Steerable laser probe

• US 9,233,022 B2
• Filed: 07/11/2013
• Issued: 01/12/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2012
• 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): Jackson, Gary
• Assistant Examiner(s): LUAN, SCOTT
• Application Number:
  US13/939,697
• Publication Number:
  US 20140039472A1
• Time in Patent Office: 915 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/2238 with means for selectively laterally deflecting the tip of the fibre
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2009/00863 Retina
• 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, a plurality of actuation controls of the handle, a housing tube having a housing tube distal end and a housing tube proximal end, and an optic fiber disposed within an inner bore of the handle and the housing tube. An actuation of an actuation control of the plurality of actuation controls may gradually curve the housing tube. A gradual curving of the housing tube may gradually curve the optic fiber. An actuation of an actuation control of the plurality of actuation controls may gradually straighten the housing tube. A gradual straightening of the housing tube may gradually straighten the optic fiber.

Claims

1. An instrument comprising:

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

a handle base of the handle having a handle base distal end, a handle base proximal end, and a handle end cap interface;

a plurality of handle base limbs of the handle base wherein each handle base limb of the plurality of handle base limbs is separated by one of a plurality of handle base channels of the handle base;

a handle end cap of the handle having a handle end cap distal end, a handle end cap proximal end, and a handle base interface;

a handle base housing of the handle end cap, the handle base disposed within the handle base housing wherein the handle end cap interface of the handle base is adjacent to the handle end cap distal end and the handle base interface of the handle base is adjacent to the handle base proximal end;

a plurality of actuation control guides of the handle;

an actuation mechanism of the handle having an actuation mechanism distal end and an actuation mechanism proximal end wherein the actuation mechanism distal end is disposed within the handle base and the actuation mechanism proximal end is disposed within the handle end cap;

a plurality of actuation controls of the actuation mechanism, each actuation control of the plurality of actuation controls having an actuation control distal end and an actuation control proximal end, and each actuation control of the plurality of actuation controls disposed between an actuation control guide distal end and an actuation control guide proximal end of an actuation control guide of the plurality of actuation control guides;

a housing tube having a housing tube distal end and a housing tube proximal end, the housing tube having dimensions configured for performing ophthalmic surgical procedures wherein the housing tube proximal end is disposed within a housing tube housing of the handle base;

a first housing tube portion of the housing tube having a first stiffness, the first housing tube portion having at least one slit configured to minimize a force of friction between the housing tube and a cannula;

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

an optic fiber having an optic fiber distal end and an optic fiber proximal end, the optic fiber disposed within a proximal chamber of the handle end cap, an inner bore of the actuation mechanism, an optic fiber housing of the actuation mechanism, an actuation mechanism guide of the handle base, and the housing tube wherein the optic fiber distal end is adjacent to the housing tube distal end and the optic fiber is fixed within the housing tube.

2. The instrument of claim 1 wherein an actuation of an actuation control of the plurality of actuation controls is configured to gradually curve the optic fiber.

3. The instrument of claim 2 wherein the actuation of the actuation control of the plurality of actuation controls retracts the actuation control relative to the handle proximal end.

4. The instrument of claim 2 wherein the actuation of the actuation control of the plurality of actuation controls is configured to gradually curve the housing tube.

5. The instrument of claim 4 wherein the actuation of the actuation control of the plurality of actuation controls is configured to compress the first housing tube portion.

6. The instrument of claim 1 wherein an actuation of an actuation control of the plurality of actuation controls is configured to gradually straighten the optic fiber.

7. The instrument of claim 6 wherein the actuation of the actuation control of the plurality of actuation controls extends the actuation control relative to the handle proximal end.

8. The instrument of claim 6 wherein the actuation of the actuation control of the plurality of actuation controls is configured to gradually straighten the housing tube.

9. The instrument of claim 8 wherein the actuation of the actuation control of the plurality of actuation controls is configured to decompress the first housing tube portion.

10. The instrument of claim 2 wherein the actuation of the actuation control of the plurality of actuation controls is configured to aim the optic fiber distal end at a photocoagulation target within an eye.

11. The instrument of claim 10 wherein the actuation of the actuation control of the plurality of actuation controls is configured to aim the optic fiber distal end at the photocoagulation target within the eye without increasing an amount of the instrument in the eye.

12. The instrument of claim 10 wherein the actuation of the actuation control of the plurality of actuation controls is configured to aim the optic fiber distal end at the photocoagulation target within the eye without decreasing an amount of the instrument in the eye.

13. The instrument of claim 2 wherein the actuation of the actuation control of the plurality of actuation controls is configured to gradually curve the optic fiber at least 45 degrees.

14. The instrument of claim 13 wherein the actuation of the actuation control of the plurality of actuation controls is configured to gradually curve the optic fiber at least 90 degrees.

15. The instrument of claim 14 wherein the actuation of the actuation control of the plurality of actuation controls is configured to gradually curve the optic fiber at least 90 degrees.

16. The instrument of claim 1 further comprising:

a cable having a cable distal end and a cable proximal end, the cable disposed in the inner bore of the handle and the housing tube.

17. The instrument of claim 16 further comprising:

a slight curve of the housing tube distal end, the slight curve configured to indicate an optic fiber curvature direction.

18. The instrument of claim 1 further comprising:

a pressure mechanism housing of the handle; and

a pressure mechanism disposed within the pressure mechanism housing wherein the pressure mechanism is configured to provide a force.

19. The instrument of claim 18 wherein the force is configured to resist an extension of the actuation mechanism relative to the handle proximal end.

20. The instrument of claim 1 further comprising:

an arch of the at least one slit of the first housing tube portion.