An irrigation and aspiration tubing system for use with surgical handpieces and irrigation fluid supplies has a first flexible irrigation tube for transporting irrigation fluid to the handpiece and a second flexible aspiration tube disposed within the first tube. The inner diameter of the first tube is selected to provide a cross-sectional area available for fluid flow in excess of the cross-sectional area of a standard surgical irrigation tubes. The system also includes at least one adaptor to allow the tubing to be attached to known surgical handpieces. Preferably, a second adaptor is also provided allowing attachment to sources of irrigating fluid and aspiration vacuum. The system finds particular utility with phacoemulsification instruments used for opththalmic surgery.
