Occlusion-activated heat supression infusion sleeve

Abstract

Described is a phacoemulsification device for eye surgery that generally comprises an ultrasonically vibrating aspiration needle that withdraws ocular material from inside of the eye. The ocular material withdrawn from the eye is equally replaced with irrigation fluid provided through irrigation ports in an irrigation sleeve surrounding the aspiration needle. In the event the aspiration needle stops withdrawing ocular material, such as if it becomes occluded with a chunk of ocular material, irrigation fluid is directed to the outside of the eye via at least one irrigation aperture to keep the eye cool where the needle is ultrasonically vibrating.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A phacoemulsification device for eye surgery to an eye comprising:
 an ultrasonically vibrating aspiration needle adapted to withdraw ocular material from inside of said eye;   an irrigation sleeve possessing an irrigation port through which irrigation fluid is adapted to discharge inside of said eye; and   at least one irrigation aperture extending through said irrigation sleeve, said irrigation aperture adapted to direct said irrigation fluid through said irrigation aperture onto the outside of said eye wherein no part of said irrigation aperture comes into contact with said eye during said eye surgery.   
     
     
         2 . The phacoemulsification device of  claim 1  further comprising a handpiece from which said aspiration needle and said irrigation sleeve extend, said at least one irrigation aperture is between said handpiece and said irrigation port of said irrigation sleeve, said ocular material passes through said handpiece at a first rate and said irrigation fluid passes through said handpiece at a second rate. 
     
     
         3 . The phacoemulsification device of  claim 2  wherein said second rate is essentially constant and equals said first rate when said ocular material is withdrawn from said eye freely, said irrigation fluid that discharges inside of said eye through said irrigation port always equals said first rate, any reduction in said first rate increases said irrigation fluid that discharges onto the outside of said eye via said at least one irrigation aperture. 
     
     
         4 . The phacoemulsification device of  claim 2  wherein said second rate is essentially constant and is greater than said first rate when said ocular material is withdrawn from said eye freely, said irrigation fluid that discharges inside of said eye through said irrigation port always equals said first rate, said irrigation fluid that discharges onto the outside of said eye via said at least one irrigation aperture increases discharge rate with a reduction in said first rate. 
     
     
         5 . The phacoemulsification device of  claim 1  wherein said irrigation sleeve concentrically surrounds a portion of said aspiration needle, said irrigation sleeve is spaced apart from said aspiration needle to form an irrigation pathway, said aspiration needle extends beyond said irrigation port of said irrigation sleeve. 
     
     
         6 . The phacoemulsification device of  claim 5  further comprising an irrigation sleeve hub disposed between said aspiration port and said handpiece wherein said irrigation sleeve hub possesses a hub diameter that is greater than a sleeve diameter of said irrigation sleeve, said at least one irrigation aperture located at said irrigation sleeve hub. 
     
     
         7 . The phacoemulsification device of  claim 1  wherein said ocular material passes through said aspiration needle at a first rate whereby if said first rate becomes essentially zero, then said irrigation aperture directs said irrigation fluid through said irrigation aperture onto the outside of said eye. 
     
     
         8 . The phacoemulsification device of  claim 1  wherein said irrigation aperture does not get closer than at least one-eighth of an inch from said eye during an eye surgery. 
     
     
         9 . An eye surgery method comprising:
 providing a phacoemulsification device comprising a hollow irrigation sleeve through which irrigation fluid flows, said irrigation sleeve possessing at least one irrigation port and at least one irrigation aperture, and a hollow aspiration needle possessing an aspiration port at the distal end of said aspiration needle;   inserting said distal end of said aspiration needle and said irrigation port into an eye;   ultrasonically vibrating said aspiration needle;   aspirating ocular material from inside of said eye through said aspiration port at an aspiration flow rate;   discharging said irrigation fluid through said irrigation port into said eye at an irrigation port flow rate, wherein said irrigation port flow rate essentially equals said aspiration flow rate;   directing said irrigation fluid through said irrigation aperture towards the outside of said eye at an aperture irrigation flow rate, said irrigation aperture does not come into contact with said eye.   
     
