OPHTHALMIC SURGICAL SYSTEM AND METHOD
A system (20) for ophthalmic surgery includes a control assembly (24) placed away from the patient to prevent contamination, and a sterile disposable microkeratome (22) for performing surgery on a patient's eye. The disposable microkeratome is connected to the reusable control assembly by a cable (28). The microkeratome includes a base that sits on the eye, and a carriage that supports and guides a cutting blade as it moves relative to the base. The base includes a main portion that holds the microkeratome on the eye and a handle that extends away from the main portion. The cable is connected to the microkeratome at an end of the handle spaced from the main portion to help maintain the sterility of that portion of the microkeratome.
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The present application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/229,967, filed Sep. 1, 2000, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
FIELD OF THE INVENTIONThe invention relates to an ophthalmic surgical system and method including a disposable surgical microkeratome and, more particularly, to an automated surgical system and method for using such a device in laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis (LASIK).
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONOphthalmic surgeons increasingly use new surgical methods and devices for changing the shape of a patient's cornea to correct vision defects, including myopia, hyperopia, and astigmatism. One such device is called a microkeratome which is used, in particular, to cut a corneal flap during performance of LASIK surgery. Unfortunately, there are problems with some of the microkeratomes used in corrective eye surgery.
More particularly, many microkeratomes suffer from one or more disadvantages including, for example, the inability of the microkeratome automatically to cut over a predetermined distance, the microkeratome being made of surgical steel which prevents the surgeon from viewing the cornea as the cutting blade advances, and/or the microkeratome being made of many small metal components which are expensive to produce and assemble. The largest dimension of some microkeratomes is less than about two inches (about five centimeters), meaning that individual components are even smaller. Reassembling such a microkeratome while wearing sterile gloves is particularly difficult. A microkeratome having many small components also is difficult, if not impossible, to clean and sterilize between patients.
Furthermore, some microkeratomes have exposed gears or screw threads which can become contaminated during the surgical operation. The small crevasses in these elements are particularly difficult to maintain in a sterile and smooth working condition. Furthermore, sterility problems have been reported in the field, making complete sterility of the components in the vicinity of the patient more important than ever. Additional problems with some existing microkeratomes are discussed in commonly owned U.S. Pat. No. 6,228,099, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.
One of the better microkeratomes is disclosed in commonly owned International Application No. PCT/US98/24785, published as International Publication No. WO99/26568, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Although the microkeratome disclosed therein is a significant improvement over microkeratomes at the time, further improvements are desirable.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention provides a system and method including a microkeratome that is a substantial improvement over existing microkeratomes. According to one aspect of the invention, independent control of the axial movement and transverse movement of a cutting blade in a microkeratome is accomplished through the use of a single control cable that connects the microkeratome to a remotely located control assembly. According to another aspect of the invention, the microkeratome is equipped with a handle that enables connection of the control cable to be effected at a remote location, whereby the microkeratome can be connected to the control cable while maintaining the portion of the microkeratome in the vicinity of the patient's eye in a sterile condition. According to yet another aspect of the invention, the microkeratome includes a base having a main portion for engaging the eye and a hollow handle extending from the main portion, the handle housing a linkage that connects a control shaft to a cutting blade movable relative to the base. According to still another aspect of the invention, the microkeratome includes a biasing device for automatically retracting a carriage from an extended position to a retracted position.
The present invention provides a microkeratome that can be disposable, preassembled and presented in a sterile condition, and a control system that can be reused indefinitely, resulting in greatly reduced cost while providing a superior quality surgical operation.
In particular, the present invention provides a microkeratome for ophthalmic surgery that includes a base, a carriage mounted to the base, and a cutting blade carried in the carriage. The base includes a main portion for mounting on an eye and a handle extending from the main portion to provide for remote connection of a control cable to the microkeratome. The carriage is guided for linear movement in a cutting direction relative to the base and the cutting blade is movable in relative to the carriage. The aforementioned control cable has a control shaft. The control cable is connectable to the base of the microkeratome such that axial movement of the control shaft effects the linear movement of the carriage along the cutting direction, and rotational movement of the shaft effects movement of the cutting blade relative to the carriage.
