EP0232458A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Multifunctional apparatus for driving powered surgical instruments
Assignee: Alcon Vision LLC
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Filing: 1986-09-19
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2006-09-19
Abstract
Abstract There is disclosed herein a system for providing control of multiple functions needed to perform eye surgery. A microprocessor based system linearly controls a vacuum generation system using venturis and linear valves and linearly controls a pneumatic system for driving pneumatic scissors in either a variable frequency, multicut mode or a proportional cut mode where the blade closure is proportional to the position of a foot operated position sensor. A pneumatically driven scissors handpiece is also disclosed. Drive for a vitrectomy probe is also provided, and the frequency of the vitrectomy probe cutting action can also be controlled and the level of vacuum can be controlled from a foot operated position sensor. This foot control can also be used to turn irrigation fluid on or off, and the flow rate can be controlled from a control on the front panel. The vacuum level is continuously monitored over all aspiration conditions and adjusted to stay as close as possible to the desired vacuum level.
Inventors
- 👤 Wayne Wilbur Rogers
- 👤 Daniel David Rogers
- 👤 Carl C.T. Wang
- 👤 Andrew C.C. Wang
- 👤 Fu-Ming Lian
- 👤 Donald Alan Parker
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 04:29
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61F; A61F9/00; A61F9/007; A61F9/00736; A61M; A61M1/00; A61M1/71; A61M1/72; A61M1/74; A61M1/78; A61M1/784; A61B; A61B17/00; A61B2017/00535; A61B2017/00544; A61M1/80; A61M1/804; A61M2205/00; A61M2205/12
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 38
Claim 1
Independent Claim
101 words
An apparatus including a scissors cutting instrument for performing surgical operations wherein the improvement comprises: a foot operated control: means for pneumatically driving said scissors; means for allowing the user to control the frequency of the pneumatic driving waveform for said scissors from said foot operated control: and means to change modes of operation to a proportional cut mode and means to pneumatically drive said scissors blades closed with a pressure proportional to the amount of actuation relative to full scale of a foot operated control and to only close said scissors blade when the user actuates said foot operated control.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
101 words
An apparatus including a scissors cutting instrument for performing surgical operations wherein the improvement comprises: a foot operated control: means for pneumatically driving said scissors; means for allowing the user to control the frequency of the pneumatic driving waveform for said scissors from said foot operated control: and means to change modes of operation to a proportional cut mode and means to pneumatically drive said scissors blades closed with a pressure proportional to the amount of actuation relative to full scale of a foot operated control and to only close said scissors blade when the user actuates said foot operated control.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
38 words
The apparatus of claim 2 further comprising means for driving a vitrectomy probe and for generating subatmospheric pressure at a pressure level which is a linear function of the magnitude of a signal from said foot operated control.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
43 words
The apparatus of claim 2 further comprising means for supplying and cutting off of irrigation fluid upon receipt of predetermined signals from said footswitch and for controlling the aspiration rate thereof in accordance with a signal entered by said user from a control.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
83 words
The apparatus of claim 3 further comprising means for selection of a mode of operation which involves only operation of said scissors using said multicut pneumatic periodic driving waveform having a user defined frequency, or only operation of said scissors with a pneumatic driving signal having a pressure proportional to the user defined position of said foot operated control, or only operation of said vitrectomy probe, or only supplying said irrigation fluid, or only supplying said irrigation fluid plus supplying said subatmospheric pressure.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
105 words
An apparatus for supporting the performance of ocular surgery comprising: a central processing unit; means coupled to said central processing unit for providing irrigation fluid and aspiration vacuum at user defined levels; means coupled to said central processing unit for providing operational control of a pneumatically driven handheld scissors: means coupled to said central processing unit for providing control of a fragmentation unit; and means coupled to said central processing unit for providing control of a vitrectomy probe: and means for causing said central processing unit to control only selected ones of the above defined tools and systems in certain modes selected by the user.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
105 words
An apparatus for supporting the performance of ocular surgery comprising: a central processing unit; means coupled to said central processing unit for providing irrigation fluid and aspiration vacuum at user defined levels; means coupled to said central processing unit for providing operational control of a pneumatically driven handheld scissors: means coupled to said central processing unit for providing control of a fragmentation unit; and means coupled to said central processing unit for providing control of a vitrectomy probe: and means for causing said central processing unit to control only selected ones of the above defined tools and systems in certain modes selected by the user.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
89 words
