Patent attributes
The automatically controlled pump supplies pressurized irrigation fluid to a surgical site. The pump system includes a motor in a housing and a pump in a housing defining input and output ports. The pump has a rotatable impeller. The motor is powered by batteries. The system operates in conjunction with a downstream manual suction/irrigation control valve. In one system, an ON/OFF motor switch is controlled by fluid flow above a nominal flow by a sensor typically mounted downstream of the pump. In another, flow is detected by a negative buoyancy poppet having a “leaky” valve seat. When the poppet moves, its position is sensed and the switched motor is ON. In a remote control system, the motor is remotely controlled by a switch integrated into the manual control valve. One method automatically controls a pump by monitoring fluid flow above a system minimal flow and turning ON/OFF the motor based upon flow above the minimum.
