Laser surgical procedures for treatment of glaucoma

• US 6,241,721 B1
• Filed: 10/09/1998
• Issued: 06/05/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Surgilight, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Surgilight, Inc.
• Inventors: Allen, Robert C., Cozean, Colette, Colvard, Michael, Keates, Edwin U.
• Primary Examiner(s): FARAH, AHMED M
• Application Number:
  US09/169,258
• Time in Patent Office: 970 Days
• Field of Search: 606/6, 606/5, 128/1, 128/898, 128/276, 623/6, 604/2-4
• US Class Current: 606/6
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2009/00868 Ciliary muscles or trabecular meshwork
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2009/00891 Glaucoma
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/00781 Apparatus for modifying intraocular pressure, e.g. for glaucoma treatment drainage implants in general A61M27/002
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/008 using laser
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/00821 for coagulation

Abstract

A laser and a laser probe are used in conjunction with a suture to remove a blockage in Schlemm'"'"'s canal. The suture is advanced into Schlemm'"'"'s canal until the suture comes into contact with tissue blocking the canal. The laser probe follows the path of suture until the laser probe is proximal to tissue blocking the canal. The laser is activated to apply pulsed laser energy to the tissue blocking the canal, thereby ablating the occluding tissue to reopen Schlemm'"'"'s canal.

Claims

1. A method of removing a blockage in Schlemm'"'"'s canal using a laser and a laser probe, said method comprising:

advancing a suture into Schlemm'"'"'s canal until the suture comes into contact with tissue blocking the canal;

following the path of the suture with said laser probe until the laser probe is proximal to said tissue blocking the canal; and

activating a laser to apply pulsed laser energy to the tissue blocking the canal thereby ablating the occluding tissue to reopen Schlemm'"'"'s canal.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said laser is an Er:

YAG laser which is pulsed at a pulse rate of about 5 to 10 Hz, a pulse duration of about 250 μ

s to 300 μ

s, and produces energy of about 10 to 15 mJ per pulse.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said suture extends further into the canal than the laser probe when the laser is activated to apply laser energy to the tissue.