US5871492A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Rotary device for removing ophthalmic lens
Assignee: Neomedix Corp
•
Filing: 1996-05-31
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Granted: 1999-02-16
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Expires: 2016-05-31
Abstract
Abstract A system and method for reducing and removing and ophthalmic lens of a mammalian eye. The system includes a rotary lens-reducing probe device of either straight or curved configuration, said probe device comprising a tubular outer sheath through which a rotatable drive shaft extends. A rotating lens-reducing head member is positioned on the distal end of the drive shaft. The head member is configured and constructed to draw a flow of fluid and lens matter into contact therewith, thereby facilitating complete reduction of the entire lens without requiring significant axial (i.e., longitudinal) movement of the probe within the lens capsule. The distal portion of the tubular sheath is preferably configured to shield a portion of the lens-reducing head, during operation, to avoid inadvertent damage to lens capsule. Also, the distal portion of the sheath may be aimed or positioned to direct the flow of fluid and lens matter created by the rotating head in a preferred flow path within the lens capsule. The device may incorporate means for infusing and/or withdrawing fluid and/or debris into/from the eye.
Inventors
- 👤 John T. Sorensen
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 20:06
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61F; A61F9/00; A61F9/007; A61F9/00736; A61F9/00763; A61B; A61B17/00; A61B2017/00681; A61B2017/00685
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 30
Claim 1
Independent Claim
270 words
A method for removing an ophthalmic lens from the lens capsule of a mammalian eye, said method comprising the steps of: a) providing a device which comprises: i) a handpiece having a proximal end and a distal end; ii) an elongate, rigid, tubular probe which extends axially from the distal end of the handpiece, at least a distal portion of said probe being insertable into the eye, said distal portion of said probe having a substantially cylindrical outer surface of a first diameter, and an inner surface of a second diameter which defines a lumen extending longitudinally therethrough; iii) a rotatable drive member having a distal end, said drive member extending longitudinally through said lumen; iv) a lens-reducing head mounted on the distal end of the rotatable drive member, said lens reducing head having an axis of rotation, and at least two wing-like blades which extend laterally outward relative to the axis of rotation of the head. v) a drive motor for rotatably driving said drive member and lens reducing head; vi) wherein said apparatus is devoid of any structure which must diverge angularly outward of the cylindrical outer surface of the distal portion of the rigid probe, when said distal portion is operatively inserted into the eye for reduction of the ophthalmic lens; b) inserting said distal portion of said probe into the lens capsule of the eye; c) causing the lens-reducing head of the apparatus to rotate, thereby reducing the ophthalmic lens within the lens capsule; d) removing the reduced ophthalmic lens matter from the lens capsule; e) withdrawing the probe portion of said apparatus from the eye.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
270 words
A method for removing an ophthalmic lens from the lens capsule of a mammalian eye, said method comprising the steps of: a) providing a device which comprises: i) a handpiece having a proximal end and a distal end; ii) an elongate, rigid, tubular probe which extends axially from the distal end of the handpiece, at least a distal portion of said probe being insertable into the eye, said distal portion of said probe having a substantially cylindrical outer surface of a first diameter, and an inner surface of a second diameter which defines a lumen extending longitudinally therethrough; iii) a rotatable drive member having a distal end, said drive member extending longitudinally through said lumen; iv) a lens-reducing head mounted on the distal end of the rotatable drive member, said lens reducing head having an axis of rotation, and at least two wing-like blades which extend laterally outward relative to the axis of rotation of the head. v) a drive motor for rotatably driving said drive member and lens reducing head; vi) wherein said apparatus is devoid of any structure which must diverge angularly outward of the cylindrical outer surface of the distal portion of the rigid probe, when said distal portion is operatively inserted into the eye for reduction of the ophthalmic lens; b) inserting said distal portion of said probe into the lens capsule of the eye; c) causing the lens-reducing head of the apparatus to rotate, thereby reducing the ophthalmic lens within the lens capsule; d) removing the reduced ophthalmic lens matter from the lens capsule; e) withdrawing the probe portion of said apparatus from the eye.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
68 words