The present invention also provides a system for ophthalmic surgery that includes a microkeratome and a control assembly for controlling the microkeratome. The control assembly has a drive assembly including the control cable which is connected to the carriage such that axial movement of the control shaft effects movement of the carriage in the cutting direction relative to the base, and rotational movement of the control shaft effects movement of the cutting blade relative to the carriage.
The present invention also provides a method for ophthalmic surgery that includes connecting a control shaft to a microkeratome, axially shifting the control shaft to effect movement of a carriage relative to a base on which it is mounted, and rotating the control shaft to effect movement of a cutting blade relative to the carriage in which it is carried.
Such a method may further include applying the microkeratome to an eye; and independently controlling the movement of the carriage relative to the base and the movement of cutting blade relative to the carriage, disposing of a first microkeratome following a first operation and selecting a second microkeratome for a subsequent operation and/or driving the carriage in a forward direction from a retracted position to an extended position and retracting the carriage from the extended position to the retracted position.
The present invention also provides a system for ophthalmic surgery comprising means for driving a cutting blade for movement, means for supporting the cutting blade relative to an eye, and control means for controlling the means for driving. The control means includes a control cable having a control shaft movable within a sheath, and the means for supporting includes a main portion mountable in the vicinity of an eye and a handle extending from the main portion. The control cable is connectable to the handle, and the control shaft is connectable to the cutting blade such that movement of the control shaft effects movement of the cutting blade.
The present invention further provides a microkeratome for ophthalmic surgery comprising a base, a carriage mounted to the base, and a cutting blade carried in the carriage. The base has a proximal end for engaging an eye and a handle extending away from the proximal end and terminating at a coupling to which at least one control cable having at least one shaft can be connected. The handle houses a linkage extending between the coupling and the carriage for transferring motion from the at least one control shaft to the carriage.
The present invention further provides a microkeratome for ophthalmic surgery wherein the carriage is guided for movement in a cutting direction relative to the base between a retracted position and an extended position and the cutting blade is movable relative to the carriage. The base has associated therewith a biasing member operating to bias the carriage toward the retracted position.
The microkeratome may further have a hollow handle extending away from the main portion, the biasing member being housed within the handle.
The present invention also provides a microkeratome for ophthalmic surgery, wherein the base includes a coupling that includes a first connector for securing the sheath of a control cable and a second connector configured to axially and rotatably interconnect with the end of the control shaft The second connector may also be configured to axially and transversely interconnect with the end of the control shaft.
Thus, the present invention provides an improved system, method and microkeratome for ophthalmic surgery. The microkeratome provided by the present invention can be quickly and easily connected to remote drive using a single control cable. The control cable rotates and moves axially within and relative to a sheath without using any gears or other complex components in the microkeratome, thereby minimizing complexity, enhancing the reliability, durability and sterilizable aspects of the microkeratome. This also leads to a microkeratome that is relatively inexpensive to manufacture, allowing the microkeratome to be disposable. In addition, since the drive is located remotely from the microkeratome, it maintains a sterile condition more readily and is reusable.
The foregoing and other features of the invention are hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims, the following description and annexed drawings setting forth in detail a certain illustrative embodiment of the invention, this embodiment being indicative, however, of but one of the various ways in which the principles of the invention may be employed.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The present invention provides a system and method of using a disposable microkeratome that facilitates the performance of corrective refractive ophthalmic surgery, particularly keratomileusis, and more particularly laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis (LASIK). Referring now to the drawings in detail, and initially to
The control assembly 24 is substantially contained within a housing 32 and includes a drive assembly 34, a suction pump 36, and a controller 38. The controller 38 can include an electronic circuit for controlling the operation of the drive assembly and the pump. The control assembly also has one or more input devices 40 connected to the controller, such as a touch screen, an ON/OFF switch, a suction pedal or switch, a two-position drive pedal or switch, and/or a flap length adjustment selector, also referred to as a flap hinge positioning system. The one or more input devices permit the surgeon to control several variables in the operation of the system 20, as further described herein. For more detail concerning the operation of an exemplary control assembly, reference may be had to commonly owned International Application No. PCT/US98/24785, filed Nov. 20, 1998 (published as International Publication No. WO99/26568 on Jun. 3, 1999), which is hereby incorporated herein in its entirety by reference.
