Abstract: A work tip for a surgical hand piece has a solid knife connected to a source of ultrasonic energy in the hand piece and a sleeve having a generally uniform cylindrical shape that surrounds the distal end of the knife. The distal end of the knife has at least a portion of a conical tip, e.g., a Cobra tip. The sleeve provides irrigation and aspiration fluid channels. Also, a structure in the sleeve blocks the proximal opening in the upper part of the conical tip when the knife is withdrawn into the sleeve. A hole is provided in the sleeve adjacent to, but proximally of the structure so that when a portion of the opening is blocked, aspiration fluid flows through the hole to provide I/A clean up.

Abstract: A surgical hand piece has a solid knife connected to and supported at its proximal end by a source of ultrasonic energy. A plastic sleeve has the knife located in it. A support is provided between the sleeve and the knife to support the sleeve while minimizing the effect of the vibration of the knife on the sleeve. The space between the knife and the sleeve form a first fluid channel. A plastic fluid tube can be located along the sleeve and can provide a second fluid channel. In order to use the handpiece for cleanup the sleeve can be moved forward to cover the knife and a small aspiration tube can be provided within the sleeve.

Abstract: An adapter for a surgical hand piece having a single lumen work tip with an open end and a small lateral hole is designed to convert the work tip to infusion/aspiration (I/A) cleanup of lens epithelial cells after phacoemulsification. The adapter is in the form of a sleeve adapted to be slid over the distal end of the work tip. The sleeve includes at least one aspiration hole located toward the distal end of the sleeve. When the distal end of the sleeve is at a first distance L1 from the distal end of the work tip, aspiration occurs through the aspiration hole of the sleeve and the open end of the work tip. When the distal end of the sleeve is at a second and smaller distance L2 from the open end of the work tip, aspiration through the open end of the work tip is blocked by the sleeve and aspiration occurs through the aspiration hole of the sleeve and the lateral hole in the work tip.

Abstract: An adapter for a surgical hand piece with a single lumen work tip converts the handpiece to infusion/aspiration (I/A) cleanup of lens epithelial cells in the capsular bag of the eye a patient after phacoemulsification. The adapter is in the form of a sleeve whose proximal end is to be joined to the distal end of work tip. The sleeve also has at least one aspiration hole located toward the distal end of the sleeve.

Abstract: A surgical handpiece has a connecting body with a distal end and a work tip with a hub at a proximal end. The hub is detachably connected to the connecting body by a threaded connector. The work tip has an open operating end at a distal end. This opening leads an axial channel extending through the work tip from the operating end to the hub. A radial channel extends from the axial channel in the hub to the external surface of the hub. A sleeve surrounds and is spaced from the hub. This sleeve extends to the vicinity of the operating end of the work tip, and has a first external connector in the region of the radial channel of the hub. The sleeve also has a second external connector. A seal is provided for establishing a fluid connection between the radial channel of the hub and the second external connector of the sleeve. The first external connector of the sleeve is in fluid connection with an irrigation channel between the inner surface of the sleeve and the external surface of the work tip.

Abstract: A surgical hand piece has a connecting body having first and second passages detachably connected to first and second lumens which are used in the eye for phacoemulsification procedures and/or cleanup of the eye capsule after the procedure. The lumens receive or discharge fluid from first and second fluid sources. A work tip supporting the first and second tubes can be rotated so as to change the function of the first and second tubes from aspiration to irrigation and vice versa. As an alternative, a sleeve holding the fluid sources can be rotated so as to change the function of the first and second tubes from aspiration to irrigation and vice versa.

Abstract: A surgical hand piece has a source of ultrasonic energy provided to a connecting body having a first passage with one end to receive fluid from a first source and the other end at the connecting body distal end. A work tip has first and second tubes each having at least one opening at its distal end and the proximal end of one or both of the tubes connected to the connecting body distal end to receive the ultrasonic energy and to selectively receive or discharge fluid from either the first or second source as controlled by a valve. A cannula is provided which is adapted to be placed in an opening in the cornea through which the work tip extends during the removal of cataracts from the eye by phacoemulsification. The cannula may be equipped with channels that permit additional infusion of fluid into the eye during the procedure, which infusion also cools the surrounding corneal tissue to protect against heat generated by the ultrasonic vibration of the work tip.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for chemically treating a cataract in the eye of a patient comprising the steps of (a) inserting a dual lumen work tip into the eye and placing it adjacent the cataract tissue; (b) causing the work tip to vibrate so that pieces of the cataract separate or emulsify; (c) moving the work tip into the cataract tissue so as to form a tunnel therein; and (d) injecting into the tunnel a pharmaceutical compound capable of treating cataract tissue.