The method of claim 1 wherein step b comprises: initially forming an opening of approximately 1-3 mm through the anterior lens capsule while allowing the remainder of the lens capsule to remain in tact; and, inserting the distal end of said probe through said opening in the anterior lens capsule such that the rotating lens-reducing head becomes positioned within the lens capsule, in contact with the ophthalmic lens.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
59 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the apparatus provided in step a incorporates an aspiration lumen which extends longitudinally through the probe for aspiration of the reduced lens material, and wherein step d of the method comprises: removing the reduced lens matter from the interior of the lens capsule by aspirating said reduced lens matter through said aspiration lumen.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
60 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the rotary lens reducing apparatus provided in step a incorporates an infusion lumen for infusing liquid into the lens capsule, and wherein said method further comprises the step of: infusing liquid through said infusion lumen and into the interior of the lens capsule to facilitate the reduction and removal of the ophthalmic lens matter.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising the additional step of: f) passing a lens replacement material into the interior of the lens capsule to replace the ophthalmic lens which has been reduced and removed therefrom.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
51 words
The method of claim 5 further comprising the step of: g) passing a lens replacement material through said opening of approximately 1-3 mm in the anterior lens capsule, such that said lens replacement material fills the interior of the lens capsule from which the reduced ophthalmic lens matter has been removed.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
98 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the rotating lens-reducing head of the apparatus provided in step a is configured to induce a flow of fluid within the lens capsule such that the entire ophthalmic lens will be brought into contact with and reduced by the rotating head, while the rotating head remains in an axially stationary position; and wherein step c of the method further comprises: holding the probe in an axially stationary position while causing the lens-reducing head to rotate, thereby effecting reduction of the entire ophthalmic lens without concurrent axial movement of the lens reducing head.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the wing-like blades of the lens-reducing head of the device provided in step a of the method comprise: diametrically-opposing blades which protrude radially outward relative to the axis of rotation.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
79 words
The method of claim 8 wherein the diametrically-opposing wing-like blades of the lens-reducing head of the device provided in step a of the method span a width which defines a rotational diameter D 1 of the head, and wherein said rotatable drive member has a distal portion immediately adjacent it's distal end, said distal portion having a diameter D 2 which is smaller than the width rotational diameter D 1 of the diametrically-opposing wing-like blades of the lens-reducing head.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
105 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the wing-like blades of the lens-reducing head of the device provided in step a of the method comprise: wing-like blades which protrude radially outward relative to the axis of rotation or the head by a radial distance R 1 , thereby defining a rotational diameter D 1 of the head; and, wherein said rotatable drive member has a distal portion, immediately adjacent the distal end thereof upon which said head is mounted, said distal portion of said rotatable drive member being of a diameter D 2 which is smaller than the rotational diameter D 1 of the lens-reducing head.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
247 words
An apparatus for endocapsular reduction of the lens of a mammalian eye, said apparatus comprising: a handpiece having a proximal end and a distal end; an elongate, rigid, tubular probe which extends axially from the distal end of the handpiece, at least a distal portion of said probe being insertable into the eye, said distal portion of said probe having a substantially cylindrical outer surface of a first diameter, and an inner surface of a second diameter which defines a lumen extending longitudinally therethrough; a rotatable drive member having a distal end, said drive member extending longitudinally through said lumen; a lens-reducing head mounted on the distal end of the rotatable drive member, said lens reducing head having an axis of rotation and at least two blades which extend radially outward relative to said axis of rotation, said lens-reducing head being configured such that, when the lens-reducing head is rotated within the lens capsule the lens-reducing head will induce a flow of fluid within the lens capsule to draw the entire ophthalmic lens into contact with the rotating lens-reducing head without requiring volitional axial movement of the probe during the endocapsular lens reduction; a drive motor for rotatably driving said drive member and lens reducing head; said apparatus being devoid of any structure which must diverge angularly outward of the cylindrical outer surface of the distal portion of the rigid probe, when said distal portion is operatively inserted into the eye for reduction of the ophthalmic lens.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
