Ophthalmic surgical instrument and method
OwnerAlexander Dybbsinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A corneal surgical instrument comprising a surgical knife and ultrasonic probe assembly that measures the corneal thickness, monitors the positioning and perpendicularity of the knife and controls the depth of the knife blade. The ultrasonic probe assembly includes a pair of ultrasonic probes disposed on opposite sides of said cutting plane of the knife blade. Information on monitored parameters is displayed to the surgeon in the display of a surgical instrument used to perform corneal surgery.
Claims21
A surgical instrument for making incisions in the cornea of an eye comprising a knife body and a cutting blade connected to the knife body, the cutting blade having a cutting plane, and the surgical instrument being characterized by a pair of ultrasonic probes connected to the knife body and disposed on opposite sides of the cutting plane for measuring the thickness of the cornea, the ultrasonic probes each having a probe tip for contacting the cornea, and each said probe tip being laterally spaced apart from the other to form therebetween a window through which the cutting blade can be viewed.
An ultrasonic probe assembly for mounting to a body of a surgical knife having a cutting blade defining a cutting plane, said assembly comprising a holder adapted to be mounted to the knife body, and a pair of ultrasonic probes supported in said holder such that the ultrasonic probes will be disposed on opposite sides of the cutting plane for measuring the thickness of the cornea, the ultrasonic probes each having a probe tip for contacting the cornea, and each said probe tip being laterally spaced apart from the other to form therebetween a window through which the cutting blade can be viewed when the holder is mounted to the knife body.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.