MXPA99002300A - Fluid collection cassette identification scheme - Google Patents

Abstract

This invention is a method of identifying whether a particular fluid collection cassette (10) is designated to have a particular use, such as posterior surgery or anterior surgery. A reflux bulb (26) attached to a fluid collection cassette has a material disposed on or in said reflux bulb in a predetermined location. A sensor attached to the housing senses the existence, or non-existence of the material and sends a signal to a controller.

Description

CASSETTE IDENTIFICATION SYSTEM FOR FLUID COLLECTION TECHNICAL FIELD This invention relates to fluid collection cassettes used in surgical systems and, more particularly, to a system for identifying particular fluid collection cassettes.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Ophthalmic microsurgical systems are typically classified according to the surgical area of the eye to which the system is directed. Therefore, some ophthalmic microsurgical systems are considered prior systems, while others are considered later systems. Occasionally, these systems can be combined into a system that operates in both the anterior and posterior regions of the o o. In all ophthalmic microsurgical systems, some type of fluid collection tank is used to collect fluid byproducts from the surgical operation. The fluid reservoir can take several forms. One form known in the art is a fluid collection cassette which is a hard plastic cassette that defines a fluid collection reservoir. The prior art associated with such fluid collection cassettes use a reflux bulb element attached at one end to the inlet of the fluid collection cassette and at the other end to a tube that is connected to the handle. Regardless of the type of operating procedure used, subsequent or previous, the size of the cassette remains constant. In fact, the only physical distinction that can be made between a cassette for posterior surgery and a cassette for anterior surgery is the size of the volume contained within the respective reflux bulbs. The volume contained within the posterior surgery reflux bulb is approximately 1/10 (one tenth) of the volume of the previous reflux bulb. This difference in volume is necessary due to the very nature of the surgery itself. During surgery, the fluid line between the handle and the fluid collection cassette may occasionally become clogged. When this occurs, a preferred way of unclogging the line is to exert a back pressure pulse within the fluid line. This is accomplished by squeezing a first portion of the re-flow bulb with a first finger, to throttle and separate the fluid line into two parts. A second finger immediately adjacent the first finger, between the first finger and the handle, descends to also strangle a portion of the fluid line. When the second finger descends, back pressure is exerted along the length of the fluid line to the handle and "cleans" or unblocks the fluid line. The volume of the posterior reflux bulb is necessarily smaller than the volume of the previous reflux bulb because subsequent surgery occurs in the retinal portions of the eye. A large stream of fluid expelled from the handle to the retinal portions of the eye due to manipulation of the reflux bulb could damage the eye. Accordingly, the cross-sectional area of the fluid line comprised by the post-reflux bulb is much smaller than the volume of the reflux bulb used with prior surgery. In effect, the posterior reflux bulb will expel a much smaller flow of fluid to unclog the fluid line, which in later surgery may contain balanced salt solution (BSS), vitreous, and blood, and in previous surgery may include (BSS) and emulsified catarata Since the difference in volume of the posterior and anterior reflux bulbs is virtually impossible to distinguish externally with the naked eye, each type of reflux bulb receives a specific color. For later surgery, the color of the reflux bulb is yellow. For previous surgery, the color of the reflux is blue. Ophthalmic microsurgical systems are unable to distinguish automatically (mechanically or electrically) if a posterior cassette or anterior cassette was used. In this situation, a dangerous volume of fluid can be expelled with each reflux, potentially damaging the eye. To prevent this situation from occurring, the only safeguard to date is a reminder made by the ophthalmic microsurgical system in a pan-size suggestion to verify the cassette, or written notices associated with the packaging of the cassette. Therefore, it is still possible due to human error to be able to use an anterior cassette in later surgery. Accordingly, an automatic identification system that allows a machine to identify whether a subsequent or previous cassette is in the machine must be provided in the art.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention was developed in view of the above problems. The invention is a method of identifying the type or class of a particular fluid collection cassette, such as back or previous cassettes. A reflux bulb attached to a fluid collection cassette has a material disposed on or in said reflux bulb at a predetermined position. When the reflux bulb is arranged in the fluid collection cassette, and the fluid collection cassette is inserted in a casing, a sensor attached to the casing detects the existence or non-existence of the material and sends a signal that transports the information to a main controller that can disable the operation of the surgical machine until the proper cassette is inserted. Two separate predetermined positions can be used, along with two sets of material and two sensors for a subsequent reflow bulb, while a single predetermined position, material and sensor can be used for the existence of a previous reflow package and ensure that the cassette comes from a source of guaranteed quality. Other features and advantages of the present invention, as well as the structure and operation of various embodiments of the present invention, are described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form a part of the specification, illustrate the