This United States patent application is a non-provisional patent application based upon United States provisional application, Application Number 63/008,022, which was filed on Apr. 10, 2020, the priority benefits of which are hereby claimed.
The present invention relates generally to medical equipment, and more particularly to a new and improved anterior chamber maintainer (ACM) which is to be utilized in connection with maintaining physiological intraocular pressure during intraocular surgery. Still more particularly, the new and improved anterior chamber maintainer (ACM) effectively comprises a device which enables the cataract surgeon to infuse balanced salt solution (BSS) into the anterior chamber of the eye so as to maintain adequate intraocular pressure while performing any intraocular surgery.
Conventionally, anterior chamber intraocular chamber maintainers (ACMs) have been used during different types of intraocular surgeries all of which require that the intraocular pressure be maintained within the anterior segment of the eye while performing such intraocular surgery. Such intraocular surgery may comprise, for example, cataract surgery wherein lens material is removed from the eye, or vitrectomy surgery wherein vitreous material such as, for example, floaters, are cut and removed from the posterior segment of the eye. Such conventional anterior chamber intraocular pressure maintainers (ACMs) utilize balanced salt solution (BSS) infused into anterior chamber of the eye. The constant infusion of balanced salt solution (BSS), and the maintenance of stable intraocular pressure within the eye, are both necessary in order to achieve proper fluidics and function during all intraocular surgeries. During cataract surgery, which is the most common ophthalmic surgical procedure performed within this country, balanced salt solution (BSS) is infused in a coaxial manner to inflate the eye while simultaneously removing the natural crystalline lens. During vitrectomy surgery, however, an infusion cannula is inserted through the pars plana of the eye so as to maintain the intraocular pressure while the vitreous material is being severed and removed. The problem with such an infusion cannula, however, resides in the fact that in order to render such fixed or stable relative to the eye, the infusion cannula is actually sutured to the pars plana. Therefore, not only is it necessary for the infusion cannula to be sutured to the sclera in the region of the pars plana, but then after the vitrectomy has been completed, the sutures will be required to close the scleral opening. All of these procedures not only require additional time to be invested by means of the vitrectomy surgeon and his or her staff, but such procedures significantly increase the morbidity rate as well as being more adversely impactful upon the patient's recovery.
A need therefore exists for a new and improved anterior chamber maintainer (ACM). Another need exists in the art for a new and improved anterior chamber maintainer (ACM) which can be used during different types of intraocular surgeries all of which require that the intraocular pressure be maintained within the anterior segment of the eye while performing such intraocular surgery. Still another need exists in the art for a new and improved anterior chamber maintainer (ACM) which can be used during different types of intraocular surgeries all of which require that the intraocular pressure be maintained within the anterior segment of the eye while performing such intraocular surgery and which is easy to manipulate by the surgeon. Yet another need exists in the art for a new and improved anterior chamber maintainer (ACM) which can be used during different types of intraocular surgeries all of which require that the intraocular pressure be maintained within the anterior segment of the eye while performing such intraocular surgery, which is easy to manipulate by the surgeon, and which comprises an infusion cannula to supply balanced salt solution (BSS) into the anterior chamber of the eye in view of the fact that the constant infusion of balanced salt solution (BSS), and the maintenance of stable intraocular pressure within the eye, are both necessary in order to achieve proper fluidics and function during all intraocular surgeries.
