Small gauge instruments for micro surgery

Abstract

A surgical system combines a cannula and an instrument in a manner that allows small gauge instruments to be used effectively, with little or no bending with respect to the manipulating proximal side of the instrument. Such design overcomes the shortcomings of prior art, and applies to various microsurgical procedures, including ophthalmology, allowing the use of smaller endo-photocoagulation probes, illumination probes, combination probes, vitrectors, scissors, manipulators, picks, diathermy, and others. By using smaller gauge, patient recovery is expected to be faster.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A surgical instrument comprising:
 a handle;   a sleeve attached to the handle and adapted to selectively anchor with a base of a cannula after the cannula is inserted into and held at an entry site of an eye during a micro-surgical procedure, wherein the sleeve is surrounded by an inner circumferential surface of the base of the cannula when anchored with the base of the cannula; and   an elongate functioning member extending from the handle and associated with the sleeve, wherein the functioning member is adapted to be inserted through the cannula during the micro-surgical procedure.   
     
     
         2 . The surgical instrument of  claim 1 , further comprising the cannula configured with the base, wherein the cannula is adapted to be inserted into and held at the entry site of the eye during the micro-surgical procedure. 
     
     
         3 . The surgical instrument of  claim 2 , wherein the base of the cannula is configured with an inner diameter larger than an inner diameter of a remainder of the cannula. 
     
     
         4 . The surgical instrument of  claim 3 , wherein the inner diameter of the base of the cannula is larger than an inner diameter of the entry site of the eye. 
     
     
         5 . The surgical instrument of  claim 1 , wherein the functioning member is further adapted to be inserted through the cannula after the cannula is inserted into and held at the entry site of the eye during the micro-surgical procedure. 
     
     
         6 . The surgical instrument of  claim 1 , wherein the functioning member is further adapted to be inserted through the cannula before the cannula is anchored with the base of the cannula. 
     
     
         7 . The surgical instrument of  claim 1 , wherein the sleeve and the cannula, when anchored, at least partially reduce bending of the functioning member during manipulation of the surgical instrument. 
     
     
         8 . The surgical instrument of  claim 1 , wherein the sleeve is further adapted to additionally anchor with the base of the cannula via an outer circumferential surface of the base of the cannula such that a portion of the sleeve surrounds the outer circumferential surface of the base of the cannula when the sleeve is anchored with the base of the cannula. 
     
     
         9 . The surgical instrument of  claim 1 , wherein the functioning member is at least partially disposed within the sleeve. 
     
     
         10 . The surgical instrument of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a mechanical mechanism extending at least partially external to the handle and connected, within the handle, to the functioning member, the mechanical mechanism adapted to advance or retract the functioning member through the cannula during the micro-surgical procedure.   
     
     
         11 . The surgical instrument of  claim 1 , wherein the numerical value of the gauge of the sleeve is 20 gauge or less. 
     
     
         12 . A method of anchoring a surgical instrument to a cannula for use during a micro-surgical procedure, the method comprising:
 inserting the cannula into an entry site of an eye during the micro-surgical procedure, wherein the cannula is held at the entry site of the eye during the micro-surgical procedure;   responsive to inserting the cannula into the entry site of the eye during the micro-surgical procedure, anchoring a sleeve attached to a handle of the surgical instrument to a base of the cannula, wherein the sleeve is surrounded by an inner circumferential surface of the base of the cannula when anchored with the base of the cannula; and   inserting a functioning member, wherein the functioning member extends from the handle and is associated with the sleeve, through the cannula to effectuate the micro-surgical procedure.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the base of the cannula is configured with an inner diameter larger than an inner diameter of a remainder of the cannula. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the sleeve is additionally anchored to the base of the cannula via an outer circumferential surface of the base of the cannula such that a portion of the sleeve surrounds the outer circumferential surface of the base of the cannula when the sleeve is anchored with the base of the cannula. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the functioning member is inserted through the cannula prior to inserting the cannula into the entry site of the eye. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 manipulating a mechanical mechanism extending at least partially external to the handle and connected, within the handle, to the functioning member to advance or retract the functioning member through the cannula.   
     
     
         17 . A surgical instrument comprising:
 a handle;   a sleeve attached to the handle and adapted to selectively anchor with a base of a cannula after the cannula is inserted into and held at an entry site of an eye during a micro-surgical procedure, wherein the sleeve is surrounded by an inner circumferential surface of the base of the cannula when anchored with the base of the cannula; and   an elongate functioning member associated with the sleeve, wherein the functioning member is adapted for selective longitudinal movement relative to the sleeve, and wherein the functioning member is further adapted to be selectively inserted through the cannula during the micro-surgical procedure.   
     
     
         18 . The surgical instrument of  claim 17 , further comprising the cannula configured with the base, wherein the cannula is adapted to be inserted into and held at the entry site of the eye during the micro-surgical procedure. 
     
     
         19 . The surgical instrument of  claim 18 , wherein the base of the cannula is configured with an inner diameter larger than an inner diameter of a remainder of the cannula. 
     
     
         20 . The surgical instrument of  claim 19 , wherein the functioning member is further adapted for selective longitudinal movement within the sleeve.