System and method for making incisions for scleral eye implants

• US 20070078471A1
• Filed: 11/30/2006
• Published: 04/05/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Refocus Group Incorporated
• Original Assignee: RAS Holding Corp.
• Inventors: Cudmore, Donald, Schachar, Ronald
• Granted Patent: US 8,623,037 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/166
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/147 Implants to be inserted in the stroma for refractive correction, e.g. ring-like implants
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/013 Instruments for compensation of ocular refraction A61F9/008 takes precedence; Instruments for use in cornea removal, for reshaping or performing incisions in the cornea
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/0133 Knives or scalpels specially adapted therefor

Abstract

A system and method is disclosed for making incisions in the sclera of an eye to form a scleral pocket to receive a scleral prosthesis. The system and method comprises a surgical tool comprising a surgical blade for making incisions in the sclera of an eye. When a surgeon places the surgical blade on the sclera of the eye a pressure sensor in the surgical tool determines whether there is sufficient pressure between the surgical tool and the sclera of the eye for the surgical tool to operate properly. The surgeon activates the surgical tool to cause the surgical blade to advance through the sclera to form an incision having dimensions to receive a scleral prosthesis. When the incision is complete the surgical blade is rotated back out of the incision. The incision has the exact dimensions to receive a scleral prosthesis.

Claims

1. A surgical tool for making an incision in scleral tissue of an eye comprising:

a curved surgical blade operable under control of said surgical tool to rotate with respect to said surgical tool through said scleral tissue of said eye to make an incision having the form of a scleral pocket that is capable of receiving a scleral prosthesis.

2. A surgical tool as claimed in claim 1 wherein said curved surgical blade has dimensions that make an incision in said scleral tissue that is approximately one and one half millimeters wide and approximately four millimeters long, said incision being located approximately four hundred microns under a surface of said scleral tissue.

3. A surgical tool as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a base housing comprising:

a first drive shaft for providing bidirectional rotational motion to said surgical blade;

a drive motor coupled to said first drive shaft, said drive motor capable of providing bidirectional rotational motion to said first drive shaft; and

a control cable receptacle coupled to said drive motor, said control cable receptacle capable of receiving electrical power from an external power source and providing said electrical power to said drive motor to operate said drive motor.

4. A surgical tool as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a surgical tool controller, wherein said surgical tool is capable of receiving control signals from said surgical tool controller and capable of using said control signals to control said surgical blade of said surgical tool;

and

wherein said surgical tool controller is capable of sending said control signals to said surgical tool in response to receiving control signals from a surgeon who is using said surgical tool to make an incision in said scleral tissue of said eye.

5. A surgical tool controller as claimed in claim 4 further comprising a foot switch coupled to said surgical tool controller through a control signal line, said foot switch capable of sending control signals from said surgeon to said surgical tool controller to control said surgical blade of said surgical tool.

6. A surgical tool as claimed in claim 3 further comprising:

a drive shaft housing coupled to said base housing, said drive shaft housing comprising a second drive shaft coupled to said first drive shaft;

a blade mount housing comprising a third drive shaft coupled to said second drive shaft, said blade mount housing being mounted on said drive shaft housing at an angle with respect to a central axis of said drive shaft housing; and

wherein said surgical blade is coupled to said third drive shaft of said blade mount housing.

7. A surgical tool as claimed in claim 6 further comprising an external reference line marked on a surface of said blade mount housing, said external reference line indicating a desired location for placing said surgical tool on an eye to make an incision in scleral tissue of said eye to form a scleral pocket that is capable of receiving a scleral prosthesis.

8. A surgical tool as claimed in claim 7 wherein said external reference line is located on said surface of said blade mount housing so that a desired location on said eye for aligning said external reference line with said eye is a limbus of said eye.

9. A surgical tool as claimed in claim 6 wherein said surgical blade comprises:

a rotatable support arm having a first end coupled to said third drive shaft of said blade mount housing; and

a curved cutting blade having a first end coupled to a second end of said rotatable support arm, said curved cutting blade having a second end that is capable of making an incision in said scleral tissue that is approximately one and one half millimeters wide and approximately four millimeters long, said incision being located approximately four hundred microns under a surface of said scleral tissue.

62. The surgical tool of claim 1, wherein the curved surgical blade is operable, under the control of the surgical tool, to rotate through the scleral tissue of the eye to make the incision, the surgical blade being rotatable about a central axis of a blade mount housing on which the surgical blade is mounted.

63. The surgical tool of claim 1, wherein the curved surgical blade has an end that is operable, under the control of the surgical tool, to be rotated in one direction into and then out of the scleral tissue of the eye to make the incision.

64. The surgical tool of claim 1, wherein the curved surgical blade comprises a cutting blade having an end operable to be moved through an anterior surface of the scleral tissue of the eye without passing through a posterior surface of the scleral tissue of the eye to make the incision.

