Capsulorrhexis device

• US 6,551,326 B1
• Filed: 04/17/2000
• Issued: 04/22/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Anthony Y. Van Heugten, Christina J. Van Heugten, Susan L. Van Heugten
• Original Assignee: Anthony Y. Van Heugten, Christina J. Van Heugten, Susan L. Van Heugten
• Inventors: Van Heugten, Anthony Y., Van Heugten, Susan L., Van Heugten, Christina J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Truong, Kevin T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, VI X
• Application Number:
  US09/550,949
• Time in Patent Office: 1,100 Days
• Field of Search: 606/1, 606/108, 606/166, 606/167, 606/170, 606/113, 606/107, 606/172, 606/182, 302/721, 302/74, 302/76, 302/63, 302/94, 301/237, 30/418, 30/417
• US Class Current: 606/113
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/00754 for cutting or perforating the anterior lens capsule, e.g. capsulotomes

Abstract

A surgical instrument that creates a circular cut 42 of almost any diameter in the lens capsule 50 of the eye, yet its entire diameter is less than 1 mm when inserted into the eye. A cutting edge 14 is affixed to the distal tip of a super-elastic rod 11 with its distal end formed into a circular loop. The circular loop is first retracted inside of an outer tube member 12, and then the tube 12 is inserted into the eye. The loop is then expelled from the tube 12, allowing the loop to reform inside of the eye. As the loop is retracted back into the tube 12, the cutting edge 14 follows the circular path of the loop, cutting a circular opening (a capsulorrhexis) 42, into the lens capsule 50.

Claims

1. A device for making a circular cut into a lens capsule of an eye, comprising:

A. a tubular, substantially straight outer member, having a distal end and a proximal end;

B. an inner member comprising a super elastic rod having a distal end and a proximal end;

(1) said inner member being slidably, partially enclosed within said outer member;

(2) said inner member having means attached thereto for sliding its distal end in and out of said distal end of said outer member, whereby said inner member is constrained to be substantially straight when said distal end of said inner member is constrained within said outer member, and whereby said distal end of said inner member forms a circular loop when unconstrained and extended from said distal end of said outer member;

C. cutting means having a cutting edge attached to said distal end of said inner member;

(1) said cutting edge being disposed so as make a circular cut when said distal end of said inner member is retracted into said distal end of said outer member from said unconstrained state;

(2) said cutting means not being substantially larger than said distal end of said outer member;

whereby said distal end of said outer member, with said distal end of said inner member retracted therewithin, may be inserted into an eye through an incision substantially the same size as said distal end of said outer member, and said distal end of said inner member may then be extended within the eye from said distal end of said outer member so as to form said circular loop.

2. A device for making a circular cut into a lens capsule of an eye, comprising:

A. a tubular, substantially straight outer member, having a distal end and a proximal end;

B. an inner member comprising a super elastic rod having a distal end and a proximal end;

(1) said inner member being slidably, partially enclosed within said outer member;

(2) said inner member having means attached thereto for sliding its distal end in and out of said distal end of said outer member, whereby said inner member is constrained to be substantially straight when said distal end of said inner member is constrained within said outer member, and whereby said distal end of said inner member forms a circular loop when unconstrained and extended from said distal end of said outer member;

C. cutting means having a cutting edge attached to said distal end of said inner member;

(1) said cutting edge being disposed so as make a circular cut when said distal end of said inner member is extended out from and beyond said distal end of said outer member and from said constrained state;

(2) said cutting means not being substantially larger than said distal end of said outer member;

whereby said distal end of said outer member, with said distal end of said inner member retracted therewithin, may be inserted into an eye through an incision substantially the same size as said distal end of said outer member, and said distal end of said inner member may then be extended within the eye from said distal end of said outer member so as to form said circular loop.

3. A device for making a circular cut, comprising:

a tubular outer member having an open distal end,

a rod inner member made from an elastic spring material,

said rod inner member having a distal end,

said rod inner member having a substantially circular loop in its distal end when said rod inner member is in a relaxed, unconstrained and unsupported state,

a blade attached to the distal tip of said circular loop in said rod inner member such that said blade is supported by and held in space by said rod inner member,

said rod inner member being partially enclosed and slidable within said tubular outer member such that when said circular loop in said rod inner member is extended beyond the open distal end of said tubular outer member, said circular loop is unconstrained and unsupported by said tubular member,

and such that as said circular loop in said rod inner member is retracted within said outer tubular member, said circular loop in said rod inner member deforms into the shape of the inside of said tubular outer member along the portion of the length of said tubular outer member that said rod inner member is within, causing said blade supported by and held in space by said rod inner rod member to move along a substantially circular path of motion being created by the unsupported and unconstrained portion of the circular loop not yet within said outer tubular member,

and such that as said circular loop in the distal end of said rod inner member is being expelled from the open distal end of said tubular outer member and said circular loop becomes no longer constrained and supported by said outer tubular member, the distal tip of said circular loop that is supporting in space said blade causes said blade to travel along a circular path created by the circular motion of the unsupported portion of said circular loop as said rod inner member reforms into said circular loop,

whereby the user may create a circular cut.