Steerable laser probe

• US 8,840,607 B2
• Filed: 11/29/2012
• Issued: 09/23/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Katalyst Surgical, LLC (Carl-Zeiss-Stiftung)
• Original Assignee: Katalyst Surgical, LLC (Carl-Zeiss-Stiftung)
• Inventors: Scheller, Gregg D, Zeid, Matthew N
• Primary Examiner(s): Crandall, Lynsey
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lukjan, Sebastian X
• Application Number:
  US13/688,319
• Publication Number:
  US 20130165910A1
• Time in Patent Office: 663 Days
• Field of Search: 606/1, 606/4, 606/16
• US Class Current: 606/16
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/00234 for minimally invasive surgery A61B17/0218, A61B17/0469, A61B17/12013, A61B17/1285, A61B17/29, A61B17/320016 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/003 Steerable
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00318 Steering mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00964 Features of probes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/2238 with means for selectively laterally deflecting the tip of the fibre
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/2244 Features of optical fibre cables, e.g. claddings
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/71 Manipulators operated by drive cable mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2009/00872 Cornea
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/008 using laser
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/00802 for photoablation
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/00821 for coagulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/00823 Laser features or special beam parameters therefor

Abstract

A steerable laser probe may include a handle, an actuation structure of the handle, a housing tube, a flexible tube, an optic fiber, and a wire having a pre-formed curve. The flexible tube may be disposed within the housing tube wherein a distal end of the flexible tube projects out from a distal end of the housing tube. The optic fiber may be disposed within an inner bore of the handle, the housing tube, and the flexible tube. The wire may be disposed within the housing tube.

Claims

1. An instrument comprising:

a handle having a handle distal end and a handle proximal end;

an actuation structure of the handle;

a plurality of actuation arms of the actuation structure;

an actuation platform of the handle, the actuation platform disposed within the actuation structure;

an extension mechanism of each actuation arm of the plurality of actuation arms;

an inverted actuation joint of each actuation arm of the plurality of actuation arms;

a housing tube having a housing tube distal end and a housing tube proximal end;

a flexible tube having a flexible tube distal end and a flexible tube proximal end, the flexible tube proximal end disposed in the housing tube and the flexible tube distal extending from the housing tube distal end;

an optic fiber disposed within an inner bore of the handle, the housing tube, and the flexible tube; and

a wire having a pre-formed curve, the wire disposed within a portion of the handle and the housing tube wherein a decompression of the actuation structure is configured to reduce a force applied to the actuation platform by at least one inverted actuation joint and curve the optic fiber.

2. The instrument of claim 1 wherein the decompression of the actuation structure is configured to curve the flexible tube.

3. The instrument of claim 1 wherein the decompression of the actuation structure is configured to extend the wire relative to the housing tube.

4. The instrument of claim 3 wherein the extension of the wire relative to the housing tube is configured to extend a portion of the pre-formed curve into the flexible tube.

5. The instrument of claim 1 wherein a compression of the actuation structure is configured to straighten the optic fiber.

6. The instrument of claim 5 wherein the compression of the actuation structure is configured to straighten the flexible tube.

7. The instrument of claim 5 wherein the compression of the actuation structure is configured to retract the wire relative to the housing tube.

8. The instrument of claim 7 wherein the retraction of the wire relative to the housing tube is configured to retract a portion of the pre-formed curve out from the flexible tube.

9. The instrument of claim 1 further comprising:

an actuation mechanism of the actuation platform, the actuation mechanism configured to fix a proximal end of the wire in a position relative to the actuation platform.

10. The instrument of claim 1 wherein the decompression of the actuation structure is configured to curve the optic fiber at least 45 degrees relative to the housing tube proximal end.

11. The instrument of claim 10 wherein the decompression of the actuation structure is configured to curve the optic fiber at least 90 degrees relative to the housing tube proximal end.

12. The instrument of claim 11 wherein the decompression of the actuation structure is configured to curve the optic fiber at least 135 degrees relative to the housing tube proximal end.

13. The instrument of claim 1 wherein the decompression of the actuation structure is configured to curve the optic fiber more than 135 degrees relative to the housing tube proximal end.

14. An instrument comprising:

a handle having a handle distal end and a handle proximal end;

an actuation structure of the handle;

a plurality of actuation arms of the actuation structure;

an inverted actuation joint of each actuation arm of the plurality of actuation arms;

a housing tube having a housing tube distal end and a housing tube proximal end;

a flexible tube having a flexible tube distal end and a flexible tube proximal end, the flexible tube proximal end disposed in the housing tube and the flexible tube distal extending from the housing tube distal end;

an optic fiber disposed within an inner bore of the handle, the housing tube, and the flexible tube;

a wire having a wire distal end, a wire proximal end, and a pre-formed curve, the wire disposed within a portion of the handle and the housing tube; and

an actuation platform disposed within the actuation structure, the wire proximal end fixed in a position relative to the actuation platform wherein a decompression of the actuation structure is configured to reduce a force applied to the actuation platform by at least one inverted actuation joint and curve the optic fiber.

15. The instrument of claim 14 wherein the decompression of the actuation structure is configured to curve the optic fiber more than 90 degrees relative to the housing tube proximal end.

16. The instrument of claim 15 wherein the decompression of the actuation structure is configured to curve the optic fiber more than 135 degrees relative to the housing tube proximal end.