Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61M—DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY; DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY; DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR
  • A61M1/00—Suction or pumping devices for medical purposes; Devices for carrying-off, for treatment of, or for carrying-over, body-liquids; Drainage systems
  • A61M1/80—Suction pumps
  • A61M1/81—Piston pumps, e.g. syringes
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61M—DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY; DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY; DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR
  • A61M1/00—Suction or pumping devices for medical purposes; Devices for carrying-off, for treatment of, or for carrying-over, body-liquids; Drainage systems
  • A61M1/71—Suction drainage systems
  • A61M1/77—Suction-irrigation systems
  • A61M1/772—Suction-irrigation systems operating alternately

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a vacuum pump for a medical aspiration system.
• Ophthalmic procedures are typically performed with instruments that have a tip located at the distal end of a handpiece.
• the handpiece is held by a surgeon who inserts the tip into the inner ocular chamber of an eye.
• the surgeon may remove a cataracteous lens, or reattach a retina with the instrument.
• irrigation fluid is introduced into the eye to maintain the ocular pressure of the anterior chamber.
• the handpiece tip is coupled to an aspiration system that pulls the irrigation fluid and possibly tissue out of the anterior chamber.
• the tissue and irrigation fluid flow through an inner channel in the tip .
• the aspiration system includes a pump coupled to an aspiration tube.
• the aspiration tube is connected to an outlet port of the handpiece.
• Most aspiration pumps are of the peristaltic type because the pump behavior is predictable.
• a peristaltic pump essentially pushes the air/fluid within the aspiration tube to create a vacuum pressure within the tube.
• the operation of a peristaltic pump creates surges in the pressure within the system. Pressure surges can be undesirable when performing delicate procedures such as retinal reattachment .
• Venturi pumps do not creates pressure surges and are thus typically used in delicate ophthalmic procedures.
• venturi pumps require a tank of compressed nitrogen gas. It is generally undesirable to have a pressurized gas tank in an operating environment. Additionally, venturi pumps are energy inefficient in creating a vacuum.
• a pump for a medical aspiration system includes a housing with an input port, an output port, a first cylinder and a second cylinder.
• a motor assembly of the pump moves a first plunger within the first cylinder and a second plunger within a second cylinder.
• the pump includes valve assemblies that control fluid communication between the input/output ports and the cylinders .
• Figure 1 is a schematic of an embodiment of a medical system
• Figure 2 is an illustration of a dual cylinder pump of the medical system.
• a dual cylinder pump that is used to create a vacuum in an aspiration tube of a medical system.
• the pump includes a first plunger that moves within a first cylinder and a second plunger that moves within a second cylinder. Movement of the plungers is controlled by a motor assembly.
• the pump includes valves that control the flow of fluid into and out of the cylinders so that one cylinder is pulling fluid from the aspiration tube while the other cylinder is discharging fluid. In this manner the pump is continuously pulling vacuum, thereby preventing vacuum surges found in peristaltic pumps of the prior art. Additionally, the pump is relatively energy efficient and does not require a separate nitrogen tank as required by commercially available venturi pumps of the prior art.
• the pump can be constructed as a cartridge that can be removed and disposed.
• FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a medical system 10 of the present invention.
• the system 10 may be used by a surgeon to perform ophthalmic medical procedures such as cataract lens removal, or retina reattachment .
• the system 10 may include an instrument 12 that is coupled to an aspiration system 14.
• the instrument 12 may include a tip 16 that extends from a handpiece 18 and can be held by a surgeon. The tip 16 can be inserted into the eye of a patient.
• the aspiration system 14 may include an aspiration tube(s) 20 that is coupled to the instrument 12.
• the aspiration tube 20 is connected to a vacuum pump 22' and a collection canister 24.
• the vacuum pump 22 creates a vacuum pressure within the aspiration tube 20 and a flow of fluid from the instrument 12 to the canister 24.
• the aspiration system 14 can pull emulsified tissue and fluid from the instrument 12 and into the canister 29.
• the system 10 may include a controller 26 that is connected to the instrument 12 and the vacuum pump 22.
• the system 10 may further have a control device such as a foot pedal 28 that is connected to the controller 26.
• the surgeon can control the instrument 12 and/or the pump 22 thru the foot pedal 28.
• the controller 26 may include a processor, memory, etc. (not shown) that can operate the pump 22 in synchronization with the instrument 12.
• the foot pedal 28 is shown as being connected to the controller 26, the foot pedal 28 may be connected directly to the pump 22 and/or instrument 12.
• Figure 2 shows an embodiment of the vacuum pump 22.
• the pump 22 may include a housing 30 that has a first cylinder 32 and a second cylinder 34.
• the housing 30 also includes an input port 36 and an output port 38.
• the input port 36 includes channels 40 and 42 in fluid communication with the first 32 and second cylinders 34, respectively.
• the pump 22 may have a first valve assembly 44 that controls the flow of fluid between the cylinders 32 and 34 and a manifold tube 46.
• the manifold tube 46 is connected to the aspiration tube 20 of the aspiration system 14.
• the first valve assembly 44 may include a first input valve 48 that controls the flow of fluid into the first cylinder 32 and a second input valve 50 that controls the flow of fluid into the second cylinder 34.
• the pump 22 may further have a second valve assembly 52 that controls the flow of fluid between the cylinders 32 and 34 and outlet lines 54 and 56 of the output port.
• the second valve assembly 52 may include a first output valve 58 that controls the flow of fluid from the first cylinder 32 and a second output valve 60 that controls the flow of fluid from the second cylinder 34.
• the valves 48, 50, 58 and 60 may be controlled actuators or motors that are connected to and controlled by the controller 26 shown in Fig. 1.
• the pump 22 may include pressure transducers 62 and 64 that sense the pressure within the first 32 and second 34 cylinders, respectively.
• the pressure transducers 62 and 64 can be connected to the controller 26 shown in Fig. 1, and provide pressure feedback information that can be used in a feedback control loop of the pump 22.
• the pump 22 includes a first plunger 66 that moves within the first cylinder 32 and a second plunger 68 that moves within the second cylinder 34.
• the plungers 66 and 68 are moved by a motor assembly 70.
• the motor assembly 70 may include a first motor 72 that moves the first plunger 66 and a second motor 74 that moves the second plunger 68.
• the motors 72 and 74 may move the plungers 66 and 68 out of phase relative to each other.
• the plungers 66 and 68 may move 180 degrees out of phase relative to each other.
• the motors 72 and 74 may be connected to the controller 26 which controls the timing and phase of the plungers 66 and 68. Although two motors are shown and described, it is to be understood that the plungers could be coupled to a single motor.
• the motors 72 and 74 may be attached to the plungers
• couplers 76 and 78 may be of the quick disconnect type so that the plungers
• the housing 30 can be detached from the motor assembly 70. This allows the housing 30 and plungers 66 and 68 to be packaged as a cartridge that can be detached after a medical procedure.
• the plungers 66 and 68 may be of the syringe type that can be readily discarded and replaced.
• the housing 30 can be sterilized for reuse in the system 10.
• the valve actuators and pressure transducers may also be attached to the housing 30 in a sealed and readily detachable manner so that these components do not have to be sterilized after each procedure .
• the controller 26 may control the motors 72 and 74 and the valve assemblies 44 and 52 in the following manner.
• the first input valve 48 may be opened to provide fluid communication between the manifold tube 46 and the first cylinder 32.
• the second input valve 50 is closed.
• the first motor 72 may pull the first plunger 66 in a direction indicated by the arrow. Movement of the plunger 66 pulls fluid into the first cylinder 32.
• the second motor 74 then pulls the second plunger 68 to draw fluid into the second cylinder 34.
• the first motor 72 pushes the first plunger 66.
• the first output valve 58 is opened so that the fluid within the first cylinder 32 is pushed out of the pump 22.
• the motors and valves are operated so that one of the cylinders is pulling in fluid while the other cylinder is pushing out fluid.
• valve 50 may be closed during movement of the second plunger until the transducers 62 and 64 sense the same pressure wherein valve 50 is opened and valve 48 is closed.