A further need exists in the art for a new and improved anterior chamber maintainer (ACM) which can be used during different types of intraocular surgeries all of which require that the intraocular pressure be maintained within the anterior segment of the eye while performing such intraocular surgery, which is easy to manipulate by the surgeon, which comprises an infusion cannula to supply balanced salt solution (BSS) into the anterior chamber of the eye in view of the fact that the constant infusion of balanced salt solution (BSS), and the maintenance of stable intraocular pressure within the eye, are both necessary in order to achieve proper fluidics and function during all intraocular surgeries, and which is capable of effectively being fixed to or disposed in a stable state relative to the eye without the need for suturing the infusion cannula to any portion of the eye. A still further need exists in the art for a new and improved anterior chamber maintainer (ACM) which can be used during different types of intraocular surgeries all of which require that the intraocular pressure be maintained within the anterior segment of the eye while performing such intraocular surgery, which is easy to manipulate by the surgeon, which comprises an infusion cannula to supply balanced salt solution (BSS) into the anterior chamber of the eye in view of the fact that the constant infusion of balanced salt solution (BSS), and the maintenance of stable intraocular pressure within the eye, are both necessary in order to achieve proper fluidics and function during all intraocular surgeries, and which is capable of effectively being fixed to or disposed in a stable state relative to the eye without the need for suturing the infusion cannula to any portion of the eye such that there are no sutures to be removed by the surgeon or any member of his or her staff which will lead to a more positive surgical result for the patient with respect to morbidity and recovery.
An overall objective of the present invention is to provide a new and improved anterior chamber maintainer (ACM). Another overall objective of the present invention is to provide a new and improved anterior chamber maintainer (ACM) which can be used during different types of intraocular surgeries all of which require that the intraocular pressure be maintained within the anterior chamber of the eye while performing such intraocular surgery. Still another overall objective of the present invention is to provide a new and improved anterior chamber maintainer (ACM) which can be used during different types of intraocular surgeries all of which require that the intraocular pressure be maintained within the anterior segment of the eye while performing such intraocular surgery and which is easy to manipulate by the surgeon. Yet another overall objective of the present invention is to provide a new and improved anterior chamber maintainer (ACM) which can be used during different types of intraocular surgeries all of which require that the intraocular pressure be maintained within the anterior segment of the eye while performing such intraocular surgery, which is easy to manipulate by the surgeon, and which comprises an infusion cannula to supply balanced salt solution (BSS) into the anterior chamber of the eye in view of the fact that the constant infusion of balanced salt solution (BSS), and the maintenance of stable intraocular pressure within the eye, are both necessary in order to achieve proper fluidics and function during all intraocular surgeries.
A further overall objective of the present invention is to provide a new and improved anterior chamber maintainer (ACM) which can be used during different types of intraocular surgeries all of which require that the intraocular pressure be maintained within the anterior segment of the eye while performing such intraocular surgery, which is easy to manipulate by the surgeon, which comprises an infusion cannula to supply balanced salt solution (BSS) into the anterior chamber of the eye in view of the fact that the constant infusion of balanced salt solution (BSS), and the maintenance of stable intraocular pressure within the eye, are both necessary in order to achieve proper fluidics and function during all intraocular surgeries, and which is capable of effectively being fixed to or disposed in a stable state relative to the eye without the need for suturing the infusion cannula to any portion of the eye. A still further overall objective of the present invention is to provide a new and improved anterior chamber maintainer (ACM) which can be used during different types of intraocular surgeries all of which require that the intraocular pressure be maintained within the anterior chamber of the eye while performing such intraocular surgery, which is easy to manipulate by the surgeon, which comprises an infusion cannula to supply balanced salt solution (BSS) into the anterior chamber of the eye in view of the fact that the constant infusion of balanced salt solution (BSS), and the maintenance of stable intraocular pressure within the eye, are both necessary in order to achieve proper fluidics and function during all intraocular surgeries, and which is capable of effectively being fixed to or disposed in a stable state relative to the eye without the need for suturing the infusion cannula to any portion of the eye such that there are no sutures to be removed by the surgeon or any member of his or her staff which will lead to a more positive surgical result for the patient with respect to morbidity and recovery.
