Claims
- 1. A probe for the treatment of glaucoma, comprising:
a probe tip configured to access the trabecular meshwork; an aspiration port on said probe tip; and a laser providing light energy to said probe tip sufficient to ablate said trabecular meshwork.
- 2. The probe of claim 1, additionally comprising a handle supporting said probe tip, and wherein said laser is contained within said handle.
- 3. The probe of claim 1, further comprising an irrigation port on said probe tip.
- 4. The probe of claim 3, further comprising a lumen extending through said probe tip and terminating at said irrigation port.
- 5. The probe of claim 1, further comprising a lumen extending through said probe tip and terminating at said aspiration port.
- 6. The probe of claim 1, further comprising a combined irrigation and aspiration port on said probe tip.
- 7. The probe of claim 6, further comprising a lumen extending through said probe tip and terminating at said combined irrigation and aspiration port.
- 8. The probe of claim 1, further comprising an optical fiber for conducting said light energy from said laser to said probe tip.
- 9. The probe of claim 8, wherein said optical fiber is a sapphire fiber.
- 10. The probe of claim 8, wherein said optical fiber is a fused silica fiber.
- 11. The probe of claim 1, additionally comprising a shield configured to protect Schlemm's canal from damage by said laser light energy.
- 12. The probe of claim 11, wherein said shield and said laser are separated by an opening sufficient to accommodate said trabecular meshwork.
- 13. The probe of claim 11, wherein said shield is sharp enough to penetrate said trabecular meshwork.
- 14. The probe of claim 11 wherein said shield is sized to guide said probe tip along Schlemm's canal.
- 15. The probe of claim 11, wherein said shield extends at a right angle from said probe tip.
- 16. The probe of claim 15, wherein said shield lies on the axis of said laser.
- 17. The probe of claim 1, wherein said laser comprises an Er:YAG laser.
- 18. The probe of claim 1 wherein said probe tip is configured for goniectomy.
- 19. A probe for the treatment of glaucoma, comprising:
a probe tip configured to access the trabecular meshwork; an aspiration port on said probe tip; and a tissue ablator disposed on said probe tip and configured to ablate said trabecular meshwork.
- 20. The probe of claim 19 wherein said probe tip is configured for schlemmectomy.
- 21. The probe of claim 19 wherein said probe tip is configured for goniectomy.
- 22. The probe of claim 19, further comprising an irrigation port on said probe tip.
- 23. The probe of claim 22, further comprising a lumen extending through said probe tip and terminating at said irrigation port.
- 24. The probe of claim 19, further comprising a lumen extending through said probe tip and terminating at said aspiration port.
- 25. The probe of claim 19, further comprising a combined irrigation and aspiration port on said probe tip.
- 26. The probe of claim 25, further comprising a lumen extending through said probe tip and terminating at said combined irrigation and aspiration port.
- 27. The probe of claim 19, further comprising an electrical lead lumen extending through said probe, which runs between a distal port and a proximal port.
- 28. The probe of claim 27, wherein electrical leads extend between said tissue ablator and said proximal port through said electrical lead lumen.
- 29. The probe of claim 19, wherein said tissue ablator comprises a cautery element.
- 30. The probe of claim 29, wherein said cautery element comprises a radio frequency (RF) electrode.
- 31. The probe of claim 19, wherein said tissue ablator comprises an ultrasound transducer.
- 32. The probe of claim 31 wherein said tissue ablator comprises an array of ultrasound transmissive panels.
- 33. The probe of claim 19, wherein said tissue ablator comprises a piezoceramic ultrasound transducer.
- 34. The probe of claim 19, wherein said tissue ablator comprises a piezoelectric transducer having at least a first electrode on an exposed outer surface of said transducer.
- 35. The probe of claim 19, wherein said tissue ablator comprises a cryogenic element.
- 36. The probe of claim 19, wherein said tissue ablator comprises a monopolar electrode system.
- 37. The probe of claim 19, wherein said tissue ablator comprises a bipolar electrode system.
- 38. The probe of claim 19, further comprising a power source.
- 39. The probe of claim 38, wherein said power source is a current power source.
- 40. The probe of claim 39, wherein said current power source provides radio frequency power.
- 41. The probe of claim 38, wherein said power source provides ultrasonic energy.
- 42. The probe of claim 38, wherein said power source provides sonic energy.
- 43. The probe of claim 38, wherein said power source provides electrical power.
- 44. The probe of claim 19, wherein a portion of the length of said probe tip is sized to fit within schlemm's canal.
- 45. The probe of claim 19, wherein said probe tip is hook-shaped.
- 46. The probe of claim 45, wherein said tissue ablator is at the bite of said hook-shaped probe tip.
- 47. The probe of claim 19, wherein said probe tip is configured for goniectomy
- 48. The probe of claim 19, wherein said probe tip is configured for schlemmectomy.
- 49. A method for treating glaucoma, comprising:
inserting a probe into an eye; ablating a region of the trabecular meshwork of said eye with said probe; aspirating said region of the trabecular meshwork of said eye with said probe; and removing said probe.
- 50. The method of claim 49, further comprising irrigating said eye.
