High throughput endo-illuminator probe

• US 20060184162A1
• Filed: 02/15/2006
• Published: 08/17/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Alcon Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Alcon Incorporated
• Inventors: Smith, Ronald T.
• Application Number:
  US11/354,615
• Publication Number:
  US 20060184162A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/4
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/306 using optical fibres
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/0008 provided with illuminating means A61B3/117 takes precedence; goniolenses used for laser treatment A61F9/009; illuminating means for optical instruments G02B27/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/36 Image-producing devices or illumination devices not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/007 Methods or devices for eye surgery

Abstract

A high throughput endo-illuminator and illumination surgical system are disclosed. One embodiment of the high throughput endo-illumination surgical system comprises: a light source for providing a light beam; a proximal optical fiber, optically coupled to the light source for receiving and transmitting the light beam; a distal optical fiber, optically coupled to a distal end of the proximal optical fiber, for receiving the light beam and emitting the light beam to illuminate a surgical site, wherein the distal optical fiber comprises a tapered section having a proximal-end diameter larger than a distal-end diameter; a handpiece, operably coupled to the distal optical fiber; and a cannula, operably coupled to the handpiece, for housing and directing the distal optical fiber. The tapered section'"'"'s proximal end diameter can be the same as the diameter of the proximal optical fiber, and can be, for example, a 20 gauge diameter. The tapered section'"'"'s distal end diameter can be, for example, a 25 gauge compatible diameter. The cannula can be a 25 gauge inner-diameter cannula. The proximal optical fiber can preferably have an NA equal to or greater than the NA of the light source beam and the distal optical fiber preferably can have an NA greater than that of the proximal optical fiber and greater than that of the light source beam at any point in the distal optical fiber (since the light beam NA can increase as it travels through the tapered section).

Claims

1. A high throughput endo-illuminator, comprising:

a proximal optical fiber, optically coupled to a light source and operable to transmit a light beam received from the light source;

a distal optical fiber, optically coupled to a distal end of the proximal optical fiber, for receiving the light beam and emitting the light beam to illuminate a surgical site, wherein the distal optical fiber comprises a tapered section having a proximal-end diameter larger than a distal-end diameter;

a handpiece, operably coupled to the distal optical fiber; and

a cannula, operably coupled to the handpiece, for housing and directing the distal optical fiber.

2. The endo-illuminator of claim 1, wherein the tapered section'"'"'s proximal end diameter is the same as the diameter of the proximal optical fiber.

3. The endo-illuminator of claim 2, wherein the tapered section'"'"'s proximal end diameter is a 20 gauge compatible diameter and wherein the tapered section'"'"'s distal end diameter is a 25 gauge compatible diameter.

4. The endo-illuminator of claim 1, wherein the proximal optical fiber is a 20 gauge compatible optical fiber, the cannula is a 25 gauge inner diameter cannula and the distal optical fiber has a 20 gauge compatible proximal-end diameter and a 25 gauge compatible distal-end diameter.

5. The endo-illuminator of claim 1, wherein the proximal optical fiber has a numerical aperture (“

NA”

) of approximately 0.5 and the distal optical fiber has an NA greater than 0.5.

6. The endo-illuminator of claim 1, wherein the proximal optical fiber has an NA equal to or greater than the NA of the light source beam and wherein the distal optical fiber has an NA greater than the proximal optical fiber and greater than the light source beam at any point in the distal optical fiber.

7. The endo-illuminator of claim 1, wherein the cannula, the distal optical fiber and the handpiece are fabricated from biocompatible materials.

8. The endo-illuminator claim 1, further comprising an SMA optical fiber connector to optically couple the proximal optical cable to the light source.

9. The endo-illuminator of claim 1, wherein the distal optical fiber is operably coupled to the handpiece to enable linear displacement of the distal optical fiber within the cannula.

10. The endo-illuminator of claim 9, further comprising a means for adjusting the linear displacement of the optical fiber.

11. The endo-illuminator of claim 10, wherein the means for adjusting comprise a push/pull mechanism.

12. The endo-illuminator of claim 11, wherein the amount of linear displacement of the distal optical fiber determines an angle of illumination and an amount of illumination provided by the distal optical fiber element to illuminate the surgical site.

13. The endo-illuminator of claim 1, wherein the light beam comprises a beam of relatively incoherent light.

14. The endo-illuminator of claim 1, wherein the light source is a xenon light source.

15. The endo-illuminator of claim 1, wherein the proximal optical fiber and the distal optical fiber are optically coupled using an optical adhesive.

16. A high throughput endo-illumination surgical system comprising:

a light source for providing a light beam;

a proximal optical fiber, optically coupled to the light source for receiving and transmitting the light beam;

a distal optical fiber, optically coupled to a distal end of the proximal optical fiber, for receiving the light beam and emitting the light beam to illuminate a surgical site, wherein the distal optical fiber comprises a tapered section having a proximal-end diameter larger than a distal-end diameter;

a handpiece, operably coupled to the distal optical fiber; and

a cannula, operably coupled to the handpiece, for housing and directing the distal optical fiber.

17. The surgical system of claim 16, wherein the tapered section'"'"'s proximal end diameter is the same as the diameter of the proximal optical fiber.

18. The surgical system of claim 17, wherein the tapered section'"'"'s proximal end diameter is a 20 gauge compatible diameter and wherein the tapered section'"'"'s distal end diameter is a 25 gauge compatible diameter.

19. The surgical system of claim 16, wherein the proximal optical fiber is a 20 gauge compatible optical fiber, the cannula is a 25 gauge inner diameter cannula and the distal optical fiber has a 20 gauge compatible proximal-end diameter and a 25 gauge compatible distal-end diameter.

20. The surgical system of claim 16, wherein the proximal optical fiber has a numerical aperture (“

NA”

) of approximately 0.5 and the distal optical fiber has an NA greater than 0.5.

21. The surgical system of claim 16, wherein the proximal optical fiber has an NA equal to or greater than the NA of the light source beam and wherein the distal optical fiber has an NA greater than the proximal optical fiber and greater than the light source beam at any point in the distal optical fiber.

22. The surgical system of claim 16, wherein the cannula, the distal optical fiber and the handpiece are fabricated from biocompatible materials.

23. The surgical system of claim 16, further comprising an SMA optical fiber connector to optically couple the proximal optical cable to the light source.

24. The surgical system of claim 16, wherein the distal optical fiber is operably coupled to the handpiece to enable linear displacement of the distal optical fiber within the cannula.

25. The surgical system of claim 24, further comprising a means for adjusting the linear displacement of the optical fiber.

26. The surgical system of claim 25, wherein the means for adjusting comprise a push/pull mechanism.

27. The surgical system of claim 26, wherein the amount of linear displacement of the distal optical fiber determines an angle of illumination and an amount of illumination provided by the distal optical fiber element to illuminate the surgical site.

28. The surgical system of claim 16, wherein the light beam comprises a beam of relatively incoherent light.

29. The surgical system of claim 16, wherein the light source is a xenon light source.

30. The surgical system of claim 16, wherein the proximal optical fiber and the distal optical fiber are optically coupled using an optical adhesive.