An apparatus as defined in claim 5 wherein said means for providing said irrigation fluid and aspiration vacuum includes a cassette having two storage bottles for storing aspirated fluids wherein one said bottle is substantially smaller than the other, and further includes means for causing aspiration of fluids to be made into said smaller bottle until it is full whereupon said aspirated fluid is transferred to said larger bottle for storage until said smaller bottle is empty whereupon aspiration of fluid is once again directed into said smaller bottle.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
53 words
The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said means for providing said irrigation fluid and aspiration vacuum includes means for establishing the vacuum level at a vacuum level relative to a maximum desired vacuum defined by the user where the actual vacuum is a linear function of a signal from a user operated control.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
46 words
The apparatus of claim 7 further comprising means for monitoring the actual vacuum level and adjusting the vacuum generation process to account for changing aspiration conditions to maintain the actual vacuum as close as possible to the current relative desired vacuum level set by the user.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
67 words
The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said means for providing operational control of said scissors includes means for controlling the frequency of a periodic, pneumatic driving waveform of a fixed amplitude in a multicut mode and means for linearly translating a signal from a foot operated control into a pneumatically driven scissors blade closure which is proportioned to the magnitude of a signal from said foot-operated control.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
188 words
A method of operating a surgical instrument having a vacuum generation system, a pneumatic pressure supply system, an irrigation fluid supply system, an aspirated fluid storage system having two bottles, one smaller than the other, a central processing unit and a plurality of electrically controllable valves and user operable controls and a display coupled to said central processing unit including the step of driving a scissors wherein the improvement comprises the steps of: reading a signal from a user operated control indicating whether a scissors multicut mode or a scissors proportional cut mode is desired; if a multicut mode is indicated by the signal from said user operated control, converting a signal from a user operated control into a periodic, pneumatic driving waveform of a frequency defined by the signal said user operated control supplying it to a port: and if a proportional cut mode is indicated by the signal from said user operated control, converting the signal from a user operated control into a pneumatic driving waveform having a pressure at any particular time which is a linear function of the signal from said user operated control.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
188 words
A method of operating a surgical instrument having a vacuum generation system, a pneumatic pressure supply system, an irrigation fluid supply system, an aspirated fluid storage system having two bottles, one smaller than the other, a central processing unit and a plurality of electrically controllable valves and user operable controls and a display coupled to said central processing unit including the step of driving a scissors wherein the improvement comprises the steps of: reading a signal from a user operated control indicating whether a scissors multicut mode or a scissors proportional cut mode is desired; if a multicut mode is indicated by the signal from said user operated control, converting a signal from a user operated control into a periodic, pneumatic driving waveform of a frequency defined by the signal said user operated control supplying it to a port: and if a proportional cut mode is indicated by the signal from said user operated control, converting the signal from a user operated control into a pneumatic driving waveform having a pressure at any particular time which is a linear function of the signal from said user operated control.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method of claim 10 further comprising the step of reading a user operated control and converting the signal therefrom into a vacuum level which is a linear function of the magnitude of the signal from said user operated control.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
56 words
The method of claim 11 further comprising the steps of reading a user operated control to ascertain the level of a signal indicating the level of desired vacuum and converting said signal into control signals to said valves and said vacuum generation system to linearly generate the desired level of vacuum for supply to said probe.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
73 words
An apparatus for providing the ability to pneumatically drive a scissors including scissors blades and a body for gripping wherein the improvement comprises: a moving member movably coupled to said body in such a manner as to not suffer excessive friction during relative movement between said member and said body: and means for converting pneumatic pressure into movement of said moving member of a distance proportional to the amount of pneumatic pressure applied.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
73 words
An apparatus for providing the ability to pneumatically drive a scissors including scissors blades and a body for gripping wherein the improvement comprises: a moving member movably coupled to said body in such a manner as to not suffer excessive friction during relative movement between said member and said body: and means for converting pneumatic pressure into movement of said moving member of a distance proportional to the amount of pneumatic pressure applied.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
36 words
The apparatus of claim 13 further comprising means for introducing pressurized air into said means for converting having a predetermined pressure variation over time with a frequency of said variation which is set by a user.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
36 words
The apparatus of claim 14 further comprising means for introducing pressurized air into said second chamber having a pressure which is proportional to the amount of displacement of a footswitch position sensor operated by a user.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
