US20140364699A1 - Ophthalmic endoilluminators with directed light - Google Patents

Abstract

Certain embodiments of an endoilluminator may include a cannula, an intermediate material, and an optical fiber. The cannula has a substantially cylindrical shape that defines an interior region and has a cylindrical axis. The intermediate material is disposed within the interior region. The optical fiber is disposed within the intermediate material and has a fiber optical axis and a distal end configured to emit light. The emitted light has an illumination pattern with an illumination axis that is not parallel to the cylindrical axis.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD
• The present disclosure relates generally to surgical instruments, and more particularly to ophthalmic endoilluminators with directed light.
BACKGROUND
• Endoilluminators typically have a cannula filled with one or more optical fibers that emit light. Certain endoilluminators may direct light in a particular manner. For example, the optical fibers may be bent to direct light in a particular direction. As another example, the optical fibers may be shaped to direct light within a range of angles. These endoilluminators, however, may not be able to direct light in a suitable fashion in certain situations.
BRIEF SUMMARY
• The description describes different embodiments of systems that may be used to direct light. For example, certain embodiments may include a cannula, an intermediate material, and an optical fiber. The cannula has a substantially cylindrical shape that defines an interior region and has a cylindrical axis. The intermediate material is disposed within the interior region. The optical fiber is disposed within the intermediate material and has a fiber optical axis and a distal end configured to emit light. The emitted light has an illumination pattern with an illumination axis that is not parallel to the cylindrical axis.
• As another example, certain embodiments may include a cannula and an optical fiber. The cannula has a substantially cylindrical shape with a cylindrical axis, and has an outer surface and an inner surface defining an interior region. The optical fiber is coupled to the cannula and has a fiber optical axis and a shaped distal end configured to emit light. The emitted light has an illumination pattern with an illumination axis that is not parallel to the cylindrical axis.
• As yet another example, certain embodiments may include a cannula, an intermediate material, and an optical fiber. The cannula has a substantially cylindrical shape defining an interior region, and the cylindrical shape has a cylindrical axis. The intermediate material is disposed within the interior region and defines a fiber pathway. The optical fiber is disposed within the fiber pathway, and has a fiber optical axis and a distal end configured to emit light with an illumination pattern having an illumination axis. At least a portion of the fiber optical axis proximal the distal end is not parallel to the cylindrical axis, and the illumination axis is not parallel to the cylindrical axis.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
• Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure are described by way of example in greater detail with reference to the figures, in which:
• FIG. 1 illustrates an example of an endoilluminator according to certain embodiments;
• FIG. 2 illustrates another example of an endoilluminator according to certain embodiments;
• FIG. 3 illustrates an example of an endoilluminator with an actuator according to certain embodiments;
• FIG. 4 illustrates an example of an endoilluminator with a retractable cannula according to certain embodiments; and
• FIGS. 5A and 5B illustrate examples of endoilluminators with an optical fiber coupled to the cannula according to certain embodiments.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF CERTAIN EMBODIMENTS
• Certain embodiments may be directed to an endoillumination probe that has an optical fiber (such as a small diameter optical fiber) that emits light. The fiber may be configured to direct the illumination pattern of the emitted light in a particular manner. For example, the fiber may be bent or have an asymmetrically-shaped distal end to direct the light at an angle to the cylindrical axis of the probe. As another example, the distal end may be shaped to increase the divergence angle of the light beyond that which results from a distal end with a flat end normal to the fiber axis.
• Referring now to the description and drawings, example embodiments of the disclosed apparatuses, systems, and methods are shown in detail. The description and drawings are not intended to be exhaustive or otherwise limit or restrict the claims to the specific embodiments shown in the drawings and disclosed in the description. Although the drawings represent possible embodiments, the drawings are not necessarily to scale and certain features may be exaggerated, removed, or partially sectioned to better illustrate the embodiments.
• FIG. 1 illustrates an example of an endoilluminator according to certain embodiments. In certain embodiments,system10 may inserted into a human (or other living or previously living) body for medical purposes, such as for ophthalmic surgery. For example,system10 may be an endoilluminator surgical instrument for projecting light into an interior of an eyeball. In the illustrated example,system10 includes acannula20, anintermediate material24, and anoptical fiber26.
• Cannula20 may have any suitable shape and size. In certain embodiments,cannula20 has a substantially cylindrical shape that defines aninterior region30. The cylindrical shape has acylindrical axis32 and any suitable height and diameter, such as a height in the range of 25 to 50 millimeters (mm) and a diameter in the range of 1 mm or less. Cannula20 may comprise any suitable material, e.g., a metal such as stainless steel. In certain embodiments,cannula20 may have sharp edges that can make incisions in material such as body tissue.
