Steerable laser probe

• US 9,345,542 B2
• Filed: 08/09/2013
• Issued: 05/24/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2012
• 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:
  US13/963,357
• Publication Number:
  US 20140074079A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,019 Days
• Field of Search: 606/1, 606/4, 606/14, 606/15, 606/16
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/20 using laser
• 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 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 2018/2244 Features of optical fibre cables, e.g. claddings
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/225 Features of hand-pieces A61B2018/2255 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/306 using optical fibres
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/30 Devices for illuminating a surgical field, the devices having an interrelation with other surgical devices or with a surgical procedure
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/008 using laser
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/00802 for photoablation
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/00821 for coagulation

Abstract

A steerable laser probe may include a handle having a handle distal end and a handle proximal end, an auto-fixing actuation control, 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, and an optic fiber disposed within an inner bore of the handle and the housing tube. An actuation of the auto-fixing actuation control may gradually curve the housing tube. A gradual curving of the housing tube may gradually curve 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;

an actuation control guide of the handle, the actuation control guide having an actuation control guide distal end and an actuation control guide proximal end;

an actuation mechanism of the handle having an actuation mechanism distal end and an actuation mechanism proximal end, the actuation mechanism disposed in an actuation mechanism guide of the handle wherein the actuation mechanism proximal end is disposed in a housing of the handle end cap and wherein the actuation mechanism proximal end is disposed between the handle end cap distal end and the handle end cap proximal end;

an auto-fixing actuation control of the actuation mechanism having an auto-fixing actuation control distal end and an auto-fixing actuation control proximal end, the auto-fixing actuation control disposed within the actuation control guide wherein the auto-fixing actuation control is configured to actuate within the actuation control guide while a first force is applied to the auto-fixing actuation control;

a single housing tube having a housing tube distal end and a housing tube proximal end, the housing tube having dimensions configured for performing microsurgical procedures through a cannula, the housing tube disposed within a housing tube guide of the handle and a housing tube housing of the actuation mechanism wherein the housing tube proximal end is fixed within the housing tube housing and the housing tube distal end extends from the handle distal end;

a first housing tube portion of the housing tube, the first housing tube portion having a first stiffness;

a plurality of apertures of the first housing tube portion;

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 auto-fixing component of the handle having an auto-fixing component distal end and an auto-fixing component proximal end wherein the auto-fixing actuation control is disposed between the auto-fixing component distal end and the auto-fixing component proximal end, the auto-fixing component disposed in an auto-fixing component housing of the handle wherein a portion of the auto-fixing component is adjacent to a portion of the auto-fixing actuation control and wherein a second force between the portion of the auto-fixing component and the portion of the auto-fixing actuation control is configured to temporarily fix the auto-fixing actuation control in any position within the actuation control guide while the first force is not applied to the auto-fixating actuation control; and

an optic fiber having an optic fiber distal end and an optic fiber proximal end, the optic fiber disposed within an inner bore of the handle and the housing tube.

2. The instrument of claim 1 wherein an extension of the auto-fixing actuation control relative to the actuation control guide proximal end is configured to gradually curve the optic fiber.

3. The instrument of claim 2 wherein the extension of the auto-fixing actuation control relative to the actuation control guide proximal end is configured to gradually curve the housing tube.

4. The instrument of claim 3 wherein the extension of the auto-fixing actuation control relative to the actuation control guide proximal end is configured to extend the housing tube relative to the optic fiber.

5. The instrument of claim 4 wherein the extension of the auto-fixing actuation control relative to the actuation control guide proximal end is configured to compress a portion of the housing tube.

6. The instrument of claim 5 wherein the portion of the housing tube is the first housing tube portion of the housing tube.

7. The instrument of claim 1 wherein a retraction of the auto-fixing actuation control relative to the actuation control guide proximal end is configured to gradually straighten the optic fiber.

8. The instrument of claim 7 wherein the retraction of the auto-fixing actuation control relative to the actuation control guide proximal end is configured to gradually straighten the housing tube.

9. The instrument of claim 8 wherein the retraction of the auto-fixing actuation control relative to the actuation control guide proximal end is configured to retract the housing tube relative to the optic fiber.

10. The instrument of claim 9 wherein the retraction of the auto-fixing actuation control relative to the actuation control guide proximal end is configured to decompress a portion of the housing tube.

11. The instrument of claim 10 wherein the portion of the housing tube is the first housing tube portion of the housing tube.

12. 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.

13. The instrument of claim 12 wherein an extension of the auto-fixing actuation control relative to the actuation control guide proximal end is configured to gradually curve the optic fiber.

14. The instrument of claim 13 wherein the extension of the auto-fixing actuation control relative to the actuation control guide proximal end is configured to gradually curve the housing tube.

15. The instrument of claim 14 wherein the extension of the auto-fixing actuation control relative to the actuation control guide proximal end is configured to compress the first housing tube portion of the housing tube.

16. The instrument of claim 12 wherein a retraction of the auto-fixing actuation control relative to the actuation control guide proximal end is configured to gradually straighten the optic fiber.

17. The instrument of claim 16 wherein the retraction of the auto-fixing actuation control relative to the actuation control guide proximal end is configured to gradually straighten the housing tube.

18. The instrument of claim 17 wherein the retraction of the auto-fixing actuation control relative to the actuation control guide proximal end is configured to decompress the first housing tube portion of the housing tube.

19. The instrument of claim 12 wherein the auto-fixing actuation control comprises a permanent magnet.

20. The instrument of claim 12 wherein the auto-fixing component comprises a permanent magnet.