Abstract: A method and apparatus, which provides improved conditioning and adherence of a resected corneal flap into its original position on the eye following the laser ablation step of LASIK vision correction surgery is disclosed. The method comprises resecting at least a portion of at least one of a person's eyes to expose an inner layer of said cornea, which is sculpted using radiation from a laser beam to produce a desired corneal topography. After the desired topography is achieved, the corneal flap is floated back into its proper position in a sterile solution and to remove any debris associated with the sculpting step from the patient's eye. After the corneal flap is repositioned, a flap drying apparatus is used to dry the repositioned corneal flap by applying filtered, compressed air at a flow rate substantially between zero and 2.

Abstract: A probe for ophthalmic surgery and the like includes a handpiece terminating distally in a needle, a connector for connection to a light source such as a laser source or an illumination source, and an optical fiber for transmitting light from the light source to an eye to be treated. The optical fiber extends substantially through the handpiece needle. The needle has a soft tip to reduce the possibility of injury to the interior of the eye by contact with the metal portion of the needle. The soft tip also acts as a distance guide, allowing the user to position the optical fiber repeatedly at the same distance from the retina.

Abstract: A surgical instrument for creating holes of a predetermined diameter and depth in body tissue comprises a tubular catheter having a compression spring affixed at its distal end and attached to the distal end of that spring is a tissue ablating device which may, for example, comprise an electrosurgical monopolar or bipolar electrode that is connected by conductors extending through the lumen of the catheter to an electrosurgical generator at its proximal end. When the instrument is brought in contact with target tissue with a force sufficient to compress the coils of the spring against one another and then ablating energy applied, tissue will be removed as the spring is allowed to expand out to its uncompressed length. The depth of the hole thus created is equal to the difference between the lengths of the spring when compressed and uncompressed. If desired, a suitable drug can be delivered into the thus created hole via a lumen in the catheter.

Abstract: A laser beam delivery system and a method for ablating tissue, e.g., for reshaping a cornea of an eye is provided. The laser beam delivery system directs a laser beam on the tissue to be ablated in a predetermined pattern according to the principles of the present invention. The laser beam is incrementally scanned to subsequent laser beam ablation points or spots in the ablation zone in accordance with the predetermined pattern. The laser beam ablates tissue at the spots in the predetermined pattern in an arranged order. In one aspect of the present invention, the radii of the predetermined pattern is varied between scans of the laser beam until a predetermined reshaping is achieved by ablation. In another aspect of the present invention, every other, every third, every fourth, etc. laser beam spot in a predetermined pattern is ablated, and the scans are repeated for unablated points until all spots are ablated.

Abstract: A cooling handpiece and method for use in therapeutic, cosmetic or aesthetic, diagnostic, exploratory, interventional or other medical procedures, the handpiece for use in conjunction with a controllable energy source such as coherent light, non-coherent light or laser light, ultrasound energy, radio frequency energy and other types of electromagnetic and mechanical energy, the handpiece comprising a main body portion adapted for directing the energy to target tissue, the main body portion further adapted for receiving a removable reservoir containing coolant fluid, the reservoir having an attachment means for releasable attachment of the reservoir to the handpiece, and the handpiece having a controllable valve for delivery of a portion of the coolant fluid to the target tissue.

Abstract: A phototherapy device has a phototherapy handpiece, an optical fiber attached to the phototherapy handpiece, and a laser phototherapy light source. The phototherapy handpiece, has a handpiece body that defines an interior region and has an outer surface which defines a foot of the phototherapy handpiece, an optical fiber drive assembly disposed at least partially within the interior region of the handpiece body has an optical fiber attachment portion that is movable relative to the handpiece body. The optical fiber drive assembly includes a driving component which causes the attachment portion to move relative to the handpiece body, and a damping component which resists the motion of the optical fiber attachment portion such that the optical fiber attachment portion attains a substantially constant speed motion relative to the handpiece body.

Abstract: A laser treatment apparatus which irradiates a laser beam produced by a treatment laser source to an area of treatment, the apparatus comprises an irradiation condition setting device which sets irradiation conditions of the laser beam, such as an irradiation area, a laser scanning device provided with a plurality of reflectors including at least a reflector which is continuously rotated in a predetermined direction by a motor to perform a laser two-dimensional scanning on the treatment area, a scanning controller which controls the operation of the laser scanning device, and an irradiation controller which controls the laser source to turn on and off the laser beam depending on the irradiation conditions in correspondence with the operation of the laser scanning device.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for optically treating tissue by contact between the apparatus and the tissue. The apparatus includes a holder having a distal end having an opening in it, and a contact member for contacting tissue to be treated and for coupling optical energy from a source of optical energy into said tissue. The contact member is a curved lens mounted in and partially extending from the opening and freely rotatable about at least one axis relative to the holder. The holder has a single coolant flow channel proximal to the opening and the contact member for supplying a cooling fluid to the contact member. A gap is provided between the contact member and the opening for allowing the fluid to flow around substantially the entire outer surface of the contact member and out of the opening onto said tissue to cool the tissue.

