A lavage unit including: a handpiece having a distal end; an irrigation fitting located adjacent the distal end of the handpiece, the irrigation fitting having a bore through which irrigating fluid is discharged; and a suction fitting located adjacent the distal end of the handpiece, the suction fitting having a bore through which a suction is drawn; an irrigation tube that extends from a source of irrigating fluid to the bore of the irrigation fitting; a suction tube that extends from the bore of the suction fitting towards a suction source; and a tip assembly with a tip suction tube including a suction lumen and a tip irrigation tube, wherein said tip suction tube couples to said suction tube through the bore and said tip irrigation tube has a proximal end dimensioned to engage with and receive fluid discharged from the irrigation fitting, wherein the tip assembly further includes a void space that is located between said tip suction tube and said bore so as to provide for fluid communication between said tip suction tube and said bore, and wherein a plurality of spaced apart ribs (708, 710) extend into said void space between the bore of the suction fitting and the tip suction tube lumen wall, said ribs shaped so as to have distal ends that are located forward of the bore of the suction fitting and so that, as said ribs extend distally away from the suction fitting, each rib tapers distally away from the bore of the suction fitting toward said tip suction tube wall of the tip suction tube lumen; characterized in that: the irrigation fitting extends distally forward of the suction fitting and said ribs (708, 710, 712, 714) extend outwardly from the irrigation fitting. a handpiece having a distal end; an irrigation fitting located adjacent the distal end of the handpiece, the irrigation fitting having a bore through which irrigating fluid is discharged; and a suction fitting located adjacent the distal end of the handpiece, the suction fitting having a bore through which a suction is drawn; an irrigation tube that extends from a source of irrigating fluid to the bore of the irrigation fitting; a suction tube that extends from the bore of the suction fitting towards a suction source; and a tip assembly with a tip suction tube including a suction lumen and a tip irrigation tube, wherein said tip suction tube couples to said suction tube through the bore and said tip irrigation tube has a proximal end dimensioned to engage with and receive fluid discharged from the irrigation fitting, wherein the tip assembly further includes a void space that is located between said tip suction tube and said bore so as to provide for fluid communication between said tip suction tube and said bore, and wherein a plurality of spaced apart ribs (708, 710) extend into said void space between the bore of the suction fitting and the tip suction tube lumen wall, said ribs shaped so as to have distal ends that are located forward of the bore of the suction fitting and so that, as said ribs extend distally away from the suction fitting, each rib tapers distally away from the bore of the suction fitting toward said tip suction tube wall of the tip suction tube lumen; characterized in that: the irrigation fitting extends distally forward of the suction fitting and said ribs (708, 710, 712, 714) extend outwardly from the irrigation fitting.