247 words
An apparatus for endocapsular reduction of the lens of a mammalian eye, said apparatus comprising: a handpiece having a proximal end and a distal end; an elongate, rigid, tubular probe which extends axially from the distal end of the handpiece, at least a distal portion of said probe being insertable into the eye, said distal portion of said probe having a substantially cylindrical outer surface of a first diameter, and an inner surface of a second diameter which defines a lumen extending longitudinally therethrough; a rotatable drive member having a distal end, said drive member extending longitudinally through said lumen; a lens-reducing head mounted on the distal end of the rotatable drive member, said lens reducing head having an axis of rotation and at least two blades which extend radially outward relative to said axis of rotation, said lens-reducing head being configured such that, when the lens-reducing head is rotated within the lens capsule the lens-reducing head will induce a flow of fluid within the lens capsule to draw the entire ophthalmic lens into contact with the rotating lens-reducing head without requiring volitional axial movement of the probe during the endocapsular lens reduction; a drive motor for rotatably driving said drive member and lens reducing head; said apparatus being devoid of any structure which must diverge angularly outward of the cylindrical outer surface of the distal portion of the rigid probe, when said distal portion is operatively inserted into the eye for reduction of the ophthalmic lens.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
37 words
The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the distal portion of the rigid probe and the lens-reducing head are small enough to be inserted into the eye through an opening which is less than 3 mm in size.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
29 words
The device of claim 11 wherein the drive motor is located in a console and is attached to the drive member by way of a flexible power drive cable.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
28 words
The device of claim 11 further comprising: a fluid flow lumen which extends longitudinally through the probe for passing irrigation fluid into the lens capsule of the eye.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
32 words
The apparatus of claim 11 further comprising: a fluid flow lumen which extends longitudinally through the probe for aspirating reduced lens matter from the interior of the lens capsule of the eye.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
28 words
The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the blades of the lens-reducing head of the apparatus comprise: diametrically-opposing blades which protrude radially outward relative to the axis of rotation.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
70 words
The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the diametrically-opposing blades of the lens-reducing head of the apparatus span a width which defines a rotational diameter D 1 of the head, and wherein said rotatable drive member has a distal portion immediately adjacent it's distal end, said distal portion having a diameter D 2 which is smaller than the width rotational diameter D 1 of the diametrically-opposing blades of the lens-reducing head.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
96 words
The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the blades of the lens-reducing head of the apparatus comprise: blades which protrude radially outward relative to the axis of rotation or the head by a radial distance R 1 , thereby defining a rotational diameter D 1 of the head; and, wherein said rotatable drive member has a distal portion, immediately adjacent the distal end thereof upon which said head is mounted, said distal portion of said rotatable drive member being of a diameter D 2 which is smaller than the rotational diameter D 1 of the lens-reducing head.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
251 words
An apparatus for performing an endocapsular lens reduction procedure in a mammalian eye, said apparatus comprising: a handpiece having a proximal end and a distal end; an elongate, rigid, tubular probe which extends axially from the distal end of the handpiece, said probe having a distal end which is insertable into the eye, said probe having a substantially cylindrical outer surface of a first diameter adjacent its distal end, and an inner surface of a second diameter which defines a lumen extending longitudinally therethrough; a rotatable drive member having a distal end, said drive member extending longitudinally through said lumen; a lens-reducing head mounted on the distal end of the rotatable drive member, said lens reducing head comprising at least two blades which protrude laterally from said rotatable drive member, at least a portion of said lens-reducing head extending beyond the distal end of said probe during the lens-reduction procedure; said lens-reducing head further comprising at least two projections which extend in a longitudinal direction beyond the distal end of said drive member, said projections having distal ends which are located distal to the drive member and which are spaced apart from and unconnected to one another; a drive motor for rotatably driving said drive member and lens reducing head; said apparatus being devoid of any structure which must diverge angularly outward of the cylindrical outer surface of the distal portion of the rigid probe, when said distal portion is operatively inserted into the eye for reduction of the ophthalmic lens.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
