Claims
- 1. 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;
- a needle support;
- 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 rigid, hollow, sleeve surrounding a portion of said hollow, vibrating needle with said rigid, hollow, sleeve having a sleeve body, 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 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; and an inhibitor for inhibiting the distal migration of said rigid, hollow, sleeve.
- 2. A surgical instrument for removing a cataract through an incision in a patient's eye according to claim 1, wherein said inhibiting means includes:
- a ported proximal flange portion intersecting and extending outward from said sleeve body,
- a threaded extension, said threaded extension intersecting with and extending away from said ported proximal flange portion,
- said threaded extension being screwably engageable with said hollow, vibrating needle, needle support.
- 3. A surgical instrument for removing a cataract through an incision in a patient's eye according to claim 1, wherein
- said inhibiting means includes a ported proximal flange portion intersecting and extending outward from said sleeve body to limit migration of said rigid hollow sleeve towards said tapered ported distal end.
- 4. A surgical instrument for removing cataracts through an incision in a patient's eye according to claim 3, wherein
- said hollow compressible infusion sleeve contains a slot for receiving said rigid hollow sleeve; and
- said rigid, hollow sleeve is coupled to said hollow compressible infusion sleeve.
- 5. A surgical instrument for removing a cataract through an incision in a patient's eye according to claim 1, wherein
- said rigid, hollow sleeve further comprises spacers attached to said sleeve body, said spacers extending inward towards a longitudinal axis of said rigid hollow sleeve.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is a continuation-in-part of my earlier copending application Ser. No. 07/998442 filed 30 Dec. 1992 entitled IMPROVED FLUID INFUSION SLEEVE now U.S. Pat. No. 5,286,256.
US Referenced Citations (9)
Continuation in Parts (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
998442 |
Dec 1992 |
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