- 51. The method of claim 49, wherein said region of the trabecular meshwork comprises at least half of said trabecular meshwork.
- 52. A method for treating glaucoma, comprising:
inserting a probe into an eye; aspirating a region of the trabecular meshwork of said eye with said probe; and removing said probe.
- 53. The method of claim 52, further comprising aspirating said region of the trabecular meshwork of said eye from said eye.
- 54. The method of claim 53, wherein said region of the trabecular meshwork aspirated from said eye comprises at least 50% of said trabecular meshwork.
- 55. The method of claim 53, further comprising irrigating said eye.
- 56. A probe for the treatment of glaucoma, comprising:
a probe tip configured to access the trabecular meshwork; a tissue ablator disposed on said probe tip and configured to ablate said trabecular meshwork; an aspiration port on said probe tip; and a lumen extending through said probe tip and terminating at said aspiration port,
wherein said probe tip is configured for goniectomy.
- 57. The probe of claim 56, wherein said tissue ablator is a cautery element.
- 58. The probe of claim 56, wherein said tissue ablator is selected from the group consisting of a radio frequency (RF) electrode, ultrasound transducer, array of ultrasound transmissive panels, piezoceramic ultrasound transducer, and piezoelectric transducer.
- 59. The probe of claim 56, further comprising an irrigation port on said probe tip.
- 60. The probe of claim 59, further comprising an irrigation lumen extending through said probe tip and terminating at said irrigation port.
- 61. The probe of claim 56, further comprising an electrical lead lumen extending through said probe, which runs between a distal port and a proximal port.
- 62. The probe of claim 61, wherein electrical leads extend between said tissue ablator and said proximal port through said electrical lead lumen.
- 63. The probe of claim 56, further comprising a power source.
- 64. The probe of claim 63, wherein said power source is selected from the group consisting of radio frequency, ultrasonic, sonic, and electrical energy.
- 65. A probe for the treatment of glaucoma, comprising:
a probe tip configured to access the trabecular meshwork; a tissue ablator disposed on said probe tip and configured to ablate said trabecular meshwork; an aspiration port on said probe tip; an aspiration lumen extending through said probe tip and terminating at said aspiration port,
wherein said probe tip is configured for schlemmectomy, said probe tip comprising two parallel arms, wherein a first arm is located directly above a second arm.
- 66. The probe of claim 65, wherein said tissue ablator is disposed on the lower arm of said probe tip.
- 67. The probe tip of claim 65, wherein said tissue ablator is a cautery element.
- 68. The probe tip of claim 65, wherein said tissue ablator is selected from the group consisting of a radio frequency (RF) electrode, ultrasound transducer, array of ultrasound transmissive panels, piezoceramic ultrasound transducer, and piezoelectric transducer.
- 69. The probe of claim 56, further comprising an irrigation port on said probe tip.
- 70. The probe of claim 69, further comprising an irrigation lumen extending through said probe tip and terminating at said irrigation port.
- 71. The probe of claim 56, further comprising an electrical lead lumen extending through said probe, which runs between a distal port and a proximal port.
- 72. The probe of claim 71, wherein electrical leads extend between said tissue ablator and said proximal port through said electrical lead lumen.
- 73. The probe of claim 56, further comprising a power source.
- 74. The probe of claim 73, wherein said power source is selected from the group consisting of radio frequency, ultrasonic, sonic, and electrical energy.
- 75. A probe for the treatment of glaucoma, comprising:
a probe tip having a hollow chamber configured to access the trabecular meshwork; a rotatable shaft disposed within said hollow chamber; and a cutting head on the distal end of said rotatable shaft.
- 76. The probe of claim 75, wherein said hollow chamber is in fluid communication with an irrigation supply.
- 77. The probe of claim 75, further comprising an aspiration lumen extending through said probe tip.
- 78. A probe for the treatment of glaucoma, comprising:
a probe tip having a hollow chamber configured to access the trabecular meshwork; a cutting sleeve disposed within said hollow chamber; and a footplate formed at the distal end of said probe tip.
- 79. The probe of claim 78, further comprising a cutting blade integrally formed at the distal end of said cutting sleeve.
- 80. The probe of claim 78, wherein said cutting sleeve is hollow.
- 81. The probe of claim 78, further comprising a combined irrigation and aspiration port.
- 82. The probe of claim 81, wherein said hollow cutting sleeve forms an aspiration lumen, extending through said probe tip and terminating near said irrigation and aspiration port.
- 83. The probe of claim 78, further comprising an irrigation lumen.
- 84. A method for treating glaucoma, comprising:
inserting a probe into an eye; mechanically cutting a region of the trabecular meshwork of said eye with said probe; aspirating said region of the trabecular meshwork with said probe; and removing said probe.
- 85. The method of claim 84, further comprising removing said region of the trabecular meshwork of said eye from said eye.
- 86. The method of claim 84, further comprising irrigating said eye.
- 87. The method of claim 85, wherein said region of the trabecular meshwork removed from said eye comprises at least 50% of said trabecular meshwork.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO THE RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 60/263,617, filed Jan. 18, 2001, the disclosure of which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.
Provisional Applications (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
|
60263617 |
Jan 2001 |
US |