embodiments of the present invention and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the invention. In the drawings: Figure 1 illustrates an exploded view of a fluid collection cassette of the present invention. Figure IA illustrates an exploded view in detail of the upper right portion of the fluid collection cassette illustrated in Figure 1. Figure 2 illustrates the fluid collection cassette of the present invention disposed within a casing. BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION With reference to the accompanying drawings in which analogous reference numerals indicate analogous elements, Figure 1 and Figure IA depict an exploded view of a fluid collection cassette represented in general in FIG. the present invention. The fluid collection cassette 10 includes a main body portion 12, an inlet pipe burst 14, an outlet pipe burst 16, an outlet pipe portion 18 and an outlet pipe adapter 20. Preferably, the Main body portion 12, inlet tube burr 14, outlet tube burr 16 and outlet tube portion 18 are integrally molded. An outlet tube adapter 20 is provided with a rod 22 that snaps into an outlet tube portion 18. Alternatively, the outlet tube adapter 20 may be provided with a rod 22 that is threaded (not shown) for coupling with the rossing portion of coupling (not shown) of the outlet pipe portion 18. A reflux bulb 26 includes a first end 28 located on the first body portion 30, a second body portion 32, a third body portion 34, and a second end 36 located in the third body portion 3. In a first predetermined position generally shown at 38 in the reflux bulb 26, a first material 40 is disposed on or in the reflux bulb 26. In a second predetermined position shown generally at 42, a second material is disposed on or in the reflux bulb 26. Preferably, the first material 40 and the second material 44 are metal strips or metal circles to allow use as or in connection with a proximity-capacitance switch. Alternatively, the first and second materials 40, 44 are made of a material that would allow an alternative type of sensor to determine the existence or non-existence of the first material 40 and the second material 44 in the first predetermined position 38 and the second predetermined position 42, respectively. The first material 40 and the second material 44 can be disposed in the reflux bulb 26, which would increase the manufacturing cost, but would provide a greater guarantee of overall integrity. When the first material 40 and the second material 44 are disposed in the reflux bulb 26, preferably by adhesive, there is always a danger that one of the materials 40, 44 will be disassociated from the reflux bulb 26. In general, the reflux bulb 26 has or can have a general length of 5.08 cm (2 inches). The first body portion 30 may have a length of about 9.52 mm 3/8 (three-eighths of an inch). The distance from the first end 28 to the center of the first material 40 can be approximately 4.76 mm (3/16) (three sixteenths) of an inch). Similarly, the distance from the second end 36 to the center of the second material 44 can be approximately 4.76 mm (3/16 (three sixteenths) of an inch). As Figure 1 shows in exploded view, it is clear that the hole 54 defined by the reflux bulb 26 extends through the length of the reflux bulb 26. These holes are pushed and retained by the inlet pipe burst 14 and the outlet pipe burst 16. The reflow bulb 26 can assume a square cross section measuring 8.93 mm (5/16 (five sixteenth) inch) on each side. In practice, as shown in Figure 2, the fluid collection cassette 10 is disposed within the casing 56. The casing 56 is located within an ophthalmic microsurgical system. To housing 56 is attached a first sensor 58 and a second sensor 60. The first and second sensors 58-60 are preferably capacitive proximity switches and can be easily obtained from many electrical equipment manufacturers such as Ba-lluff, Inc., of Florence, Kentucky. However, the first and second sensors 58-60 can also be of the sonic type (and the materials, 40, 44, respectively, suitable to reflect sonic waves), or can be of the light type (LED, laser, etc.). .) (and the materials, 40, 44, respectively, suitable for reflecting light waves.) In practice, the first and second sensors 58-60 form one side of a capacitor, respectively, and the first and second materials 40, 44 Therefore, the first and second sensors 58-60 can detect the existence or non-existence of the first material 40 and the second material 44. The information of existence or non-existence is reported by each sensor 58- 60 to a controller who can act on this information and allow or disable the operation of the ophthalmic microsurgical machine, using a logic known in the art. In view of the foregoing, it will be seen that the various objects of the invention are achieved. tion and other advantages are achieved. The embodiments were chosen and described to better explain the principles of the invention and their practical application so that other experts in the art can better utilize the invention in various embodiments and with various modifications that are suitable for the particular use contemplated. As various modifications could be made to the constructions and methods described and illustrated herein without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all of the material contained in the above description or re-presented in the accompanying drawings be construed as illustrative rather than illustrative. limitative. For example, it is not necessary that the predetermined positions 38 and 42 be on the same side of the reflux bulb 26. Another modification that falls within the scope of the present invention involves using three or more predetermined positions in conjunction with the application of detecting material in each position to facilitate the identification of a function other than anterior or posterior. Thus, the scope and scope of the present invention should not be limited by any of the exemplary embodiments described above, but should be defined only according to the following appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims (8)