The drive assembly 34 is substantially similar to the drive assembly disclosed in the aforementioned International Publication No. WO99/26568, with the exception that the rotary and axial cables in the aforementioned publication have been replaced in the illustrated system with a single control cable that transmits both rotational and axial motion to the microkeratome. The drive assembly 34 includes a linear drive motor 60 connected to slide member 62 by a rack 64 and pinion 66, for example, for moving the slide member through a range of linear motion corresponding to the desired cut length. The slide member is mounted on a pair of parallel rods 72 that act as slide guides for directing or guiding the linear motion of the slide member 62. A rotary drive motor 70 is carried on the slide member for movement therewith. A control cable 28 having a control shaft 76 is connected to the rotary motor 70. Because the rotary drive motor 70 is mounted on the slide member 62, the drive shaft can simultaneously transfer rotational motion (created by the rotary drive motor) and linear axial motion (created by the linear drive motor through the slide member) to the microkeratome.
The control shaft 76 is disposed in a flexible sheath 78 and the shaft and the sheath together form the control cable 28. Consequently, the control cable connects the rotary drive motor 70 and the axial drive motor 60 (through the slide member 62) to the microkeratome 22. The control shaft rotates and/or moves axially within the sheath 70 as the slide member 62 moves through its range of motion.
The control shaft 76 may have a monocoil, double wound or triple wound construction over a central wire or mandrel with the winds pitched in opposite directions to provide torsional rigidity. The triple wound construction provides bi-directional properties as well as flexibility for increased endurance life of the shaft, as compared to a monocoil or double wound construction. The torsional stiffness of the triple wound construction generally is equivalent to or greater than the double wound construction but its flexural stiffness generally is less than about half that of the double wound construction. However, this is desirable because the shaft may rotate in a relatively sharp bend at high speed. The control shaft can be made of stainless steel due to the strength and endurance limit of stainless steel. Furthermore, the exemplary control shaft is coated with a thin wall shrink tubing in order to provide a smooth surface to minimize or eliminate vibration. The inside of the sheath 78 may be coated with a material, such as polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), to reduce friction between the sheath and the shaft. Alternatively, the entire sheath may be formed of PTFE. The control shaft is designed to rotate at speeds up to 20,000 revolutions per minute and to provide the necessary torque to drive the microkeratome 22.
An enlarged view of the microkeratome 22 is shown in
As shown in
At a front end 104 of the base 90 opposite the handle 96 and between the guides 102, a generally circular opening 106 is provided for receiving a cornea therethrough. The opening communicates through the top surface (and actually top wall) of the base to a substantially cylindrical suction chamber 107 provided at the underside of the base. The chamber is formed in part by a cylindrical suction ring 108 which depends from the top wall of the base and generally is larger than the opening in the base. The suction ring and the opening are adapted for engaging and sealing against the surface of an eye to provide an air tight enclosed space therebetween, or are otherwise configured to form a tight seal with the eye so that a partial vacuum can be drawn to hold the base to the eye. The base 90 also is designed such that when suction is applied to the suction chamber 107, the cornea protrudes through the opening and above the top surface 100 of the base.
As an alternative to the Illustrated suction ring, the suction ring may be formed of one or more circumferentially arranged suction devices that hold the microkeratome in a stable relation to the eye.
The base 90 has extending upwardly at the forward end thereof a fixture (or fitting) 110. The illustrated fixture is angled away from the opening 94 to provide an unobstructed view of the cornea. The fixture acts as a suction pipe for attachment of the suction tube 26 (
The surgeon can use the handle 96 to facilitate positioning the microkeratome on an eye and to hold the microkeratome 22 in place until a partial vacuum is drawn in the suction chamber 107. Consequently, the handle must extend sufficiently for an adult surgeon to place two fingers and a thumb on the handle, and more preferably extends at least about 2 inches (about 5 cm), at least about 3 inches (about 7.6 cm), at least about 4 inches (about 10 cm) or more. Referring briefly to
As an alternative to the base 90 shown in
Referring now to
The cutting head 120 has formed therein a substantially vertical slot 124 that opens from an angled blade guide surface 126 underneath the cutting head. The slot sliding receives and guides a blade holder 128 (
The blade holder 128 is illustrated in
The cutting blade 94 (
The wedge also includes at least one protrusion 142, extending from a top surface. The protrusion is adapted to be press fit or otherwise secured in corresponding recesses 144 (
The carriage (except the cutting blade) and at least the main portion of the base may be composed of transparent materials, such as a transparent molded plastic, to maximize the surgeon's view of the operation.