110 words
The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising adjustable means for limiting the movement of said moving member, wherein said means for introducing pressurized air includes a microprocessor means which from time to time calculates the fraction of total displacement which then exists on the footswitch position sensor, multiplies this fraction times a constant, and sends the result to a D/A converter means for converting the number to an analog signal which controls a linear valve means for gating a flow of pressurized air which is proportional to said analog signal to a jewelled orifice which has a pneumatic line from the chamber of said jewelled orifice to said second chamber.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
68 words
A method of providing pneumatic drive for a scissors comprising the steps of: converting the position of a footswitch position sensor to a proportional amount of pneumatic pressure: applying said pneumatic pressure to a scissors driving handpiece: converting the amount of said pneumatic pressure into movement of a movable portion of said handpiece which movement causes scissors blade closure which is proportional to the amount of said pressure.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
68 words
A method of providing pneumatic drive for a scissors comprising the steps of: converting the position of a footswitch position sensor to a proportional amount of pneumatic pressure: applying said pneumatic pressure to a scissors driving handpiece: converting the amount of said pneumatic pressure into movement of a movable portion of said handpiece which movement causes scissors blade closure which is proportional to the amount of said pressure.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method of claim 17 wherein said converting footswitch position to pressure step includes the step of converting the position of said footswitch into a pneumatic pressure waveform having a frequency which is proportional to the amount of displacement of said footswitch.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 18 wherein said converting footswitch position to pressure step includes the step of converting the position of said footswitch into a pressure which is proportional to the position of said footswitch.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
88 words
The method of claim 19 wherein the step of converting the pneumatic pressure to movement includes the step of applying said pressure to a cavity in a scissors handpiece one wall of which is a flexible diaphragm coupled to a movable member having a spring biasing said member against movement in the direction said pneumatic pressure is tending to move said member and allowing said chamber to expand until said spring biasing force acting on the moving member equals the pneumatically caused force acting on the moving member.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
120 words
A vacuum control system including a vacuum reservoir wherein the improvement comprises: means for comparing a signal indicating the desired vacuum level to a signal indicating the actual vacuum level and for generating an error signal indicating the difference: means for converting said error signal into a flow of pressurized air having a flow rate which is a function of said error signal: a venturi for converting said flow of pressurized air into a vacuum or subatmospheric pressure: and means for using said vacuum to aspirate material thereby causing changes in the actual vacuum level relative to the desired vacuum level; sensor means for sensing the level of said vacuum and for generating said signal indicating the actual vacuum level.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
120 words
A vacuum control system including a vacuum reservoir wherein the improvement comprises: means for comparing a signal indicating the desired vacuum level to a signal indicating the actual vacuum level and for generating an error signal indicating the difference: means for converting said error signal into a flow of pressurized air having a flow rate which is a function of said error signal: a venturi for converting said flow of pressurized air into a vacuum or subatmospheric pressure: and means for using said vacuum to aspirate material thereby causing changes in the actual vacuum level relative to the desired vacuum level; sensor means for sensing the level of said vacuum and for generating said signal indicating the actual vacuum level.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
57 words
The apparatus of claim 21 wherein said means for converting said error signal into a flow of pressurized air includes a voltage to current converter driving the coil of a linear, solenoid operated valve means for modulating the flow rate of pressurized air through the valve in accordance with the level of current flowing through said coil.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
47 words
The apparatus of claim 22 wherein said sensor means includes a vacuum transducer pneumatically coupled to the throat of said venturi and having a bridge of impedances which vary with changing vacuum levels, and further comprising a constant current source driving a constant current through said bridge.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
63 words
The apparatus of claim 21 further comprising: a foot operated position sensor for indicating the desired level of vacuum; a first means for converting the foot operated position sensor position into a digital signal indicating the desired level of vacuum; a second means for converting said digital signal into said signal indicating the desired level of vacuum to be generated in analog form.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
70 words
The apparatus of claim 24 further comprising a user operable control for indicating the maximum vacuum level to be generated and processing means for converting the desired vacuum level signal from said first conversion means to a digital signal indicating a desired level of vacuum between zero and the maximum vacuum level indicated by said user operable control in a linear relationship to the deflection of said foot operated control.