1. CLAIMS 1. A method of identifying a fluid collection cassette including the steps of: (a) arranging a material to be detected at a first predetermined position in a reflux bulb; and (b) disposing said reflux bulb in said fluid collection cassette in such a way that a sensor for detecting said material can detect the existence of said material. A method of identifying a fluid collection cassette according to claim 1, wherein the step of arranging a material to be detected in a first predetermined position in a reflux bulb is carried out by attaching said material to a surface of said bulb of Reflux. 3. A method of identifying a fluid collection cassette according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of: (c) adapting a casing to receive said fluid collection cassette: and (d) attaching a first sensor to said casing in a position that allows said first sensor to detect the existence of said material when said fluid collection cassette is disposed in said housing. 4. A method of identifying a fluid collection cassette according to claim 1, further including the next step between steps (a) and (b): (aa) arranging a material to be detected at a second predetermined position in a bulb of Reflux; (c) adapting a housing to receive said fluid collection cassette; and (d) attaching a first sensor to said housing in a position that allows said first sensor to detect the existence of said material in said first predetermined position when said fluid collection cassette is disposed in said housing, * and (e) joining a second sensor to said housing in a position that allows said second sensor to detect the existence of said material in said second predetermined position when said fluid collection cassette is disposed in said housing. 5. A method of identifying a fluid collection cassette including the. steps of: (a) arranging a material to be detected in a first predetermined position in a reflux bulb; and (b) disposing said reflux bulb in said fluid collection cassette in such a way that a sensor for detecting said material can detect the existence of said material. A method of identifying a fluid collection cassette according to claim 5, wherein the step of arranging a material to be detected at a first predetermined position in a reflux bulb is carried out by attaching said material below the external surface of said fluid. reflux bulb. A method of identifying a fluid collection cassette according to claim 5, further comprising the steps of: (c) adapting a casing to receive said fluid collection cassette, * and (d) attaching a first sensor to said casing in a position that allows said first sensor to detect the existence of said material when said fluid collection cassette is arranged in said housing. 8. A method of identifying a fluid collection cassette according to claim 5, further comprising the next step between steps (a) and (b): (aa) arranging a material to be detected at a second predetermined position in a reflux bulb; (c) adapting a housing to receive said fluid collection cassette, * and (d) attaching a first sensor to said casing in a position that allows said first sensor to detect the existence of said material in said first predetermined position when said cassette of fluid collection is arranged in said housing; and (e) attaching a second sensor to said housing in a position that allows said second sensor to detect the existence of said material in said predetermined position when said fluid collection cassette is disposed in said housing.