Referring briefly back to
As shown in
At a forward end of the handle 96, a drive shaft 152 extends therefrom and is connected to the carriage 92. The drive shaft is removed from the microkeratome 22 in
In connecting the handle 96 to the base 90 and the carriage 92, the carriage generally is advanced toward the forward end 104 of the base toward its distal portion, and the drive shaft 152 is extended from the forward or proximal end of the handle to snap the fitting 154 thereon into the passage 150 in the carriage. The anchor clips 148 on the handle are then snapped into the openings 146 (
An assembled microkeratome 22 is shown in
As shown in
An alternative embodiment of an automatic return device is illustrated in
In either embodiment, the drive shaft 152 transmits the rotational and axial motion of the control shaft 76 from the control cable 28 to the carriage 92. The control cable is connected to the rear of the handle 96. Any means for connecting the control cable to the drive shaft is acceptable, as long as it provides a positive connection for the transmission of rotational motion and both forward and reverse axial motion.
One type of connection is shown in the embodiments illustrated in
In
An alternative means for connecting the control cable 28 to the microkeratome 22 (
In this embodiment the sheath 78 of the control cable 28 is swaged into a cylindrical fitting 196 through which the control shaft 76 extends. The distal end of the fitting has an annular flange 198 which retains a threaded nut 200 which fits over the fitting and the sheath. The nut is retracted, as shown in
A portion 202 of the rear end of the handle 96 also is threaded, or includes a threaded part mounted thereto, which mates with the threaded nut 200 on the control cable. Once the control shaft 76 and the drive shaft 152 are connected, the control shaft is advanced to move the sheath fitting 196 and the nut into engagement with the rear end of the handle, and the threaded parts are screwed together, as shown in
Referring now to
In addition, the rotational motion of the control shaft 76 is transmitted to the carriage 92 (
The surgeon or other member of the surgical staff will select the optimum microkeratome from a plurality of microkeratomes, with different microkeratomes providing different size openings in the base and/or providing for different depths of cut. The different microkeratomes are useful for accomodating different size eyes and different depths of cut relative to the different size eyes. The microkeratome comes preassembled and requires no assembly in the operating room. Someone from the surgical staff removes the packaging and connects the microkeratome to the control assembly. The assembler generally double-gloves to maintain sterility, removing one set of gloves after touching reusable components of the control assembly. A new, and sterile, suction tube is connected to the fixture and the suction pump, and the control cable is connected to the handle of the microkeratome. The microkeratome can be handed to the surgeon and the surgeon can position the microkeratome on the eye by holding the handle without contacting any other component of the system. Operation of the microkeratome is substantially automatic and proceeds in substantially the same manner as the operation of the microkeratome described in the aforementioned Published Application No. WO 99/26568. The surgeon can control the microkeratome with foot pedals, without touching the control assembly with his hands, further maintaining sterility. Once the operation is complete, the microkeratome can be disconnected from the control assembly and discarded. A new microkeratome is selected for a subsequent operation.
The control assembly includes components that are expensive to produce and are intended to be reused for surgery on many patients, whereas the microkeratome includes relatively inexpensive components and is intended to be used for a single eye of a single patient and then discarded. Because the control assembly is removed from the patient and thus away from the surgical area, contamination of the control assembly by the patient and vice versa, is minimized or prevented.
Although the present invention has been described with reference to an embodiment that uses a single cable, the invention also includes a microkeratome having a handle for connecting more than one cable. For example, the invention includes a microkeratome connectable to a first cable used to control movement of the blade relative to the carriage and a second cable used to control movement of the carriage relative to the base.
