Steerable laser probe

• US 9,226,855 B2
• Filed: 08/09/2013
• Issued: 01/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/2012
• 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
• Primary Examiner(s): Crandall, Lynsey
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lukjan, Sebastian X
• Application Number:
  US13/963,038
• Publication Number:
  US 20140066907A1
• Time in Patent Office: 879 Days
• Field of Search: 606/4
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/20 using laser
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/24 with a catheter A61B18/26, A61B18/28 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00469 for insertion of instruments, e.g. guide wire, optical fibre
• 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: A61F 2009/00863 Retina
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/008 using laser
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/00821 for coagulation

Abstract

A steerable laser probe may include an actuation structure, a nosecone fixed to the actuation structure by one or more links and one or more link pins, a flexible housing tube, and an optic fiber disposed in the flexible housing tube and the actuation structure. A compression of the actuation structure may be configured to gradually curve the flexible housing tube and the optic fiber. A decompression of the actuation structure may be configured to gradually straighten the flexible housing tube and the optic fiber.

Claims

1. An instrument comprising:

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

a piston having a piston distal end and a piston proximal end, the piston disposed in the handle;

an actuation structure of the handle having an actuation structure distal end and an actuation structure proximal end;

a nosecone having a housing tube housing;

a first link, the first link fixed to the actuation structure by a first link pin and the first link fixed to the nosecone by a second link pin;

a first spacer disposed over a portion of the first link pin extending from the first link, the first spacer configured to prevent movement of the first link relative to the first link pin;

a second spacer disposed over a portion of the second link pin extending from the first link, the second spacer configured to prevent movement of the first link relative to the second link pin;

a second link, the second link fixed to the actuation structure by a third link pin and the second link fixed to the nosecone by a fourth link pin;

a third spacer disposed over a portion of the third link pin extending from the second link, the third spacer configured to prevent movement of the second link relative to the third link pin;

a fourth spacer disposed over a portion of the fourth link pin extending from the second link, the fourth spacer configured to prevent movement of the second link relative to the fourth link pin;

a flexible housing tube having a flexible housing tube distal end and a flexible housing tube proximal end wherein the housing tube proximal end is disposed within the housing tube housing, the flexible housing tube having dimensions configured for performing ophthalmic surgical procedures, the flexible housing tube having an ultimate tensile strength in a range of 1000 to 1100 MPa; and

an optic fiber having an optic fiber distal end and an optic fiber proximal end, the optic fiber disposed in the actuation structure and the flexible housing tube wherein the optic fiber distal end is adjacent to the housing tube distal end and wherein a portion of the optic fiber is fixed to the housing tube.

2. The instrument of claim 1 wherein a compression of the actuation structure is configured to gradually curve the optic fiber more than 90 degrees relative to a line tangent to the flexible housing tube proximal end within a human eye.

3. The instrument of claim 2 wherein the compression of the actuation structure is configured to gradually curve the flexible housing tube.

4. The instrument of claim 3 wherein the compression of the actuation structure is configured to extend the flexible housing tube relative to the optic fiber.

5. The instrument of claim 3 wherein the compression of the actuation structure is configured to extend the nosecone relative to the actuation structure proximal end.

6. The instrument of claim 5 wherein the compression of the actuation is structure is configured to rotate the first link about the first link pin and rotate the second link about the third link pin.

7. The instrument of claim 5 wherein the compression of the actuation structure is configured to rotate the first link about the second link pin and rotate the second link about the fourth link pin.

8. The instrument of claim 1 wherein a decompression of the actuation structure is configured to gradually straighten the optic fiber more than 90 degrees relative to a line tangent to the flexible housing tube proximal end within a human eye.

9. The instrument of claim 8 wherein the decompression of the actuation structure is configured to gradually straighten the flexible housing tube.

10. The instrument of claim 1 further comprising:

a cable having a cable distal end and a cable proximal end, the cable disposed in the actuation structure and the flexible housing tube.

11. The instrument of claim 10 wherein a compression of the actuation structure is configured to gradually curve the optic fiber more than 90 degrees relative to a line tangent to the flexible housing tube proximal end within a human eye.

12. The instrument of claim 11 wherein the compression of the actuation structure is configured to gradually curve the flexible housing tube.

13. The instrument of claim 12 wherein the compression of the actuation structure is configured to extend the flexible housing tube relative to the cable.

14. The instrument of claim 12 wherein the compression of the actuation structure is configured to rotate the first link about the first link pin and rotate the second link about the third link pin.

15. The instrument of claim 12 wherein the compression of the actuation structure is configured to rotate the first link about the second link pin and rotate the second link about the fourth link pin.

16. The instrument of claim 10 wherein a decompression of the actuation structure is configured to gradually straighten the optic fiber more than 90 degrees relative to a line tangent to the flexible housing tube proximal end within a human eye.

17. The instrument of claim 16 wherein the decompression of the actuation structure is configured to gradually straighten the flexible housing tube.

18. The instrument of claim 17 wherein the decompression of the actuation structure is configured to retract the flexible housing tube relative to the cable.

19. The instrument of claim 10 further comprising:

a redundant cable having a redundant cable distal end and a redundant cable proximal end, the redundant cable disposed in the actuation structure and the flexible housing tube.