Patent US2294035A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5308355A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Ophthalmic surgical instrument and method
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1992-11-06
•
Granted: 1994-05-03
•
Expires: 2012-11-06
Abstract
Abstract A corneal surgical instrument comprising a surgical knife and ultrasonic probe assembly that measures the corneal thickness, monitors the positioning and perpendicularity of the knife and controls the depth of the knife blade. The ultrasonic probe assembly includes a pair of ultrasonic probes disposed on opposite sides of said cutting plane of the knife blade. Information on monitored parameters is displayed to the surgeon in the display of a surgical instrument used to perform corneal surgery.
Inventors
- 👤 Alexander Dybbs
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 17:28
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61F; A61F9/00; A61F9/007; A61F9/013; A61F9/0133; A61B; A61B90/00; A61B90/20; A61B17/00; A61B2017/00017; A61B2017/00022; A61B2017/00106; A61B90/03; A61B2090/033; A61B90/06; A61B2090/062; A61B90/36; A61B90/37; A61B2090/378
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
102 words
A surgical instrument for making incisions in the cornea of an eye comprising a knife body and a cutting blade connected to the knife body, the cutting blade having a cutting plane, and the surgical instrument being characterized by a pair of ultrasonic probes connected to the knife body and disposed on opposite sides of the cutting plane for measuring the thickness of the cornea, the ultrasonic probes each having a probe tip for contacting the cornea, and each said probe tip being laterally spaced apart from the other to form therebetween a window through which the cutting blade can be viewed.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
102 words
A surgical instrument for making incisions in the cornea of an eye comprising a knife body and a cutting blade connected to the knife body, the cutting blade having a cutting plane, and the surgical instrument being characterized by a pair of ultrasonic probes connected to the knife body and disposed on opposite sides of the cutting plane for measuring the thickness of the cornea, the ultrasonic probes each having a probe tip for contacting the cornea, and each said probe tip being laterally spaced apart from the other to form therebetween a window through which the cutting blade can be viewed.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
22 words
A surgical instrument as set forth in claim 1, wherein the ultrasonic probes each has an axis inclined to the cutting plane.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
30 words
A surgical instrument as set forth in claim 2, wherein the ultrasonic probes are disposed ahead of the cutting blade in relation to a cutting direction of the cutting blade.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
27 words
A surgical instrument as set forth in claim 3, wherein the ultrasonic probes have the axes thereof disposed in a plane extending perpendicular to the cutting plane.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
30 words
A surgical instrument as set forth in claim 1, wherein the ultrasonic probes are disposed ahead of the cutting blade in relation to a cutting direction of the cutting blade.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
42 words
A surgical instrument as set forth in claim 1, wherein each said probe tip has a lateral dimension and each said probe tip is laterally spaced from the cutting plane by a distance less than the lateral dimension of the probe tip.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
54 words
A surgical instrument as set forth in claim 1, wherein the ultrasonic probes produce an output related to the thickness of the cornea, and further comprising means for processing the outputs of the ultrasonic probes to obtain an indication of the position of the cutting blade relative to the anterior surface of the cornea.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
48 words
A surgical instrument as set forth in claim 7, comprising a surgical microscope having a display field, and means connected to the processing means for producing in the display field a visual indication of the position of the cutting blade relative to the anterior surface of the cornea.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
44 words
A surgical instrument as set forth in claim 7, wherein the processing means includes means for comparing the outputs of the probes to provide a measure of the perpendicularity of the cutting plane of the blade relative to the anterior surface of the cornea.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
51 words
A surgical instrument as set forth in claim 1, comprising a surgical knife including the cutting blade, the knife body, and means for mounting the cutting blade to the knife body for extension and retraction relative to the knife body, and means for mounting the ultrasonic probes to the knife body.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
34 words
A surgical instrument as set forth in claim 10, wherein the means for mounting includes a holder for the ultrasonic probes, and the holder includes means enabling its ready removal from the knife body.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
20 words
A surgical instrument as set forth in claim 11, wherein said holder has a top surface including a finger depression.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
62 words
A surgical instrument as set forth in claim 10, wherein the ultrasonic probes produce an output related to the thickness of the cornea, and further comprising means for processing the outputs of the ultrasonic probes to obtain a measure of the thickness of the cornea, and means for retracting the cutting blade as a function of the measured thickness of the cornea.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
33 words
A surgical instrument as set forth in claim 13, wherein the function effects retraction of the cutting blade if the measured thickness is determined to be too shallow according to a preestablished criteria.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
83 words
A surgical instrument as set forth in claim 10, wherein the ultrasonic probes produce an output related to the thickness of the cornea, and further comprising means for processing the outputs of the ultrasonic probes to obtain a measure of the thickness of the cornea, a surgical microscope having a display field, and means connected to the processing means for producing in the display field a visual warming if the measured thickness is determined to be too shallow according to a preestablished criteria.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
44 words
A surgical instrument as set forth in claim 15, wherein the processing means includes means for comparing the outputs of the probes to provide a measure of the perpendicularity of the cutting plane of the blade relative to the anterior surface of the cornea.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
55 words
A surgical instrument as set forth in claim 1, comprising a pair of guard feet on the knife body and disposed on opposite sides of the cutting plane laterally adjacent the cutting blade, and wherein the ultrasonic probes are disposed ahead of the guard feet in relation to a cutting direction of the cutting blade.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
112 words
An ultrasonic probe assembly for mounting to a body of a surgical knife having a cutting blade defining a cutting plane, said assembly comprising a holder adapted to be mounted to the knife body, and a pair of ultrasonic probes supported in said holder such that the ultrasonic probes will be disposed on opposite sides of the cutting plane for measuring the thickness of the cornea, the ultrasonic probes each having a probe tip for contacting the cornea, and each said probe tip being laterally spaced apart from the other to form therebetween a window through which the cutting blade can be viewed when the holder is mounted to the knife body.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
112 words
An ultrasonic probe assembly for mounting to a body of a surgical knife having a cutting blade defining a cutting plane, said assembly comprising a holder adapted to be mounted to the knife body, and a pair of ultrasonic probes supported in said holder such that the ultrasonic probes will be disposed on opposite sides of the cutting plane for measuring the thickness of the cornea, the ultrasonic probes each having a probe tip for contacting the cornea, and each said probe tip being laterally spaced apart from the other to form therebetween a window through which the cutting blade can be viewed when the holder is mounted to the knife body.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
45 words
A surgical instrument as set forth in claim 18, wherein the ultrasonic probes produce an output related to the thickness of the cornea, and further comprising means for processing the outputs of the ultrasonic probes to obtain a measure of the thickness of the cornea.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
44 words
A surgical instrument as set forth in claim 19, wherein said processing means includes means for comparing the outputs of the probes to provide a measure of the perpendicularity of the cutting plane of the blade relative to the anterior surface of the cornea.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
83 words
A surgical instrument as set forth in claim 18, wherein the ultrasonic probes produce an output related to the thickness of the cornea, and further comprising means for processing the outputs of the ultrasonic probes to obtain a measure of the thickness of the cornea, a surgical microscope having a display field, and means connected to the processing means for producing in the display field a visual warning if the measured thickness is determined to be too shallow according to a preestablished criteria.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4526171A
Cited
US4546773A
Cited
US4674503A
Cited
US4499898A
Cited
US4637393A
Cited
US4705037A
Cited
US4817432A
Cited
US5165415A
Cited
US4665914A
Cited
US4742829A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1997-05-02 | 1997-11-01 | 1998-05-03 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2001-05-02 | 2001-11-01 | 2002-05-03 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2005-05-02 | 2005-11-01 | 2006-05-03 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |