Gilled phacoemulsification irrigation sleeve

Abstract

A phacoemulsification irrigation sleeve includes an elongated, resilient, tubular body section configured to surround a portion of a shaft of a phacoemulsification needle, the tubular body section having a distal end and a proximal end, and an inner surface and an outer surface. An enlarged section formed on the proximal end of the tubular body portion surrounds a hub of the phacoemulsification needle and connects the irrigation sleeve to a phacoemulsification handpiece. The irrigation sleeve further comprises at least one slitted irrigation port formed adjacent to the distal end of the body section and configured to splay in response to a drop in pressure between the inner surface and the outer surface.

1 - 5 . (canceled) 
     
     
         6 . A phacoemulsification system for use in ophthalmic surgery comprising:
 a phacoemulsification needle comprising:
 a hollow shaft; 
 a hub formed at a proximal end of the hollow shaft; and 
 a lumen extending through the hollow shaft and the flared portion, the lumen defining a opening at a distal end of the hollow shaft; and 
   a phacoemulsification irrigation sleeve comprising:
 an elongated, resilient, tubular body section configured to surround the hollow shaft of the phacoemulsification needle, said tubular body section having a distal end and a proximal end, and an inner surface and an outer surface; 
 an enlarged section formed on the proximal end of the tubular body section and configured to surround the hub of said phacoemulsification needle and for connection to a phacoemulsification handpiece; 
 at least one slitted irrigation port formed adjacent to the distal end of the body section and configured to splay in response to a drop in pressure between the inner surface and the outer surface; and 
 an opening formed at the distal end of the tubular body section, the opening remote from the at least one slitted irrigation port a portion of the hollow shaft of the phacoemulsification needle extending through the opening, 
   wherein the at least one slitted irrigation port comprises at least one of:
 a linear slit oriented longitudinally on the tubular body section; 
 an arc-shaped slit; and 
 a chevron-shaped slit 
   
     
     
         7 . The phacoemulsification system of  claim 6 , wherein the at least one slitted irrigation port comprises a flap overlapping a portion of the outside surface of the tubular body section, said flap configured to open in response to a drop in pressure between the inner surface and the outer surface. 
     
     
         8 . The phacoemulsification system of  claim 6 , wherein the tubular body section further comprises a wall, wherein a region of the wall includes a reduced wall thickness adjacent to the at least one slitted irrigation port. 
     
     
         9 . The phacoemulsification system of  claim 6 , wherein the at least one slitted irrigation port comprises an open portion configured to allow a first flow of irrigation fluid during a phacoemulsification procedure and a slitted portion configured to allow an increased flow of irrigation fluid, relative to the first flow, in response to a drop in pressure between the inner surface and the outer surface of the tubular body section. 
     
     
         10 . A phacoemulsification system for use in ophthalmic surgery comprising:
 a phacoemulsification needle comprising:
 a hollow shaft; 
 a hub formed at a proximal end of the hollow shaft; and 
 a lumen extending through the hollow shaft and the flared portion, the lumen defining a opening at a distal end of the hollow shaft; and 
   a phacoemulsification irrigation sleeve comprising:
 an elongated, resilient, tubular body section configured to surround the hollow shaft of the phacoemulsification needle, said tubular body section having a distal end and a proximal end, and an inner surface and an outer surface; 
 an enlarged section formed on the proximal end of the tubular body section and configured to surround the hub of said phacoemulsification needle and for connection to a phacoemulsification handpiece; 
 at least one slitted irrigation port formed adjacent to the distal end of the body section and configured to splay in response to a drop in pressure between the inner surface and the outer surface; and 
 an opening formed at the distal end of the tubular body section, the opening remote from the at least one slitted irrigation port a portion of the hollow shaft of the phacoemulsification needle extending through the opening, 
   wherein the tubular body section further comprises a wall having a first wall thickness, and   wherein a region of the wall defining the at least one slitted irrigation port comprises a second wall thickness, and   wherein the first wall thickness is greater than the second wall thickness.   
     
     
         11 . The phacoemulsification system of  claim 10 , wherein the at least one slitted irrigation port comprises at least one of:
 a linear slit oriented longitudinally on the tubular body section;   a linear slit oriented at approximately forty-five degrees relative to the longitudinal axis of the tubular body section;   an arc-shaped slit; and   a chevron-shaped slit.   
     
     
         12 . The phacoemulsification system of  claim 10 , wherein the at least one slitted irrigation port comprises an open portion configured to allow a first flow of irrigation fluid during a phacoemulsification procedure and a slitted portion configured to allow an increased flow of irrigation fluid, relative to the first flow, in response to a drop in pressure between the inner surface and the outer surface of the tubular body section. 
     
     
         13 . The phacoemulsification system of  claim 10 , wherein the at least one slitted irrigation port comprises a flap overlapping a portion of the outside surface of the tubular body section, said flap configured to open in response to a drop in pressure between the inner surface and the outer surface 
     
     
         14 . A phacoemulsification system for use in ophthalmic surgery comprising:
 a phacoemulsification needle comprising:
 a hollow shaft; 
 a hub formed at a proximal end of the hollow shaft; and 
 a lumen extending through the hollow shaft and the flared portion, the lumen defining a opening at a distal end of the hollow shaft; and 
   a phacoemulsification irrigation sleeve comprising:
 an elongated, resilient, tubular body portion configured to surround a portion of the hollow shaft of a phacoemulsification needle, said tubular body portion comprising:
 a distal end; 
 a proximal end; 
 a cavity extending from the proximal end to the distal end; 
 an inner surface; and 
 an outer surface; 
 
 an enlarged portion formed on the proximal end of the tubular body portion and configured to surround the hub of said phacoemulsification needle and for connection to a phacoemulsification handpiece; 
 at least one slitted irrigation port formed adjacent to the distal end of the tubular body portion and configured to splay in response to a drop in pressure between the inner surface and the outer surface, 
 an opening formed at a distal tip at the distal end of the tubular body portion a portion of the shaft of the phacoemulsification needle extending through the opening, 
   wherein the at least one slitted irrigation port comprises at least one of:
 a linear slit oriented longitudinally on the tubular body portion; 
 an arc-shaped slit; and 
 a chevron-shaped slit. 
   
