Vitrectomy probe

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12059374-B2
Application number	US-202318151600-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 9, 2023
Priority date	Jun 19, 2017
Publication date	Aug 13, 2024
Grant date	Aug 13, 2024

Abstract

In some embodiments, a vitrectomy probe may include an inner cutting tube reciprocating in an outer tube. The outer tube includes a side port and the inner tube includes a distal cutting port, and, in some embodiments, an additional side port. In some embodiments, the inner tube may also include a flat upper edge that cuts across the outer tube side port. In some embodiments, a diaphragm drives the inner tube and may have an open-stroke side with a lower hardness material than a closed-stroke side. In some embodiments, an aspiration tube coupled to the vitrectomy probe may include a first aspiration tubing and a second aspiration tubing with a lower hardness than the first aspiration tubing. In some embodiments, the vitrectomy probe may be coupled to pneumatic tubing that is stepped or tapered.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vitrectomy probe, comprising:
an outer cutting tube with an outer port side opening and a beveled closed end;
an inner cutting tube, positioned inside the outer cutting tube, wherein the inner cutting tube has an open distal end having a cutting edge;
a diaphragm coupled to the inner cutting tube, wherein the diaphragm is located inside a drive chamber and the diaphragm is configured to move back and forth inside the drive chamber as air is alternately supplied and vented on either side of the diaphragm in the drive chamber;
wherein movement of the diaphragm causes the inner cutting tube to oscillate inside the outer cutting tube such that the open distal end of the inner cutting tube moves back and forth across the outer port side opening to cut tissue entering the outer port side opening;
wherein the outer cutting tube beveled closed end has a degree of bevel approximately in a range of 20 to 80 degrees as measured from the beveled closed end to an extended back surface line of the outer cutting tube that is opposite the outer port side opening;
wherein a port edge tip to retinal (PTRD) distance is approximately in a range of 0.004 to 0.009 inches and a port edge to distal probe tip measurement (PTTD) is approximately in a range of 0.005 to 0.010 inches with approximately a 60 degree bevel as measured from the beveled closed end to an extended back surface line of the outer cutting tube that is opposite the outer port side opening; and
further comprising an aspiration tubing coupled to the inner cutting tube to apply a vacuum to the inner cutting tube and wherein the aspiration tubing comprises a first aspiration tubing with a first aspiration tubing hardness, configured to be coupled to a surgical console, and a second aspiration tubing coupled to the first aspiration tubing and the vitrectomy probe, wherein the second aspiration tubing has a second aspiration tubing hardness that is less than the first aspiration tubing hardness.

2. The vitrectomy probe of claim 1 ,
wherein the diaphragm comprises an open-stroke side with a first contact surface that contacts an inner drive chamber wall when the inner cutting tube is in a retracted position.

3. The vitrectomy probe of claim 2 ,
wherein the diaphragm comprises a closed-stroke side with a second contact surface that contacts an opposing inner drive chamber wall when the inner cutting tube is in an extended position.

4. The vitrectomy probe of claim 3 , wherein the first contact surface comprises a material with a lower hardness than the second contact surface.

5. The vitrectomy probe of claim 3 , wherein the first contact surface comprises silicone and the second contact surface comprises polycarbonate or polysulfone.

6. The vitrectomy probe of claim 1 , wherein the first aspiration tubing has an inner diameter of approximately 0.060 inches and the first aspiration tubing hardness of approximately 80 Shore A and the second aspiration tubing has an inner diameter of approximately 0.060 inches and the second aspiration tubing hardness of approximately 40 Shore A.

7. The vitrectomy probe of claim 1 , wherein the first aspiration tubing is approximately 79 inches long and wherein the second aspiration tubing is approximately 5 inches long and is coupled to the vitrectomy probe on a distal end and coupled to the first aspiration tubing on a proximal end.

8. The vitrectomy probe of claim 1 , wherein the outer port side opening has a proximal port edge angle approximately in a range of 40 to 60 degrees and a distal port edge angle approximately in a range of 35 to 55 degrees.

