Medical device for cutting a cornea that has a vacuum ring with a slitted vacuum opening

• US 6,702,832 B2
• Filed: 10/15/2002
• Issued: 03/09/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Med-Logics Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Med-Logics Incorporated
• Inventors: Hughes, Greggory, Ross, Rod
• Primary Examiner(s): Milano, Michael J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, VI X
• Application Number:
  US10/272,567
• Publication Number:
  US 20030045895A1
• Time in Patent Office: 511 Days
• Field of Search: 606/4, 606/5, 606/6, 606/166, 606/167, 606/169, 606/172
• US Class Current: 606/166
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00199 with a console, e.g. a control panel with a display
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2009/0052 the instrument being supported on the patient's eye
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/013 Instruments for compensation of ocular refraction A61F9/008 takes precedence; Instruments for use in cornea removal, for reshaping or performing incisions in the cornea

Abstract

A medical device that can be used to cut a cornea. The device may include a blade that is coupled to a head by a blade holder. The device may also have a retention spring that exerts a force on the blade and blade holder. The head and blade can be moved across a ring by a drive assembly that contains a lead screw. The ring may contain one or more openings which have a length that is greater than a width. The openings may be coupled to a vacuum source by a tube. The vacuum pressure of the tube can be displayed by a console. The console may also have switches that allow different operating parameters to be entered through a single knob.

Claims

1. A medical device for cuffing a cornea, the medical device being coupled to a source of vacuum, comprising:

a ring that has a bottom surface that comes into contact with the cornea and an opening that is in fluid communication with the source of vacuum, said opening having a slitted profile that extends along said bottom surface with a length dimension that is greater than a width dimension;

a head that can move relative to said ring;

a blade the is coupled to said head; and

,

a motor that is coupled to said head to move said head relative to said ring.

2. The medical device of claim 1, wherein said ring has a center opening that has an oblong shape.

3. A medical device for cutting a cornea, the medical device being coupled to a source of vacuum, comprising:

a ring that has a bottom surface that comes into contact with the cornea and a slitted vacuum opening having a slitted profile that extends along said bottom surface;

a head that can move relative to said ring;

a blade that is coupled to said head; and

,

a motor that is coupled to said head to move said head relative to said ring.

4. The medical device of claim 3, wherein said ring has a center opening that has an oblong shape.

5. The medical device of claim 4, wherein said ring has a center opening that has an oblong shape.

6. The medical device of claim 4, wherein said opening means includes a slitted opening in said ring.

7. A medical device for cutting a cornea, the medical device being coupled to a source of vacuum, comprising:

a ring that has a bottom surface that comes into contact with the cornea and contains opening a slitted means that extends along said bottom surface for allowing a vacuuming pressure to maintain said ring onto the cornea;

a head that can move relative to said ring;

a blade that is coupled to said head; and

,

a motor that is coupled to said head to move said head relative to said ring.

8. A method for attaching a medical device to a cornea, comprising:

placing a bottom surface of a ring onto the cornea, the ring having a slitted opening with a slitted profile that extends along the bottom surface; and

,

creating a vacuum pressure through the slitted opening in the ring.