Abstract: A method and delivery system are disclosed for creating an aqueous flow pathway in the trabecular meshwork, juxtacanalicular trabecular meshwork and Schlemm's canal of an eye for reducing elevated intraocular pressure. Pulsed laser radiation is delivered from the distal end of a fiber-optic probe sufficient to cause photoablation of selected portions of the trabecular meshwork, the juxtacanalicular trabecular meshwork and an inner wall of Schlemm's canal in the target site. The fiber-optic probe may be advanced so as to create an aperture in the inner wall of Schlemm's canal in which fluid from the anterior chamber of the eye flows. The method and delivery system may further be used on any tissue types in the body.

Abstract: Light sources are incorporated into a guidewire for enabling the ability to render light therapy be added to catheters that do not have that capability. In one exemplary embodiment, a solid guidewire includes a conductive core, and light sources are added to compartments formed in a distal end of the guidewire. In another exemplary embodiment, a light source array is included in a distal end of a hollow guidewire. A plurality of openings are formed into the walls of the hollow guidewire surrounding the array, enabling light to pass through the openings. Conductors extend from the array though the hollow center of the guidewire, to a proximal end of the hollow guidewire. The hollow guidewire can be coated with a conductive material, so that the coating on the guidewire serves as a conductor.

Abstract: An ophthalmic laser treatment apparatus includes: an aiming optical system configured to irradiate an aiming beam to a patient's eye; a laser irradiation optical system configured to irradiate a laser beam for treatment to the patient's eye; a shift unit configured to make a shift of a focus shift position corresponding to a focus position of the laser beam to a posterior or anterior position with respect to a focus position of the aiming beam; a selection receiving unit configured to receive an instruction to select any one of a plurality of treatment modes; and a control unit configured to control operations of the ophthalmic laser treatment apparatus. The control unit sets a value of a parameter related to irradiation of the laser beam, the parameter including a parameter related to the shift of the focus shift position, according to the treatment mode selected with the selection receiving unit.

Abstract: Systems and methods to treat a region of a cornea of an eye having an epithelial layer disposed over a stromal layer. The system comprises a device to map a thickness of the epithelial layer over the region of the cornea to generate a map of epithelial thickness over the region, and a laser to generate a laser beam of an ablative radiation. A movable scan component is coupled to the laser to scan the laser beam over the region. A processor system is coupled to the laser and the movable scan component, and the processor system is configured to arrange pulses of laser beam to ablate the epithelial layer of the region in response to the map of epithelial thickness.

Abstract: A method of transplanting a cornea from a donor to a recipient is disclosed. An undercut is incised within stromal tissue of the donor cornea. Following formation of the undercut, the donor cornea is grafted onto a recipient. The undercut may be formed before or after the cornea is removed from the donor, and is preferably formed by photoaltering the stromal tissue using a laser. A sidecut may also be incised in the donor cornea, thereby forming a corneal flap, prior to grafting. In addition, a corneal section may be excised from the donor cornea using a trephine, a laser, or other appropriate surgical equipment.

Abstract: A light therapy apparatus is provided for delivering ocular light to a subject to treat disorders that are responsive to ocular light therapy, including a power supply and a hand-held light output device. The light output device includes a plurality of light sources powered by the power supply. A method of light therapy is provided, wherein ocular light is administered to a subject to treat disorders that are responsive to ocular light therapy. The method includes delivering the light to the eyes of a subject by a hand-held light source operated by a power supply.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for forming curved cuts in a transparent material, in particular in the cornea, by the creation of optical perforations in said material using laser radiation that is focused in the material. The focal point is displaced three-dimensionally to form the cut by lining up the optical perforations. The focal point is displaced in a first spatial direction by a displaceable lens and said focal directions in such a way that it follows the contours of the cut, which lie on a plane that is substantially perpendicular to the first spatial direction.

Abstract: A surgical laser system can include a laser engine to generate a laser beam of laser pulses, a scanning delivery system to direct the laser beam to a target region and to scan the laser beam along a scan-pattern in the target region, and a pupil system to modulate the laser beam. In addition, a method of adjusting a pupil of a laser beam can include: generating a laser beam of laser pulses with a laser engine, directing the laser beam to a target region with a scanning delivery system, scanning the laser beam along a scan-pattern in the target region with the scanning delivery system, and performing a modulation of the laser beam with an adjustable pupil system.

Abstract: An electrode array supports multiple electrodes and energizes them so that adjacent electrodes do not have the same polarity. In one embodiment, the electrodes are held about a circumference outside and surrounding a tumor and opposed electrodes are energized in a round robin fashion to promote current flow through the center of the tumor from a variety of angles.

Abstract: A device and method for cutting or ablating tissue in a human or veterinary patient includes an elongate probe having a distal end, a tissue cutting or ablating apparatus located adjacent within the distal end, and a tissue protector extending from the distal end. The protector generally has a first side and a second side and the tissue cutting or ablating apparatus is located adjacent to the first side thereof. The distal end is structured to be advanceable into tissue or otherwise placed and positioned within the patient's body such that tissue adjacent to the first side of the protector is cut away or ablated by the tissue cutting or ablation apparatus while tissue that is adjacent to the second side of the protector is not substantially damaged by the tissue cutting or ablating apparatus.