Abstract: A surgical handpiece has a connecting body with a distal end and a work tip with a hub at a proximal end. The hub is detachably connected to the connecting body by a threaded connector. The work tip has an open operating end at a distal end. This opening leads an axial channel extending through the work tip from the operating end to the hub. A radial channel extends from the axial channel in the hub to the external surface of the hub. A sleeve surrounds and is spaced from the hub. This sleeve extends to the vicinity of the operating end of the work tip, and has a first external connector in the region of the radial channel of the hub. The sleeve also has a second external connector. A seal is provided for establishing a fluid connection between the radial channel of the hub and the second external connector of the sleeve. The first external connector of the sleeve is in fluid connection with an irrigation channel between the inner surface of the sleeve and the external surface of the work tip.

Abstract: A surgical hand piece has a connecting body having first and second passages detachably connected to first and second lumens which are used in the eye for phacoemulsification procedures and/or cleanup of the eye capsule after the procedure. The lumens receive or discharge fluid from first and second fluid sources. A work tip supporting the first and second tubes can be rotated so as to change the function of the first and second tubes from aspiration to irrigation and vice versa. As an alternative, a sleeve holding the fluid sources can be rotated so as to change the function of the first and second tubes from aspiration to irrigation and vice versa.

Abstract: A surgical hand piece has a source of ultrasonic energy provided to a connecting body having a first passage with one end to receive fluid from a first source and the other end at the connecting body distal end. A work tip has first and second tubes each having at least one opening at its distal end and the proximal end of one or both of the tubes connected to the connecting body distal end to receive the ultrasonic energy and to selectively receive or discharge fluid from either the first or second source as controlled by a valve. A cannula is provided which is adapted to be placed in an opening in the cornea through which the work tip extends during the removal of cataracts from the eye by phacoemulsification. The cannula may be equipped with channels that permit additional infusion of fluid into the eye during the procedure, which infusion also cools the surrounding corneal tissue to protect against heat generated by the ultrasonic vibration of the work tip.

Abstract: A surgical hand piece has a source of ultrasonic energy provided to a connecting body having a first passage with one end to receive fluid from a first source and the other end at the connecting body distal end. A work tip has first and second tubes each having at least one opening at its distal end and the proximal end of one or both of the tubes connected to the connecting body distal end to receive the ultrasonic energy and to selectively receive or discharge fluid from either the first or second source as controlled by a valve.

Abstract: An ultrasonic instrument includes generator of ultrasonic energy; a connecting body that receives ultrasonic energy from the generator and having an end from which the energy exits and a coupler at such end exterior of the connecting body having an inlet aspiration flow passage for receiving aspiration flow force from a source. A work tip has its proximal end connected to the coupler to receive the generated ultrasonic energy and a distal end from which the ultrasonic energy is supplied to the operating site to emulsify material. The work tip has an aspiration passage that is in communication with an aspiration passage in the coupler that communicates with the inlet passage and at least one of the work tip is detachable from the coupler and coupler detachable from the connecting body.

Abstract: An ultrasonic instrument includes generator of ultrasonic energy; a connecting body that receives ultrasonic energy from the generator and having an end from which the energy exits and a coupler at such end exterior of the connecting body having an inlet aspiration flow passage for receiving aspiration flow force from a source. A work tip has its proximal end connected to the coupler to receive the generated ultrasonic energy and a distal end from which the ultrasonic energy is supplied to the operating site to emulsify material. The work tip has an aspiration passage that is in communication with an aspiration passage in the coupler that communicates with the inlet passage and at least one of the work tip is detachable from the coupler and coupler detachable from the connecting body.

