid, a suction chamber connected in fluid form to the source of pressurized gas and the source of fluid of pressurized infusion, and a surgical device having a suction port connected in fluid form to the suction chamber through a fluid line. The aspiration chamber is filled with an amount of an infusion fluid from the pressurized infusion fluid source which is sufficient to substantially fill the fluid line and the surgical device. The suction chamber is pressurized with the pressurized gas source in such a way that the infusion fluid substantially fills the fluid line and the surgical device. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS For a more complete understanding of the present invention and additional objects and advantages thereof, reference is made to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein Figure 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a suction circuit of a microsurgery system. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED MODALITIES The preferred embodiment of the present invention and its advantages will be better understood with reference to Figure 1 of the drawings. A microsurgery system 10 preferably includes a source 12 of pressurized gas, an isolation valve 14, a proportional vacuum valve 16, a second optional vacuum proportional valve 18, a proportional pressure valve 20, a vacuum generator 22, a pressure transducer 24, a suction chamber 26, a fluid level sensor 28, a pump 30, a bag 32 of collection, a suction port 34, a surgical device 36, a computer or microprocessor 38, a proportional control device 40, a pressurized infusion fluid source 34 and an isolation valve 86. The various system components 10 are connected in fluid form with fluid lines 44, 46, 48, 50, 52, 54, 56, 58, 88, and 90. The various system components 10 are electrically connected through interfaces 60, 62, 64, 66 , 68, 70, 72, 74, 76, and 92. Valves 14 and 86 are preferably "open / closed" solenoid valves. The valves 16-20 are preferably proportional solenoid valves. The vacuum generator 22 can be any suitable device for generating vacuum but preferably it is a vacuum chip or a venturi chip that generates vacuum when the isolation valve 14 and the proportional vacuum valves 16 and / or 18 are open and gas coming from the source of pressurized gas 12 passes through the vacuum generator 22. A pressure transducer 24 can be any suitable device for directly or indirectly measuring pressure and vacuum. A fluid level sensor 28 can be any suitable device for measuring the level of a fluid within a suction chamber 26 but is preferably able to measure fluid levels continuously. A pump 30 may be a suitable device for generating vacuum but is preferably a peristaltic pump, a spiral type pump or a fin pump. A microprocessor 38 is capable of implementing a feedback control and preferably PID control. A proportional controller 40 can be any device suitable for proportionally controlling the system 10 and / or the surgical device 36 but is preferably a pedal controller. A surgical device 36 can be any surgical device that aspirates tissue but is preferably an ophthalmic surgical device such as a phacoemulsification probe, a vitrectomy probe, or a suction probe. A surgical device 36 has a tip 80 with a port 82 connected in fluid form to the fluid line 58. The fluid 42 can be any suitable infusion fluid, for example, by way of example, an infraocular irrigation solution BSS PLUS ® available from Alcon Laboratories, Inc. of Fort orth, Texas. A fluid line 58 is preferably a plastic pipe. The following describes a preferred method of priming the suction circuit of Figure 1 in accordance with the present invention. A processor 38 opens an isolation valve 86 to supply fluid 42 to the suction chamber 26 through a source of pressurized infusion fluid 84 and fluid lines 88 and 90. After a predetermined time, a microprocessor 38 closes the valve of insulation 84, leaving the suction chamber 28 containing sufficient fluid 42 to substantially fill the fluid lines 56 and 58 and surgical device 36. Alternatively, a fluid level sensor 28 may signal the microprocessor 38 when a predetermined fluid level inside the aspiration chamber 28 has been reached. A microprocessor 38 opens the valves 14 and 20. The microprocessor 38 opens the valve 20 for a sufficient time and to a sufficient degree that the pressurized air of the pressurized air source 12 causes the fluid 42 of the suction chamber 26 to fill substantially the fluid lines 56, 58, and surgical device 36, fully priming the suction circuit of the system 10. Alternatively, the fluid level sensor 28 can signal the microprocessor 38 when a predetermined fluid level has been reached within the chamber suction 26. A microprocessor 38 then closes the valves 14 and 20. A certain amount of fluid 42 remains in the suction chamber 26, as shown in Figure 1. The tip 80 of the surgical device 36 is placed in the upward direction in order to avoid the passive flow of fluid 42 through the port 82. From the foregoing, it can be seen that the present invention offers significant advantages compared to the conventional method of priming the suction circuits of system 20 by placing port 82 of system 10 in an infusion fluid container, in accordance with what is described above. First, the time required to fill the suction circuit of the system 10 is significantly reduced, especially, with a surgical device 36 having a small port 82. Second, the number of manual actions by a user is significantly reduced. Third, concurrent priming of the suction circuit and infusion circuit of system 10 is possible. Fourth, when an additional aspiration tool is required after the start of a surgical procedure, the additional aspiration tool can be primed without the infusion circuit of system 10. Therefore, the infusion pressure in the eye is not affected. The present invention is illustrated herein by way of example and various modifications may be made by a person with ordinary skill in the art. For example, while the present invention is described above with respect to priming the suction circuit of an ophthalmic microsurgery system, it is also applicable to the suction circuits of other microsurgery systems.

It is believed that the operation and construction of the present invention will be apparent from the foregoing description. While the apparatuses and methods shown or described above have been characterized as preferred, various changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention defined in the appended claims.

Claims (5)

1. CLAIMS 1. Apparatus for priming a suction circuit of a microsurgical system, comprising: a source of pressurized gas; a source of pressurized infusion fluid; an aspiration chamber connected in fluid form with said pressurized gas source and said pressurized infusion fluid source; a first valve connected in fluid form between said pressurized infusion fluid source and said aspiration chamber; a second valve connected in the form of fluid between said source of pressurized gas and said suction chamber; a surgical device having a suction port connected in fluid form with said suction chamber through a fluid line; a computer electrically connected to said source of pressurized gas, said source of pressurized infusion fluid, and said first valve and said second valve; whereby said computer can: actuate said first valve in order to fill said suction chamber with a quantity of a suction fluid from said source of pressurized fluid sufficient to substantially fill said fluid line and said surgical device; and actuating said second valve in such a manner that pressurized gas from said pressurized gas source causes said infusion fluid to substantially fill said fluid line and said surgical device. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said fluid line comprises a plastic pipe. 3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said microsurgical system is an ophthalmic microsurgical system, and said surgical device is an ophthalmic surgical device. 4. A method for priming an aspiration circuit in a microsurgical system, consisting of the steps of: providing a microsurgical system comprising a pressurized gas source, a pressurized infusion fluid source, a suction chamber connected in the form of a fluid with said pressurized gas source and said pressurized infusion fluid source, and a surgical device having a suction port connected in the form of fluid to said aspiration chamber through said fluid line; filling said suction chamber with an amount of infusion fluid from said source of pressurized infusion fluid sufficient to substantially fill said fluid line and said surgical device; and pressurizing said suction chamber with said source of pressurized gas in such a manner that said infusion fluid substantially fills said fluid line and said surgical device. 5. The method according to claim 4, wherein said fluid line comprises a plastic pipe.