Devices and methods for cutting a lens in an eye

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11413188-B2
Application number	US-201716345182-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 25, 2017
Priority date	Oct 26, 2016
Publication date	Aug 16, 2022
Grant date	Aug 16, 2022

Abstract

Devices and methods for cutting a lens in the eye are provided with a specific application being for cutting a lens while contained within the capsular bag. The device has an elongate element which forms a loop. The loop is advanced into a space between the lens and the capsular bag. The device may be used with, or incorporated into, fluid handling devices such as irrigation and aspiration devices and phacoemulsification hand pieces and disposables.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A device for cutting a lens in a cataract procedure comprising:
a support shaft extending along a longitudinal axis between a proximal end and a distal end opposite the proximal end along the longitudinal axis; and
an elongate element coupled to the support shaft, the elongate element having a first end and a second end, at least one of the first end and the second end being movable relative to the other end to change a size of a loop formed at least in part by the elongate element, the loop being movable from a collapsed position toward a fully expanded position,
wherein, when the loop is in the collapsed position, the loop and a distal end of the support shaft are sized and shaped to be introduced into an anterior chamber of the eye, and
wherein, when the loop is in the fully expanded position, the loop is sized and shaped to be positioned around the lens between the lens and the capsular bag, and
wherein tensioning the loop reduces the size of the loop from the fully expanded position toward the collapsed position to cut the lens,
wherein the elongate element has a polymer elbow at the first end having a non-circular cross-section, the elbow extending from an opening of the support shaft when the loop is in the fully expanded position so that the elbow deflects proximal of the opening, and
wherein the elongate element forms the loop so that a loop plane is defined in the fully expanded position, wherein the loop plane is a plane selected so as to maximize an area bounded from the plane by the loop in the fully expanded position,
wherein the elbow is at least twice as bendable for a force applied to a tip of the elbow and lying in the loop plane compared to a transverse force applied to the tip of the elbow and directed transverse to the loop plane.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the second end of the elongate element is configured to be uncoupled and released from the support shaft, wherein uncoupling and release of the second end from the support shaft permits withdrawal of the second end from the eye.

3. The device of claim 1 , wherein the elbow of the elongate element is crimped to form a living hinge.

4. The device of claim 1 , wherein the elongate element is formed with the elbow being spaced apart from the support shaft, wherein the elbow is configured to be deflected toward the support shaft by rotating the support shaft about the longitudinal axis and engaging the lens when rotating.

5. The device of claim 1 , wherein the elongate element is formed with the elbow having an unbiased position relative to the support shaft when the loop is in the fully expanded position, the tip of the elbow having an orientation at the tip which is 90-180 degrees from a distal orientation of the support shaft when the loop is in the fully expanded position, the distal orientation being a direction from the proximal end to the distal end of the support shaft.

6. The device of claim 1 , wherein the elongate element has an unshaped portion and a pre-shaped portion when the loop is in the fully expanded position, the second end of the elongate element being movable relative to the support shaft to change the size of the loop, the elongate element having a first half extending from the first end to a midpoint and a second half extending from the second end to the midpoint when the loop is in the fully expanded position, the elongate element having a total length defined by an exposed length of the elongate element when the loop is in the fully expanded position.

7. The device of claim 1 , wherein the support shaft includes a first tube having an angled tip that is angled to the longitudinal axis, the angled tip having a proximal portion that extends along the longitudinal axis and a distal portion which extends distally from the proximal portion and terminates at a distal end of the angled tip, the proximal portion having a proximal orientation and the distal portion having a distal orientation defined by a proximal axis and a distal axis, respectively, along which a first lumen extends in the proximal portion of the first tube, the proximal orientation and the distal orientation lying in and defining a working plane.

8. The device of claim 7 , wherein the angled tip is formed so that the distal end of the angled tip configured to be is directed away from the loop when the loop is in the fully expanded position around the lens and the loop plane is perpendicular to a midplane of the lens.

9. The device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a phacoemulsification device with the support shaft being a tip of the phacoemulsification device, the phacoemulsification device having a housing with the tip extending from the housing to the distal end of the support shaft, the tip being coupled to a vibrating element mounted to the housing for vibrating the tip, a first lumen extends through the tip and has an opening at the distal end of the tip, wherein the first lumen is coupled to a suction source to aspirate lens fragments through the first lumen.

10. The device of claim 9 , wherein the elongate element extends from the tip of the phacoemulsification device when the loop moves toward the fully expanded position.

11. The device of claim 9 , wherein the tip includes a first tube which extends to the distal end, the first tube having the first lumen, the tip also including a second tube positioned around the first tube, the second tube having a second lumen, the elongate element being movable outwardly to extend from the tip.

12. The device of claim 11 , wherein the second lumen forms a space between the first tube and the second tube; and
the elongate element extending through the space and being removable from the eye by withdrawing the elongate element into the space.

13. The device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a phacoemulsification hand piece having a lumen; and
a fluid Y-arm having a main lumen which splits into a first leg and a second leg, the main lumen being coupled to the lumen in the phacoemulsification hand piece.

14. The device of claim 1 , wherein the support shaft comprises at least one lumen between the proximal end and the distal end of the support shaft, wherein the elongate element is removable from the at least one lumen of the support shaft by withdrawing the elongate element proximally relative to the support shaft so that the elongate element is not positioned within the at least one lumen.

15. The device of claim 14 , wherein the device further comprises an actuator, wherein at least one end of the elongate element is coupled to the actuator so as to be released from its coupling during use of the device.

16. The device of claim 14 , wherein the at least one lumen is in fluid communication with a suction source and/or an irrigation source.

Assignees

• Zeiss Carl Meditec Inc

Inventors

• Clauson Luke W
• Chamness Scott
• Schaller Michael
• Hoekendijk Jens

Classifications

• A61B17/3205

  Excision instruments · CPC title

• A61F9/00736 Primary

  Instruments for removal of intra-ocular material or intra-ocular injection, e.g. cataract instruments (A61F9/008 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A61F9/00763 Primary

  with rotating or reciprocating cutting elements, e.g. concentric cutting needles (atherectomy cutting instruments A61B17/3207; endoscopic cutting instruments A61B17/320016) · CPC title

• A61F9/008

  using laser · CPC title

• A61B2217/007

  with irrigation system · CPC title