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Control system for ophthalmic surgical instruments    
United States Patent5455766   
Link to this pagehttp://www.wikipatents.com/5455766.html
Inventor(s)Scheller; Gregg D. (Ballwin, MO); Lucas; R. Bruce (University City, MO); Yefet; Gideon (St. Louis, MO); Dallan; David (Pittsford, NY)
AbstractThe control system is programmable by the user by inserting a preprogrammed key into the system console. The key changes the default values normally used by the control system to those values selected by a particular surgeon. The control console thus emulates the performance characteristics of a wide variety of different types of microsurgical control systems, leaving the surgeon free to perform the operation without having to adjust to a new or unfamiliar system. The display screen is self-illuminating and provides a plurality of control menus generated by data stored in computer memory circuits. By bank switching the memory circuits, the display can be caused to appear in a wide variety of different languages.
   














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Drawing from US Patent 5455766
Control system for ophthalmic surgical instruments - US Patent 5455766 Drawing
Control system for ophthalmic surgical instruments
Inventor     Scheller; Gregg D. (Ballwin, MO); Lucas; R. Bruce (University City, MO); Yefet; Gideon (St. Louis, MO); Dallan; David (Pittsford, NY)
Owner/Assignee     Storz Instrument Company (St. Louis, MO)
Patent assignment
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Publication Date     October 3, 1995
Application Number     08/136,716
PAIR File History     Application Data   Transaction History
Image File Wrapper   Patent Term   Fees
Litigation
Filing Date     October 13, 1993
US Classification     606/4
Int'l Classification     G06F 159/00
Examiner     Hayes; Gail O.
Assistant Examiner     Bodendorf; Andrew
Attorney/Law Firm     Denniger; Douglas E. Kartchner; Gene B. ,
Address
Parent Case     This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 07/935,516 now abandoned, filed on Sept. 8, 1992, now abandoned, which is a continuation of Ser. No. 07/438,863, filed on Nov. 20, 1989, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,157,603 which is a division of Ser. No. 267,713 filed on Nov. 11, 1988, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,933,843, which is a continuation of Ser. No. 928,170, filed Nov. 6, 1986, now abandoned.
Priority Data    
USPTO Field of Search     364/413.01 364/413.02 364/138 364/146 364/474.11 364/188 604/22 604/65 604/66 604/67 606/4
Patent Tags     control ophthalmic surgical instruments
   
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 Technical Review Submit all comments and votes
 Claims Submit all comments and votes
 


What is claimed is:

1. A microsurgical control system for controlling at least one ophthalmic microsurgical instrument for performing ophthalmic surgical procedures, the system comprising:

a console;

attachment means on said console for attachment to at least one ophthalmic microsurgical instrument;

control means coupled to said attachment means for providing a plurality of surgical procedure control signals to said instrument; and

a manually actuable controller coupled to said control means for controlling said control signals to said instrument;

said control means including a means for defining predetermined and selectable surgical procedures, said defining means including a jack on said console and at least one memory circuit removably connected to said jack and storing an individualized set of surgeon selected parameters at least in part defining operating values for said at least one instrument, said connected memory circuit interfacing with said control means for controlling said instrument during performance of said surgical procedures.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said stored parameters include instrument response characteristic parameters.

3. A microsurgical control system for controlling at least one ophthalmic microsurgical instrument for performing ophthalmic surgical procedures, the system comprising:

a console;

connecting means on said console for connecting to at least one ophthalmic microsurgical instrument;

control means coupled to said connecting means for providing a plurality of surgical procedure control signals to said instrument;

a manually actuable controller coupled to said control means for controlling said control signals to said instrument;

said control means including a means for defining predetermined and selectable surgical procedures, said defining means including a jack on said console and at least one memory circuit removably connected to said jack and storing parameters used to at least in part define operating values, said connected memory circuit controlling said instrument during performance of said surgical procedures; and

at least one internal memory circuit for storing default parameters used to define default surgical procedures.

4. A microsurgical control system for controlling at least one ophthalmic microsurgical instrument for performing ophthalmic surgical procedures, the system comprising:

a console;

connecting means on said console for connecting to at least one ophthalmic microsurgical instrument;

control means coupled to said connecting means for providing a plurality of surgical procedure control signals to said instrument; and

a controller coupled to said control means for controlling said control signals to said instrument;

said control means including means for defining predetermined and selectable surgical procedures, said defining means including at least one memory circuit storing an individualized set of surgeon selected operating values, said memory circuit controlling said instrument at least in part during performance of said surgical procedures.

5. A microsurgical control system for controlling at least two different ophthalmic microsurgical instruments so as to be able to perform a plurality of different surgical procedures, comprising:

a console;

means for connecting said at least two ophthalmic microsurgical instruments to said console;

a plurality of first distinct display regions on said console;

a plurality of second distinct display regions on said console;

each of said regions being capable of displaying human readable characters and at least one of said display regions being capable of displaying two sets of human readable characters;

a plurality of controller means disposed on said console at locations corresponding to said predetermined regions of said console, said controller means including at least one first controller for selecting said surgical procedures and at least one second controller for selecting an operating value of one of said microsurgical instruments, said at least one second controller having a response range corresponding to a plurality of operating values for one of said microsurgical instruments;

a procedure control means for defining and providing a plurality of predetermined and selectable ophthalmic surgical procedures for controlling said instruments, said surgical procedures corresponding to procedures indicated by said predetermined human readable messages in one of said first and second regions; and

a procedure selection means coupled to said procedure control means and responsive to said at least one first controller for causing said procedure control means to perform a selected one of said plurality of procedures.