Abstract: A surgical instrument includes a hollow shaft having an inner passage and a working piece at the distal end of the shaft. A movable member is pivotally mounted on the shaft in cooperative relationship to the working piece and a connecting element extends along the shaft inner passage and has one end exiting thorough an opening in said shaft and connected to the movable member. An actuating member is connected to the connecting element which upon actuation pushes and pulls on the connecting element to move the movable member toward and away from the working piece. An ultrasonic transducer can supply mechanical energy to the shaft to vibrate the working piece, the movable member is mounted to the shaft at a nodal point of the energy pattern along the shaft and the opening in the shaft for exit of the connecting element to the movable member is also at a nodal point.

Abstract: A phacoemulsification instrument that significantly reduces infusion fluid leakage by providing a silicone sleeve with a built in reinforcing member. Also, the sleeve has only a single infusion hole in order to provide better infusion fluid flow without causing turbulence in the eye. In addition, the present invention provides either a valve or a variable aperture aspiration tube in order to regulate the aspiration rate. Also, the present invention includes a single aspiration hole at the tip in order to amplify flow coming to the tip. To assist in cataract removal, the tip may be provided with a variety of different barrier and baffle configuration. A handpiece includes a variable capacity reservoir in the infusion line to account for surges in the aspiration line. The needle includes steps, angles and barriers to focus ultrasonic energy to aid in emulsifying nuclear tissue and to aid in pushing emulsified material in the direction of aspiration flow.

Abstract: An ultrasonic instrument has a generator of ultrasonic energy and an elongated tip whose proximal end receives the ultrasonic energy from the generator which is conveyed to the tip distal end having a distal end section with an outer surface that is non-circular with a part, such as the corner junction between two walls of a polygon, having a shape to concentrate the ultrasonic energy at the tip distal end for radiation outwardly from the tip. One form of tip distal end section has a diamond shaped cross-section that can be either transverse or at an angle to the tip longitudinal axis.

Abstract: A phacoemulsification instrument that significantly reduces infusion fluid leakage by providing a silicone sleeve with a built in reinforcing member. Also, the sleeve has only a single infusion hole in order to provide better infusion fluid flow without causing turbulence in the eye. In addition, the present invention provides either a valve or a variable aperture aspiration tube in order to regulate the aspiration rate. Also, the present invention includes a single aspiration hole at the tip in order to amplify flow coming to the tip. To assist in cataract removal, the tip may be provided with a variety of different barrier and baffle configuration. A handpiece includes a variable capacity reservoir in the infusion line to account for surges in the aspiration line. The needle includes steps, angles and barriers to focus ultrasonic energy to aid in emulsifying nuclear tissue and to aid in pushing emulsified material in the direction of aspiration flow.

Abstract: A surgical cutting instrument is provided which includes a handpiece containing an ultrasonic transducer operative to convert electrical energy into ultrasonic longitudinal vibratory motion. A first elongate shaft has a first end operatively connected to the transducer and a second working end extending distally from the handpiece. A first cutting member is fixedly mounted to the working end of the first elongate shaft such that longitudinal vibratory motion generated by the transducer causes longitudinal vibratory motion of the first cutting member, via the first elongate shaft. A second cutting member is pivotally mounted to a nodal point on the working end of the first shaft and is pivotable between an open position and a closed position with respect to the first cutting member. A second shaft has a first end pivotally connected to the second cutting member for affecting pivotable movement of the second cutting member between the open and closed position.

Abstract: A phacoemulsification instrument that significantly reduces infusion fluid leakage by providing a silicone sleeve with a built in reinforcing member. Also, the sleeve has only a single infusion hole in order to provide better infusion fluid flow without causing turbulence in the eye. In addition, the present invention provides either a valve or a variable aperture aspiration tube in order to regulate the aspiration rate. Also, the present invention includes a single aspiration hole at the tip in order to amplify flow coming to the tip. To assist in cataract removal, the tip may be provided with a variety of different barrier and baffle configuration. A handpiece includes a variable capacity reservoir in the infusion line to account for surges in the aspiration line. The needle includes steps, angles and barriers to focus ultrasonic energy to aid in emulsifying nuclear tissue and to aid in pushing emulsified material in the direction of aspiration flow.