An exemplary microkeratome is formed primarily of a few molded plastic parts that are easy to manufacture and assemble such that the microkeratome is inexpensive to produce. Consequently the microkeratome may be considered disposable, thereby obviating problems of cleaning and sterilizing the microkeratome between patients. The microkeratome is provided completely assembled, sterilized, and ready for use. Since only the microkeratome comes into contact with the patient, the microkeratome does not require extensive assembly by the surgical staff immediately prior to surgery, and the microkeratome is only used once, the surgical area is more easily and more effectively maintained in a clean and sterile condition. Maintaining such a high degree of confidence in the sterility of a microkeratome has been a problem that is problem for which the present invention provides an improved solution.
In summary, since the axial and rotary motors are independently controllable, the system can independently control the oscillation and speed of advance of the cutting blade. The system of the present invention also advantageously uses a single control cable to drive the microkeratome. In addition, the microkeratome includes a handle that facilitates a quick connection between the carriage and the control cable at a location remote from the main portion of the base, and thus the patient's eye. The present invention also provides a microkeratome having means for automatically retracting the cutting blade, a particular advantage in the event of a sudden loss of power. The present invention clearly provides significant improvements over the prior art.
Although the invention has been shown and described with respect to certain illustrated embodiments, equivalent alterations and modifications will occur to others skilled in the art upon reading and understanding the specification and the annexed drawings. In particular regard to the various functions performed by the above described integers (components, assemblies, devices, compositions, etc.), the terms (including a reference to a “means”) used to describe such integers are intended to correspond, unless otherwise indicated, to any integer which performs the specified function (i.e., that is functionally equivalent), even though not structurally equivalent to the disclosed structure which performs the function in the herein illustrated embodiments of the invention. In addition, while a particular feature of the invention may have been described above with respect to only one of several illustrated embodiments, such a feature may be combined with one or more other features of the other embodiment, as maybe desired and advantageous for any given or particular application.
Claims
1-35. (canceled)
36. A method for ophthalmic surgery, comprising
- providing a microkeratome including a base, a carriage movable relative to the base, and a cutting blade carried by and movable relative to the carriage;
- providing a control assembly for controlling the movement of the carriage and the cutting blade, the control assembly including a control cable having a sheath and a control shaft movable within the sheath;
- connecting the control shaft to the carriage;
- connecting the sheath to the base;
- shifting the control shaft along its longitudinal axis to effect movement of the carriage relative to the base; and rotating the control shaft to effect movement of the cutting blade relative to the carriage.
37. A method as set forth in claim 36, comprising:
- mounting the base in a fixed position relative to a cornea of an eye; and
- independently controlling the movement of the carriage relative to the base and the movement of cutting blade relative to the carriage.
38. A method as set forth in claim 36, comprising retaining the position of the base relative to an eye with a suction device that supplies suction pressure to the base to create a partial vacuum between the base and the eye.
39. A method as set forth in claim 36, comprising providing a plurality of microkeratomes that provide respective depths of cut, and selecting a microkeratome based on a desired depth of cut.
40. A method as set forth in claim 36, comprising disposing of a first microkeratome following a first operation and selecting a second microkeratome for a subsequent operation.
41. A method as set forth in claim 36, wherein moving the carriage relative to the base includes driving the carriage in a forward direction from a proximal position to a distal position and retracting the carriage from the distal position to the proximal position.
42. A method as set forth in claim 41, wherein driving the carriage includes driving the carriage against a biasing force and retracting the carriage includes automatically retracting the carriage under the biasing force.
43. A method for ophthalmic surgery, comprising the steps of:
- connecting a sheath of a control cable to a base having a substantially planar surface with an aperture therethrough;
- connecting a shaft movable within the sheath to a carriage that supports a cutting blade for movement relative to the base;
- longitudinally advancing and retracting the shaft within the sheath to advance and retract the carriage between two spaced-apart positions;
- rotating the shaft to move the cutting blade relative to the carriage in a direction transverse the direction of motion of the carriage relative to the base.
Type: Application
Filed: Jan 3, 2008
Publication Date: May 1, 2008
Applicant: AZD HOLDING, LLC (Beachwood, OH)
Inventor: Alexander Dybbs (Cleveland, OH)
Application Number: 11/969,118
International Classification: A61F 9/007 (20060101);