6. A microsurgical control system for controlling at least one ophthalmic microsurgical instrument for performing ophthalmic surgical procedures, the system comprising:

a console;

attachment means on said console for attachment to at least one ophthalmic microsurgical instrument;

control means coupled to said attachment means for providing a plurality of surgical procedure control signals to said instrument; and

a manually actuable controller coupled to said control means for controlling said control signals to said instrument;

said control means including a means for defining predetermined and selectable surgical procedures, said defining means including a jack on said console and at least one memory circuit removably connected to said jack and storing an individualized set of surgeon selected parameters at least in part defining operating values for the surgical procedures, said memory circuit interfacing with said control means for controlling said instrument during performance of said surgical procedures.
 Description Submit all comments and votes
 


BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to microsurgical and ophthalmic systems and more particularly to a programmable control system and console for operating microsurgical instruments.

Present day ophthalmic microsurgical systems provide one or more pneumatically operated (fluid pressure operated) surgical instruments connected to a control console. The control console provides the fluid pressure signals for operating the instruments and usually includes several different types of human actable controllers for controlling the fluid pressure signals supplied to the surgical instruments. Usually included is a foot pedal controller which the surgeon can use to control a surgical instrument.

The conventional console also has push button switches and adjustable knobs for setting the desired operation characteristics of the system. The conventional control system usually Serves several different functions. For example, the typical ophthalmic microsurgical system has both anterior and posterior segment capabilities and may include a variety of functions, such as irrigation/aspiration, vitrectomy, microscissor cutting, fiber optic illumination, and fragmentation/emulsification.

While conventional microsurgical systems and ophthalmic systems have helped to make microsurgery and ophthalmic surgery possible, these systems are not without drawbacks. Microsurgical and ophthalmic systems are relatively costly and are often purchased by hospitals and clinics for sharing among many surgeons with different specialities. In eye surgery, for example, some surgeons may specialize in anterior segment procedures, while other surgeons may specialize in posterior segment procedures. Due to differences in these procedures, the control system will not be set up in the same manner for both. Also, due to the delicate nature of this type of surgery, the response characteristics or "feel" of the system can be a concern to surgeons who practice in several different hospitals, using different makes and models of equipment. It would be desirable to eliminate the differences in performance characteristics between one system and the next, while at the same time providing enough flexibility in the system to accommodate a variety of different procedures. The prior art has not met these objectives.

The present invention greatly improves upon the prior art by providing a programmable and universal microsurgical control system, which can be readily programmed to perform a variety of different surgical procedures and which may be programmed to provide the response characteristics which any given surgeon may require. The control system is preprogrammed to operate in a variety of different modes to provide a variety of different procedures. These preprogrammed modes can be selected by pressing front panel buttons.

In addition to the preprogrammed modes, each surgeon can be provided with a programming key, which includes a digital memory circuit loaded with particular response characteristic parameters and particular surgical procedure parameters selected by that surgeon. By inserting the key into the system console jack, the system is automatically set up to respond in a familiar way to each surgeon.

For maximum versatility, the console push buttons and potentiometer knobs are programmable. Their functions and response characteristics can be changed to suit the surgeons' needs. An electronic display screen on the console displays the current function of each programmable button and knob as well as other pertinent information. The display screen is self-illuminating so that it can be read easily in a darkened operating rooms.

More specifically, the microsurgical control system of the invention is adapted for controlling fluid pressure controlled microsurgical instruments. The term "fluid pressure", unless otherwise specified, includes both positive pressure and negative pressure (vacuum), as well as pneumatic imputations. The microsurgical control system comprises a means for providing fluid pressure couplable to the microsurgical instrument for delivering a fluid pressure signal to the instrument. A manually actuable controller is coupled with the means for providing fluid pressure for adjusting the fluid pressure signal in response to human actuation. A digitally programmed electronic circuit coupled to the controller selectively alters the manner in which the controller responds to human actuation.

Further, in accordance with the invention, the microsurgical control system includes a console and means on the console for connecting to at least one microsurgical instrument. The console has an electronic display screen and a plurality of manually actuable controllers disposed thereon at locations corresponding to predetermined regions of the display screen. The system includes a menu generating means coupled to the display screen for writing predetermined human readable messages at the predetermined regions of the display screen. A procedure control means is coupled to the connecting means for defining and providing a plurality of predetermined and selectable surgical procedures for controlling the inset. A procedure selection means is coupled to the procedure control means and is responsive to the human actuable controller, for causing the procedure control means to perform a selected one of the plurality of procedures.

Still further in accordance with the invention, the control means includes a means for defining predetermined and selectable surgical procedures. The