Ophthalmic handpiece with pneumatically operated cutter

Claim 1

A pneumatic surgical instrument for use in ophthalmic surgery comprising; a handpiece having a body and a needle extending from said body, said needle including an aspiration port in communication with an aspiration passage coaxial therewith, and a cutting device, rotable and reciprocable within said aspiration passage, said cutting device being movable across said aspiration port for severing tissue extending therethrough, said needle further including an irrigation needle coaxial therewith and terminating short of said aspiration port, said body defining a first bore therein and a second bore coaxial with said first bore, a driving device within said first bore and reciprocable therein, said driving device having said cutting device fixed thereto for movement therewith, fluid operated means for causing said driving device to move in a first direction, said fluid operated means comprising a pneumatic cylinder having a rod projecting therefrom toward the driving device, said rod being arranged to engage said driving device on projection from said pneumatic cylinder, resilient means to cause said driving device to move in the opposite direction, and helical means on said driving device for causing rotation of said driving device about its axis as said driving device moves in said first bore.