Patent attributes
A unitary mechanical injector-vitrector hand tool for use in extracting vitreous material from an eye and injecting another fluid into the eye includes a housing body having a proximal end, a distal end and a variable volume cavity in the housing body for establishing a negative pressure or suction. A needle having a sharpened point and a central bore is connected to the proximal end of the housing body. An aperture is formed in a sidewall of the needle near the sharpened end. An inner hollow reciprocal cutter is fitted in the central bore of the needle and has a cutting edge adapted for travel across the aperture. A first manually actuatable lever is pivotably mounted to the housing body and coupled in driving relationship with the reciprocal cutter. A valve assembly is operatively positioned between the needle and the variable volume cavity and arranged to open to apply suction to the needle central bore as the reciprocal cutter travels across the aperture so as to withdraw vitreous material falling into the hollow cutter. A pressurized source of fluid is coupled by a conduit through the central bore of the needle and cutter and selectively actuated to replace the removed vitreous material with other material such as an antibiotic.
