Steerable laser probe

• US 10,307,208 B2
• Filed: 12/13/2016
• Issued: 06/04/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Katalyst Surgical, LLC (Carl-Zeiss-Stiftung)
• Original Assignee: Katalyst Surgical, LLC (Carl-Zeiss-Stiftung)
• Inventors: Scheller, Gregg D, Zeid, Matthew N
• Primary Examiner(s): Levicky, William J
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kong, Qingjun
• Application Number:
  US15/377,586
• Publication Number:
  US 20170087018A1
• Time in Patent Office: 903 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/22 the beam being directed along or through a flexible conduit, e.g. an optical fibre; Couplings or hand-pieces therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00589 Coagulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/2238 with means for selectively laterally deflecting the tip of the fibre
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/2244 Features of optical fibre cables, e.g. claddings
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/225 Features of hand-pieces A61B2018/2255 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2009/00863 Retina
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/008 using laser
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/00821 for coagulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/00823 Laser features or special beam parameters therefor

Abstract

A steerable laser probe may include a handle having a handle distal end and a handle proximal end, an actuation lever of the handle, a flexible housing tube having a flexible housing tube distal end and a flexible housing tube proximal end, and an optic fiber disposed within an inner bore of the handle and the flexible housing tube. An actuation of the actuation lever may gradually curve the flexible housing tube and the optic fiber. An actuation of the actuation lever may gradually straighten the flexible housing tube and the optic fiber.

Claims

1. A method of operating a steerable laser probe, comprising:

applying a force to a portion of an actuation lever of a handle of the steerable laser probe wherein the handle has a handle distal end and a handle proximal end and wherein the actuation lever has an actuation lever distal end and an actuation lever proximal end;

limiting an actuation of the actuation lever by a pivot pin wherein the pivot pin is disposed in a pivot pin housing of the handle and a pivot pin chamber of the actuation lever;

actuating the actuation lever in an actuation lever channel of the handle;

actuating the actuation lever proximal end towards the handle proximal end and away from the handle distal end wherein the actuation lever proximal end is disposed in an actuation lever guide and wherein the actuation lever distal end is not disposed in the actuation lever guide;

actuating an optic fiber housing of the actuation lever within the actuation lever guide towards the handle proximal end and away from the handle distal end in association with an optic fiber having an optic fiber distal end and an optic fiber proximal end;

curving a flexible housing tube having a flexible housing tube distal end and a flexible housing tube proximal end wherein the flexible housing tube proximal end is disposed in an optic fiber guide of the handle and wherein the flexible housing tube proximal end is fixed in the optic fiber guide; and

curving the optic fiber wherein the optic fiber is disposed in the actuation lever guide, the optic fiber housing, the optic fiber guide, and the flexible housing tube wherein the optic fiber distal end is adjacent to the flexible housing tube distal end and wherein a first portion of the optic fiber is fixed to an inner portion of the flexible housing tube and wherein a second portion of the optic fiber is fixed in the optic fiber housing.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

actuating the actuation lever distal end towards the handle distal end and away from the handle proximal end.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

retracting the optic fiber relative to the flexible housing tube.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising:

applying a force to a portion of the flexible housing tube.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising:

compressing the portion of the flexible housing tube.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the optic fiber is fixed in the optic fiber housing.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

curving the optic fiber 45 degrees relative to the flexible housing tube proximal end.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

curving the optic fiber 90 degrees relative to the flexible housing tube proximal end.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

aiming the optic fiber distal end at a surgical target in an eye.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

reducing the force applied to the portion of the actuation lever.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

actuating the optic fiber housing towards the handle distal end and away from the handle proximal end.

12. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

extending the optic fiber relative to the flexible housing tube.

13. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

straightening the optic fiber.

14. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

straightening the flexible housing tube.