Claim 32
Independent Claim
123 words
An apparatus for controlling the actual vacuum level in a system to be as near as possible to the desired vacuum level despite changing conditions comprising: means for allowing the user to specify the maximum allowable vacuum and the current desired percentage of maximum vacuum which is desired and for generating a signal so indicating: and means for converting the signal indicating the current desired vacuum level into an actual vacuum used for aspiration of material by suitably controlling a vacuum generating device and for monitoring changes in the actual vacuum level caused by changing aspiration conditions and adjusting the control of said vacuum generating device in order to attempt to maintain the actual vacuum level substantially close to the desired vacuum level.
Claim 33
Independent Claim
123 words
An apparatus for controlling the actual vacuum level in a system to be as near as possible to the desired vacuum level despite changing conditions comprising: means for allowing the user to specify the maximum allowable vacuum and the current desired percentage of maximum vacuum which is desired and for generating a signal so indicating: and means for converting the signal indicating the current desired vacuum level into an actual vacuum used for aspiration of material by suitably controlling a vacuum generating device and for monitoring changes in the actual vacuum level caused by changing aspiration conditions and adjusting the control of said vacuum generating device in order to attempt to maintain the actual vacuum level substantially close to the desired vacuum level.
Claim 34
Independent Claim
114 words
A method of controlling an actual vacuum to be as close as possible to a desired vacuum over changing conditions comprising the steps of: reading user operable controls to determine the maximum permissible vacuum desired by the user and the percentage of the maximum permissible vacuum which is currently desired: creating an actual vacuum in accordance with the level of desired vacuum by suitably controlling a vacuum generating device: using said vacuum to aspirate materials thereby changing the actual vacuum levels as aspiration conditions change: and monitoring the changes in the actual vacuum level and adjusting said vacuum generation system to maintain the actual vacuum at a level substantially near said desired vacuum level.
Claim 35
Independent Claim
114 words
A method of controlling an actual vacuum to be as close as possible to a desired vacuum over changing conditions comprising the steps of: reading user operable controls to determine the maximum permissible vacuum desired by the user and the percentage of the maximum permissible vacuum which is currently desired: creating an actual vacuum in accordance with the level of desired vacuum by suitably controlling a vacuum generating device: using said vacuum to aspirate materials thereby changing the actual vacuum levels as aspiration conditions change: and monitoring the changes in the actual vacuum level and adjusting said vacuum generation system to maintain the actual vacuum at a level substantially near said desired vacuum level.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
81 words
The method of claim 27 further comprising the steps of: converting the desired vacuum level into a signal: converting the actual vacuum level into a signal: comparing the desired vacuum level signal and the actual vacuum level signal and generating an error signal indicative of the difference: converting said error signal into a flow of pressurized air having a flow rate proportional to magnitude of said error signal: using said flow of pressurized air to generate said vacuum in a venturi.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
78 words
The method of claim 27 further comprising the steps of: reading a foot operated position sensor to obtain a signal indicating the desired level of vacuum: reading a maximum vacuum control to obtain a signal indicating the desired maximum permissible vacuum level: and generating a desired vacuum level signal by calculating the percentage of full scale displacement of said foot operated position sensor and multiplying this percentage by the maximum permissible vacuum level as indicated by the user.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
61 words
The method of claim 29 wherein said step of converting said error signal to a flow of pressurized air comprises the steps of: converting the error signal to a current proportional to the magnitude of the error signal: passing said current through the coil of a solenoid operated linear valve; and passing a flow of pressurized air through said linear valve.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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