Surgical cassette adapter

Abstract: A surgical cassette adapter (10), comprising a housing adapted to receive a surgical cassette (18); a means (28,30) contained within the housing for controlling irrigation and aspiration fluid flows within the cassette (18); and a communications port (34,36) connected to the means for controlling irrigation and aspiration fluid flows within the cassette (18). A surgical system comprising : a surgical console (12); a surgical cassette (18); and an adapter (10) that receives the surgical cassette (18) wherein the adapter (10) communicates with the surgical console (12) is also described.

Description: The present invention relates to surgical cassettes and more particularly to a surgical cassette adapter. The use of cassettes with surgical instruments to help manage irrigation and aspiration flows into a surgical site are well-known. U.S. Patent Nos. 4,493,695, 4,627,833 (Cook), 4,395,258 (Wang, et al.), 4,713,051 (Steppe, et al.), 4,798,850 (DeMeo, et al.), 4,758,238, 4,790,816 (Sundblom, et al.) and 5,267,956, 5,364,342 (Beuchat) all disclose tubeless or tube-type surgical cassettes. All of these surgical cassettes are suitable for use with the surgical adapter of the present invention. The fluidic performance of the surgical instrument is substantially affected by the fluidic performance of the cassette. As a result, prior art surgical instruments and cassettes are designed to work as an integral system, with the fluidic performance of the cassette designed to optimize the fluidic performance of the entire surgical system. This integral design concept has required that prior art surgical instruments be used with only one specific cassette. While the dedication of a surgical instrument to a particular cassette normally does not pose any particular problems with the surgeon or in any way affect the surgical outcome, each cassette normally has certain advantages and contains certain compromises ( i.e. , fluidic performance, cost, reusability, etc.). Therefore, under certain circumstances, it is desirable to use a cassette designed to be used with a specific surgical console on a different console. Prior to the present invention, adapters permitting such interchangeability were not available, apart from the simple mechanical adapter described in US-A-5,282,787 (Wortrich) which has no means for controlling irrigation and aspiration flows within the cassette. Accordingly, a need continues to exist for a device that enables a surgical console designed for use with a first cassette to be used with a second cassette. Brief Description of the Invention The present invention is a self-contained adapter and a system for connecting a surgical casselte to a surgical console as set forth in the claims which follow. The adapter contains all of the components necessary to allow different cassettes to be used with the surgical console. Accordingly, one objective of the present invention is to provide a cassette adapter. Another objective of the present invention is to provide a device that enables a cassette designed for use with a first surgical console to be used with a second surgical console. These and other objectives and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description and claims which follow. Brief Description of the Drawings FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the invention illustrated in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a rear elevational view of the invention illustrated in FIG. 1. FIG. 4 is an electrical block diagram of one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a left elevational view of the embodiment of the present invention illustrated in FIG. 1 with the outer housing removed. FIG. 6 is a rear elevational view of the embodiment of the present invention illustrated in FIG. 1 with the outer housing removed. FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the present invention similar to FIG. 1 and illustrating the present invention attached to a surgical console. FIG. 8 is an expanded perspective view of the present invention similar to FIG. 7 and illustrating the present invention attaching to a surgical console. Detailed Description of the Invention As best seen in FIGS. 7 and 8, adapter 10 of the present invention preferably is a separate enclosed unit designed to be supported mechanically adjacent to surgical console 12. While any suitable surgical console 12 may be used, the SERIES TWENTY THOUSAND® LEGACY® PHACO-EMULSIFIER® surgical console, manufactured by Alcon Laboratories, Inc., Fort Worth, Texas, is preferred. Other suitable consoles are described in U.S. Patent Nos. 5,249,121 (Baum, et al.), 5,268,624 (Zanger), 5,392,653 (Zanger, et al.) and 5,417,246 (Perkins, et al.), the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Adapter 10 may be supported on console 12 by any suitable method, such as slide out bail 14 on console 12 interacting with bottom enclosure 47, which is secured to mounting bracket 24 on adapter 10. As best seen in FIGS 1, 2, 3, 5 and 7, adapter 10 contains platform 16 that receives external cassette 18. One suitable cassette 18 is described in U.S. Patent No. 4,713,051 (Steppe, et al.) (hereinafter the "Steppe" cassette), but other suitable cassettes 18, such as those described in the patents listed above, may also be used in combination with the present invention by the appropriate modifications to adapter 10. Adapter 10 includes all of the mechanical and electrical components necessary to allow cassette 18 to be used in combination with console 12. For example, as seen in FIGS. 5 and 6, if cassette 18 is of a peristaltic pump design (such as the Steppe cassette), then adapter 10 may contain motor 20 that rotates peristaltic pump roller head 22. If cassette 18 is of a diaphragm or venturi design, then adapter 10 may contain a diaphragm pump (not shown) or a venturi pump (not shown). Other components of adapter 10 may include irrigation solenoid 28, vent solenoid 30 and purge valve 32. Purge valve 32 communicates with cassette 18 through port 34 and allows monitoring of the aspiration pressure within cassette 18. Irrigation solenoid 28 pinches the irrigation lines (not shown) within cassette 18 to control the flow of irrigation fluid to the surgical site. Vent solenoid 30 pinches the vent line (not shown) within cassette 18 to control the aspiration pressure within cassette 18. A more complete discussion of the operation of Steppe-type cassettes 18 is contained in U.S. Patent No. 4,713,051. While the above discussion relates to the use of a Steppe-type cassette 18, it will be appreciated that other suitable mechanical and electrical controls may be used in adapter 10. For example, adapter 10 may include the devices described in U.S Patent Nos. 5,387,088 (Knapp, et al.), 5,328,456 (Horiguchi, et al.) and 5,230,614 (Zanger, et al.). Adapter 10 operates under the control of signals generated by PCB 42, which is mounted on bracket 44 within adapter 10. PCB 42 preferably contains an INTEL® 80196, but other suitable microprocessors may also be used. One suitable block diagram for PCB 42 is illustrated in FIG. 4. As seen in FIGS. 3 and 4, communications, power and control signals are provided between adapter 10 and console 12 through a cable (not shown) connected to port 46 on adapter 10. As a result, it is not necessary to duplicate in adapter 10 all of the control circuitry, user interface controls and power supplies that are contained in console 12. This description is given for purposes of illustration and explanation. It will be apparent to those skilled in the relevant art that changes and modifications may be made to the invention described above without departing from the scope of the claims which follow.

