Steerable laser probe

• US 9,872,731 B2
• Filed: 06/23/2016
• Issued: 01/23/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/2011
• 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): Thomson, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lukjan, Sebastian X
• Application Number:
  US15/190,610
• Publication Number:
  US 20170020608A1
• Time in Patent Office: 579 Days
• Field of Search: 606 1, 606 4
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/24 with a catheter A61B18/26, A61B18/28 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00876 magnetic
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00184 Moving parts
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00589 Coagulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/0091 Handpieces of the surgical instrument or device
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00964 Features of probes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/2238 with means for selectively laterally deflecting the tip of the fibre
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/30 Surgical robots
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/70 Manipulators specially adapted for use in surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/71 Manipulators operated by drive cable mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2009/00863 Retina
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2009/00872 Cornea
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0006 for adjusting angular orientation
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/007 Methods or devices for eye surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/008 using laser
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/00821 for coagulation

Abstract

A steerable laser probe may include a handle, an actuation mechanism of the handle, an optic fiber, and a housing tube. The housing tube may include a first housing tube portion having a first stiffness and a second housing tube portion having a second stiffness. The second stiffness may be greater than the first stiffness. The optic fiber may be disposed within the housing tube and within an inner bore of the handle. A portion of the optic fiber may be fixed to an inner portion of the housing tube.

Claims

1. A method for performing an ophthalmic procedure comprising:

actuating an actuation control in an actuation channel of a handle wherein the actuation control has an actuation control distal end and an actuation control proximal end and wherein the actuation channel has an actuation channel distal end and an actuation channel proximal end and wherein the handle has a handle distal end and a handle proximal end;

actuating an actuation mechanism in an actuation mechanism guide of the handle wherein the actuation mechanism has an actuation mechanism distal end and an actuation mechanism proximal end;

extending the actuation mechanism relative to the handle proximal end;

extending a single housing tube relative to a portion of an optic fiber that is fixed to an inner portion of the housing tube wherein the optic fiber has an optic fiber distal end and an optic fiber proximal end;

compressing a first housing tube portion of a the single housing tube wherein the single housing tube has a housing tube distal end, a housing tube proximal end, and a second housing tube portion wherein the first housing tube portion has a first stiffness and the second housing tube portion has a second stiffness wherein the second stiffness is greater than the first stiffness;

curving the single housing tube;

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

fixing the optic fiber in the first curved position relative to the housing tube proximal end by aligning an actuation chamber of the actuation mechanism with a first static chamber of the handle and interfacing the first static chamber with the actuation chamber;

performing a photocoagulation procedure;

curving the optic fiber to a second curved position relative to the housing tube proximal end; and

fixing the optic fiber in the second curved position relative to the housing tube proximal end by aligning the actuation chamber of the actuation mechanism with a second static chamber of the handle and interfacing the second static chamber with the actuation chamber.

2. The method for performing the ophthalmic procedure of claim 1 wherein the second curved position relative to the housing tube proximal end is greater than the first curved position relative to the housing tube proximal end.

3. The method for performing the ophthalmic procedure of claim 1 further comprising:

extending the actuation control relative to the handle proximal end.

4. The method for performing the ophthalmic procedure of claim 3 further comprising:

actuating the actuation control distal end towards the actuation channel distal end.

5. The method for performing the ophthalmic procedure of claim 1 further comprising:

extending the housing tube relative to the handle proximal end.

6. The method for performing the ophthalmic procedure of claim 1 further comprising:

curving the optic fiber to a third curved position relative to the housing tube proximal end.

7. The method for performing the ophthalmic procedure of claim 6 further comprising:

aligning the actuation chamber of the actuation mechanism with a third static chamber of the handle.

8. The method for performing the ophthalmic procedure of claim 7 further comprising:

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

9. The method for performing the ophthalmic procedure of claim 1 further comprising:

extending the housing tube relative to a wire wherein the wire has a wire distal end and a wire proximal end.

10. The method for performing the ophthalmic procedure of claim 1 further comprising:

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

11. The method for performing the ophthalmic procedure of claim 10 further comprising:

retracting the actuation mechanism relative to the handle proximal end.

12. The method for performing the ophthalmic procedure of claim 10 further comprising:

straightening the housing tube.

13. The method for performing the ophthalmic procedure of claim 10 further comprising:

retracting the actuation control relative to the handle proximal end.

14. The method for performing the ophthalmic procedure of claim 13 further comprising:

actuating the actuation control proximal end towards the actuation channel proximal end.

15. The method for performing the ophthalmic procedure of claim 1 further comprising:

decompressing the first housing tube portion.

16. The method for performing the ophthalmic procedure of claim 1 further comprising:

aiming the optic fiber distal end at a surgical target.

17. The method for performing the ophthalmic procedure of claim 1 further comprising:

curving the optic fiber at least 45 degrees.

18. The method for performing the ophthalmic procedure of claim 17 further comprising:

curving the optic fiber at least 90 degrees.

19. The method for performing the ophthalmic procedure of claim 1 wherein the first housing tube portion has a plurality of apertures.

20. The method for performing the ophthalmic procedure of claim 1 wherein the optic fiber distal end is adjacent to the housing tube distal end.