The foregoing and other objectives are achieved in accordance with the principles and teachings of the present invention through means of an anterior chamber maintainer (ACM) which comprises a toggle or relatively large diameter tubular member which not only defines a fluid conduit for receiving an externally disposed sleeve member or infusion line, which may be fabricated from any conventional medical grade irrigation tubing and which is fixedly connected to a continuous supply of balanced salt solution (BSS) to be introduced into the anterior chamber of the eye, but in addition, the toggle or relatively large diameter tubular member effectively defines a handle which may be grasped by the surgeon to easily manipulate the anterior chamber maintainer (ACM). A one millimeter (1 mm) paracentesis is made at the limbus of the eye, and it is seen that the toggle or relatively large diameter tubular member is integrally mounted upon a base member or platform which is adapted to be engaged with an external portion of the eye when a distal end portion of a relatively small diameter tubular member, integrally connected to the base member or platform and provided with a sharply pointed end, is inserted through the paracentesis. In addition, an axially central portion of the relatively small diameter tubular member, that is located between the base member and the sharpened or pointed end, is provided with a deformable bulbous portion. The tubular member is fabricated from a suitable medical grade plastic material, such as, for example, 23 g plastic material, which is similar to that utilized to form IV angio-catheters and which exhibits sufficient axial stiffness to permit the tubular member to pass through the paracentesis and yet sufficient radial pliability and inherent resiliency and/or elastic memory to permit the bulbous portion to be deformed as it passes through the paracentesis and yet regain its original bulbous configuration once it has passed through the paracentesis.
More particularly, as the distal end of the relatively small diameter tubular member passes through the paracentesis, the bulbous portion will be forced to contract radially inwardly so as to permit the axially central portion of the tubular member to pass through the paracentesis, however, as soon as the bulbous member has effectively passed through the paracentesis, the bulbous member will regain its bulbous configuration. In this manner, it is further appreciated that as a result of the bulbous portion regaining its original configuration, the bulbous portion will now effectively stabilize the anterior chamber maintainer (ACM) within the anterior chamber of the eye such that the infusion line or sleeve member is now effectively connected to the eye whereby the balanced salt solution (BSS) can be fluidically conducted into the anterior chamber of the eye. This connection of the infusion line to the eye, by means of the new and improved anterior chamber maintainer (ACM) also permits the surgeon to grasp the anterior chamber maintainer (ACM) by means of the sleeve or infusion line and the relatively large diameter tubular member so as to effectively rotate, pivot, or otherwise directionally orient or manipulate the eye so as to aid the surgeon's visualization during performance of the surgery without any fear that the infusion line will become disconnected from the eye. When the surgery is complete, the anterior chamber maintainer (ACM) can be readily retracted out from the eye by simply pulling on the infusion line/anterior chamber maintainer (ACM) assembly whereby the axially central bulbous portion of the anterior chamber maintainer (ACM) will again radially deform so as to permit the anterior chamber maintainer (ACM) to pass back outwardly through the paracentesis.
Various other features and attendant advantages of the present invention will be more fully appreciated from the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein:
With reference being made to
The relatively small diameter tubular member 108 is fabricated from a suitable medical grade plastic material, such as, for example, 23 g plastic material, which is similar to that utilized to form IV angio-catheters and which exhibits sufficient axial stiffness to permit the relatively small diameter tubular member 108 to pass through the paracentesis 104 and yet sufficient radial flexibility and inherent resiliency and/or elastic memory to permit the bulbous portion 124 to be deformed as it passes through the paracentesis 104 and yet regain its original bulbous configuration 124 once it has passed through the paracentesis 104. More particularly, as the relatively small diameter tubular member 106 passes through the paracentesis 104, the bulbous portion 124 will be forced to contract radially inwardly so as to permit the axially central portion 122 of the relatively small diameter tubular member 108 to pass through the paracentesis 104, however, as soon as the bulbous member or portion 124 has effectively passed through the paracentesis 104, the bulbous member or portion 124 will regain its bulbous configuration. In this manner, it is further appreciated that as a result of the bulbous portion 124 regaining its original configuration, the bulbous portion 124 will now effectively trap the anterior chamber maintainer (ACM) 100 within the anterior chamber 112 of the eye 102 such that an infusion line 126, as can best be seen in
Continuing further, and with particular reference being made to
Obviously, many variations and modifications of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the present invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein.
Number | Date | Country | |
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63008022 | Apr 2020 | US |