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US6544254B1 Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Combination ultrasound and laser method and apparatus for removing cataract lenses

Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 2000-06-28
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Granted: 2003-04-08
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Expires: 2020-06-28
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Abstract

Abstract The present invention is a method and apparatus for removing the lens of the eye in which pulsed ultrasound and laser energy are transmitted by means of an optical fiber delivery system to the lens of the eye for therapeutic purposes. The parameters of laser radiation are chosen to optimize the processes of photo-phacoablation and photo-phacodisruption. The vibrational frequencies of ultrasound are selected to optimize sono-fragmentation sono-cavitation. Both laser radiation and ultrasound energy are delivered in effective combinations to maximize the precise removal of cataractous lens material.

Inventors

  • 👤 Patricia Era Bath

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-26 21:18
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61F; A61F9/00; A61F9/007; A61F9/008; A61F9/00736; A61F9/00745; A61B; A61B17/00; A61B17/22; A61B17/22004; A61B17/22012; A61B2017/22014; A61B2017/22015; A61B2017/22017; A61F2009/00861; A61F2009/0087; A61F9/00802; A61F9/00825

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim 55 words
A method for removing cataractous lenses from an eye, comprising the steps of: transmitting laser radiation to a cataract, transmitting ultrasound energy to the cataract, observing the size of the particles generated by the transmission steps and adjusting the relative proportion of the laser and the ultrasound to optimize the size of the generated particles.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 55 words
A method for removing cataractous lenses from an eye, comprising the steps of: transmitting laser radiation to a cataract, transmitting ultrasound energy to the cataract, observing the size of the particles generated by the transmission steps and adjusting the relative proportion of the laser and the ultrasound to optimize the size of the generated particles.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 27 words
The method of claim 1 , including the steps of: irrigating said generated particles with a fluid, aspirating said fluid entrained with particles from said cataractous lens.
Claim 4
Independent Claim 58 words
A method for removing cataractous lenses from an eye, comprising the steps of: transmitting laser radiation to a cataract, transmitting ultrasound energy to the cataract, observing the size of the particles generated by the transmission steps and, adjusting the laser parameters of wavelength, power, and frequency to optimize the size of the particles generated by the transmission steps.
Claim 5
Independent Claim 58 words
A method for removing cataractous lenses from an eye, comprising the steps of: transmitting laser radiation to a cataract, transmitting ultrasound energy to the cataract, observing the size of the particles generated by the transmission steps and, adjusting the laser parameters of wavelength, power, and frequency to optimize the size of the particles generated by the transmission steps.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 26 words
The method of claim 3 including the steps of: irrigating said generated particles with a fluid, aspirating said fluid entrained with particles from said cataractous lens.
Claim 7
Independent Claim 58 words
A method for removing cataractous lenses from an eye, comprising the steps of: transmitting laser radiation to a cataract, transmitting ultrasound energy to the cataract, observing the size of the particles generated by the transmission steps and, adjusting the ultrasound parameters of amplitude, power, and frequency to optimize the size of the particles generated by the transmission steps.
Claim 8
Independent Claim 58 words
A method for removing cataractous lenses from an eye, comprising the steps of: transmitting laser radiation to a cataract, transmitting ultrasound energy to the cataract, observing the size of the particles generated by the transmission steps and, adjusting the ultrasound parameters of amplitude, power, and frequency to optimize the size of the particles generated by the transmission steps.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 27 words
The method of claim 5 , including the steps of: irrigating said generated particles with a fluid, aspirating said fluid entrained with particles from said cataractous lens.
Claim 10
Independent Claim 53 words
A method for removing cataractous lenses from an eye, comprising the steps of: transmitting laser radiation to a cataract, observing the size of the particles generated by the laser transmission step and, adjusting the laser parameters of wavelength, power, and frequency to optimize the size of the particles generated by the transmission step.
Claim 11
Independent Claim 53 words
A method for removing cataractous lenses from an eye, comprising the steps of: transmitting laser radiation to a cataract, observing the size of the particles generated by the laser transmission step and, adjusting the laser parameters of wavelength, power, and frequency to optimize the size of the particles generated by the transmission step.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 26 words
The method of claim 7 including the steps of: irrigating said generated particles with a fluid, aspirating said fluid entrained with particles from said cataractous lens.
Claim 13
Independent Claim 52 words
A method for removing cataractous lenses from an eye, comprising the steps of: transmitting ultrasound energy to a cataract, observing the size of the particles generated by the transmission step and, adjusting the ultrasound parameters of amplitude, power, and frequency to optimize the size of the particles generated by the transmission step.
Claim 14
Independent Claim 52 words
A method for removing cataractous lenses from an eye, comprising the steps of: transmitting ultrasound energy to a cataract, observing the size of the particles generated by the transmission step and, adjusting the ultrasound parameters of amplitude, power, and frequency to optimize the size of the particles generated by the transmission step.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 27 words
The method of claim 9 , including the steps of: irrigating said generated particles with a fluid, aspirating said fluid entrained with particles from said cataractous lens.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

EP0189329A2 Cited
US4787889A Cited
US6083192A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

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