251 words
An apparatus for performing an endocapsular lens reduction procedure in a mammalian eye, said apparatus comprising: a handpiece having a proximal end and a distal end; an elongate, rigid, tubular probe which extends axially from the distal end of the handpiece, said probe having a distal end which is insertable into the eye, said probe having a substantially cylindrical outer surface of a first diameter adjacent its distal end, and an inner surface of a second diameter which defines a lumen extending longitudinally therethrough; a rotatable drive member having a distal end, said drive member extending longitudinally through said lumen; a lens-reducing head mounted on the distal end of the rotatable drive member, said lens reducing head comprising at least two blades which protrude laterally from said rotatable drive member, at least a portion of said lens-reducing head extending beyond the distal end of said probe during the lens-reduction procedure; said lens-reducing head further comprising at least two projections which extend in a longitudinal direction beyond the distal end of said drive member, said projections having distal ends which are located distal to the drive member and which are spaced apart from and unconnected to one another; a drive motor for rotatably driving said drive member and lens reducing head; said apparatus being devoid of any structure which must diverge angularly outward of the cylindrical outer surface of the distal portion of the rigid probe, when said distal portion is operatively inserted into the eye for reduction of the ophthalmic lens.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
37 words
The apparatus of claim 19 wherein the distal portion of the rigid probe and the lens-reducing head are small enough to be inserted into the eye through an opening which is less than 3 mm in size.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
62 words
The apparatus of claim 19 wherein the lens-reducing head is configured such that, when the lens-reducing head is rotated within the lens capsule, the lens-reducing head will induce a flow of fluid within the lens capsule to draw the entire ophthalmic lens into contact with the rotating lens-reducing head without requiring volitional axial movement of the probe during the endocapsular lens reduction.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
29 words
The device of claim 19 wherein the drive motor is located in a console and is attached to the drive member by way of a flexible power drive cable.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
28 words
The device of claim 19 further comprising: a fluid flow lumen which extends longitudinally through the probe for passing irrigation fluid into the lens capsule of the eye.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
32 words
The apparatus of claim 19 further comprising: a fluid flow lumen which extends longitudinally through the probe for aspirating reduced lens matter from the interior of the lens capsule of the eye.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
28 words
The apparatus of claim 19 wherein the blades of the lens-reducing head of the apparatus comprise: diametrically-opposing blades which protrude radially outward relative to the axis of rotation.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
70 words
The apparatus of claim 25 wherein the diametrically-opposing blades of the lens-reducing head of the apparatus span a width which defines a rotational diameter D 1 of the head, and wherein said rotatable drive member has a distal portion immediately adjacent it's distal end, said distal portion having a diameter D 2 which is smaller than the width rotational diameter D 1 of the diametrically-opposing blades of the lens-reducing head.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
96 words
The apparatus of claim 19 wherein the blades of the lens-reducing head of the apparatus comprise: blades which protrude radially outward relative to the axis of rotation or the head by a radial distance R 1 , thereby defining a rotational diameter D 1 of the head; and, wherein said rotatable drive member has a distal portion, immediately adjacent the distal end thereof upon which said head is mounted, said distal portion of said rotatable drive member being of a diameter D 2 which is smaller than the rotational diameter D 1 of the lens-reducing head.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2002-02-15 | 2002-08-17 | 2003-02-16 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2006-02-15 | 2006-08-17 | 2007-02-16 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2010-02-15 | 2010-08-17 | 2011-02-16 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |