Eye surgical instrument
First Claim
1. A method of surgically removing body tissue comprising the steps of contacting the body tissue with a probe open at a free end, passing a laser beam through a central passage in said probe and said open end to said tissue at a power level to effect vaporization of tissue, vaporizing only the surface portion of said tissue exposed to said laser beam in a manner so that said vaporizing step is surface phenomena at a depth not more than about one third millimeter, introducing a gas stream into the probe downstream from lenses associated with the laser beam, passing said gas stream through said probe in a direction towards said free end of said probe and out of said probe, and removing smoke and any vaporized portions of said tissue through said probe by way of said gas stream.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Method and apparatus are disclosed for surgically removing surface portions of an eye such as cataract tissue. The eye surface portions to be removed are vaporized by a carbon dioxide laser beam. Smoke and vaporized portions are withdrawn by a vacuum pump.
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Citations
17 Claims
- 1. A method of surgically removing body tissue comprising the steps of contacting the body tissue with a probe open at a free end, passing a laser beam through a central passage in said probe and said open end to said tissue at a power level to effect vaporization of tissue, vaporizing only the surface portion of said tissue exposed to said laser beam in a manner so that said vaporizing step is surface phenomena at a depth not more than about one third millimeter, introducing a gas stream into the probe downstream from lenses associated with the laser beam, passing said gas stream through said probe in a direction towards said free end of said probe and out of said probe, and removing smoke and any vaporized portions of said tissue through said probe by way of said gas stream.
- 6. Surgical apparatus for performing operations on the human body comprising a probe having a central tube disposed within an outer tube having a smooth outer surface, said central tube being open at both ends with one end disposed within the probe and the other end being exposed at a free end of the probe for contact with body tissue, means for generating a laser beam having a vaporizing surface effect on portions of the human body, means for directing said beam through said central tube, and means connected to said probe for removing smoke and any vaporized portions of tissue through the space between said tubes in a direction away from said free end of the probe.
- 15. Surgical apparatus for performing operations on the eye comprising a probe having an inner tube, said tube being open at both ends with one end disposed within the probe and the other end being exposed at a free end of said probe, means for generating a carbon dioxide laser beam having a vaporizing effect only on the surface of eye tissue, means for directing said beam through said tube, an outer tube surrounding said inner tube and forming a part of said probe, said tubes at least in part defining at least one chamber therebetween, aperture means for providing communication between said inner tube and said chamber adjacent said other end of said inner tube, and conduit means for introducing atmospheric filtered air into said one end of said inner tube.
Specification