Laser surgical probe

• US 6,620,154 B1
• Filed: 05/05/1997
• Issued: 09/16/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lares Research Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Lares Research Incorporated
• Inventors: Cozean, Colette, Amirkhanian, Varouj D.
• Primary Examiner(s): PEFFLEY, MICHAEL F
• Application Number:
  US08/841,865
• Time in Patent Office: 2,325 Days
• Field of Search: 606/10-18, 607/88, 607/89, 385/33, 385/34, 385/76, 385/79, 385/119, 385/902
• US Class Current: 606/17
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/22 the beam being directed along or through a flexible conduit, e.g. an optical fibre; Couplings or hand-pieces therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/24 with a catheter A61B18/26, A61B18/28 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/2266 with a lens, e.g. ball tipped
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/2272 with reflective or refractive surfaces for deflecting the beam A61B2018/2261, A61B2018/2266 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2009/00868 Ciliary muscles or trabecular meshwork
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2009/0087 Lens
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2009/00872 Cornea
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2009/00887 Cataract
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2009/00889 Capsulotomy
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2009/00891 Glaucoma
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/008 using laser

Abstract

A laser surgical apparatus is disclosed in which laser energy can be directed at an angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the probe. The probe includes a reflecting surface directing the laser energy. The reflecting surface is transparent to visible light. In a preferred embodiment, the reflecting surface is on a rod cut at an angle to form a wedge, and a collimator is used to collimate the light beam before it reaches the reflecting surface.

Claims

1. A laser surgical probe comprising a rod of dielectric material having a longitudinal axis, said probe further comprising a focusing element at a proximal end of said dielectric rod which focuses laser light input to said rod to a focal point outside said rod, and a reflective element at a distal end of said dielectric rod adapted to reflect said laser light such that said focal point is along a single output path that extends generally traversely to said longitudinal axis.

2. The laser surgical probe of claim 1 wherein said focusing element comprises a lens.

3. The laser surgical probe of claim 2 wherein said lens comprises a microball lens.

4. The laser surgical probe of claim 1 wherein said reflective element comprises a reflective surface at an angle with respect to said longitudinal axis.

5. The laser surgical probe of claim 4 wherein said reflective surface is at an angle of 45°

with respect to said longitudinal axis.

6. The laser surgical probe of claim 4 wherein said reflective surface comprises a reflective coating on said dielectric rod.

7. The laser surgical probe of claim 1 wherein said output path is perpendicular to said longitudinal axis.

8. The laser surgical probe of claim 1 wherein said dielectric rod is comprised of sapphire.

9. The laser surgical probe of claim 1 comprising a source for producing said laser light, wherein said laser light propagates between said focusing element and said focal point along a propagation path, said focusing element having a focal length approximately equal to the length of the propagation path.