Claims: A surgical cassette adapter (10) for connecting a surgical cassette to a surgical console, comprising: a) a housing adapted to receive a surgical cassette (18); characterized by : b) a means (20,22,28,30) contained within the housing for controlling irrigation and aspiration fluid flows within the cassette (18); c) a communication port (46) on the adapter and connected to the means (20, 22, 28, 30) contained within the housing for controlling irrigation and aspiration fluid flows within the cassette (18), the communication port for communication with the console; and d) a communication port (34) on the adapter and connected to the means (20, 22, 28, 30) contained within the housing for controlling irrigation and aspiration fluid flows within the cassette (18), the communication port for communication with the cassette. The surgical cassette adapter of claim 1, wherein the means contained within the housing for controlling irrigation and aspiration fluid flows within the cassette (18) comprises a motor (20) driving a peristaltic pump roller head (22), and at least one solenoid (28,30). The surgical cassette adapter (10) of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the adapter is mechanically and electrically connectable to a surgical console (12). The surgical cassette adapter (10) of any one of claims 1 to 3, additionally comprising one of the following components: (i) a diaphragm pump; or (ii) a venturi pump. The surgical cassette adapter (10) of any one of claims 1 to 4, additionally comprising one or more of the following components: (i) a vent solenoid (30) for controlling aspiration pressure; (ii) an irrigation solenoid (28) for controlling the flow of irrigation; or (iii) a purge valve (32) to allow monitoring of the aspiration pressure within cassette (18). A surgical system, comprising: a) a surgical cassette (18); b) a surgical console (12); and c) an adapter (10) for receiving the surgical cassette (18) and for connecting the surgical cassette to the surgical console so that the adapter (10) communicates with the surgical console (12), characterized in that the adapter (10) comprises: (i) a housing adapted to receive a surgical cassette (18); (ii) a means (20, 22,28,30) contained within the housing for controlling irrigation and aspiration fluid flows within the cassette (18); (iii) a communication port (46) on the adapter and connected to the means (20, 22, 28, 30) contained within the housing for controlling irrigation and aspiration fluid flows within the cassette (18), the communication port for communication with the console; and (iv) a communication port (34) on the adapter and connected to the means (20, 22, 28, 30) contained within the housing for controlling irrigation and aspiration fluid flows within the cassette (18), the communication port for communication with the cassette. The surgical system of claim 6, wherien the adapter (10) comprises a motor (20) driving a peristaltic pump roller head (22), and at least one solenoid (28,30). The surgical system of claim 6 of claim 7, wherein the adapter (10) is mechanically and electrically connectable to the surgical console (12). The surgical system of any one of claims 6 to 8, wherein the adapter (10) additionally comprises one of the following components: (i) a diaphragm pump; or (ii) a venturi pump. The surgical system of claims 6 to 9, wherein the adapter (10) additionally comprises one or more of the following components: (i) a vent solenoid (30) for controlling aspiration pressure; (ii) an irrigation solenoid (28) for controlling the flow of irrigation; or (iii) a purge valve (32) to allow monitoring of the aspiration pressure within cassette (18).

Inventors: FANNEY DOUGLAS M, INJEV VALENTINE P, ROSSBACK RICHARD A, SORENSEN GARY P, FANNEY, DOUGLAS M., INJEV, VALENTINE P., ROSSBACK, RICHARD A., SORENSEN, GARY P.
Applicants: ALCON LAB INC, ALCON LABORATORIES, INC.
Application year: 1996
Main classification: A61M1
IPC codes: A61M5, A61F9, A61M1