# US 2013/0158576 A1 · Vitrectomy probe with adjustable cutter port size > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2013/0158576 A1 - Document ID: US20130158576A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/469,391 - Filed: 2012-05-11 - Published: 2013-06-20 - Earliest claimed: 2011-12-20 - Assignees: Alcon Research, Ltd. - Inventors: John R. Underwood; Matthew Braden Flowers; Jack Robert Auld; John Christopher Huculak - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130158576A1 ## CPC - A61F 9/00763: {with rotating or reciprocating cutting elements, e.g. concentric cutting needles (atherectomy cutting instruments A61B17/3207; endoscopic cutting instruments A61B17/320016)} - A61B 2017/00544: {pneumatically} - A61F: FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS (dental prosthetics A61C) - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) ## Abstract Vitrectomy probes and system related thereto are disclosed herein. The disclosure describes vitrectomy probes having an adjustable cutting port size. The cutting port size may be adjusted by altering a position of a stroke limiter via a stepper motor. Various example features are described for adjusting the size of the cutting port. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A vitrectomy probe comprising: a housing; a cutter extending from a first end of the housing along a longitudinal axis, the cutter comprising: an outer cutting member coupled to the housing; an interior assembly comprising: an inner cutting member slideable within the outer cutting member, the inner cutting member slideable between a retracted position and an extended position; and an engagement surface; and an adjustable port, a size of the adjustable port defined by an edge of an opening formed in the outer cutting member and an end surface of the inner cutting member when the inner cutting member is in a fully retracted position; an oscillator operable to reciprocate the interior assembly; and a stroke limiter operable to limit the size of the adjustable port, the stroke limiter movable longitudinally relative to the housing, a location where the engagement surface contacts the stroke limiter defining the fully retracted position of the inner cutting member; and a stepper motor coupled to the housing and operable to actuate the stroke limiter to cause the longitudinal movement thereof. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The vitrectomy probe of claim 1, wherein the stroke limiter comprises a first threaded surface, wherein the housing comprises a second threaded surface, and wherein the first threaded surface cooperatively engages the second threaded surface to translate a rotation of the stroke limiter into the longitudinal movement of the stroke limiter. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The vitrectomy probe of claim 1, wherein the stepper motor comprises: an eccentric gear moveable laterally relative to the housing, the eccentric gear comprising a first geared surface; a first actuator operable to displace the eccentric gear in a first lateral direction; and a second actuator operable to displace the eccentric gear in a second lateral direction angularly offset from the first lateral direction. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The vitrectomy probe of claim 3, wherein each of the first actuator and the second actuator comprise a piston. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The vitrectomy probe of claim 4, wherein each of the pistons of the first actuator and the second actuator are pneumatically actuated. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) The vitrectomy probe of claim 3, wherein the stroke limiter further comprises a second geared surface, a portion of the first geared surface being intermeshed with the second geared surface. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The vitrectomy probe of claim 6, wherein coordinated movement of the first actuator and the second actuator in the first lateral direction and the second lateral direction, respectively, imparts rotation to the stroke limiter. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The vitrectomy probe of claim 7, wherein a first coordinated movement of the first actuator and the second actuator rotates the stroke limiter in a first direction to cause displacement of the stroke limiter in a first longitudinal direction along the longitudinal axis, and wherein a second coordinated movement of the first actuator and the second actuator rotates the stroke limiter in a second direction opposite the first direction to cause displacement of the stroke limiter in a second longitudinal direction along the longitudinal axis opposite the first longitudinal direction. ### Claim 9 (depends on 3) The vitrectomy probe of claim 3, wherein the stepper motor further comprises: a first biasing element aligned with the first actuator, the first biasing element operable to displace the eccentric gear in a third lateral direction opposite the first lateral direction, and a second biasing element aligned with the second actuator, the second biasing element operable to displace the eccentric gear in a third lateral direction opposite the second lateral direction. ### Claim 10 A vitrectomy probe comprising: a housing comprising a sleeve having internal threaded surface; a cutter extending from a first end of the housing along a longitudinal axis, the cutter comprising: an outer cutting member coupled to the housing; an interior assembly comprising: inner cutting member slideable within the outer cutting member, the inner cutting member slideable between a retracted position and an extended position; and an engagement surface; and an adjustable port, a size of the adjustable port defined by an edge of an opening formed in the outer cutting member and an end surface of the inner cutting member when the inner cutting member is in a fully retracted position: an oscillator operable to reciprocate the interior assembly; and a stroke limiter received within the sleeve and longitudinally moveable therein, the stroke limiter operable to contact the engagement surface at a selectable location to define the size fully retracted position of the inner cutting member, the stroke limiter comprising: a member having a threaded outer surface matingly engaged with the internal threaded surface of the sleeve, the threaded outer surface and the internal threads cooperatively engaging to convert a rotation of the stroke limiter into a longitudinal movement; and a stepper motor coupled to the housing and operable rotate the stroke limiter in a first direction and a second direction opposite the first direction. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The vitrectomy probe of claim 10, wherein the stepper motor comprises: an eccentric gear comprising: a first geared surface; and an opening adapted to receive the stroke limiter; a first actuator operable to displace the eccentric gear in a first lateral direction; and a second actuator operable to displace the eccentric gear in a second lateral direction that is angularly offset relative to the first lateral direction. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The vitrectomy probe of claim 11, wherein the stroke limiter further comprises a second geared surface, a portion of the first geared surface being intermeshed with the second geared surface, and wherein coordinated movement of the first actuator and the second actuator in the first lateral direction and the second lateral direction, respectively, imparts rotation to the stroke limiter. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The vitrectomy probe of claim 12, wherein a first coordinated movement of the first actuator and the second actuator rotates the stroke limiter in a first direction to cause displacement of the stroke limiter in a first longitudinal direction along the longitudinal axis, and wherein a second coordinated movement of the first actuator and the second actuator rotates the stroke limiter in a second direction opposite the first direction to cause displacement of the stroke limiter in a second longitudinal direction along the longitudinal axis opposite the first longitudinal direction. ### Claim 14 A method of limiting a cutter port size of a vitrectomy probe, the method comprising: oscillating an inner cutting member between a fully extended position and a fully retracted position relative to an outer cutting member; altering a position of a stroke limiter relative to the inner cutting member comprising: rotating the stroke limiter via coordinated movements in a plurality of lateral directions of an eccentric gear intermeshingly engaged with the stroke limiter; and converting the rotation of the stroke limiter into a longitudinal direction via a threaded interface between the stroke limiter and a housing; and contacting a portion of the inner cutting member with a portion of the stroke limiter to define the fully retracted position of the inner cutting member, the position of the inner cutting member at the fully retracted position relative to the outer cutting member defining the cutter port size. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein rotating the stroke limiter via coordinated movements of an eccentric gear intermeshingly engaged with the stroke limiter in a plurality of lateral directions comprises: displacing the eccentric gear in a first lateral direction with a first actuator; and displacing the eccentric gear in a second lateral direction with a second actuator. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein displacing the eccentric gear in a first lateral direction with a first actuator comprises applying a first pneumatic pressure to a piston of the first actuator; and wherein displacing the eccentric gear in a second lateral direction with a second actuator comprises applying a second pneumatic pressure to a piston of the second actuator.