VITRECTOMY PROBE WITH ADJUSTABLE CUTTER PORT SIZE

• US 20130158576A1
• Filed: 05/11/2012
• Published: 06/20/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alcon Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Alcon Research Limited (Nestle SA)
• Inventors: Underwood, John R., Auld, Jack Robert, Huculak, John Christopher, Flowers, Matthew Braden
• Granted Patent: US 9,522,083 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/169
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00544 pneumatically
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/00763 with rotating or reciprocating cutting elements, e.g. concentric cutting needles atherectomy cutting instruments A61B17/3207; endoscopic cutting instruments A61B17/320016

Abstract

Vitrectomy probes and system related thereto are disclosed herein. The disclosure describes vitrectomy probes having an adjustable cutting port size. The cutting port size may be adjusted by altering a position of a stroke limiter via a stepper motor. Various example features are described for adjusting the size of the cutting port.

Claims

1. A vitrectomy probe comprising:

a housing;

a cutter extending from a first end of the housing along a longitudinal axis, the cutter comprising;

an outer cutting member coupled to the housing;

an interior assembly comprising;

an inner cutting member slideable within the outer cutting member, the inner cutting member slideable between a retracted position and an extended position; and

an engagement surface; and

an adjustable port, a size of the adjustable port defined by an edge of an opening formed in the outer cutting member and an end surface of the inner cutting member when the inner cutting member is in a fully retracted position;

an oscillator operable to reciprocate the interior assembly; and

a stroke limiter operable to limit the size of the adjustable port, the stroke limiter movable longitudinally relative to the housing, a location where the engagement surface contacts the stroke limiter defining the fully retracted position of the inner cutting member; and

a stepper motor coupled to the housing and operable to actuate the stroke limiter to cause the longitudinal movement thereof.

2. The vitrectomy probe of claim 1, wherein the stroke limiter comprises a first threaded surface, wherein the housing comprises a second threaded surface, and wherein the first threaded surface cooperatively engages the second threaded surface to translate a rotation of the stroke limiter into the longitudinal movement of the stroke limiter.

3. The vitrectomy probe of claim 1, wherein the stepper motor comprises:

an eccentric gear moveable laterally relative to the housing, the eccentric gear comprising a first geared surface;

a first actuator operable to displace the eccentric gear in a first lateral direction; and

a second actuator operable to displace the eccentric gear in a second lateral direction angularly offset from the first lateral direction.

4. The vitrectomy probe of claim 3, wherein each of the first actuator and the second actuator comprise a piston.

5. The vitrectomy probe of claim 4, wherein each of the pistons of the first actuator and the second actuator are pneumatically actuated.

6. The vitrectomy probe of claim 3, wherein the stroke limiter further comprises a second geared surface, a portion of the first geared surface being intermeshed with the second geared surface.

7. The vitrectomy probe of claim 6, wherein coordinated movement of the first actuator and the second actuator in the first lateral direction and the second lateral direction, respectively, imparts rotation to the stroke limiter.

8. The vitrectomy probe of claim 7, wherein a first coordinated movement of the first actuator and the second actuator rotates the stroke limiter in a first direction to cause displacement of the stroke limiter in a first longitudinal direction along the longitudinal axis, and

wherein a second coordinated movement of the first actuator and the second actuator rotates the stroke limiter in a second direction opposite the first direction to cause displacement of the stroke limiter in a second longitudinal direction along the longitudinal axis opposite the first longitudinal direction.

9. The vitrectomy probe of claim 3, wherein the stepper motor further comprises:

a first biasing element aligned with the first actuator, the first biasing element operable to displace the eccentric gear in a third lateral direction opposite the first lateral direction, and

a second biasing element aligned with the second actuator, the second biasing element operable to displace the eccentric gear in a third lateral direction opposite the second lateral direction.

10. A vitrectomy probe comprising:

a housing comprising a sleeve having internal threaded surface;

a cutter extending from a first end of the housing along a longitudinal axis, the cutter comprising;

an outer cutting member coupled to the housing;

an interior assembly comprising;

inner cutting member slideable within the outer cutting member, the inner cutting member slideable between a retracted position and an extended position; and

an engagement surface; and

an adjustable port, a size of the adjustable port defined by an edge of an opening formed in the outer cutting member and an end surface of the inner cutting member when the inner cutting member is in a fully retracted position;

an oscillator operable to reciprocate the interior assembly; and

a stroke limiter received within the sleeve and longitudinally moveable therein, the stroke limiter operable to contact the engagement surface at a selectable location to define the size fully retracted position of the inner cutting member, the stroke limiter comprising;

a member having a threaded outer surface matingly engaged with the internal threaded surface of the sleeve, the threaded outer surface and the internal threads cooperatively engaging to convert a rotation of the stroke limiter into a longitudinal movement; and

a stepper motor coupled to the housing and operable rotate the stroke limiter in a first direction and a second direction opposite the first direction.

11. The vitrectomy probe of claim 10, wherein the stepper motor comprises:

an eccentric gear comprising;

a first geared surface; and

an opening adapted to receive the stroke limiter;

a first actuator operable to displace the eccentric gear in a first lateral direction; and

a second actuator operable to displace the eccentric gear in a second lateral direction that is angularly offset relative to the first lateral direction.

12. The vitrectomy probe of claim 11, wherein the stroke limiter further comprises a second geared surface, a portion of the first geared surface being intermeshed with the second geared surface, and

wherein coordinated movement of the first actuator and the second actuator in the first lateral direction and the second lateral direction, respectively, imparts rotation to the stroke limiter.

13. The vitrectomy probe of claim 12, wherein a first coordinated movement of the first actuator and the second actuator rotates the stroke limiter in a first direction to cause displacement of the stroke limiter in a first longitudinal direction along the longitudinal axis, and

wherein a second coordinated movement of the first actuator and the second actuator rotates the stroke limiter in a second direction opposite the first direction to cause displacement of the stroke limiter in a second longitudinal direction along the longitudinal axis opposite the first longitudinal direction.

14. A method of limiting a cutter port size of a vitrectomy probe, the method comprising:

oscillating an inner cutting member between a fully extended position and a fully retracted position relative to an outer cutting member;

altering a position of a stroke limiter relative to the inner cutting member comprising;

rotating the stroke limiter via coordinated movements in a plurality of lateral directions of an eccentric gear intermeshingly engaged with the stroke limiter; and

converting the rotation of the stroke limiter into a longitudinal direction via a threaded interface between the stroke limiter and a housing; and

contacting a portion of the inner cutting member with a portion of the stroke limiter to define the fully retracted position of the inner cutting member, the position of the inner cutting member at the fully retracted position relative to the outer cutting member defining the cutter port size.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein rotating the stroke limiter via coordinated movements of an eccentric gear intermeshingly engaged with the stroke limiter in a plurality of lateral directions comprises:

displacing the eccentric gear in a first lateral direction with a first actuator; and

displacing the eccentric gear in a second lateral direction with a second actuator.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein displacing the eccentric gear in a first lateral direction with a first actuator comprises applying a first pneumatic pressure to a piston of the first actuator;

and wherein displacing the eccentric gear in a second lateral direction with a second actuator comprises applying a second pneumatic pressure to a piston of the second actuator.