DEVICE FOR CUTTING TISSUE

Abstract

A device for cutting and aspirating tissue from the human or animal body, preferably for use in ophthalmology, particularly for vitrectomy, for retinal peeling, etc., with an outer tube (1), and with an inner tube (11), which can move to and fro concentrically in the outer tube (1) with slight play, wherein the outer tube (1) is closed at the free end (2), and has, near the free end (2), a first and a second lateral opening (3, 4) with in each case at least one inner cutting edge (7, 8), wherein the inner tube (11) is open at the free end and there has an outer cutting edge (12), wherein the inner tube (11) has, near the free end, at least one lateral opening (13) with at least one further outer cutting edge (14), and wherein the cutting edges (7, 8, 12, 14) of the outer tube (1) and of the inner tube (11) cooperate in a cutting action during the movement of the inner tube (11), characterized in that the first and second opening (3, 4) are each designed as an asymmetrical circle, as an asymmetrical circle, a an asymmetrical ellipse or as an asymmetrical oval, and in that a thin web (6) is formed by the asymmetrical area (5) of the first and second opening (3, 4) on the outer tube (1).

Claims

1. A device for cutting and aspirating tissue from the human or animal body, preferably for use in ophthalmology, particularly for vitrectomy, for retinal peeling, etc., with an outer tube (1), and with an inner tube (11), which can move to and fro concentrically in the outer tube (1) with slight play, wherein the outer tube (1) is closed at the free end (2), and has, near the free end (2), a first and a second lateral opening (3, 4) with in each case at least one inner cutting edge (7, 8), wherein the inner tube (11) is open at the free end and there has an outer cutting edge (12), wherein the inner tube (11) has, near the free end, at least one lateral opening (13) with at least one further outer cutting edge (14), and wherein the cutting edges (7, 8, 12, 14) of the outer tube (1) and of the inner tube (11) cooperate in a cutting action during the movement of the inner tube (11), characterized in that the first and second opening (3, 4) are each designed as an asymmetrical circle, as an asymmetrical circle, a an asymmetrical ellipse or as an asymmetrical oval, and in that a thin web (6) is formed by the asymmetrical area (5) of the first and second opening (3, 4) on the outer tube (1).

2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the web (6) runs, at least partially, orthogonally to the longitudinal axis of the outer tube (1).

3. Device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the first and the second opening (3, 4) of the outer tube (1) is formed to each other axisymmetric, whereby the web (6) forms a part of the symmetric axis, at least in sections.

4. Device according to one of the claims 1 to 3, characterized in that a first cutting edge (7) and a cutting edge (8) each are formed on the first and the second opening (3, 4).

5. Device according to claim 4, characterized in that the first cutting edge (7) is formed in the circular, elliptical, or oval area of the first and the second opening (3, 4), and/or that the second cutting edge (8) is formed in the asymmetric area (5) of the first and the second opening (3, 4).

6. Device according to one of the claims 1 to 5, characterized in that cutting surfaces (9, 10) extend from the cutting edges (7, 8) defined through the material thickness of the outer tubes (1).

7. Device according to claim 6, characterized in that the cutting surface/ cutting surfaces (9, 10) extend orthogonally and/ or at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the outer tube (1).

8. Device according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that the cutting surface/ cutting surfaces (9, 10) are formed linear and/ or concave.

9. Device according to one of the claims 6 to 8, characterized in that a first cutting area (9) of the first opening (3) running outwards from the first cutting edge (7) and a first cutting surface (9) of the second opening (4) running outwards from the first cutting edge (7) are arranged toward each other in a V shape.

10. Device according to one of the claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the inner tube (11) has two adjacent lateral openings near the free end, which are equipped with three or four outer cutting edges overall.

11. Device according to one of the claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the outer tube (1) has a third and a fourth lateral opening, which are formed analog to the first and second opening (3, 4).

Description

[0020] There are now different possibilities to design and further develop the teaching of the present invention in an advantageous manner. Reference must therefore be made to the claims subordinate to claim 1 on the one hand, and to the following explanation of a preferred embodiment of the invention with the drawing on the other hand. Preferred embodiments and further developments of the teaching are generally also explained in conjunction with the explanation of the preferred embodiment of the invention using the drawing. The following is shown in the drawing

[0021] FIG. 1 to FIG. 3 in cut views, partially, an execution example of a device per the invention for cutting and aspirating tissue, whereby the figures show the movement of the inner tube in the outer tube and the openings and cutting edges each provided there,

[0022] FIG. 4 to FIG. 6 in schematic views, partially, the execution example according to FIGS. 1 to 3, whereby the figures show the movement of the inner tube in the outer tube and the openings and cutting edges each provided there, and

[0023] FIG. 7 to FIG. 9 in schematic views, partially, the execution example according to FIGS. 1 to 3, whereby the figures show the movement of the inner tube in the outer tube and the openings and cutting edges provided there.

