Steerable laser probe

• US 9,226,794 B2
• Filed: 08/22/2013
• Issued: 01/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/23/2012
• 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, Raney, Justin M
• Primary Examiner(s): Crandall, Lynsey
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lukjan, Sebastian X
• Application Number:
  US13/972,989
• Publication Number:
  US 20140088576A1
• Time in Patent Office: 866 Days
• Field of Search: 606/1, 606/4, 606/16
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00158 using magnetic field
• 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 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 2017/00318 Steering mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00367 Details of actuation of instruments, e.g. relations between pushing buttons, or the like, and activation of the tool, working tip, or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00589 Coagulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/0091 Handpieces of the surgical instrument or device
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/2238 with means for selectively laterally deflecting the tip of the fibre
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/225 Features of hand-pieces A61B2018/2255 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2009/00897 Scanning mechanisms or algorithms
• 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 having a handle distal end and a handle proximal end, an actuation control of the handle, a housing tube having a housing tube distal end and a housing tube proximal end, a first housing tube portion having a first stiffness, a second housing tube portion having a second stiffness, an optic fiber disposed within an inner portion of the handle and the housing tube, and a cable disposed within the housing tube and the actuation control. A rotation of the actuation control may be configured to gradually curve the housing tube and the optic fiber. A rotation of the actuation control may be configured to gradually straighten the housing tube and the optic fiber.

Claims

1. An instrument comprising:

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

a handle end cap of the handle having a handle end cap distal end and a handle end cap proximal end;

a handle base of the handle having a handle base distal end and a handle base proximal end;

an actuation control mount of the handle having an actuation control mount distal end and an actuation control mount proximal end wherein the actuation control mount distal end is disposed in the handle base and wherein the actuation control mount proximal end is disposed in the handle end cap;

an actuation control of the handle, the actuation control disposed within the actuation control mount;

a fixation pin disposed in a portion of the actuation control and the actuation control mount wherein an application of a force to a portion of the actuation control is configured to rotate the actuation control about the fixation pin;

an actuation chamber of the actuation control;

a single housing tube having a housing tube distal end and a housing tube proximal end, the housing tube having dimensions configured to perform microsurgical procedures;

a first housing tube portion of the housing tube, the first housing tube portion having a first stiffness and having a plurality of slits wherein each slit of the plurality of slits has an arch

a second housing tube portion of the housing tube, the second housing tube portion having a second stiffness wherein the second stiffness is greater than the first stiffness;

an optic fiber having an optic fiber distal end and an optic fiber proximal end, the optic fiber disposed in the housing tube, an inner portion of the handle, and the actuation chamber of the actuation control; and

a cable having a cable distal end and a cable proximal end, the cable disposed in the housing tube and the inner portion of the handle wherein the cable distal end is adjacent to the housing tube distal end and wherein a portion of the cable is fixed to a portion of the housing tube wherein a rotation of the actuation control about the fixation pin in a first direction is configured to gradually curve the optic fiber.

2. The instrument of claim 1 wherein the rotation of the actuation control about the fixation pin in the first direction is configured to retract the cable relative to the housing tube.

3. The instrument of claim 1 wherein a rotation of the actuation control about the fixation pin in a second direction is configured to gradually straighten the optic fiber.

4. The instrument of claim 3 wherein the rotation of the actuation control about the fixation pin in the second direction is configured to extend the cable relative to the housing tube.

5. The instrument of claim 1 further comprising:

an auto-fixing component of the handle, the auto-fixing component disposed within an auto-fixing component housing of the handle wherein at least a portion of the auto-fixing component is adjacent to at least a portion of the actuation control.

6. The instrument of claim 5 wherein the auto-fixing component and the actuation control are configured to temporarily fix the actuation control in a first rotational position about the fixation pin.

7. The instrument of claim 6 wherein the auto-fixing component and the actuation control are configured to temporarily fix the optic fiber in a first curved position wherein a line tangent to the optic fiber distal end intersects a line tangent to the housing tube proximal end at a first angle.

8. The instrument of claim 7 wherein the auto-fixing component and the actuation control are configured to temporarily fix the actuation control in a second rotational position about the fixation pin.

9. The instrument of claim 8 wherein the auto-fixing component and the actuation control are configured to temporarily fix the optic fiber in a second curved position wherein the line tangent to the optic fiber distal end intersects the line tangent to the housing tube proximal end at a second angle.

10. The instrument of claim 9 wherein the auto-fixing component and the actuation control are configured to temporarily fix the actuation control in a third rotational position about the fixation pin.

11. The instrument of claim 10 wherein the auto-fixing component and the actuation control are configured to temporarily fix the optic fiber in a third curved position wherein the line tangent to the to the optic fiber distal end intersects the line tangent to the housing tube proximal end at a third angle.

12. The instrument of claim 5 wherein at least a portion of the auto-fixing component comprises a permanent magnet.

13. The instrument of claim 12 wherein at least a portion of the actuation control comprises a permanent magnet.

14. The instrument of claim 1 wherein the cable proximal end is disposed within a cable housing of the actuation control.

15. The instrument of claim 14 wherein the cable proximal end is fixed within the cable housing of the actuation control.

16. The instrument of claim 1 further comprising:

a plurality of apertures of the first housing tube portion.

17. The instrument of claim 1 wherein the plurality of slits are configured to minimize a force of friction between the housing tube and a cannula.