Vitrectomy probe with an optical fiber scanner

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016120699-A1
Application number	US-201414526685-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 29, 2014
Priority date	Oct 29, 2014
Publication date	May 5, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A vitrectomy probe for treating an eye of a patient, the probe including a body arranged for grasping by a surgeon, and a photodisruption element extending from the body. The photodisruption element includes a needle having a main lumen extending from the body, the needle comprising a port at an end, a fiber cannula within the main lumen, the fiber cannula having a fiber lumen, and an optical fiber within the fiber lumen, the optical fiber being mechanically agitatable within the fiber lumen.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A vitrectomy probe for treating an eye of a patient, the probe comprising:
a body arranged for grasping by a surgeon; and a photodisruption element extending from the body, the photodisruption element including:
a needle having a main lumen extending from the body, the needle comprising a port at an end;
a fiber cannula within the main lumen, the fiber cannula having a fiber lumen; and
an optical fiber within the fiber lumen, the optical fiber being mechanically agitatable within the fiber lumen.

2 . The probe of claim 1 , wherein the optical fiber comprises a rounded tip configured as a lens of the optical fiber.

3 . The probe of claim 1 , wherein the optical fiber comprises a bearing at a tip of the optical fiber.

4 . The probe of claim 3 , wherein the fiber lumen comprises a lens at a distal end of the fiber lumen, the lens shaped to fit the bearing such that agitation of the optical fiber causes the bearing to rotate within the lens.

5 . The probe of claim 4 , further comprising a lubricant between the lens and the bearing, the lubricant having a refractive index that matches a refractive index of the optical fiber.

6 . The probe of claim 1 , wherein a distal surface of the optical fiber is directed such that mechanical agitation of the optical fiber causes a beam being projected from the distal surface to scan the port.

7 . The probe of claim 1 , further comprising, wherein the main lumen is an aspiration lumen for extracting vitreous tissue that is severed by a laser beam projected from the optical fiber.

8 . The probe of claim 1 , wherein the optical fiber is configured to emit a laser beam that converges across the port.

9 . The probe of claim 1 , wherein the photodisruption element is curved.

10 . The probe of claim 1 , further comprising, an agitation mechanism to agitate the optical fiber within the fiber lumen.

11 . An ophthalmic surgical system comprising:
a probe comprising:
a body arranged for grasping by a surgeon;
a photodisruption element extending from the body, the photodisruption element including:
a needle having a main lumen, the needle comprising a port at an end;
a fiber cannula having a fiber lumen; and
an optical fiber within the fiber lumen; and

an agitation mechanism to agitate the optical fiber within the fiber lumen such that a beam extending from the optical fiber scans the port.

12 . The system of claim 11 , further comprising, a console connected to the probe through at least one cable.

13 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the console comprises a laser light source in optical connection with the optical fiber.

14 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the console comprises:
a power source in connection with the agitation mechanism; and a vacuum source in fluid connection with the probe.

15 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the main lumen and the fiber lumen have a curved shape.

16 . A method for operating a vitrectomy probe, the method comprising:
projecting a laser beam from a surface of an optical fiber, the laser beam being directed across a port within a needle of the vitrectomy probe, the optical fiber being housed within a fiber cannula that is within the needle, the fiber cannula having a fiber lumen; and mechanically agitating the optical fiber within the fiber lumen such that the laser beam scans across the port.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the laser beam is a pulsed laser beam.

18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein a pulse of the laser beam has a width within a range of about 10-1000 femtoseconds (fs).

19 . The method of claim 16 , wherein an energy of the laser beam is within a range of about 1 micro joule (μJ) to 10 milli-joules (mJ).

20 . The method of claim 16 , wherein agitating the optical fiber is done at a frequency within a range of about 10-10,000 hertz (Hz).

Assignees

• Novartis Ag

Inventors

• Farley Mark

Classifications

• A61F9/0084

  Laser features or special beam parameters therefor · 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

• A61F9/00825 Primary

  for photodisruption · CPC title

• A61F2009/00874

  Vitreous · CPC title