Attenuated RF power for automated capsulorhexis

• US 9,149,388 B2
• Filed: 09/29/2010
• Issued: 10/06/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alcon Research, LLC (Alcon Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Alcon Research Limited (Nestle SA)
• Inventors: Jia, Guangyao, Sussman, Glenn Robert, Yadlowsky, Ann, Salehi, Ahmad
• Primary Examiner(s): HUPCZEY, JR, RONALD JAMES
• Application Number:
  US12/893,149
• Publication Number:
  US 20120078242A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,833 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00321 Head or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00702 Power or energy
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00726 Duty cycle
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1407 Loop
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/00754 for cutting or perforating the anterior lens capsule, e.g. capsulotomes

Abstract

A capsulorhexis apparatus includes a capsulorhexis probe configured for insertion into an eye through an incision and a pulse generator configured to deliver at least one radio-frequency (RF) pulse to the capsulorhexis probe. The delivered RF pulse has a pre-determined attenuation profile such that the power level of the delivered RF pulse is substantially attenuated over the RF pulse'"'"'s duration. In some embodiments, the pulse generator is configured to deliver a series of two or more RF pulses to the eye, such that the energy of each of the second and subsequent pulses of the series is substantially attenuated relative to the energy of the immediately preceding pulse.

Claims

1. A capsulorhexis apparatus, comprising:

a capsulorhexis probe configured for insertion into an eye through an incision; and

a pulse generator electrically connected to the capsulorhexis probe and configured to deliver a first radio-frequency (RF) pulse to the capsulorhexis probe, wherein the delivered first RF pulse has a pre-determined attenuation profile over the duration of the first RF pulse such that a power level of the delivered first RF pulse is attenuated by at least one-half over the duration of the first RF pulse.

2. The capsulorhexis apparatus of claim 1, wherein the attenuation by at least one-half over the duration of the first RF pulse is such that the power level of the delivered RF pulse is reduced by 3 db to 30 db over the duration of the first RF pulse.

3. The capsulorhexis apparatus of claim 1, wherein the pre-determined attenuation profile is such that the delivered RF pulse initiates bubble nucleation in the eye.

4. The capsulorhexis apparatus of claim 1, wherein the pulse generator is configured to further deliver a subsequent RF pulse to the eye, such that a delivered energy of the subsequent RF pulse is attenuated relative to a delivered energy of the first RF pulse.

5. The capsulorhexis apparatus of claim 4, wherein an initial power level of the subsequent RF pulse is attenuated by at least twenty percent as compared to an initial power level of the first RF pulse, resulting in the delivered energy of the subsequent RF pulse being less than the delivered energy of the first RF pulse.

6. The capsulorhexis apparatus of claim 4, wherein a duration of the subsequent RF pulse is less than a duration of the first RF pulse, resulting in the delivered energy of the subsequent RF pulse being less than the delivered energy of the first RF pulse.

7. The capsulorhexis apparatus of claim 6, wherein an amplitude of the subsequent RF pulse is the same as an amplitude of the first RF pulse.

8. A capsulorhexis apparatus, comprising:

a capsulorhexis probe configured for insertion into an eye through an incision; and

a pulse generator electrically connected to the capsulorhexis probe and configured to deliver a series of two or more radio-frequency (RF) pulses to the capsulorhexis probe, such that an energy of each of the second and subsequent pulses of the series is attenuated by at least twenty percent relative to an energy of an immediately preceding pulse;

and wherein each of the delivered RF pulses of the series has a predetermined attenuation profile such that a power level of each of the delivered RF pulses of the series is attenuated by at least one-half over a duration of the RF pulse.

9. The capsulorhexis apparatus of claim 8, wherein an amplitude of each of the second and subsequent RF pulses of the series is attenuated relative to an amplitude of the immediately preceding RF pulse resulting in the energy of each of the second and subsequent RF pulses of the series to be attenuated by the at least twenty percent relative to the energy of the immediately preceding RF pulse.

10. The capsulorhexis apparatus of claim 8, wherein a duration of each of the second and subsequent RF pulses of the series is shorter than a duration of the immediately preceding RF pulse, resulting in the energy of each of the second and subsequent RF pulses of the series being attenuated by the at least twenty percent relative to its immediately preceding RF pulse.

11. The capsulorhexis apparatus of claim 8, wherein the pulse generator is configured to further deliver a second series of two or more RF pulses to the capsulorhexis probe such that an energy of each of the second and subsequent RF pulses of the second series is attenuated by at least twenty percent relative to an energy of an immediately preceding RF pulse of the second series.

12. The capsulorhexis apparatus of claim 10, wherein the amplitude of each of the second and subsequent RF pulses of the series is the same as an amplitude of a first RF pulse of the series.