Alcon, Inc.

Novartis Ag

Alcon Research, Ltd.

Novaris Ag

Chenguang Diao

Alireza Mirsepassi

Ronald T Smith

Mark Harrison Farley

Michael James Papac

Kambiz Parto

Christopher A Cook

Barry Lynn Wheatley

Brian William McDonell

Timothy C Ryan

Bruno X Lassalas

Dean Richardson

Eyad Ammari

Jochen Horn

Brian William Mcdonell

Particular embodiments disclosed herein provide methods and systems for aligning multi-core fibers with multi-spot laser beam patterns of laser surgical systems. In particular, certain aspects provide techniques for aligning a rotational angle, or 'clocking' angle, of a multi-core fiber with a fixed multi-spot laser beam pattern of a laser system utilizing digital imaging and analysis.

Methods of multi-core fiber alignment

The present disclosure relates to a fiber and a laser probe assembly with a probe tip that houses the fiber. In certain aspects, the fiber includes a core, an outer cladding surrounding the core, and an end face at a proximal and/or distal end of the fiber. The core is configured to transmit a laser light beam while the core and the outer cladding are both configured to transmit an illumination light. In certain aspects, a surface area of the end face corresponding to a cross-section of at least the outer cladding is treated with a roughening or polishing process to modulate an illumination light output angle of the fiber. Using a fiber that is configured to transmit a laser light beam as well as a wide-angle illumination light allows for a more compact fiber and probe tip, allowing for medical procedures that require a narrower probe.

Single fiber illuminated laser probe with high-angle illumination output

The present disclosure relates to a multi-core optical fiber cable (MCF). In some embodiments, an MCF comprises a plurality of cores surrounded by a cladding and a coating surrounding the cladding, wherein a refractive index of one or more of the plurality of cores is greater than a refractive index of the cladding. The MCF further comprises a probe comprising a probe tip coupled with a distal end of the MCF and a lens located at a distal end of the probe tip. In some embodiments, the lens is configured to translate laser light from the distal end of the MCF to create a multi-spot pattern of laser beams on a target surface and a distal end of the MCF terminates at an interface with the lens.

Multi-core fiber for a multi-spot laser probe

Certain aspects of the present disclosure provide a thermally robust laser probe assembly comprising a cannula, wherein one or more optical fibers extend at least partially through the cannula for transmitting laser light from a laser source to a target location. The probe assembly further comprises a lens housed in the cannula and a protective component press-fitted to the distal end of the cannula, wherein the lens is positioned between the one or more optical fibers and the protective component.

Thermally robust laser probe assembly

A process of making a diverging-light fiber optics illumination delivery system includes providing a micro-post comprising a glass-ceramic light-scattering element that includes at least one of a ceramic, a glass ceramic, an immiscible glass, a porous glass, opal glass, amorphous glass, an aerated glass, and a nanostructured glass; and fusion-splicing the glass-ceramic micro-post to the optical fiber by pulling an arc between electrodes across a gap formed by the optical fiber and the glass-ceramic micro-post; maintaining the arc for a time sufficiently long to make facing surfaces of the optical fiber and the micro-post one of malleable and molten; and pushing and thereby fusing together the facing surfaces of the optical fiber and the micro-post. Some embodiments can include fusing the glass-ceramic micro-post to the optical fiber by applying a laser beam to heat up at least one of the facing surfaces of the optical fiber and the glass-ceramic micro-post.

Method of making diverging-light fiber optics illumination delivery system

Multi-fiber laser probes utilize relative motion of fibers and other laser probe elements to preserve small-gauge compatibility while providing for multi-spot beam deliver, or to provide for the selectively delivery of single-spot or multi-spot beam patterns. An example probe includes fibers having distal ends that are movable as a group onto a distal ramp element affixed to a distal end of a cannula, so that the distal ends of the fibers can be moved between a retracted position, in which the distal ends of the fibers are within the cannula or ramp element, and an extended position, in which distal ends of the fibers are guided by grooves or channels of the ramp so as to extend at least partially through external openings in the distal end of the laser probe and so as to be pointed angularly away from a longitudinal axis of the cannula.

