Eye therapy system

• US 8,652,131 B2
• Filed: 05/14/2012
• Issued: 02/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Avedro, Inc. (Glaukos Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Avedro, Inc. (Glaukos Corporation)
• Inventors: Muller, David, Scharf, Ronald, Ryan, Thomas, Marshall, Neal, Pertaub, Radha, Wu, Artie
• Primary Examiner(s): STIGELL, THEODORE J
• Application Number:
  US13/470,975
• Publication Number:
  US 20130131664A1
• Time in Patent Office: 645 Days
• Field of Search: 606 4- 6, 606 27- 31, 606/34, 606/41, 606/322, 607/96, 607 98-101
• US Class Current: 606/41
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/12 by passing a current through the tissue to be heated, e.g. high-frequency current
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1477 Needle-like probes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/18 by applying electromagnetic radiation, e.g. microwaves radiation therapy A61N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00005 Cooling or heating of the probe or tissue immediately surrounding the probe
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00702 Power or energy
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00791 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1425 Needle
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1807 using light other than laser radiation
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2009/00853 Laser thermal keratoplasty or radial keratotomy
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2009/00872 Cornea
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/007 Methods or devices for eye surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/0079 using non-laser electromagnetic radiation, e.g. non-coherent light or microwaves
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/009 Auxiliary devices making contact with the eyeball and coupling in laser light, e.g. goniolenses apparatus for eye examination A61B3/0008
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/0207 heated
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/0214 cooled
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/0242 by a fluid circulating in the apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/0292 with microwaves
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/10 with further special therapeutic means, e.g. electrotherapy, magneto therapy or radiation therapy, chromo therapy, infrared or ultraviolet therapy
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5007 computer controlled
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2230/50 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 35/02 : for the eyes

Abstract

A system for applying therapy to an eye selectively applies coolant to the corneal surface to minimize heat-related damage to the corneal surface during thermokeratoplasty. Embodiments may include an energy source, a conducting element, a coolant supply, and a coolant delivery system. The conducting element is operably connected to the energy source and extends from a proximal end to a distal end. The conducting element directs energy from the energy source to the distal end, which is positionable at the eye. The coolant delivery system is in communication with the coolant supply and is operable to deliver a micro-controlled pulse of coolant to the distal end.

Claims

1. A system for applying therapy to an eye, the system comprising:

an energy source;

a conducting element operably connected to the energy source and extending from a proximal end of the conducting element to a distal end of the conducting element, the conducting element adapted to direct energy from the energy source to the distal end;

a coolant supply;

at least one coolant delivery element in communication with the coolant supply; and

a sheet of dielectric material covering the distal end to provide a bottom surface of a substantially enclosed assembly that includes at least the conducting element and the coolant delivery system, the coolant delivery element being adapted to deliver a micro-controlled pulse of coolant to the dielectric material.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the conducting element includes an outer conductor and an inner conductor, the outer conductor and the inner conductor being separated by a gap.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the inner conductor includes at least one coolant delivery opening coupled to the coolant delivery system, the at least one coolant delivery opening configured to deliver coolant toward the distal end.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the at least one coolant delivery opening comprises a plurality of coolant delivery openings equally spaced around an exterior surface of the inner conductor.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the at least one coolant delivery opening comprises a plurality of coolant delivery openings arranged in at least two concentric circles on the inner conductor.

6. The system of claim 3, wherein the inner conductor includes a frustoconical interior structure disposed centrally within a hollow portion.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the inner conductor further includes at least one channel coupling the at least one coolant delivery opening to the coolant delivery system.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the at least one channel and the at least one coolant opening are disposed on an angled surface of the frustoconical structure.

9. The system of claim 2, wherein the coolant delivery system is disposed in the gap between the outer conductor and the inner conductor.

10. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a vacuum source and at least one vacuum channel connected to the vacuum source, the at least one vacuum channel having an opening positioned at the distal end.

11. The system according to claim 10, wherein the vacuum channel opening is adapted to engage the eye and position the distal end relative to a feature of the eye.

12. The system according to claim 10, wherein the vacuum channel opening is adapted to draw away the coolant delivered by the at least one coolant delivery element.

13. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a vacuum source coupled to at least one vacuum channel, the at least one vacuum channel having an opening positioned at the distal end and the vacuum source being operable to lower the pressure at the distal end.

14. The system according to claim 1, wherein the sheet of dielectric material has a varying dielectric constant.

15. The system according to claim 1, wherein the sheet of dielectric material has a variable thickness.

16. A system for applying therapy to an eye, the system comprising:

an energy source;

a conducting element operably connected to the energy source and extending from a proximal end of the conducting element to a distal end of the conducting element, the conducting element adapted to direct energy from the energy source to the distal end, the conducting element including an outer conductor and an inner conductor, the outer conductor being separated from the inner conductor by a gap;

a coolant supply;

at least one coolant delivery element in communication with the coolant supply;

a sheet of dielectric material covering the distal end to provide a bottom surface of a substantially enclosed assembly that includes at least the conducting element and the coolant delivery system, the coolant delivery element being adapted to deliver a micro-controlled pulse of coolant to the dielectric material, at least one of a distal end of the outer conductor and a distal end of the inner conductor being in direct contact with the sheet of dielectric material; and

a controller communicatively coupled to the energy source and the at least one coolant delivery element, the controller operable to control delivery of energy from the energy source to the conducting element, the controller further operable to control delivery of the coolant from the at least one coolant delivery element to the dielectric material.

17. The system according to claim 16, wherein the controller is configured to cause the at least one coolant delivery element to deliver a pulse of coolant to the dielectric material to evaporatively cooling the eye.

18. The system according to claim 16, wherein the controller is configured to determine the amount and timing of coolant delivered from the at least one coolant delivery element.

19. The system according to claim 16, wherein the inner conductor has an outer diameter of approximately 2 mm to approximately 10 mm and an inner diameter of approximately 2.1 mm to approximately 12 mm.

20. The system according to claim 16, wherein the inner conductor includes a hollow portion defined by a concave, substantially semi-spherical surface within the inner conductor, the inner conductor further includes at least one vent configured to control the pressure within the hollow portion.