• In certain embodiments,intermediate material24 is disposed withininterior region30.Intermediate material24 may be any suitable material that can provide structural support foroptical fiber26. Examples ofintermediate material24 include material with a Young's modulus that is larger than that of stainless steel, such as tungsten, molybdenum, tungsten carbide, tungsten rhenium.
• Intermediate material24 defines afiber pathway36 within whichoptical fiber26 is disposed.Fiber pathway36 may be shaped to allowoptical fiber26 to direct light in a particular direction asoptical fiber26 protrudes fromfiber pathway36. In the illustrated example,fiber pathway36 is curved sooptical fiber26 directs light at an angle θ fromaxis32 asoptical fiber26 protrudes fromfiber pathway36. Angle θ may have any suitable value, such as a value in any of the following ranges: less than 30, 30 to 60, 60 to 90, or 90 to 120 degrees.
• In certain embodiments,cannula20 and/orintermediate material24 may be shaped to avoid the emitted light. In the example, arelief34 may be shaped intocannula20 and/orintermediate material24 to allowcannula20 and/orintermediate material24 to avoid vignetting, or blocking, emitted light.38.
• In certain embodiments,optical fiber26 is disposed withinintermediate material24.Optical fiber26 is a fiber comprising a transparent material (e.g., glass or plastic) that operates as a waveguide to transmit light from a proximal end (not shown) to adistal end40. The light may originate at a laser source.Optical fiber26 has a transparent fiber core surrounded by a cladding material. The core has anoptical axis42 that defines the path along which light propagates, which is typically along the center of the fiber core.Optical fiber26 may have any suitable core diameter, for example, less than 100 micrometers (μm), such as 50 to 60 μm.
• The light emitted byoptical fiber26 has anillumination pattern46 with anillumination axis48 that is centered withinillumination pattern46. In certain embodiments,optical fiber26 is shaped byfiber pathway36 to yieldillumination pattern46 withillumination axis48 that it not parallel to thecylindrical axis32. For example, at least a portion of fiberoptical axis42 proximatedistal end40 is not parallel tocylindrical axis32, such that the emitted light hasillumination axis48 that it not parallel tocylindrical axis32. “Proximatedistal end40” may include the region at and neardistal end40, such as within less than 10, 5, or 2 centimeters (cm) ofdistal end40.
• In certain embodiments,distal end40 may be shaped to direct the emitted light in a particular manner.Distal end40 may be shaped to spread light to angles greater than the numerical aperture ofoptical fiber26, e.g., angles up to and greater than 90 or 120 degrees. For example,distal end40 may have a compound parabolic concentrator (CPC) or tapered shape. A tapered shape may be a truncated or cone shape.Distal end40 may be shaped to direct light in a particular direction. In the illustrated example,distal end40 is symmetric to maintainoptical axis42 ofoptical fiber26. In other examples,distal end40 may be asymmetric to changeoptical axis42 ofoptical fiber26.
• A shaped end may utilize internal reflection to spatially concentrate light withinfiber26 up to the end to yield higher angular divergence as the light exits the end. Anencapsulant material50 surrounding the end may operate as a cladding material to guide the light to the end. (Encapsulant material50 may be disposed outwardly fromdistal end40 and proximatedistal end40.)Encapsulant material50 may be any suitable material, such as an adhesive, with any suitable refractive index, such as a low refractive index of less than 2.0, e.g., approximately 1.3 to 1.4. Examples ofencapsulant material50 include products available from NORLAND, MASTER BOND, DYMAX, and MYPOLYMER.
• FIG. 2 illustrates another example of an endoilluminator according to certain embodiments. In the illustrated example,fiber pathway36 is parallel tocylindrical axis32, butillumination axis48 is not parallel toaxis32. In certain embodiments,optical fiber26 has a shapeddistal end50 with an asymmetric taper that changesoptical axis42 ofoptical fiber26. In the illustrated example, shapeddistal end50 bendsoptical axis42 to an angular bias of angle θ with respect toaxis32.
• In certain embodiments,cannula20 and/orintermediate material24 may be shaped to avoid the emitted light. In the example, acounterbore relief34 may be shaped intointermediate material24 to allowintermediate material24 to avoid vignetting, or blocking, emitted light.38.
• FIG. 3 illustrates an example of an endoilluminator with anactuator70 according to certain embodiments. In certain embodiments,system10 may includeactuator70 disposed withininterior region30.Actuator70 may moveoptical fiber26 from afirst position74 to asecond position76 to change an angle betweenillumination axis48 andcylindrical axis32 from a first value θ₁to a second value θ₂.Actuator70 may comprise any suitable mechanism. In certain embodiments,actuator70 may include a rod or wire that can be moved using movement mechanisms in response to, for example, user input. Movement mechanisms may include any suitable devices that can move an object, such as mechanical and/or electrical devices, for example, springs, gears, electric motors, piezoelectric devices, and a handheld actuated lever on the device hand piece.
• Any suitable approach may be used to returnoptical fiber26 tofirst position74. In certain embodiments, areturn mechanism72 may returnoptical fiber26 tofirst position74.Return mechanism72 may include movement mechanisms such as a spring that can moveoptical fiber26. In other embodiments,optical fiber26 may be shaped to returnfirst position74. For example,optical fiber26 may move tosecond position76 whenactuator70 applies force tooptical fiber26, but may then returnfirst position74 when the force is removed. In certain examples,optical fiber26 may be baked into a curved configuration that returns tofirst position74.
