Grasping structures for membrane removal
AssigneeAlcon Inc.
InventorsReto Grüebler, Luca Palmerini
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A surgical instrument includes a flexible outer grasping member and a flexible inner grasping member for peeling a membrane from the retina of a patient's eye. The surgical instrument includes a handle and at least one actuator. An outer tube has a proximal end mounted to the handle. The outer and inner grasping members extend outwardly from a distal end of the outer tube, or are configured to extend outwardly from the distal end of the outer tube. The at least one actuator may be used to move at least one of the outer grasping member and the inner grasping member relative to the other such that the inner grasping member and the outer grasping member are brought together to grasp the retinal membrane.
Claims8
An ophthalmic surgical instrument for peeling a retinal membrane, comprising:
- a handle;
- at least one actuator mounted on the handle;
- an outer tube having a proximal end mounted to the handle;
- a flexible outer grasping member extending outwardly from a distal end of the outer tube or configured to extend outwardly from the distal end of the outer tube, the flexible outer grasping member comprising straight portions connected to one another by a rounded end portion;
- and
- a flexible inner grasping member extending outwardly from the distal end of the outer tube or configured to extend outwardly from the distal end of the outer tube, the flexible inner grasping member comprising straight portions connected to one another by a rounded end portion, wherein:
- the straight portions of the flexible outer grasping member and the flexible inner grasping member are aligned along a longitudinal plane,
- the rounded end portions of the flexible outer grasping member and the flexible inner grasping member are angularly offset from the longitudinal plane, and
- the at least one actuator is configured to move at least one of the flexible outer grasping member or the flexible inner grasping member relative to the other such that the rounded end portions of the flexible inner grasping member and the flexible outer grasping member are brought together to grasp the retinal membrane.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.