Steerable laser probe

• US 10,376,315 B2
• Filed: 08/31/2017
• Issued: 08/13/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2012
• 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, Moore, Craig
• Primary Examiner(s): Downey, John R
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lukjan, Sebastian X
• Application Number:
  US15/691,850
• Publication Number:
  US 20180193195A1
• Time in Patent Office: 712 Days
• Field of Search: 606 4
• 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 2018/00196 reciprocating lengthwise
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00202 rotating
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00589 Coagulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/0091 Handpieces of the surgical instrument or device
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/20357 by movable optical fibre end
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/2238 with means for selectively laterally deflecting the tip of the fibre
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/225 Features of hand-pieces A61B2018/2255 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/3037 Translation along the common longitudinal axis, e.g. piston
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2009/00863 Retina
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/008 using laser
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/00802 for photoablation
• 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, and inner bore of the handle, an actuation lever of the handle, a housing tube, and an optic fiber disposed within the inner bore of the handle and the housing tube. The housing tube may have a first housing tube portion having a first stiffness and a second housing tube portion having a second stiffness. The second stiffness may be greater than the first stiffness.

Claims

1. A laser probe comprising:

a handle having a handle distal end and a handle proximal end;

a piston guide of the handle;

a single piston having a piston distal end and a piston proximal end wherein the piston is disposed in the piston guide;

a housing tube guide of the handle;

a housing tube having a housing tube distal end and a housing tube proximal end wherein the housing tube is disposed in the piston, the piston guide, and the housing tube guide and wherein the housing tube is fixed in the piston and wherein the housing tube is configured to actuate within the housing tube guide;

a cable having a cable distal end and a cable proximal end wherein a first portion of the cable is fixed in the housing tube and wherein a second portion of the cable is fixed in the handle, the cable having a cable proximal loop at the cable proximal end;

a fixation pin disposed within the cable proximal loop;

a first housing tube portion of the housing tube having a first stiffness;

a plurality of apertures of the first housing tube portion;

a second housing tube portion of the housing tube having a second stiffness wherein the second stiffness is greater than the first stiffness; and

an optic fiber having an optic fiber distal end and an optic fiber proximal end wherein the optic fiber is disposed in the handle, the piston, the piston guide, the housing tube guide, and the housing tube and wherein an application of a force to the piston proximal end is configured to actuate the piston within the piston guide and wherein an extension of the piston relative to the handle proximal end is configured to extend the housing tube proximal end relative to the handle proximal end and the cable and curve the optic fiber.

2. The laser probe of claim 1 wherein the extension of the piston relative to the handle proximal end is configured to curve the housing tube.

3. The laser probe of claim 1 wherein the extension of the piston relative to the handle proximal end is configured to compress the first housing tube portion.

4. The laser probe of claim 1 wherein the extension of the piston relative to the handle proximal end is configured to curve the optic fiber 45 degrees relative to the housing tube proximal end.

5. The laser probe of claim 1 wherein the extension of the piston relative to the handle proximal end is configured to curve the housing tube 45 degrees relative to the housing tube proximal end.

6. The laser probe of claim 1 wherein a retraction of the piston relative to the handle proximal end is configured to retract the housing tube relative to the handle proximal end.

7. The laser probe of claim 6 wherein the retraction of the piston relative to the handle proximal end is configured to straighten the optic fiber.

8. The laser probe of claim 6 wherein the retraction of the piston relative to the handle proximal end is configured to straighten the housing tube.

9. The laser probe of claim 6 wherein the retraction of the piston relative to the handle proximal end is configured to decompress the first housing tube portion.

10. The laser probe of claim 6 wherein the retraction of the piston relative to the handle proximal end is configured to straighten the optic fiber 45 degrees relative to the housing tube proximal end.

11. A laser probe comprising:

a handle having a handle distal end and a handle proximal end;

a piston guide of the handle;

a single piston having a piston distal end and a piston proximal end wherein the piston is disposed in the piston;

a housing tube guide of the handle;

a housing tube having a housing tube distal end and a housing tube proximal end wherein the housing tube is disposed in the piston, the piston guide, and the housing tube guide and wherein the housing tube is fixed in the piston and wherein the housing tube is configured to actuate within the housing tube guide;

a cable having a cable distal end and a cable proximal end wherein a first portion of the cable is fixed in the housing tube and wherein a second portion of the cable is fixed in the handle, the cable having a cable proximal loop at the cable proximal end;

a fixation pin disposed within the cable proximal loop;

a first housing tube portion of the housing tube having a first stiffness;

a plurality of apertures of the first housing tube portion;

a second housing tube portion of the housing tube having a second stiffness wherein the second stiffness is greater than the first stiffness; and

an optic fiber having an optic fiber distal end and an optic fiber proximal end wherein the optic fiber is disposed in the handle, the piston, the piston guide, the housing tube guide, and the housing tube and wherein a reduction of a force applied to the piston proximal end is configured to actuate the piston within the piston guide and wherein a retraction of the piston relative to the handle proximal end is configured to retract the housing tube proximal end relative to the handle proximal end and the cable and straighten the optic fiber.

12. The laser probe of claim 11 wherein the retraction of the piston relative to the handle proximal end is configured to straighten the housing tube.

13. The laser probe of claim 11 wherein the retraction of the piston relative to the handle proximal end is configured to decompress the first housing tube portion.

14. The laser probe of claim 11 wherein the retraction of the piston relative to the handle proximal end is configured to straighten the optic fiber 45 degrees relative to the housing tube proximal end.

15. The laser probe of claim 11 wherein the retraction of the piston relative to the handle proximal end is configured to straighten the housing tube 45 degrees relative to the housing tube proximal end.

16. The laser probe of claim 11 wherein an extension of the piston relative to the handle proximal end is configured to extend the housing tube relative to the handle proximal end.

17. The laser probe of claim 16 wherein the extension of the piston relative to the handle proximal end is configured to curve the optic fiber.

18. The laser probe of claim 16 wherein the extension of the piston relative to the handle proximal end is configured to curve the housing tube.

19. The laser probe of claim 16 wherein the extension of the piston relative to the handle proximal end is configured to compress the first housing tube portion.

20. The laser probe of claim 16 wherein the extension of the piston relative to the handle proximal end is configured to curve the optic fiber 45 degrees relative to the housing tube proximal end.