• In yet other embodiments,optical fiber26 may be mechanically coupled by acoupling79 toactuator70 to allowactuator70 to return tofirst position74. For example, coupling79 may moveoptical fiber26 tosecond position76 whenactuator70 moves to a second position, but may returnoptical fiber26 tofirst position74 whenactuator70 returns tofirst position74.Coupling79 may include any suitable approach for joining objects, for example, adhesive material, connecting elements (such as notches for hooks) formed in one or more of the objects, or a coupling element that couples the objects.
• In certain embodiments,interior material24 may be shaped to form anactuator pathway81 that allows for the movement ofactuator70. In certain embodiments,fiber pathway36 may be shaped to accommodate the movement ofoptical fiber26. In the example,fiber pathway36 has a larger opening that allowsoptical fiber26 to move fromfirst position74 tosecond position76 back tofirst position74.
• In certain embodiments, adistal end60 ofcannula20 may be configured to perform incisions. For example,distal end60 may have sharp edges that can cut through skin and other body tissue.
• FIG. 4 illustrates an example of an endoilluminator with aretractable cannula20 according to certain embodiments. In certain embodiments,cannula20 may retract such thatdistal end40 ofoptical fiber26 protrudes more thandistal end60 ofcannula20. In the illustrated example,cannula20 may be an incisingcannula20 and may be retraced to allow bluntintermediate material24 to protrude. Angled illumination may be provided any suitable manner. In the example, illumination may be provided by anactuator70 as described with reference toFIG. 3.
• FIGS. 5A and 5B illustrate examples of endoilluminators withoptical fiber26 coupled tocannula20 according to certain embodiments.Optical fiber26 may be coupled tocannula20 in any suitable manner, such as with an adhesive. Examples of adhesives include cyanacryolates and epoxies. In the illustrated example,cannula20 has an outer surface80 and an inner surface82 that definesinterior region30.
• FIG. 5A illustrates an example of an endoilluminator with inner surface82 that forms an inner channel86. Inner channel86 may have a width and depth that is approximately the diameter ofoptical fiber26. Optical fiber may be disposed at least partially or even mostly or all within inner channel86. An adhesive and/or encapsulant (adhesive/encapsulant) material88 may secureoptical fiber26 to inner channel86. Material88 may have any suitable optical index, such as less than 2.0, for example, 1.3 to 1.4. Examples of material88 may be similar to the examples ofencapsulant material50. In addition, in these embodiments, an adhesive may be augmented by using a ultra thin (e.g., less than 10 micrometer (μm) in thickness) polymer heat shrink tube, a thin piece of adhesive tape, or a vapor deposited coating to strengthen the attachment of the fiber to the cannula.
• FIG. 5B illustrates an example of an endoilluminator with outer surface80 that forms an outer channel90. Outer channel90 may have a width and depth that is approximately the diameter ofoptical fiber26. Optical fiber may be disposed at least partially or even mostly or all within outer channel90. An adhesive/encapsulant material88 may secureoptical fiber26 to outer channel90.
• In certain embodiments,optical fiber26 may be disposed outwardly from outer surface80, where outer surface80 does not have outer channel90 and may be substantially flat whereoptical fiber26 is in contact with outer surface80. In these embodiments,optical fiber26 may be coupled outwardly from outer surface80 using adhesive/encapsulant material88.
• Although this disclosure has been described in terms of certain embodiments, modifications (such as changes, substitutions, additions, omissions, and/or other modifications) of the embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, modifications may be made to the embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, modifications may be made to the systems and apparatuses disclosed herein. The components of the systems and apparatuses may be integrated or separated, and the operations of the systems and apparatuses may be performed by more, fewer, or other components. As another example, modifications may be made to the methods disclosed herein. The methods may include more, fewer, or other steps, and the steps may be performed in any suitable order.
• Other modifications are possible without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, the description illustrates embodiments in particular practical applications, yet other applications will be apparent to those skilled in the art. In addition, future developments will occur in the arts discussed herein, and the disclosed systems, apparatuses, and methods will be utilized with such future developments.
• The scope of the invention should not be determined with reference to the description. In accordance with patent statutes, the description explains and illustrates the principles and modes of operation of the invention using exemplary embodiments. The description enables others skilled in the art to utilize the systems, apparatuses, and methods in various embodiments and with various modifications, but should not be used to determine the scope of the invention.
• The scope of the invention should be determined with reference to the claims and the full scope of equivalents to which the claims are entitled. All claims terms should be given their broadest reasonable constructions and their ordinary meanings as understood by those skilled in the art, unless an explicit indication to the contrary is made herein. For example, use of the singular articles such as “a,” “the,” etc. should be read to recite one or more of the indicated elements, unless a claim recites an explicit limitation to the contrary. As another example, “each” refers to each member of a set or each member of a subset of a set, where a set may include zero, one, or more than one element. In sum, the invention is capable of modification, and the scope of the invention should be determined, not with reference to the description, but with reference to the claims and their full scope of equivalents.

