Gas purging, eye fixation hand piece
US5009660A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 15, 1989 |
| Grant date | Apr 23, 1991 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 15, 2009 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA61B2218/006
- WIPO fieldMedical technology
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A gas purging, eye fixation hand piece (10) includes a vacuum ring (15) evacuated by a suction line (21) through a handle (20) via which a purging gas is delivered to an array of purging nozzles (36-38) aimed into the vacuum ring from around an inner perimeter of the vacuum ring to direct purging gas jets towards the proximal side (16) of vacuum ring (15) attached to an eye that is held steady in a reference position for laser surgery. A preferably disposable and resilieint eye-engaging ring (25) is removably mounted on the vacuum ring to engage the eye around the cornea, and a spring-biased suction release valve (24) is preferably mounted on hand piece handle (20) for finger operation by the surgeon to release hand piece (10) from the eye when surgery is completed. Mounting of gas purging nozzles (36-38) on the hand piece automatically positions them properly for keeping the cornea clear of particles formed by laser ablation of eye tissue, once hand piece (10) is properly fixed to the eye.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.