10-30. -30. (canceled)

31. A surgical tool comprising:

a curved surgical blade; and

a motor operable to rotate said curved surgical blade with respect to said surgical tool to move said curved surgical blade through scleral tissue of an eye to make an incision, said incision forming a scleral pocket in the region of the ciliary body of said eye, said scleral pocket having a form capable of receiving a scleral prosthesis to increase the effective working distance of the ciliary muscle of said eye.

32. The surgical tool as set forth in claim 31 further comprising a first drive shaft associated with said motor and operable to drive said rotation of said surgical blade.

33. The surgical tool as set forth in claim 31 further comprising a receptacle associated with said motor that is capable of receiving electrical power from a power source.

34. The surgical tool as set forth in claim 33 wherein said receptacle is further capable of providing said electrical power to said motor.

35. The surgical tool as set forth in claim 31 further comprising a controller operable to generate control signals.

36. The surgical tool as set forth in claim 35 wherein said controller is associated with said motor and said generated control signals control movement of said surgical blade.

37. The surgical tool as set forth in claim 36 wherein one controlled movement of said surgical blade is to make said incision.

38. The surgical tool as set forth in claim 36 wherein one controlled movement of said surgical blade is to position said surgical blade to make said incision.

39. The surgical tool as set forth in claim 35 further comprising a switch for use by a surgeon, said switch associated with said controller and capable of receiving control signals from the surgeon, said received control signals to control movement of said surgical blade.

40. The surgical tool as set forth in claim 39 wherein one controlled movement of said surgical blade is to make said incision.

41. The surgical tool as set forth in claim 39 wherein one controlled movement of said surgical blade is to position said surgical blade to make said incision.

42. The surgical tool as set forth in claim 31 further comprising a power source.

43. The surgical tool as set forth in claim 42 wherein said power source is externally coupled to said surgical tool.

65. The surgical tool of claim 31, wherein the curved surgical blade comprises a cutting blade having an end operable to be moved through an anterior surface of the scleral tissue of the eye without passing through a posterior surface of the scleral tissue of the eye to make the incision.

44. A surgical tool comprising:

a curved surgical blade; and

a controller operable to control rotational movement of said curved surgical blade through scleral tissue of an eye to make an incision, said incision forming a scleral pocket in the region of the ciliary body of said eye, said scleral pocket having a form capable of receiving a scleral prosthesis that increases the effective working distance of the ciliary muscle of said eye.

45. The surgical tool as set forth in claim 44 further comprising a motor operable to receive control signals from said controller, said control signals controlling movement of said surgical blade.

46. The surgical tool as set forth in claim 45 wherein one controlled movement of said surgical blade is to make said incision.

47. The surgical tool as set forth in claim 45 wherein one controlled movement of said surgical blade is to position said surgical blade to make said incision.

48. The surgical tool as set forth in claim 44 further comprising a first drive shaft associated with said controller and operable to drive said movement of said surgical blade.

49. The surgical tool as set forth in claim 44 further comprising a receptacle that is capable of receiving electrical power from a power source.

50. The surgical tool as set forth in claim 49 wherein said receptacle is further capable of providing said electrical power to said controller.

51. The surgical tool as set forth in claim 44 further comprising a switch for use by a surgeon, said switch associated with said controller and capable of receiving control signals from the surgeon, said received control signals to control movement of said surgical blade.

52. The surgical tool as set forth in claim 51 wherein one controlled movement of said surgical blade is to make said incision.

53. The surgical tool as set forth in claim 51 wherein one controlled movement of said surgical blade is to position said surgical blade to make said incision.

54. The surgical tool as set forth in claim 44 further comprising a power source.

55. The surgical tool as set forth in claim 54 wherein said power source is externally coupled to said surgical tool.

66. The surgical tool of claim 44, wherein the curved surgical blade comprises a cutting blade having an end operable to be moved through an anterior surface of the scleral tissue of the eye without passing through a posterior surface of the scleral tissue of the eye to make the incision.

56. A surgical tool comprising:

a curved surgical blade; and

an apparatus operable to rotate said curved surgical blade through scleral tissue of an eye to make an incision, said incision forming a scleral pocket in the region of the ciliary body of said eye, said scleral pocket having a form capable of receiving a scleral prosthesis to increase the effective working distance of the ciliary muscle of said eye.

57. The surgical tool as set forth in claim 56 further comprising a first drive shaft associated with said apparatus and operable to drive said movement of said surgical blade.

58. The surgical tool as set forth in claim 56 wherein said apparatus is a motor and said surgical tool further comprises a receptacle associated with said motor that is capable of receiving electrical power from a power source.

59. The surgical tool as set forth in claim 58 wherein said receptacle is further capable of providing said electrical power to said apparatus.

60. The surgical tool as set forth in claim 56 wherein said apparatus is a motor and said surgical tool further comprises a power source.

61. The surgical tool as set forth in claim 60 wherein said power source is externally coupled to said surgical tool.

67. The surgical tool of claim 56, wherein the curved surgical blade comprises a cutting blade having an end operable to be moved through an anterior surface of the scleral tissue of the eye without passing through a posterior surface of the scleral tissue of the eye to make the incision.