     
         10 . The eye surgery method of  claim 9  wherein said aperture irrigation flow rate is zero when said ocular material flows freely through said aspiration port during said aspirating step, but said aperture irrigation flow rate increases when said aspirating flow rate decreases. 
     
     
         11 . The eye surgery method of  claim 10  wherein said aperture irrigation flow rate is inversely proportional to said aspiration flow rate. 
     
     
         12 . The eye surgery method of  claim 9  wherein said aperture irrigation flow rate is greater than zero when said ocular material flows freely through said aspiration port during said aspirating step, but said aperture irrigation flow rate increases when said aspirating flow rate decreases. 
     
     
         13 . The eye surgery method of  claim 12  wherein said aperture irrigation flow rate changes at a rate that is inversely proportional to said aspiration flow rate. 
     
     
         14 . The eye surgery method of  claim 9  further providing a handpiece from which said aspiration needle and said irrigation sleeve extend, said at least one aperture is between said handpiece and said irrigation port. 
     
     
         15 . The eye surgery method of  claim 9  wherein said irrigation sleeve concentrically surrounds a portion of said aspiration needle, said irrigation sleeve is spaced apart from said aspiration needle to form an irrigation pathway, said aspiration needle extends beyond where said irrigation sleeve terminates. 
     
     
         16 . The eye surgery method of  claim 15  further comprising an irrigation sleeve hub disposed at the distal end of said handpiece wherein said irrigation sleeve hub is closer to said aspiration port than said handpiece, wherein said irrigation sleeve hub possesses a hub diameter that is greater than a sleeve diameter of said irrigation sleeve, said at least one irrigation aperture located at said irrigation sleeve hub. 
     
     
         17 . The eye surgery method of  claim 9  wherein said irrigation aperture remains at least one-eighth of an inch from said eye during said aspirating step, said discharging step, and said directing step. 
     
     
         18 . The eye surgery method of  claim 9  wherein said directing step only occurs if said aspiration flow rate essentially goes to zero. 
     
     
         19 . A phacoemulsification device comprising:
 a handpiece;   an aspiration needle extending from said handpiece, said aspiration needle possessing an aspiration port at the distal end of said aspiration needle;   an irrigation sleeve concentrically surrounding a portion of said aspiration needle, said irrigation sleeve spaced apart from said aspiration needle forming an irrigation pathway, said aspiration needle extending distally beyond said irrigation sleeve;   an irrigation port passing through said irrigation sleeve, said irrigation port less than one-half of an inch from said aspiration port;   means for directing irrigation fluid to the outside of an eye.   
     
     
         20 . The phacoemulsification device of  claim 19  wherein said means for directing irrigation fluid is an irrigation aperture passing through said irrigation sleeve greater than one-half of an inch from said aspiration port. 
     
     
         21 . The phacoemulsification device of  claim 19  wherein said means for directing irrigation fluid is between said handpiece and said irrigation port, said aspiration needle is adapted to withdraw ocular material from said eye at a first rate, said irrigation sleeve is adapted to provide said irrigation fluid inside of said eye via said irrigation port at a second rate, said means for directing irrigation fluid to the outside of said eye is adapted to direct said irrigation fluid at a third rate, wherein said first rate equals said second rate, and said third rate is at least zero when said first rate is at a maximum flow rate and said third rate is proportional to said first rate. 
     
     
         22 . The phacoemulsification device of  claim 19  wherein said aspiration needle withdraws ocular material from said eye at an aspiration flow rate during a phacoemulsification procedure, but when said aspiration flow rate is zero during said phacoemulsification procedure, said means for directing irrigation fluid to the outside of said eye directs fluid at a flow rate greater than zero.