Probe for laser ablation, illumination, and viscoelastic injection
AssigneeAlcon Inc.
InventorPaul R. Hallen
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Microsurgical instruments having combined illumination, laser ablation, and viscoelastic injection functions. A surgical instrument includes a probe having a main lumen and a port at a distal end thereof. The probe may further include one or more optical fibers within the main lumen, the optical fibers configured to project laser light and illumination light. Laser light may be emitted from the distal end of the probe for disrupting an ocular tissue, while illumination light may be simultaneously emitted, axially or laterally, to provide enhanced visualization of the intraocular space during tissue disruptance. Upon disrupting the tissue, a viscoelastic fluid may be injected from the port to maintain an integrity of the intraocular space.
Claims15
A surgical instrument for an ophthalmic procedure, comprising:
- a laser light source;
- an illumination light source;
- a handle;
- and
- a probe coupled to the handle, the probe further coupled to the laser light source and to the illumination light source, the probe comprising:
- one or more optical fibers configured to transmit a laser light from the laser light source for ablation of a trabecular meshwork of a patient, the one or more optical fibers further configured to transmit an illumination light from the illumination light source for illumination of an intraocular space of the patient;
- a tube surrounding the one or more optical fibers, the tube comprising a portion that is translucent or transparent for facilitating transmission of the illuminated light emitted radially outward from the one or more optical fibers;
- and
- a first port formed proximate to a distal end of the tube for injecting a viscoelastic fluid into the ablated trabecular meshwork.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.