Patent ID: 8251980

Claim:
A method of extracting a viscous fluid from a posterior segment of an eye during vitreoretinal surgery, comprising the steps of: disposing a trocar cannula in a posterior segment of an eye, said trocar cannula having a distal cannula portion for extension into said posterior segment and a proximal hub for contacting a sclera of said eye; providing an extraction sleeve assembly, said extraction sleeve assembly comprising: a luer lock fitting having a proximal end for fluidly coupling to a distal end of a syringe, a distal male fitting, and an internal bore; and a flexible, tubular extraction sleeve friction fit over said distal male fitting so as to create a fluid tight seal between said distal male fitting and an interior surface of said extraction sleeve, and so that a portion of said extraction sleeve having a length suitable to receive said hub of said trocar cannula extends from a distal end of said distal male fitting; fluidly coupling said luer lock fitting to said distal end of said syringe; fluidly coupling a proximal end of said syringe to a vacuum source; disposing said portion of said extraction sleeve over said hub of said trocar cannula; activating said vacuum source; and extracting a viscous fluid from said posterior segment through said trocar cannula, said extraction sleeve assembly, and into said syringe.