[0024] FIGS. 1 to 9 show in schematic views, greatly enlarged, the work area of the device per the invention, which is a so-called vitrector for use in vitrectomy, namely a device for the removal of vitreous bodies from the human eye.

[0025] FIGS. 1 to 9 jointly show the movement and thereby the respective position of the movable parts to each other.

[0026] FIGS. 1 to 9—partially—concretely show the outer tube 1 that is closed at its free end 2. In the execution example shown in FIGS. 1 to 9, the outer tube has a first opening 3 and a second opening 4. The first opening 3 and the second opening 4 are each formed as an asymmetrical ellipse or as an asymmetrical oval. It can thereby clearly be recognized that the asymmetrical area 5 of the first opening 3 and the second opening 4 define a thin web 6 on the outer tube 4.

[0027] Furthermore, a first cutting edge 7 and a second cutting edge 8 are each formed on the first opening 3 and the second opening 4. The outer tube 1 therefore comprises a total of four cutting edges 7, 8.

[0028] Form the first cutting edges 7; first cutting surfaces 9 extend outwards, which are defined through the material thickness of the outer tube 1. The first cutting surfaces 9 are diagonal to the longitudinal axis of the outer tube 1 and are arranged to each other V-shaped. It can furthermore clearly be recognized that the first cutting surfaces 9 are formed concave.

[0029] From the second cutting surfaces 8, two more cutting surfaces 10 extend outwards, which are also defined by the material thickness of the outer tube 1. As opposed to the first cutting surfaces 9, the second cutting surfaces 10 extend orthogonally to the longitudinal axis of the outer tube 1 and are formed linear.

[0030] It is especially clearly shown in FIGS. 7 to 9 that the first opening 3 and the second opening 4 are formed axisymmetric to each other whereby the web 6 lies in the symmetry axis of the first opening 3 and the second opening 4.

[0031] An inner tube 11 is arranged in the outer tube 1 concentrically, movable alternately with slight play. FIGS. 1 to 9 indicate that the inner tube 11 is open at its frontal free end. A first cutting edge 12 is formed there accordingly. Depending on the design of the hub on the inner tube 11, the first cutting edge 12 will cut each time it glides past a cutting edge 7, 8 of the outer tube 1 aligned against the direction of movement of the inner tube. In the execution example shown in FIGS. 1 to 9, the first cutting edge 12 therefore cuts twice, namely when it is lead past a usually opposing cutting edge 7, 8 of the outer tube twice with a respectively designed hub.

[0032] The inner tube 11 can now be equipped with one or several openings. In the execution example shown here, the inner tube 11 has an opening 13 comprising two additional outer cutting edges 14, which affect a cutting process when gliding past the cutting edges 7, 8 aligned in the opposite direction.

[0033] Both when providing one single opening 13 in the inner tube 11 and also when providing several openings 13 in the inner tube, these can be dimensioned and positioned such that the same flow area has an effect, namely when the one opening 3, 4 in the outer tube 1 is opened or closed and the other opening 3, 4 in the outer tube 1 is closed or is opened. In a center position, the openings 3, 4 will thus be closed halfway through the wall of the inner tube 11 or will be opened according to the position of the cutting edge 14 of the inner tubes 11.

[0034] In terms of more advantageous embodiments of the device per the invention, reference is made to the general part of the description and the enclosed claims in order to avoid repetition.

[0035] Finally, it should be noted explicitly that the previously described execution example of the device per the invention merely serves the explanation of the claimed teaching, but that it is however not restricted to the execution example.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0036] 1 outer tube [0037] 2 free end (outer tube) [0038] 3 first opening (outer tube) [0039] 4 second opening (outer tube) [0040] 5 asymmetrical area [0041] 6 web [0042] 7 first cutting edge (outer tube) [0043] 8 second cutting edge (outer tube) [0044] 9 first cutting surface [0045] 10 second cutting surface [0046] 11 inner tube [0047] 12 first cutting edge (inner tube) [0048] 13 opening (inner tube) [0049] 14 cutting edge (inner tube)