Steerable laser probe

• US 9,925,090 B2
• Filed: 09/21/2016
• Issued: 03/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2012
• 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): LUAN, SCOTT
• Application Number:
  US15/271,871
• Publication Number:
  US 20170007455A1
• Time in Patent Office: 552 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00589 Coagulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/20357 by movable optical fibre end
• 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, an actuation structure of the handle, a flexible housing tube having a flexible housing tube distal end and a flexible housing tube proximal end, and an optic fiber disposed within an inner bore of the handle and the flexible housing tube. A compression of the actuation structure may cause the optic fiber to gradually curve. A decompression of the actuation structure may cause the optic fiber to gradually straighten.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

extending an actuation ring of a handle relative to a handle proximal end of the handle wherein the handle has a handle distal end;

extending a piston tube relative to the handle proximal end wherein the piston tube has a piston tube distal end and a piston tube proximal end;

extending an outer nosecone relative to the handle proximal end wherein the outer nosecone has an outer nosecone distal end and an outer nosecone proximal end;

extending an inner nosecone relative to the handle proximal end wherein the inner nosecone has an inner nosecone distal end and an inner nosecone proximal end and wherein the inner nosecone distal end extends a distance from the outer nosecone distal end;

extending a flexible housing tube relative to the handle proximal end wherein the flexible housing tube has a flexible housing tube distal end and a flexible housing tube proximal end; and

curving an optic fiber to a particular curved position wherein the optic fiber has a distal end and an optic fiber proximal end and wherein the optic fiber is disposed in an inner bore of the handle and the flexible housing tube.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

curving the flexible housing tube in an eye.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

adjusting the distance that the inner nosecone distal end extends from the outer nosecone distal end.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising:

increasing the distance that the inner nosecone distal end extends from the outer nosecone distal end.

5. The method of claim 3 further comprising:

decreasing the distance that the inner nosecone distal end extends from the outer nosecone distal end.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

compressing an actuation structure of the handle.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

retracting the actuation ring relative to the handle proximal end.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

retracting the flexible housing tube relative to the handle proximal end.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

retracting the piston tube relative to the handle proximal end.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

retracting the outer nosecone relative to the handle proximal end.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

retracting the inner nosecone relative to the handle proximal end.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

straightening the optic fiber.

13. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

straightening the flexible housing tube.

14. A method comprising:

retracting an actuation ring of a handle relative to a handle proximal end of the handle wherein the handle has a handle distal end;

retracting a piston tube relative to the handle proximal end wherein the piston tube has a piston tube distal end and a piston tube proximal end;

retracting an outer nosecone relative to the handle proximal end wherein the outer nosecone has an outer nosecone distal end and an outer nosecone proximal end;

retracting an inner nosecone relative to the handle proximal end wherein the inner nosecone has an inner nosecone distal end and an inner nosecone proximal end and wherein the inner nosecone distal end extends a distance from the outer nosecone distal end;

retracting a flexible housing tube relative to the handle proximal end wherein the flexible housing tube has a flexible housing tube distal end and a flexible housing tube proximal end; and

straightening an optic fiber to a particular straightened position wherein the optic fiber has a distal end and an optic fiber proximal end and wherein the optic fiber is disposed in an inner bore of the handle and the flexible housing tube.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

straightening the flexible housing tube in an eye.

16. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

adjusting the distance that the inner nosecone distal end extends from the outer nosecone distal end.

17. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

decompressing an actuation structure of a handle.

18. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

extending the actuation ring relative to the handle proximal end.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising:

curving the optic fiber.

20. The method of claim 18 further comprising:

curving the flexible housing tube.