Patent ID: 9387122
Filing Date: 2016-07-12
CPC Classification: A61B,A61F

Claim Text:
1. A method of fixing needle stroke length of a vibrating hollow needle of a surgical instrument and or slowing or stopping the hollow needle, comprising the steps of: performing phacoemulsification with a surgical instrument having a driver and a hollow needle; detecting an infrared radiation wavelength emanating from a location with a monitor during the performing of the phacoemulsification, selecting the monitor from the group consisting of a thermal imaging source and a thermal recognition source; and evaluating the detected infrared radiation wavelength with a controller to make a determination as to whether the hollow needle needs to be slowed or stopped, the controller fixing a stroke length of the hollow needle and thus a speed of vibration of the hollow needle based on the evaluated, detected infrared radiation wavelength and sending appropriate command signals to the driver so that the hollow needle vibrates and travels in accord with the fixed stroke length, the controller sending further command signals to the driver as warranted based on the evaluated, detected infrared radiation wavelength to slow or stop the hollow needle; wherein the determination as to whether the hollow needle needs to be slowed or stopped is based on a comparison of critical temperatures with a temperature that corresponds to the detected infrared radiation wavelength, and wherein the comparison compares at least two different critical temperatures with the corresponding temperature that corresponds to the detected infrared radiation wavelength, the generated command signals signifying direction to fix the needle stroke length so as to slow a speed of vibration of the hollow needle if the corresponding temperature matches a lower one of the at least two different critical temperatures and so as to stop or withdraw the hollow needle if the corresponding temperature matches a higher one of the at least two different critical temperatures.