INSTRUMENT FOR THE SURGICAL TREATMENT OF CATARACT, AIMED AT EXTRACTING THE NUCLEUS OF THE CRYSTALLINE LENS

Abstract

This invention concerns the field of ophthalmic surgical instruments used in cataract operations. The invention consists, in particular, to a surgical instrument designed to incorporate the nucleus’s crystalline lens and extract it entirely off the eye. The found consists of a tubular handle rotatable, that operates to an insertion mechanism, to which is connected to an intermediate element from which they take place, through two channels: a cable together joined a collection chamber, adapted to incorporate the nucleus’s crystalline lens; a cursor, suitable for the hermetic closure of the collection chamber and a fixing device, used to weaken the internal fibers of the nucleus. The found allows the elimination of the phase of fragmentation and aspiration of the nucleus’s crystalline lens with the integral removal of the nucleus avoiding micro-injuries or damage to the capsular bag used by ultrasound in the fragmentation phase and the consequent serious intraoperative complications.

Claims

1. An instrument for ophthalmic surgery, adapted to remove the nucleus of a crystalline lens of an eye, in its integrity, without the use of ultrasound and without fragmentation thereof, the instrument comprising: a tubular handle, which can be rotated in both directions to control an insertion mechanism acting on movable members of the instrument, respectively, a deformable metal alloy cable, folded to U, an oval-shaped collection chamber of biocompatible material with an open section, a cursor that surrounds at least part of the branches of the cable, a fixing device comprising at least one screw, in which said movable members are contained in an immovable intermediate element, also tubular shaped with open sections, wherein, said cable, operated by said rotating handle, allows the output of said collection chamber adapted to wrap the nucleus of the crystalline lens, the sliding of said fixing device, operated by said rotating handle, is intended to weaken the internal fibres of the nucleus of the eye crystalline lens after being incorporated in the collection chamber, the intermediate element is equipped with at least two channels, adapted for receiving therein the metal alloy cable, joined to the collection chamber-(4), in the upper channel and said fixing device in the lower channel, said cursor, operated by the rotating handle is intended to slide along said branches of the cable, allowing the sealing of said collection chamber, and said rotating handle operated in the reverse anti-clockwise allows the withdrawal of the movable members.

2. The instrument, according to claim 1, wherein said handle operates the insertion mechanism.

3. The instrument, according to claim 1, wherein said intermediate tubular element is joined to the end of the handle.

4. The instrument according to claim 1, wherein said metal alloy cable and said collection chamber move in dependence to the rotations of the handle, to assume one of two different configurations: a first rest configuration, where said branches of the the cable, abutting each other, are arranged entirely within said intermediate element, and a second operational configuration in which said branches of the cable escaping from said intermediate element envelope the edges of the inlet section of the collection chamber-(4).

5. The instrument according to claim 1, wherein said collection chamber joined to said cable, has at least two different configurations: a first rest configuration in which the collection chamber is folded inside said upper channel of the intermediate element and a second operating configuration in which the collection chamber comes out, allowing the said open section to wrap and to incorporate the nucleus of the crystalline lens.

6. The instrument, according to claim 1, wherein the fixing device, comprising at least one screw, is dependent on rotations of the handle and has two different configurations: a first rest configuration in which the fixing device is located within said lower channel of the said intermediate tubular element and a second operating configuration in which the fixing device comes out of said intermediate element, sliding inside the collection chamber.

7. The instrument, according to claim 1, wherein the cursor has two different configurations: a first rest configuration in which the cursor houses said branches of the cable inside the upper channel of said intermediate tubular element, and a second operating configuration in which the cursor slides along said branches of the cable and cooperates with them in such a way as to seal the collection chamber.

8. The instrument according to claim 1, wherein said insertion mechanism allows at least four distinct and progressive rotation steps: a first rotation step that allows the cable joined to the collection chamber to come out of said intermediate element; a second rotation step in which the cursor comes out of said intermediate element by sliding along said branches of the cable, a third rotation step that allows the fixing device to come out of said intermediate element; and a fourth step of opposite rotation that withdraws said movable members within the intermediate tubular element, returning to a rest configuration.