     
     
         15 . The phacoemulsification system of  claim 14 , wherein the at least one slitted irrigation port comprises an open portion configured to allow a first flow of irrigation fluid during a phacoemulsification procedure and a slitted portion configured to allow an increased flow of irrigation fluid, relative to the first flow, in response to a drop in pressure between the inner surface and the outer surface of the tubular body portion. 
     
     
         16 . The phacoemulsification system of  claim 14 , wherein the at least one slitted irrigation port comprises a flap overlapping a portion of the outside surface of the tubular body portion, said flap configured to open in response to a drop in pressure between the inner surface and the outer surface. 
     
     
         17 . The phacoemulsification system of  claim 14 , wherein the tubular body portion further comprises at least one thinned region adjacent to the at least one slitted irrigation port. 
     
     
         18 . A phacoemulsification system for use in ophthalmic surgery comprising:
 a phacoemulsification needle comprising:
 a hollow shaft; 
 a hub formed at a proximal end of the hollow shaft; and 
 a lumen extending through the hollow shaft and the flared portion, the lumen defining a opening at a distal end of the hollow shaft; and 
   a phacoemulsification irrigation sleeve comprising:
 an elongated, resilient, tubular body portion configured to surround a portion of the hollow shaft of a phacoemulsification needle, said tubular body portion comprising:
 a distal end; 
 a proximal end; 
 a cavity extending from the proximal end to the distal end; 
 an inner surface; and 
 an outer surface; 
 
 an enlarged portion formed on the proximal end of the tubular body portion and configured to surround the hub of said phacoemulsification needle and for connection to a phacoemulsification handpiece; 
 at least one slitted irrigation port formed adjacent to the distal end of the tubular body portion and configured to splay in response to a drop in pressure between the inner surface and the outer surface, 
 an opening formed at a distal tip at the distal end of the tubular body portion a portion of the shaft of the phacoemulsification needle extending through the opening, 
   wherein the tubular body section further comprises a wall having a first wall thickness, and   wherein a region of the wall defining the at least one slitted irrigation port comprises a second wall thickness, and   wherein the first wall thickness is greater than the second wall thickness.   
     
     
         19 . The phacoemulsification system of  claim 18 , wherein the at least one slitted irrigation port comprises at least one of:
 a linear slit oriented longitudinally on the tubular body portion;   a linear slit oriented at approximately forty-five degrees relative to the longitudinal axis of the tubular body portion;   an arc-shaped slit; and   a chevron-shaped slit.   
     
     
         20 . The phacoemulsification system of  claim 18 , wherein the at least one slitted irrigation port comprises an open portion configured to allow a first flow of irrigation fluid during a phacoemulsification procedure and a slitted portion configured to allow an increased flow of irrigation fluid, relative to the first flow, in response to a drop in pressure between the inner surface and the outer surface of the tubular body portion. 
     
     
         21 . The phacoemulsification system of  claim 18 , wherein the at least one slitted irrigation port comprises a flap overlapping a portion of the outside surface of the tubular body portion, said flap configured to open in response to a drop in pressure between the inner surface and the outer surface. 
     
     
         22 . A phacoemulsification irrigation sleeve comprising:
 an elongated, resilient, tubular body section configured to surround a portion of a shaft of a phacoemulsification needle, said tubular body section having a distal end and a proximal end, and an inner surface and an outer surface;   an enlarged section formed on the proximal end of the tubular body portion section and configured to surround a hub of said phacoemulsification needle and for connection to a phacoemulsification handpiece; and   at least one slitted irrigation port formed adjacent to the distal end of the body section and configured to splay in response to a drop in pressure between the inner surface and the outer surface; and   an opening formed at the distal end of the tubular body section, the opening remote from the at least one slitted irrigation port and coaxial with the tubular body section, the opening adapted to accommodate a portion of the shaft of the phacoemulsification needle extending through the opening,   wherein the at least one slitted irrigation port comprises a flap, and wherein the flap overlaps a portion of an outer surface of the irrigation sleeve, said flap configured to open in response to a drop in pressure between the inner surface and the outer surface.   
     
     
         23 . A phacoemulsification irrigation sleeve comprising:
 an elongated, resilient, tubular body section configured to surround a portion of a shaft of a phacoemulsification needle, said tubular body section having a distal end and a proximal end, and an inner surface and an outer surface;   an enlarged section formed on the proximal end of the tubular body portion section and configured to surround a hub of said phacoemulsification needle and for connection to a phacoemulsification handpiece; and   at least one slitted irrigation port formed adjacent to the distal end of the body section and configured to splay in response to a drop in pressure between the inner surface and the outer surface; and   an opening formed at the distal end of the tubular body section, the opening remote from the at least one sated irrigation port and coaxial with the tubular body section, the opening adapted to accommodate a portion of the shaft of the phacoemulsification needle extending through the opening,   wherein the tubular body section further comprises a wall having a first wall thickness,   wherein a region of the wall defining the at least one slitted irrigation port comprises a second wall thickness, and   wherein the first wall thickness is greater than the second wall thickness.