Fluid infusion sleeve

Claim 2

A surgical instrument for removing a cataract through an incision in a patient's eye, comprising a hollow, compressible infusion sleeve; said hollow, compressible infusion sleeve having a tapered, ported, distal and portion and having an extreme end portion; said hollow, compressible infusion sleeve further including a cylindrical portion; said cylindrical portion intersecting with and extending away from said tapered, ported, distal end portion; a hollow, vibrating needle, having an inner needle diameter, an outer needle diameter and a wall thickness, said hollow, vibrating, needle extending into a patient's eye during the removal of a cataract; said cylindrical portion and said tapered, ported, distal end portion surrounding said hollow, vibrating needle with there being a space between the extreme end portion of said tapered, ported distal end portion and the hollow, vibrating needle; a free-floating, rigid, hollow, sleeve surrounding a portion of said hollow, vibrating needle with said free-floating, rigid, hollow, sleeve having an outer sleeve diameter and an inner sleeve diameter, said inner sleeve diameter being larger than said outer needle diameter, thereby defining a path of fluid between said hollow vibrating needle and said rigid, hollow, sleeve; said free-floating, rigid, hollow, sleeve being surrounded by said cylindrical portion of said, whereby said rigid, hollow, sleeve prevents the hollow, compressible infusion sleeve from collapsing against said hollow, vibrating needle; and a stop for limiting the movement of said free-floating, rigid, hollow sleeve toward the tapered, ported, distal end portion and extreme end portion of said hollow compressible infusion sleeve.

Claim 3

A surgical instrument for removing a cataract through an incision in a patient's eye, comprising a hollow, compressible infusion sleeve; said hollow, compressible infusion sleeve having a tapered, ported, distal end portion and having an extreme end portion; said hollow, compressible infusion sleeve further including a cylindrical portion; said cylindrical portion intersecting with and extending away from said tapered, ported, distal end portion; a hollow, vibrating needle, having an inner needle diameter, an outer needle diameter and a wall thickness, said hollow, vibrating, needle extending into a patient's eye during the removal of a cataract; said cylindrical portion and said tapered, ported, distal end portion surrounding said hollow, vibrating needle with there being a space between the extreme end portion of said tapered, ported distal end portion and the hollow, vibrating needle; a free-floating, rigid, hollow, sleeve surrounding a portion of said hollow, vibrating needle with said free-floating, rigid, hollow, sleeve having an outer sleeve diameter and an inner sleeve diameter, said inner sleeve diameter being larger than said outer needle diameter, thereby defining a path of fluid between said hollow vibrating needle and said rigid, hollow, sleeve; said free-floating, rigid, hollow, sleeve being surrounded by said cylindrical portion whereby said rigid, hollow, sleeve prevents the hollow, compressible infusion sleeve from collapsing against said hollow, vibrating needle; said extreme end portion has a diameter that approximates the outer needle diameter, and said diameter of said extreme end portion is smaller than said outer sleeve diameter thus limiting distal migration of said free floating, rigid, hollow, sleeve.

Claim 4

A surgical instrument for removing a cataract through an incision in a patient's eye, comprising a hollow, compressible infusion sleeve; said hollow, compressible infusion sleeve having a tapered, ported, distal end portion and having an extreme end portion; said hollow, compressible infusion sleeve further including a cylindrical portion; said cylindrical portion intersecting with and extending away from said tapered, ported, distal end portion; a hollow, vibrating needle, having an inner needle diameter, an outer needle diameter and a wall thickness, said hollow, vibrating, needle extending into a patient's eye during the removal of a cataract; said cylindrical portion and said tapered, ported, distal end portion surrounding said hollow, vibrating needle with there being a space between the extreme end portion of said tapered, ported distal end portion and the hollow, vibrating needle; a free-floating, rigid, hollow, sleeve surrounding a portion of said hollow, vibrating needle with said free-floating, rigid, hollow, sleeve having an outer sleeve diameter and an inner sleeve diameter, said inner sleeve diameter being larger than said outer needle diameter, thereby defining a path of fluid between said hollow vibrating needle and said rigid, hollow, sleeve; said free-floating, rigid, hollow, sleeve being surrounded by said cylindrical portion whereby said rigid, hollow, sleeve prevents the hollow, compressible infusion sleeve from collapsing against said hollow, vibrating needle; said extreme end portion has a diameter that approximates the outer needle diameter, and said diameter of said extreme end portion is smaller than said outer sleeve diameter thus limiting distal migration of said free floating, rigid, hollow, sleeve.

Claim 5

A surgical instrument for removing a cataract through an incision in a patient's eye, comprising a hollow, compressible infusion sleeve; said hollow, compressible infusion sleeve having a tapered, ported, distal end portion and having an extreme end portion; said hollow, compressible infusion sleeve further including a cylindrical portion; said cylindrical portion intersecting with and extending away from said tapered, ported, distal end portion; a hollow, vibrating needle, having an inner needle diameter, an outer needle diameter and a wall thickness, said hollow, vibrating, needle extending into a patient's eye during the removal of a cataract; said cylindrical portion and said tapered, ported, distal end portion surrounding said hollow, vibrating needle with there being a space between the extreme end portion of said tapered, ported distal end portion and the hollow, vibrating needle; a free-floating, rigid, hollow, sleeve surrounding a portion of said hollow, vibrating needle with said free-floating, rigid, hollow, sleeve having an outer sleeve diameter and an inner sleeve diameter, said inner sleeve diameter being larger than said outer needle diamter, thereby defining a path of fluid between said hollow vibrating needle and said rigid, hollow, sleeve; said free-floating, rigid, hollow, sleeve being surrounded by said cylindrical portion of in said hollow, compressible infusion sleeve, whereby said rigid, hollow, sleeve prevents the hollow, compressible infusion sleeve from collapsing against said hollow, vibrating needle; and said hollow vibrating needle includes outer limiting means to limit migration of said free floating, rigid, hollow, sleeve towards said tapered, ported distal end.

Claim 6

A surgical instrument for removing a cataract through an incision in a patient's eye, comprising a hollow, compressible infusion sleeve; said hollow, compressible infusion sleeve having a tapered, ported, distal end portion and having an extreme end portion; said hollow, compressible infusion sleeve further including a cylindrical portion; said cylindrical portion intersecting with and extending away from said tapered, ported, distal end portion; a hollow, vibrating needle, having an inner needle diameter, an outer needle diameter and a wall thickness, said hollow, vibrating, needle extending into a patient's eye during the removal of a cataract; said cylindrical portion and said tapered, ported, distal end portion surrounding said hollow, vibrating needle with there being a space between the extreme end portion of said tapered, ported distal end portion and the hollow, vibrating needle; a free-floating, rigid, hollow, sleeve surrounding a portion of said hollow, vibrating needle with said free-floating, rigid, hollow, sleeve having an outer sleeve diameter and an inner sleeve diameter, said inner sleeve diameter being larger than said outer needle diamter, thereby defining a path of fluid between said hollow vibrating needle and said rigid, hollow, sleeve; said free-floating, rigid, hollow, sleeve being surrounded by said cylindrical portion of in said hollow, compressible infusion sleeve, whereby said rigid, hollow, sleeve prevents the hollow, compressible infusion sleeve from collapsing against said hollow, vibrating needle; and said hollow vibrating needle includes outer limiting means to limit migration of said free floating, rigid, hollow, sleeve towards said tapered, ported distal end.

Claim 7

A surgical instrument for removing a cataract through an incision in a patients eye according to claim 3 wherein said limiting means comprises pertuberances along said hollow, compressible infusion sleeve.