Multi-fiber multi-spot laser probe with articulating beam separation

An example multi-fiber, multi-spot laser probe comprises a plurality of fibers extending from a proximal end of the laser probe to at least near a distal end of the laser probe, where the proximal end of the laser probe is configured to be coupled to a laser source via an adapter interface, and a cannula having a distal end and surrounding the plurality of fibers along at least a portion of the laser probe at or near the distal end of the laser probe, where a distal end of each of the plurality of fibers is angle-polished so that the distal end of each fiber is angled relative to a longitudinal axis of the cannula and relative to a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the cannula. Additional embodiments employ lensed fibers, a distal window, ball lens, lens array, or faceted wedge.

Multi-fiber multi-spot laser probe with simplified tip construction

The present disclosure relates to a laser probe assembly coupled to a laser system through an optical fiber cable. In one example, the laser probe assembly comprises a probe tip coupled to the probe body, the probe tip housing multiple fibers. Each of the multiple fibers comprises a proximal end that couples to the laser system and a distal end that terminates in the probe tip, a single core for transporting a laser beam provided by the laser system, and a cladding surrounding the core. The laser probe assembly also comprises a lens for projecting multiple laser beams provided by the multiple fibers on to a surgical site. Within the probe tip, parts of outer surfaces of portions of any two adjacent fibers of the multiple fibers touch. Also, the multiple fibers are at least substantially centered with respect to the lens.

Multi-spot laser probe with multiple single-core fibers

An illuminated microsurgical instrument comprises a distally projecting tubular member arranged to perform a medical procedure at an interventional site, a sheath member surrounding a portion of the tubular member, and an optical fiber extending along a length of the outer surface of the tubular member between the tubular member and the sheath member. A method of manufacturing an illuminated microsurgical instrument comprises placing an optical fiber on a positioning member, placing a sheath member around the optical fiber and positioning member and securing the sheath member to the optical fiber, removing material from a distal end of the sheath member and optical fiber at a non-perpendicular angle with respect to a longitudinal axis of the positioning member, removing the positioning member from within the sheath member, and placing the sheath member with the optical fiber secured thereto around a distally projecting tubular member.

Medical instruments with an integrated optical fiber and methods of manufacture

In certain embodiments, an illuminating endoprobe system includes one or more light sources, a housing, a vitreous visualization fiber, and a general illumination fiber. The light sources generate a visualization light and an illumination light. The housing receives the visualization and illumination light, and has a probe tip with a probe axis. The vitreous visualization fiber transmits the visualization light through the probe tip. The visualization light has a visualization axis and a visualization beam angle at the probe tip. The general illumination fiber transmits the illumination light through the probe tip. The illumination light has an illumination axis and an illumination beam angle at the probe tip. The illumination beam angle is greater than the visualization beam angle, and the illumination axis is at an offset angle relative to the visualization axis, where the offset angle greater than 5 degrees.

Illuminating ophthalmic endoprobe

An ophthalmic cannula assembly may include a cannula having an outer cannula surface and an inner cylindrical bore. A hub adjoining a proximal end of the cannula may define a maximum outer hub diameter that is greater than an outer diameter of the cannula. An optical fiber may be attached to the outer cannula surface for at least a portion of a length of the cannula. A cover material may be in contact with the outer cannula surface, and may cover at least a portion of the optical fiber. A light diffuser may be disposed at a distal tip of the optical fiber.

Illuminated ophthalmic cannula

The present disclosure relates to a multi-core optical fiber cable (MCF). In some embodiments, an MCF comprises a plurality of cores, a cladding surrounding the plurality of cores, wherein a refractive index of one or more of the plurality of cores is greater than a refractive index of the cladding, and a coating surrounding the cladding, a distal end free of the coating and having a reduced diameter. The MCF also comprise an annular gap formed between the distal end of the MCF and the inner surface of the cannula, wherein the concentricity of the distal end of the MCF with the inner passage of the cannula is maintained.

Growing community of inventors

Irvine, CA, United States of America

Chenguang Diao