Landscapes

• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Heart & Thoracic Surgery (AREA)
• Biomedical Technology (AREA)
• Vascular Medicine (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Anesthesiology (AREA)
• Hematology (AREA)
• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Animal Behavior & Ethology (AREA)
• General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Public Health (AREA)
• Veterinary Medicine (AREA)
• Pulmonology (AREA)
• External Artificial Organs (AREA)
• Details Of Reciprocating Pumps (AREA)

Priority Applications (4)

Applications Claiming Priority (4)

Publications (2)

Family

ID=35097212

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (6)

Cited By (3)

Families Citing this family (15)

Family Cites Families (32)

• 2005
  • 2005-03-23 US US11/088,318 patent/US20050234394A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2005-03-24 EP EP16183264.7A patent/EP3112680B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 2005-03-24 AU AU2005231690A patent/AU2005231690B2/en not_active Expired
  • 2005-03-24 WO PCT/US2005/009666 patent/WO2005097229A2/en not_active Ceased
  • 2005-03-24 CA CA2559205A patent/CA2559205C/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 2005-03-24 JP JP2007505133A patent/JP5191229B2/ja not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 2005-03-24 EP EP05729894.5A patent/EP1735030B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
• 2011
  • 2011-02-28 US US13/036,955 patent/US8376983B2/en not_active Expired - Lifetime

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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