Medical instrument for use in cataract surgery and a method for use thereof
First Claim
1. ) A medical instrument, comprising;
- a handle, a blade potion having an adjustable diameter and having a sharpened edge for cutting a lens capsule of an eye at the periphery of a portion of said capsule to be removed during surgery, said blade portion being extendible and retractable from the handle tip portion thereby permitting insertion of said blade portion through a small incision in the eye when the blade is retracted and thereafter extended to correspond to a peripheral extent to said portion of the capsule to be removed during surgery, and subsequently retracted for allowing removal from the eye, wherein said blade portion can extend to a configuration having a 4-8 millimeter diameter range for cutting a lens capsule of an eye having a corresponding size;
a mechanism for extending and retracting said blade portion, said mechanism located in said handle portion, and optionally, a foot pedal-controlled motor coupled to said handle for effecting cutting of the capsule by said blade portion via slight bidirectional movements of the blade portion.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The invention discloses a medical instrument, comprising: a handle, a blade portion having a sharpened edge for cutting a lens capsule of an eye at the periphery of a portion of said capsule to be removed during surgery, said blade portion being extendible and retractable from the handle tip portion thereby permitting insertion of said blade portion through a small incision in the eye when the blade is retracted and thereafter to correspond to a peripheral extent to said portion of the capsule to be removed during surgery, a mechanism for extending and retracting said blade portion, said mechanism located in said handle portion, and a foot pedal-controlled motor coupled to said handle for effecting cutting of capsule by sad blade portion. The invention additionally relates to a method for utilizing a medical instrument in performing cataract surgery.
61 Citations
25 Claims
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1. ) A medical instrument, comprising;
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a handle, a blade potion having an adjustable diameter and having a sharpened edge for cutting a lens capsule of an eye at the periphery of a portion of said capsule to be removed during surgery, said blade portion being extendible and retractable from the handle tip portion thereby permitting insertion of said blade portion through a small incision in the eye when the blade is retracted and thereafter extended to correspond to a peripheral extent to said portion of the capsule to be removed during surgery, and subsequently retracted for allowing removal from the eye, wherein said blade portion can extend to a configuration having a 4-8 millimeter diameter range for cutting a lens capsule of an eye having a corresponding size;
a mechanism for extending and retracting said blade portion, said mechanism located in said handle portion, and optionally, a foot pedal-controlled motor coupled to said handle for effecting cutting of the capsule by said blade portion via slight bidirectional movements of the blade portion. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 23, 24, 25)
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20. ) A method for utilizing a medical instrument in performing cataract surgery, comprising the steps of;
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(a) making an incision approximately 3 millimeters wide in the cornea of the eye;
(b) inserting the handle tip through said incision;
(c) extending the retracted blade portion to the required diameter;
(d) positioning said extended blade portion in contact with the surface of an anterior lens capsule of said eye;
(e) cutting said lens capsule at a peripheral extent of a portion of said lens capsule to be removed during said cataract surgery;
(f) retracting said blade portion;
(g) withdrawing said handle tip through said incision. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22)
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Specification