Abstract: A medical appliance for plugging a hole in a nasal septum that includes a central member that has an irregular cross section where its major axis is longer than its minor axis and where the appliance is sized such that the length of the central portion major axis is the same or slightly shorter than a major axis of an irregularly shaped nasal septum hole, and with opposing disks secured across the opposite central member opposite ends that each have a like diameter that is greater than the length of the nasal septum hole major axis. The medical appliance is formed as a single unit from a flexible material to human body compatible material where at least one of the disks can be folded upon itself and will return to its original shape when released.

Abstract: A laser-powered fiberoptic heating element comprises a crystalline optic fiber fusion bonded to a crystalline heat-generating tip section.

Abstract: An endarterectomy surgical instrument and procedure for removing plaque from a selected length of an artery and surgical instruments for cutting plaque build-ups. The endarterectomy surgical instrument has means for developing an image of the surgical site so that probing of the artery can be observed without requiring opening the artery along the selected length over which the plaque is removed.

Abstract: A laser apparatus for medical treatment use in which a laser beam is irradiated on a portion of a human body to be treated comprises a laser beam generation unit for generating a laser beam of giant pulse, a laser beam guide member having one end through which the laser beam from the laser beam generation unit is guided, and a hand piece attached to another end of the laser beam guide member and irradiating the laser beam to the portion to be treated. A beam converging point is formed within a laser beam propagating path formed in at least one of the light guiding means and the hand piece and a stay of air is prevented from a predetermined region in the laser beam propagating path including at least the beam converging point at which the air stays. The predetermined region is positioned within the hand piece or the laser beam guide member. The air stay is prevented by means of producing a vacuum state, gas seal state or air flow state in the predetermined region.

Abstract: Various embodiments of optical fiber cables and laser probes are disclosed for providing multi-spot laser beams from a single laser beam source. This permits time-intensive but repetitive laser surgical procedures such as panretinal photocoagulation to be performed with increased accuracy and in a fraction of the time currently allotted for such procedures.

Abstract: A laser treatment method and apparatus is provided which facilitates the grafting of hairs on the skin of a living human. The methodology involves a carefully designed treatment protocol utilizing a modified optical apparatus. The apparatus is a modified erbium-based laser system, designed for optimal therapeutic selectivity.

Abstract: A multizone, multipass photorefractive keratectomy (MP-PRK) technique to treat 315 eyes with the 193-nm VISX 20/20 excimer laser. The procedure includes making multipass ablations that increase in ablative depth to create as step-wise ablation of the corneal to the predetermined dioptric correction. It also includes making multizone ablations that create of variable widths that result in a predetermined ablative depth with smooth transition edges. A combination of multizone, multipass ablations are used to treat astigmatism. New algorithms effectively treat the full range of myopia, including low myopic eyes (-1 to -6 D), moderately myopic eyes (-6 to -10 D); and highly myopic eyes (-10 to -27 D).

Abstract: A cautery instrument having a first predetermined region for contact with flesh or tissue, the instrument being coated with flesh or tissue, the instrument being coated over at least a portion of the predetermined region by a coating consisting essentially of diamond of a thickness permitting transmission of radio-frequency electrical energy from the first predetermined region through the diamond coating to flesh or tissue by capactive coupling.

Abstract: A distributed system is provided for controlling excimer laser eye surgery. A topography system, a computer system, and an excimer laser eye surgery system are provided, with the topography system providing profile data to the computer system, and the computer system calculating and providing an ablation shot pattern to the excimer laser eye surgery system. At least the computer system and the excimer laser eye surgery system are located remotely, and the excimer laser eye surgery system can receive data from more than one computer system and more than one topography system. This allows for better utilization of resources.

Abstract: An apparatus for destroying residual lens epithelial cells. The apparatus includes a probe configured for insertion into the eye between the iris and the lens capsule. The probe is further configured to deliver energy therefrom to residual lens epithelial cells within the lens capsule in order to destroy them. The distal end of the probe is configured to allow a surgeon using the probe to reach all areas within the lens capsule to ensure that no epithelial cells remain alive after use of the probe.

Abstract: A system is provided to position an energy delivery handpiece a desired distance from a treatment site while at the same time protecting the handpiece, and energy transmitting optical fibers, from soiling due to tissue debris. The system includes one or more energy transmissive members that are formed from a material that allows the passage of electromagnetic (e.g., laser) energy therethrough. The energy transmissive members can be removably and replaceably attachable to one end of a spacer member. An opposite end of the spacer member is mountable to the energy delivery handpiece. The energy transmissive member is effective protect the handpiece from tissue eruptions. In one embodiment the energy transmissive member also is effective to focus electromagnetic energy upon the treatment site.

Abstract: A long pulse alexandrite laser hair removal system is disclosed using light pulses of greater than 1 msec and fluences between 10 and 50 J/cm.sup.2. The use of an alexandrite laser allows good penetration while still achieving an acceptable combination of hemoglobin and melanin absorption. The use an index-matching application on the skin sections to be treated is also described. This substance will be absorbed into the epidermal layer to provide better coupling of the laser light into the skin. Also, and most advantageously, it will reduce reflections at the epidermal-dermal junction, which can lead to the damage of the skin. Also a topical thermal or photochromic indicator is suggested since skin irradiation in the near-infrared generally does not produce any characteristic skin color change as is found when using pulsed dye lasers, for example.