Abstract: The present invention includes a medical device providing for the measurement and/or monitoring of the thermal conditions and/or environment existing across a substantial portion of a thermal element disposed on the medical device and the corresponding tissue region being treated by the device. The medical device of the present invention may generally include an elongate body having a thermal element coupled thereto for providing thermal energy to a desired tissue region, as well as a thermocouple array providing a plurality of temperature measurement positions about the thermal element. The thermocouple array may include one or more thermocouple elements arranged as a mesh or wire structure disposed about a substantial portion of the surface area of the thermal element.

Abstract: A method of correcting wavefront aberrations of an eye includes determining a high precision conventional intrastromal corneal ablation profile based on a direct removal of the intrastromal corneal tissue. An expanded ablation volume profile is constructed based on the direct tissue removal profile and the expanded tissue volume is to be ablated instead to correct to the wavefront aberrations. The thickness of the ablated profile of a conventional ablation profile is expanded by an expansion factor (Nc?1)/(Nm?Nc), Nc is the index of refraction of the cornea and Nm the index of fill material. An expanded ablation volume filled with the fill material produces the effect of correcting wavefront aberrations as if a much smaller tissue volume were ablated without the fill material.

Abstract: A method and delivery system are disclosed for creating an aqueous flow pathway in the trabecular meshwork, juxtacanalicular trabecular meshwork and Schlemm's canal of an eye for reducing elevated intraocular pressure. Pulsed laser radiation is delivered from the distal end of a fiber-optic probe sufficient to cause photoablation of selected portions of the trabecular meshwork, the juxtacanalicular trabecular meshwork and an inner wall of Schlemm's canal in the target site. The fiber-optic probe may be advanced so as to create an aperture in the inner wall of Schlemm's canal in which fluid from the anterior chamber of the eye flows. The method and delivery system may further be used on any tissue types in the body.

Abstract: A robotic surgical system includes a track, a catheter holding device including a catheter receiving portion translatably associated with the track, a translation servo mechanism to control translation of the catheter holding device relative to the track, a catheter deflection control mechanism, a deflection servo mechanism to control the catheter deflection control mechanism, and a controller to control at least one of the servo mechanisms. The catheter receiving portion is adapted for quick installation and removal of a catheter. The catheter receiving portion may be rotatable, with a rotation servo mechanism to control the rotatable catheter receiving portion. The controller controls at least one of the deflection and rotation servo mechanisms to maintain a substantially constant catheter deflection as the catheter rotates. An introducer, which may be steerable, and an expandable, collapsible sterile tube may also be provided.

Abstract: A grasping forceps 1 includes: a pair of guide sections 7A and 7B that guide maneuvering wires 6A and 6B in a direction of an axial line C of a sheath; an extending-and-retracting member (transmission section) 8 that transmits displacement information of the maneuvering section to the maneuvering wires 6A and 6B and outputs the displacement information to the intervention instrument; a distal direction movement inhibitor section (specific directional movement-inhibitor section) 10 that allows the sheaths of the maneuvering wires 6A and 6B toward the distal end; a proximal direction movement inhibitor section (specific directional movement-inhibitor section) 11 that allows the sheaths of the maneuvering wires 6A and 6B toward the distal end; and an locked-state-releasing section 12 that releases an engaging state of the guide sections 7A and 7B with the distal direction movement inhibitor section 10 or the proximal direction movement inhibitor section 11 based on the displacement input by the maneuvering secti

Abstract: An endoscope captures images of a surgical site for display in a viewing area of a monitor. When a tool is outside the viewing area, a GUI indicates the position of the tool by positioning a symbol in a boundary area around the viewing area so as to indicate the tool position. The distance of the out-of-view tool from the viewing area may be indicated by the size, color, brightness, or blinking or oscillation frequency of the symbol. A distance number may also be displayed on the symbol. The orientation of the shaft or end effector of the tool may be indicated by an orientation indicator superimposed over the symbol, or by the orientation of the symbol itself. When the tool is inside the viewing area, but occluded by an object, the GUI superimposes a ghost tool at its current position and orientation over the occluding object.

Abstract: A method of preventing rejection of an implant in the eye, includes forming a flap in the cornea of the eye, inserting an implant under the flap, cross linking corneal tissue surrounding an implant to make the corneal tissue surrounding an implant less vulnerable to enzymatic degradation, inserting polymeric material under the corneal flap so as to overlie corneal tissue, compressing a layer of the cornea from outside using a lens having a predetermined curvature to correct refractive error of the cornea, and cross linking corneal tissue that the polymeric material overlies.

Abstract: The present invention generally relates to apparatus and processes for preventing or delaying cataract. More particularly, the present invention relates to processes and apparatus for ablating epithelial cells in the germinative zone or the pregerminative zone of the crystalline lens of the eye so that onset or progression of cataract or one or more symptoms is delayed or prevented.

Abstract: The present invention provides improved methods and systems for laser beam positioning, shape profile, size profile, drift, and/or deflection calibration using an image capture device, such as a microscope camera, for enhanced calibration accuracy and precision. The methods and systems are particularly suited for iris calibration and hysteresis measurement of a variable diameter aperture. One method for calibrating laser pulses from a laser eye surgery system using an image capture device comprises imaging a known object with an image capture device. A pulsed laser beam is directed onto a calibration surface so as to leave a mark on the calibration surface. The mark on the calibration surface is then imaged with the image capture device. The laser eye surgery system is calibrated by comparing the image of the mark on the calibration surface to the image of the known object.

Abstract: A system for removing matter from a partially or totally occluded stent includes a cutter that is urged radially outward toward the inner surface of the stent. Preferably, the cutter has a hardness that is less than or equal to the hardness of the material used to make the stent. Aspiration may be provided to remove portions of the occluding material from the vessel.