9. The instrument according to claim 2, wherein said insertion mechanism allows at least four distinct and progressive rotation steps: a first rotation step that allows the cable joined to the collection chamber to come out of said intermediate element; a second rotation step in which the cursor comes out of said intermediate element by sliding along said branches of the cable, a third rotation step that allows the fixing device to come out of said intermediate element; and a fourth step of opposite rotation that withdraws said movable members within the intermediate tubular element, returning to a rest configuration.

10. The instrument according to claim 3, wherein said insertion mechanism allows at least four distinct and progressive rotation steps: a first rotation step that allows the cable joined to the collection chamber to come out of said intermediate element; a second rotation step in which the cursor comes out of said intermediate element by sliding along said branches of the cable, a third rotation step that allows the fixing device to come out of said intermediate element; and a fourth step of opposite rotation that withdraws said movable members within the intermediate tubular element, returning to a rest configuration.

11. The instrument according to claim 4, wherein said insertion mechanism allows at least four distinct and progressive rotation steps: a first rotation step that allows the cable joined to the collection chamber to come out of said intermediate element; a second rotation step in which the cursor comes out of said intermediate element by sliding along said branches of the cable, a third rotation step that allows the fixing device to come out of said intermediate element; and a fourth step of opposite rotation that withdraws said movable members within the intermediate tubular element, returning to a rest configuration.

12. The instrument according to claim 5, wherein said insertion mechanism allows at least four distinct and progressive rotation steps: a first rotation step that allows the cable joined to the collection chamber to come out of said intermediate element; a second rotation step in which the cursor comes out of said intermediate element by sliding along said branches of the cable, a third rotation step that allows the fixing device to come out of said intermediate element; and a fourth step of opposite rotation that withdraws said movable members within the intermediate tubular element, returning to a rest configuration.

13. The instrument according to claim 6, wherein said insertion mechanism allows at least four distinct and progressive rotation steps: a first rotation step that allows the cable joined to the collection chamber to come out of said intermediate element; a second rotation step in which the cursor comes out of said intermediate element by sliding along said branches of the cable, a third rotation step that allows the fixing device to come out of said intermediate element; and a fourth step of opposite rotation that withdraws said movable members within the intermediate tubular element, returning to a rest configuration.

14. The instrument according to claim 7, wherein said insertion mechanism allows at least four distinct and progressive rotation steps: a first rotation step that allows the cable joined to the collection chamber to come out of said intermediate element; a second rotation step in which the cursor comes out of said intermediate element by sliding along said branches of the cable, a third rotation step that allows the fixing device to come out of said intermediate element; and a fourth step of opposite rotation that withdraws said movable members within the intermediate tubular element, returning to a rest configuration.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0032] Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will be more evident by means the detailed description of a preferred but not exclusive form of use, illustrated as a non-exhaustive example with reference to the attached drawings in which the figures show:

[0033] FIG. 1: the whole instrument in prospectus, in view from above, in which are distinguished: the handle, the intermediate element and the cable;

[0034] FIG. 2: the intermediate element of the instrument, in view the exploded axonometric, in which are distinguished: the fixing device, cable and collection chamber;

[0035] FIG. 3: a portion of the intermediate element of the instrument in longitudinal section in which are distinguished: the cable, the collection chamber, the cursor and the fixing device when the instrument is in closed mode.

