AMO sues Alcon over phaco technologies

SANTA ANA, Calif. — Advanced Medical Optics has filed a patent infringement lawsuit against Alcon, claiming that Alcon’s Infiniti and Series 20000 Legacy phacoemulsification systems infringe on AMO patents.

Specifically, AMO claims Alcon infringed upon its patents No. 5,700,240 and No. 6,059,765, which cover “advanced fluidics technologies that facilitate removal of cataracts during eye surgery and are incorporated in AMO’s Sovereign and Sovereign Compact phacoemulsification systems,” AMO noted in a press release.

AMO’s patent No. 5,700,240, issued in 1997, describes a method and apparatus for controlling the flow of fluid from a source to the patient and removal of fluids from the patient through connections with surgical procedures of various types, according to the patent authorization. The other patent, No. 6,059,765, describes a “fluid management apparatus for a surgical instrument having fluid irrigation and aspiration lines [which] includes a console having an aspiration pump and housing having a longitudinal axis,” according to the patent.

According to its description, patent No. 6,059,765 “generally relates to irrigation/aspiration apparatus for surgical procedures and more particularly relates to fluid management apparatus for use with a surgical instrument for endophthalmic surgery.”

The complaint was filed in U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware.