Abstract: A hand-held cannula assembly for irrigating and aspirating opthalmic surgical sites includes as irrigation cannula circumscribed about an aspiration cannula and extending out through the forward end of the assembly from a reservoir for the irrigation fluid in the handle. Pressurized irrigation fluid is supplied to the reservoir through the rearward end of the handle and flows through openings in the irrigation cannula periphery into an annular flow passage between the two cannulas. An opening in the irrigation cannula issues the irrigation fluid at the surgical site. Aspiration fluid is drawn into the aspiration cannula which extends through the handle interior to an outflow opening at the rearward handle end. The irrigation/aspiration tip exterior is made to be smooth, protrusionless, unitary and one-piece in design to afford a minimum in tissue tearing at the surgical site, while also allowing improved irrigation fluid flow a the site.

Abstract: A hypotraumatic injection needle having substantially no cutting edges is described. The injection needle has a beveled surface with the furthermost end of the beveled surface removed and rounded to form the needle tip. All edges on the tip and beveled portion of the needle are rounded and smoothly polished. The needle tip has a low profile, with the slope of the beveled portion being less than twenty degrees. These features allow the needle to penetrate easily by means of blunt dissection of tissue, rather than cutting tissue. The injection needle is particularly useful for posterior peribulbar or retrobulbar anesthesia in connection with ophthalmic surgery. The injection needle has a "ski-tip" effect, guiding the tip of the needle away from the beveled side. This effect, along with the absence of cutting edges, significantly reduces the hazards associated with ophthalmic surgical injections, such as inadvertent cutting of the eyeball or optic nerve.

Abstract: A disposable microsurgical knife having a blade guard that can be locked into a blade covering position and then easily removed from the knife body prior to introduction to the sterile field is disclosed. The blade guard includes a cylindrical sleeve having a longitudinal slot communicating with a forward open end thereof and terminating in a circumferential notch. The knife body includes a small locking tab formed adjacent a forward tapered portion of the knife. The blade guard is initially assembled on the knife by longitudinally sliding along the knife body from a rear end thereof until the locking tab enters the longitudinal slot assisted by a funnel-shaped leading end for ease of entry. In the blade covering position, simple rotation of the sleeve forces the locking tab into the circumferential notch. For easy removal, reverse rotation of the sleeve causes the tab to re-enter the slot whereupon the sleeve is removed from the knife by sliding rearwardly along the knife body.

Abstract: A device for holding and protecting delicate instruments, such as microsurgical instruments, such as microsurgical instruments, is described. The device to protect delicate features of instruments from damage during shipping, storage, or other forms of handling. The device includes a base or stage on which spacing means and first and second securing means are provided.

Abstract: A disposable bipolar instrument for ophthalmic surgery has a pair of shell halves carrying electrodes. A collar connects the shell halves together, and electrical conductors supply current to and from the respective electrodes. The shell halves are composed of disposable plastic material, as is the connecting collar and cap which connect the parts and hold the wires in place. Squeezing of the shell halves together is guided by a tongue-and-groove type of joint formed between the shell halves by pairs of upstanding walls, the walls having sloped surfaces in respective facing regions to permit deformation of the shell halves together at one end thereof, so as to permit movement of the electorde tips together to perform cauterization. The deformation of the plastic material causes a progressive resistance, thereby permitting a tactile feedback to the user, so that the instrument can be operated where the field of vision of the user is partially or totally obstructed.

Abstract: Fluid coupling devices are disclosed for use in receptacles such as receptacles on surgical aspiration equipment for selectively connecting a fluid conduit in the receptacle with a flow passage formed through a coupling device. The coupling devices in accordance with the invention comprise a spindle member which is non-rotatably held in the receptacle and a body member rotatably mounted on the spindle member for movement between an open position in which communication is established between the flow conduit in the receptacle and the flow passage in the coupling device, and a closed position disconnecting the conduit from the flow passage. The body member has a cam insert member with a through bore for connecting the flow conduit with the flow passage.

Abstract: A hand-held cannula assembly for irrigating and aspirating ophthalmic surgical sites includes an irrigation cannula circumscribed about an aspiration cannula and extending out through the forward end of the assembly from a reservoir for the irrigation fluid in the handle. Pressurized irrigation fluid is supplied to the reservoir through the rearward end of the handle and flows through openings in the irrigation cannula periphery into an annular flow passage between the two cannulas. An opening in the irrigation cannula issues the irrigation fluid at the surgical site. Aspiration fluid is drawn into the aspiration cannula which extends through the handle interior to an outflow opening at the rearward handle end.

Abstract: A surgical knife includes a blade secured to the knife body and having a cutting edge projecting transversely beyond the body profile. A slotted ski member is movable axially relative to the cutting edge to selectively expose the cutting edge by means of plural thread segments which cooperate to convert rotary motion to said axially controlled axial motion. The position of the ski and blade beyond the body profile enhances visibility of the incision. In the preferred embodiment, the ski is part of a shaft which is threadedly received in a spindle, which, in turn, is threadedly received in the same sense within the knife body. The ski shaft is procluded from rotary motion relative to the knife body and its threads have a greater pitch than the body threads; consequently, axial displacement of the spindle in one direction produces axial displacement of the ski in the opposite direction.