[0036] FIG. 4: a portion of the intermediate element of the instrument in view from above, when the instrument is in closed mode;

[0037] FIG. 5: a portion of the intermediate element of the instrument in longitudinal section, during the withdrawal phase of the cable and of the collection chamber;

[0038] FIG. 6: a portion of the intermediate element of the instrument in view from above, during the withdrawal phase of the cable and the collection chamber;

[0039] FIG. 7: a portion of the intermediate element of the instrument in longitudinal section, during the sliding phase of the cursor along the two branches of the cable;

[0040] FIG. 8: a portion of the intermediate element of the instrument in view from above, during the sliding phase of the cursor along the two branches of the cable; Please note: the fixing device is still inside the intermediate element;

[0041] FIG. 9: a portion of the intermediate element of the instrument in longitudinal section, in the phase of progressive development of the fixing device;

[0042] FIG. 10: a portion of the intermediate element of the instrument in view from above, in the phase of progressive development of the fixing device inside the collection chamber;

[0043] FIG. 11: a portion of the intermediate element of the instrument in longitudinal section, during the withdrawal of the fixing device and subsequent withdrawal of the cable, the cursor and the collection chamber inside the intermediate element;

[0044] FIG. 12: a portion of the intermediate element of the instrument in view from above, during the withdrawal of the fixing device and subsequent return of the cable, the cursor and the collection chamber within the intermediate element;

[0045] FIG. 13: a cross section of the intermediate element of the instrument, in which are distinguished the cable, the cursor and the fixing device ;

[0046] FIG. 14: a detailed view of the cursor, precisely: in prospectus and in cross section;

[0047] FIG. 15: a detailed view of the cable, when the instrument is in closed mode, precisely: in prospectus and in cross section.

[0048] FIG. 16: a detailed view of the fixing device, precisely: in prospectus and in cross section.

DESCRIPTION OF AT LEAST ONE WAY OF CARRYNG OUT THE INVENTION

[0049] The present invention will now be described by way of example and not limiting, according to a preferred form of implementation, also referring to the described figures that show the instrument in question in a progressive sequence. The purpose, as exposed, is to insert the instrument into the inner cavity of the eye, more precisely in the anterior chamber through an incision of 2.75 mm. A viscoelastic substance is then inserted with the effect of filling the spaces previously occupied by the aqueous mood.

[0050] We proceed first with the capsuloressi, that is opening of the anterior capsule of the crystalline lens with dedicated plier and then with hydrodissection, that is insertion of water between the capsule of the crystalline lens and its nucleus in order to unstick the two structures.

[0051] Now proceed with the insertion in the eye of the instrument according to the found (FIGS. 3-4).

[0052] With a rotation maneuver of the handle 1 we obtain the development along the intermediate element 2 of cable 3 and, therefore, the escape of the collection chamber 4 and subsequent maneuver of collection and circular grip of the nucleus’s crystalline lens, carried out by the surgeon (FIGS. 5-6). This maneuver would be facilitated by the use of a viscoelastic substance. Then the surgeon, following the insertion of the nucleus’s crystalline lens inside the collection chamber 4 of the instrument, proceeds to the hermetic closure of the collection chamber 4 by sliding the closing cursor 6 along the branches of cable 3 (FIGS. 7-8).

[0053] Through of the rotation mechanism of the handle 1, it is possible to obtain a progressive development of the fixing device 5, which weakens the fibres of the nucleus inside the collection chamber 4 (FIGS. 9-10).

[0054] With an opposite rotation maneuver of handle 1 is obtained the withdrawl of the fixing device 5 inside the intermediate element 2, and hermetic closing with cursor 6 of the collection chamber 4 and contextual folding of the collection chamber 4 inside of the intermediate element 2 (FIGS. 11-12).

[0055] At this point the instrument can be extracted from the eye.

[0056] From what is described it is evident that the instrument according to the invention achieves the predetermined aims.

[0057] The object of the invention is susceptible to numerous modifications and variants of a practical-applicative nature, all falling within the inventive concept expressed in the claims alleged. All the details may be replaced by other technically equivalent elements, and the materials may be different according to the needs, without leaving the scope of protection of this invention.

[0058] Although the object has been described with particular reference to the attached figures, the reference numbers used in the description and claims are used to improve the intelligence of the invention and do not constitute any limitation to the claimed scope of protection.