9. The vitrectomy probe of claim 1 , further comprising a pneumatic drive line coupling the vitrectomy probe to a surgical console, the pneumatic drive line having an internal bore configured to deliver the air to the vitrectomy probe, the internal bore having a non-uniform cross-section along a length of the pneumatic drive line, wherein the pneumatic drive line comprises a first segment and a second segment, the first segment defining a first passageway having a first diameter and the second segment defining a second passageway having a second diameter, the first diameter being different than the second diameter.

10. The vitrectomy probe of claim 9 , wherein the first segment is configured to couple to the surgical console and the second segment is configured to couple to the vitrectomy probe; and wherein the first diameter is larger than the second diameter.

11. The vitrectomy probe of claim 1 , wherein the inner cutting tube comprises a flat upper edge, approximately perpendicular to an inner tube longitudinal axis, on the portion of the inner cutting tube that cuts across the outer port side opening.

12. A vitrectomy probe, comprising:
an outer cutting tube with an outer port side opening and a beveled closed end;
an inner cutting tube, positioned inside the outer cutting tube, wherein the inner cutting tube has an open distal end having a cutting edge;
a diaphragm coupled to the inner cutting tube, wherein the diaphragm is located inside a drive chamber and the diaphragm is configured to move back and forth inside the drive chamber as air is alternately supplied and vented on either side of the diaphragm in the drive chamber;
wherein movement of the diaphragm causes the inner cutting tube to oscillate inside the outer cutting tube such that the open distal end of the inner cutting tube moves back and forth across the outer port side opening to cut tissue entering the outer port side opening; and
further comprising an aspiration tubing coupled to the inner cutting tube to apply a vacuum to the inner cutting tube and wherein the aspiration tubing comprises a first aspiration tubing with a first aspiration tubing hardness, configured to be coupled to a surgical console, and a second aspiration tubing coupled to the first aspiration tubing and the vitrectomy probe, wherein the second aspiration tubing has a second aspiration tubing hardness that is less than the first aspiration tubing hardness;
wherein the first aspiration tubing has an inner diameter of approximately 0.060 inches and the first aspiration tubing hardness of approximately 80 Shore A and the second aspiration tubing has an inner diameter of approximately 0.060 inches and the second aspiration tubing hardness of approximately 40 Shore A.

13. The vitrectomy probe of claim 12 ,
wherein the diaphragm comprises an open-stroke side with a first contact surface that contacts an inner drive chamber wall when the inner cutting tube is in a retracted position;
wherein the diaphragm comprises a closed-stroke side with a second contact surface that contacts an opposing inner drive chamber wall when the inner cutting tube is in an extended position.

14. The vitrectomy probe of claim 13 , wherein the first contact surface comprises a material with a lower hardness than the second contact surface.

15. The vitrectomy probe of claim 13 , wherein the first contact surface comprises silicone and the second contact surface comprises polycarbonate or polysulfone.

16. The vitrectomy probe of claim 12 , wherein the first aspiration tubing is approximately 79 inches long and wherein the second aspiration tubing is approximately 5 inches long and is coupled to the vitrectomy probe on a distal end and coupled to the first aspiration tubing on a proximal end.

17. The vitrectomy probe of claim 12 , wherein the outer port side opening has a proximal port edge angle approximately in a range of 40 to 60 degrees and a distal port edge angle approximately in a range of 35 to 55 degrees.

Assignees

• Alcon Inc

Inventors

• Lopez Jose Luis
• Mccawley Matthew Douglas
• Mcdonell Brian William
• Ryan Timothy C
• Underwood John R
• Valencia Salomon
• Auld Jack Robert

Classifications

• A61B17/32002

  with continuously rotating, oscillating or reciprocating cutting instruments · CPC title

• A61F9/00754

  for cutting or perforating the anterior lens capsule, e.g. capsulotomes · 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

• A61B2218/007

  Aspiration · CPC title

• A61B2017/00544

  pneumatically · CPC title