Surgical tool and method for extracting tissue from wall of an organ
First Claim
1. A method for extracting a tissue block from the angle of an eye, the method comprising:
- (a) forming a first elongated slit of substantially constant width entering at a peripheral region of the cornea, said first elongated slit providing a face of a self-sealing flap having a terminal angle of no more than 25°
;
(b) employing a tool inserted via said first elongated slit to the limbus underlying the conjunctiva to form a plurality of additional slits so as to define the tissue block; and
(c) withdrawing the tissue block along said first elongated slit such that said first elongated slit is temporarily elastically deformed to allow passage of the tissue block and is then sealed by said self-sealing flap.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention is concerned with methods and equipment for the treatment of the eye and more particularly with an instrument to increase eye filtration and treat glaucoma. The instrument is surgical tool operated entirely by the surgeon'"'"'s hands and is composed of a hand-piece and an eye-penetrating intraocular segment each having two opponent and reciprocally operating fork-like arms and blade-sharp leaves, respectively. The eye-penetrating segment is a rigid embodiment of a size to create a limbus-pointing tunnel in the cornea, penetrate the eye of a patient through a water tight incision and, in a five step dissect and extract procedure, remove from within the eye a trabecular tissue block leaving the incision to self-seal by intraocular pressure. In the same “modus operandi”, a sample tissue can be extracted from any other hollowed or parenchimatous organ.
-
Citations
36 Claims
-
1. A method for extracting a tissue block from the angle of an eye, the method comprising:
-
(a) forming a first elongated slit of substantially constant width entering at a peripheral region of the cornea, said first elongated slit providing a face of a self-sealing flap having a terminal angle of no more than 25°
;
(b) employing a tool inserted via said first elongated slit to the limbus underlying the conjunctiva to form a plurality of additional slits so as to define the tissue block; and
(c) withdrawing the tissue block along said first elongated slit such that said first elongated slit is temporarily elastically deformed to allow passage of the tissue block and is then sealed by said self-sealing flap. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
-
-
10. A method for extracting a tissue block from the wall of a hollow organ and forming a self-sealing flap in tissue of the wall, the method comprising:
-
(a) forming a first elongated slit of substantially constant width extending from an outer surface of the wall into the wall, said first elongated slit forming a face of a self-sealing flap;
(b) forming a plurality of additional slits so as to define the tissue block, said plurality of additional slits including;
(i) a second undercut slit from a first position along said first elongated slit so as to further define said self-sealing flap so as to form a terminal angle of no more than 25°
, said second undercut slit additionally forming at least a proximal cut of the tissue block,(ii) a pair of side cuts below said first elongated slit so as to define sides of the tissue block, and (iii) a third slit from a second position along said first elongated slit distal to said first position so as to form at least a distal cut of the tissue block; and
(c) withdrawing the tissue block along said first elongated slit such that said first elongated slit is temporarily elastically deformed to allow passage of the tissue block and is then sealed by said self-sealing flap. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12)
-
-
13. A surgical tool for forming a self-sealing flap in tissue of a wall of a hollow organ during a procedure for extracting a tissue block from the wall, the surgical tool comprising a tool head including:
-
(a) an elongated support element having a direction of elongation and configured for insertion along a first slit parallel to said direction of elongation into the tissue of the wall; and
(b) a blade element pivotally mounted on said support element so as to be pivotable about an axis perpendicular to said direction of elongation, said blade element including a rear blade with at least one deflecting feature configured for forming a second slit diverging from said first slit during withdrawal of the tool along the first slit, thereby forming a self-sealing flap in the tissue of the wall. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
-
-
31. A surgical tool for forming a self-sealing flap in tissue of a wall of a hollow organ and extracting a tissue block from the wall, the surgical tool comprising:
-
(a) a first blade assembly including;
(i) a first elongated support element having a first direction of elongation, and (ii) a first blade element pivotally mounted on said first support element so as to be pivotable about a first axis perpendicular to said first direction of elongation, said first blade element including a first front blade configured for cutting a first forward slit parallel to said first axis during advancing of the tool, and a first rear blade with at least one deflecting feature configured for forming a first reverse slit diverging from said first forward slit during withdrawal of the tool along the first forward slit;
(b) a second blade assembly including;
(i) a second elongated support element having a second direction of elongation, and (ii) a second blade element pivotally mounted on said second support element so as to be pivotable about a second axis perpendicular to said second direction of elongation, said second blade element including a second front blade configured for cutting a second forward slit parallel to said second axis during advancing of the tool, and a second rear blade with at least one deflecting feature configured for forming a second reverse slit diverging from said second forward slit during withdrawal of the tool along the second forward slit; and
(c) a mechanical linkage interconnecting between said first elongated support element and said second elongated support element so as to define a range of relative movement between a closed position in which said first blade assembly is closed against said second blade assembly and an open position in which said first blade assembly and said second blade assembly are spaced apart. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
-
Specification