# US 2013/0158579 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 2013/0158579 A1
- Document ID: US20130158579A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 13/419,061
- Filed: 2012-03-13
- 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/US20130158579A1

## 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 various example vitrectomy probes having an adjustable cutting port size. Various example features are described for adjusting the size of the cutting port. Further, the disclosure provides examples for adjusting the size of the cutter port while the vitrectomy probe is in operation.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A vitrectomy probe comprising:
a housing;
a cutter extending longitudinally from a first end of the housing, the cutter comprising:
an outer cutting member coupled to the housing;
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 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 inner cutting member;
a stroke limiter operable to limit the size of the adjustable port; and
a biasing member disposed between a portion of the stroke limiter and a portion of the housing.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The vitrectomy probe of claim 1, further comprising a chamber formed in the housing, wherein the stroke limiter is disposed within the chamber.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The vitrectomy probe of claim 1, wherein the stoke limiter is displaceable along a longitudinal axis of the vitrectomy probe in response to a fluidic pressure.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The vitrectomy probe of claim 1, wherein the biasing member is a spring.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The vitrectomy probe of claim 4, wherein the spring is a coil spring.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The vitrectomy probe of claim 5, wherein the inner cutting member extends through a longitudinal passage defined by the coil spring.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The vitrectomy probe of claim 1, wherein the stroke limiter is moveable relative to the housing and operable to contact the inner cutting member at a selected position defining a fully retracted position of the inner cutting member.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The vitrectomy probe of claim 7 further comprising an interior assembly, wherein the interior assembly comprises:
the inner cutting member;
a tubular member; and
a hollow coupling joining the inner cutting member and the tubular member, and
wherein a portion of the hollow coupling is operable to contact the stroke limiter at the selected position.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The vitectomy probe of claim 8 further comprising a central passage formed by the inner cutting member, the tubular member, and the hollow coupling, the central passage adapted to allow passage of aspirated materials during operation of the vitrectomy probe

### Claim 10 (depends on 2)

The vitrectomy probe of claim 2 further comprising a diaphragm disposed within and bisecting the chamber into a first chamber portion and a second chamber portion, an outer periphery of the diaphragm coupled to housing and an interior periphery of the diaphragm coupled to the moveable element,
wherein the stroke limiter is longitudinally moveable with the diaphragm to a defined position, the diaphragm moveable in response to pneumatic pressure in the second chamber portion, the pneumatic pressure alterable to a selected pressure to move the moveable element to the defined position, and
wherein the fully retracted position of the inner cutting member is a location of the inner cutting member when a portion of the inner cutting member contacts the stroke limiter at the defined position.

### Claim 11 (depends on 2)

The vitrectomy probe of claim 2 further comprising a diaphragm moveable in response to fluidic pressure, wherein the stroke limiter is coupled to the diaphragm.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The vitrectomy probe of claim 11, wherein the diaphragm bisects the chamber into a first chamber portion and a second chamber portion,
wherein the diaphragm is moveable within the chamber in response to a fluidic pressure introduced into the second chamber portion to displace the stroke limiter, and
wherein the biasing member is operable to apply a biasing force in a direction opposite displacement of the stroke limiter.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The vitrectomy probe of claim 11, wherein the fluidic pressure is pneumatic pressure.

### Claim 14 (depends on 11)

The vitrectomy probe of claim 11, wherein the diaphragm is coupled to the housing along an outer periphery thereof and along an inner periphery thereof.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The vitrectomy probe of claim 14, wherein the stroke limiter is coupled to the diaphragm at a location between the inner periphery and the outer periphery.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The vitrectomy probe of claim 1, wherein the stroke limiter comprises a hollow cylindrical portion defining an interior passage, and
wherein the inner cutting member extends through the interior passage.

### Claim 17 (depends on 1)

The vitrectomy probe of claim 1 further comprising a chamber formed in the housing, wherein the oscillator comprises a diaphragm disposed in the chamber, an outer periphery of the diaphragm coupled to the housing and an inner periphery of the diaphragm coupled to the inner cutting member.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The vitrectomy probe of claim 17 wherein the diaphragm bisects the chamber into a first chamber portion and a second chamber portion, and
wherein the diaphragm is oscillatable in response to fluidic pressure is alternately applied to the first chamber portion and the second chamber portion.