Claims (13)

1. A system comprising:

a cannula having a substantially cylindrical shape defining an interior region, the cylindrical shape having a cylindrical axis;

an intermediate material disposed within the interior region; and

an optical fiber disposed within the intermediate material, the optical fiber having a fiber optical axis and a distal end configured to emit light, the emitted light having an illumination pattern with an illumination axis that is not parallel to the cylindrical axis.

2. The system ofclaim 1, at least a portion of the fiber optical axis proximal the distal end not parallel to the cylindrical axis.

3. The system ofclaim 1, the distal end of the optical fiber being a shaped distal end configured to change the fiber optical axis.

4. The system ofclaim 1, a distal end of the cannula configured to make incisions.

5. The system ofclaim 1, the cannula configured to retract such that the distal end of the optical fiber protrudes more than a distal end of the cannula.

6. The system ofclaim 1, the intermediate material shaped to avoid the emitted light.

7. The system ofclaim 1, the cannula shaped to avoid the emitted light.

8-16. (canceled)

17. A system comprising:

a cannula having a substantially cylindrical shape with a cylindrical axis, the cannula having an outer surface and an inner surface defining an interior region, the outer surface forming an outer channel; and

an optical fiber coupled to the cannula, the optical fiber having a fiber optical axis and a shaped distal end configured to emit light, the optical fiber disposed at least partially within the outer channel, the emitted light having an illumination pattern with an illumination axis that is not parallel to the cylindrical axis.

18. (canceled)

19. (canceled)

20. (canceled)

21. The system ofclaim 17, the optical fiber coupled to the cannula with an adhesive having a low optical index.

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