Intraocular irrigator-aspirator tip component

Abstract

An ophthalmic irrigator-aspirator has a handpiece with aspiration and irrigation openings through its distal end; and a narrow aspiration tip projecting distally. A flexible sleeve has an annular hub for watertight connection to the handpiece. The sleeve surrounds the full extent of the tip. An intermediate portion of the sleeve forms a channel for an irrigation fluid along the exterior of the tip to a port in the sleeve. The distal end of the sleeve is sized for a watertight connection over the distal portion of the tip. Such distal end of the sleeve has an aspiration port in communication with the tip aspiration port. The sleeve proximate, intermediate, and distal portions are integral with each other and are formed of a resilient material that allows the sleeve to be manually stretched onto the handpiece and tip.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows: 
     
         1 . A unitary, one-piece sleeve for an ophthalmic irrigator-aspirator instrument of the type having:
 a handpiece with proximate and distal ends, the handpiece having an aspiration opening through the distal end thereof and one or more irrigation openings adjacent to the aspiration opening; and   an elongated, narrow tip projecting from the handpiece distal end, the tip having proximate and distal end portions and an internal bore communicating with the handpiece aspiration opening and an aspiration port at or adjacent to a distal end of the tip;   said sleeve comprising:
 a proximate annular hub portion constructed and arranged to be manually connected to a distal end portion of the handpiece in a watertight fit and surrounding the aspiration and irrigation openings of the handpiece; 
 an intermediate portion surrounding the elongated tip of the instrument and forming an irrigation channel between the tip and an interior portion of the sleeve which channel is in communication with the handpiece irrigation opening, the intermediate sleeve portion having an irrigation port adjacent to a distal end thereof for ejection of an irrigation fluid therefrom; and 
 a distal end portion sized for manual connection over a distal portion of the tip in a watertight fit at a location distally of the sleeve irrigation port but proximate of the tip aspiration port, the sleeve distal end portion having an aspiration port located to be in communication with the tip aspiration port when the sleeve is connected over the distal portion of the tip; the sleeve proximate, intermediate, and distal portions being integral with each other and formed of a resilient material that allows the sleeve to be manually stretched onto the handpiece and tip, and enclosing the full extent of the tip.