### Claim 19

A vitrectomy probe comprising:
a housing;
a cutter extending from a first end of the housing, the cutter comprising:
a hollow outer cutting member coupled to the housing, the outer cutting member comprising an open end and a closed end;
a hollow inner cutting member slideable within the outer cutting member, the inner cutting member comprising open opposing ends and a first cutting surface at a first end thereof; and
an opening formed in the outer cutting member proximate an end thereof, the opening having a second cutting surface cooperative with the first cutting member to dissect materials that enter the opening, the opening and the first cutting surface defining a port, a size of the port defined by a location of the first cutting surface relative to the opening when the inner cutting member is in a fully retracted position;
a first pneumatic chamber formed in the housing;
a first diaphragm coupled to the inner cutting member and bisecting the first pneumatic chamber into a first chamber portion and a second chamber portion, the first chamber portion in fluid communication with a first passageway and the second chamber portion in fluid communication with a second passageway, the first passageway and the second passageway adapted to transmit a first pneumatic pressure to the first chamber portion and the second chamber portion, respectively, in an alternating sequence to oscillate the first diaphragm and the inner cutting member between the fully retracted position and a fully extended position;
a second pneumatic chamber formed in the housing;
a second diaphragm bisecting the second pneumatic chamber into a third chamber portion and a fourth chamber portion;
a stroke limiter coupled to the second diaphragm and moveable therewith;
a biasing element disposed in the third chamber portion; and
a third passageway in communication with the fourth chamber portion, the third passageway adapted to transmit a second pneumatic pressure to the fourth chamber portion to displace the second diaphragm an amount proportional to the second pneumatic pressure.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The vitrectomy probe of claim 19, wherein the stroke limiter is moveable to a selected location by variation of the second pneumatic pressure.

### Claim 21 (depends on 19)

The vitrectomy probe of claim 19 further comprising an interior assembly, the interior assembly comprising:
a inner cutting member;
a tubular member; and
a hollow coupling disposed between and joining the inner cutting member and the tubular member, the interior assembly extending through an aperture formed in the first diaphragm and an aperture formed in the second diaphragm, and the interior assembly defining a continuous central passage adapted to pass aspirated materials during operation of the vitrectomy probe.

### Claim 22 (depends on 19)

The vitrectomy probe of claim 19, wherein the stroke limiter comprises a first contact surface, wherein the hollow coupling comprises a second contact surface, and wherein contact of the first contact surface with the second contact surface defines the fully retracted position of the inner cutting member.

### Claim 23 (depends on 19)

The vitrectomy probe of claim 19, wherein an alteration to the second pneumatic pressure alters a position of the stroke limiter to cause a change in the size of the port by altering the fully retracted position of the inner cutting member.

### Claim 24 (depends on 19)

The vitrectomy probe of claim 19, wherein the biasing member is a spring.

### Claim 25 (depends on 24)

The vitrectomy probe of claim 24, wherein the spring is a coil spring.

### Claim 26 (depends on 25)

The vitrectomy probe of claim 25, wherein the inner cutting member extends through a longitudinal passage defined by the coil spring.

### Claim 27 (depends on 19)

The vitrectomy probe of claim 19, wherein an outer periphery and an inner periphery of the second diaphragm are coupled to the housing.

### Claim 28 (depends on 27)

The vitrectomy probe of claim 27, wherein the stroke limiter is coupled to the second diaphragm at a location between the inner periphery and the outer periphery.

### Claim 29 (depends on 19)

The vitrectomy probe of claim 19, wherein the biasing member disposed in the third chamber portion between the housing and the stroke limiter, the biasing member adapted to apply a biasing force on the stroke limiter counter to the second pneumatic pressure.

### Claim 30

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; 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 31 (depends on 30)

The method of claim 30, wherein altering a position of a stroke limiter between a fully extended position and a fully retracted position relative to an outer cutting member comprises applying a fluidic pressure to a surface of a diaphragm coupled to the stroke limiter.

### Claim 32 (depends on 31)

The method of claim 31, wherein applying a fluidic pressure to a surface of a diaphragm coupled to the stroke limiter comprises displacing the stroke limiter towards the portion of the inner cutting member.

### Claim 33 (depends on 31)

The method of claim 31, wherein altering a position of the stroke limiter relative to the inner cutting member comprises applying a first force to the stroke limiter to displace the stroke limiter towards the portion of the inner cutting member.

### Claim 34 (depends on 31)

The method of claim 31, wherein applying a first force to the stroke limiter to displace the stroke limiter towards the portion of the inner cutting member comprises applying a fluidic pressure to a surface of a diaphragm coupled to the stroke limiter.

### Claim 35 (depends on 33)

The method of claim 33 further comprising applying a second force to the stroke limiter opposite the first force.

### Claim 36 (depends on 35)

The method of claim 35, wherein applying a second force to the stroke limiter opposite the first force comprises applying a spring reaction force to the stroke limiter.