Steerable laser probe

• US 9,375,351 B2
• Filed: 12/01/2015
• Issued: 06/28/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2012
• 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:
  US14/955,761
• Publication Number:
  US 20160120698A1
• Time in Patent Office: 210 Days
• Field of Search: 606/4
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/003 Steerable
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00321 Head or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00589 Coagulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00922 by switching or controlling the treatment energy directly within the hand-piece
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00952 rotatable
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/2238 with means for selectively laterally deflecting the tip of the fibre
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/007 Methods or devices for eye surgery
• 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 actuation control of the handle, a flexible housing tube having a flexible housing tube distal end and a flexible housing tube proximal end, an optic fiber disposed within an inner portion of the handle and the flexible housing tube, and a cable disposed within the flexible housing tube and the actuation control. A rotation of the actuation control may be configured to gradually curve the flexible housing tube and the optic fiber. A rotation of the actuation control may be configured to gradually straighten the flexible housing tube and the optic fiber.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

applying a first force vector to an actuation control anterior end of an actuation control of a handle;

directing the first force vector towards a handle distal end of the handle and away from a handle proximal end of the handle;

rotating the actuation control within an actuation control mount of the handle in a first direction until the actuation control is in a first desired rotational position within an inner portion of the handle;

preventing the actuation control from contacting an optic fiber due to a rotation of the actuation control by a geometry of an actuation chamber disposed in the actuation control, the actuation chamber extending completely from an actuation control distal end to an actuation control proximal end wherein the optic fiber has an optic fiber distal end and an optic fiber proximal end and wherein the optic fiber is disposed within the actuation chamber of the actuation control;

curving a flexible housing tube wherein the flexible housing tube has a flexible housing tube distal end and a flexible housing tube proximal end and wherein the optic fiber is disposed in the flexible housing tube wherein the optic fiber distal end is adjacent to the flexible housing tube distal end;

curving the optic fiber to a first curved position relative to the flexible housing tube proximal end;

removing the first force vector from the actuation control anterior end;

fixing the actuation control in the first desired rotational position within the inner portion of the handle;

fixing the optic fiber in the first curved position relative to the flexible housing tube proximal end;

aiming the optic fiber distal end at a surgical target within an eye; and

performing a photocoagulation procedure.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

curving the optic fiber at least 45 degrees relative to the flexible housing tube proximal end.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

curving the optic fiber at least 90 degrees relative to the flexible housing tube proximal end.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

inserting the flexible housing tube in a cannula.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising:

curving the optic fiber within an eye without increasing a length of the optic fiber within the eye.

6. The method of claim 4 further comprising:

curving the optic fiber within an eye without decreasing a length of the optic fiber within the eye.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

rotating the actuation control within the actuation control mount of the handle in the first direction until the actuation control is in a second desired rotational position within the inner portion of the handle.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

curving the optic fiber to a second curved position relative to the flexible housing tube proximal end wherein the second curved position relative to the flexible housing tube proximal end is greater than the first curved position relative to the flexible housing tube proximal end.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

fixing the actuation control in the second desired rotational position within the inner portion of the handle.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

fixing the optic fiber in the second curved position relative to the flexible housing tube proximal end.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

curving the optic fiber at least 45 degrees relative to the flexible housing tube proximal end.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

curving the optic fiber at least 90 degrees relative to the flexible housing tube proximal end.

13. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

applying a second force vector to the actuation control anterior end.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

directing the second force vector towards the handle proximal end and away from the handle distal end.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

rotating the actuation control within the actuation control mount of the handle in a second direction until the actuation control is in a second desired rotational position within the inner portion of the handle.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

straightening the optic fiber to a straightened position relative to the flexible housing tube proximal end.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising:

fixing the actuation control in the second desired rotational position within the inner portion of the handle.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising:

fixing the optic fiber in the straightened position relative to the flexible housing tube proximal end.