Apparatus and method for securing ocular tissue

• US 20080091224A1
• Filed: 07/11/2007
• Published: 04/17/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Refocus Group Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Refocus Group Incorporated
• Inventors: Payne, Timothy, Richardson, Peter, Scherer, Andrew, Griffis, Jack, Soloway, Barrie, Bare, Rex, Cox, Mark, Williamson, Douglas, Smolek, Michael, Zdenek, Gene
• Granted Patent: US 8,709,029 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/166
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0231 for eye surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/30 Surgical pincettes without pivotal connectionsfor holding suture needles or materials A61B17/0483; wound clamps A61B17/08 ; hand-held gripping tools without pivotal connections in general B25B9/02
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/306 holding by means of suction
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/308 with suction cups
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/14 Eye parts, e.g. lenses, corneal implants; Implanting instruments specially adapted therefor; Artificial eyes
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/007 Methods or devices for eye surgery
• 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

Abstract

Various ocular fixation devices are disclosed. One ocular fixation device includes first and second rings, where at least one of the rings includes means for fixating ocular tissue of an eye. The means for fixating are arranged to grasp the ocular tissue of the eye and to release the ocular tissue of the eye based on rotation of at least one of the first and second rings. The ocular fixation device may also include one or more structures on which a surgical tool can be mounted on the ocular fixation device at one or more locations. For instance, a dome of the ocular fixation device could include one or more holes that are configured to receive one or more projections from the surgical tool. As another example, a base of the ocular fixation device could include one or more notches configured to receive a projection from the surgical tool.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a first ring and a second ring, at least one of the rings comprising means for fixating ocular tissue of an eye;

wherein the means for fixating are arranged to grasp the ocular tissue of the eye and to release the ocular tissue of the eye based on rotation of at least one of the rings about an axis through a center of the rings.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the means for fixating are arranged to grasp the ocular tissue of the eye in an area of the eye associated with a limbus of the eye.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a housing in which the first and second rings are housed; and

a retaining ring within the housing configured to retain the first and second rings in the housing.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the housing comprises a dome configured to protect a central portion of the eye.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a base configured to be placed on the ocular tissue of the eye, the base further configured to retain the first and second rings; and

a dome configured to protect a central portion of the eye.

7. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the first and second rings comprise tabs that extend outside of the dome and the base, the tabs configured to rotate at least one of the first and second rings.

9. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the dome comprises one or more holes configured to receive one or more projections from a surgical tool so as to align the surgical tool with a position on the eye.

10. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the base includes one or more notches, each notch configured to receive a projection from a surgical tool so as to align the surgical tool with a position on the eye.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the base includes one or more portions that are configured to lie on the eye, the one or more portions including one or more edges configured to allow a base of the surgical tool to be aligned against one of the edges when the projection from the surgical tool is inserted into one of the notches.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein one of:

the first and second rings are substantially planar;

the first and second rings are curved along inner edges of the rings; and

the first and second rings extend substantially along the axis through the center of the rings.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the means for fixating comprise at least one of:

teeth, prongs, spikes, and pins.

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17. A system comprising:

an ocular fixation device comprising a first ring and a second ring, at least one of the rings comprising means for fixating ocular tissue of an eye, wherein the means for fixating are arranged to grasp the ocular tissue of the eye and to release the ocular tissue of the eye based on rotation of at least one of the rings about an axis through a center of the rings; and

a surgical tool mountable on the ocular fixation device.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the surgical tool comprises a surgical blade configured to form a scleral tunnel in the ocular tissue of the eye.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the means for fixating are arranged to grasp the ocular tissue of the eye in an area of the eye associated with a limbus of the eye.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the ocular fixation device further comprises:

a housing in which the first and second rings are housed; and

a retaining ring within the housing configured to retain the first and second rings in the housing.

22. The system of claim 17, wherein the ocular fixation device further comprises:

a base configured to be placed on the ocular tissue of the eye, the base further configured to retain the first and second rings; and

a dome configured to protect a central portion of the eye.

24. The system of claim 22, wherein the first and second rings comprise tabs that extend outside of the dome and the base, the tabs configured to rotate at least one of the first and second rings.

26. The system of claim 22, wherein the dome comprises one or more holes configured to receive one or more projections from the surgical tool so as to align the surgical tool with a position on the eye.

27. The system of claim 22, wherein the base includes one or more notches, each notch configured to receive a projection from the surgical tool so as to align the surgical tool with a position on the eye.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the base includes one or more portions that are configured to lie on the eye, the one or more portions including one or more edges configured to allow a base of the surgical tool to be aligned against one of the edges when the projection from the surgical tool is inserted into one of the notches.

33. The system of claim 17, wherein the ocular fixation device comprises a housing in which the first and second rings are housed, the surgical tool mountable on the housing.

34. The system of claim 17, wherein the means for fixating comprise at least one of:

teeth, prongs, spikes, and pins.

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35. A method comprising:

placing an ocular fixation device on an eye of a patient, the ocular fixation device comprising a first ring and a second ring, at least one of the rings having means for fixating ocular tissue of the patient'"'"'s eye;

rotating at least one of the first and second rings so that the means for fixating grasp the ocular tissue of the patient'"'"'s eye; and

rotating at least one of the first and second rings so that the means for fixating release the ocular tissue of the patient'"'"'s eye.

36. (canceled)

37. An apparatus comprising:

a first ring comprising a plurality of first teeth; and

a second ring comprising a plurality of second teeth;

wherein the first and second teeth are arranged to grasp ocular tissue of an eye and to release the ocular tissue of the eye based on rotation of at least one of the rings.

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