Claims
- 1. A system for cutting the cornea of an eye, said system comprising:
a frame which can be immobilized relative to the cornea; a moveable member having a cutting element at a distal end; and a driver coupled to the moveable member, said driver adapted to both translate and rotate the moveable member relative to the frame.
- 2. A system as in claim 1, wherein the frame comprises a suction ring.
- 3. A system as in claim 1, wherein the system further comprises a corneal applanator.
- 4. A system as in claim 1, wherein the moveable member is linear.
- 5. A system as in claim 1, wherein the moveable member is non-linear.
- 6. A system as in any one of claims 1 to 5 or 49, wherein the moveable member rotates on a pivot.
- 7. A system as in claim 6, further comprising a path upon which the pivot can translate.
- 8. A system as in claim 7, wherein the path is linear and disposed along an axis aligned with a center of the cornea when the cornea is immobilized relative to the frame.
- 9. A system as in claim 7, wherein the path is non-linear.
- 10. A system as in claim 6, wherein the pivot is fixed relative to the frame and the moveable member is adapted to translate and rotate over or under the pivot.
- 11. A system as in claim 10, wherein the pivot comprises a protrusion.
- 12. A system as in claim 10, wherein the pivot comprises lateral restraints.
- 13. A system as in claim 6, wherein the pivot is selectively positionable over a two-dimensional plane.
- 14. A system as in any one of claims 1 to 5 or 49, wherein the moveable member is selectively positionable in a two-dimensional plane without a pivot.
- 15. A system as in claim 1, wherein the moveable member is adapted to be manually translated and rotated.
- 16. A system as in claim 15, further comprising a template for limiting manual movement of the moveable member.
- 17. A system as in claim 1, further comprising a motor assembly for translating and rotating the moveable member.
- 18. A system as in claim 17, further comprising a programmable controller for controlling the motor to manipulate the moveable arm in a programmed pattern.
- 19. A system as in claim 18, wherein the programmable controller comprises a digital processor.
- 20. A system as in any one of claim 1 to 5 or 49, further comprising an anterior chamber maintainer which can be used in place of the frame for supporting a donor cornea while being cut by the blade of the moveable member.
- 21. A method for cutting a pocket in a cornea, said method comprising:
advancing a cutting element at the distal end of a moveable member through an entry incision into the cornea; and controlling movement of the moveable member to cause the cutting element to create a pocket having a width in at least one direction through the center of the cornea, which is greater than twice a width of the entry incision.
- 22. A method as in claim 21, wherein the width of the entry incision is no greater than 4 mm and the width of the pocket is greater than 8 mm.
- 23. A method as in claim 22, wherein the width of the pocket is at least 10 mm.
- 24. A method as in claim 21, wherein the width of the pocket is at least 8 mm.
- 25. A method as in any one of claims 21 to 24 or 50, wherein the moveable member has a width no greater than 1 mm in a region where the member passes through the entry incision.
- 26. A method as in claim 21, wherein controlling comprises both translating and rotating the moveable member relative to the cornea.
- 27. A method as in claim 26, wherein the moveable member is rotated relative to a pivot point and the pivot point is translated relative to the cornea.
- 28. A method as in claim 26, wherein the moveable member is translated over or under a pivot point and the pivot point is fixed relative to the cornea.
- 29. A method as in any one of claims 21 to 24 or 50, further comprising implanting a lens in the pocket.
- 30. A method as in claim 29, wherein the lens is restrained in a reduced profile configuration while being implanted.
- 31. A method as in any one of claims 21 to 24 or 50, further comprising implanting a corneal graft in the pocket.
- 32. A method for cutting a pocket in a cornea, said method comprising:
advancing a cutting element at the distal end of a moveable member through an entry incision into the cornea; and controlling movement of the moveable member to cause the cutting element to create the pocket, wherein the moveable member is both rotated and translated relative to the cornea.
- 33. A method as in claim 32, wherein the moveable member is rotated relative to a pivot point and the pivot point is translated relative to the cornea.
- 34. A method as in claim 32, wherein the moveable member is translated over a pivot point and the pivot point is fixed relative to the cornea.
- 35. A method as in claim 32, wherein the width of the entry incision is no greater than 4 mm and movement of moveable member is controlled to create a pocket having a width greater than 8 mm.
- 36. A method as in claim 35, wherein the width of the pocket is at least 10 mm.
- 37. A method as in claim 36, wherein the width of the pocket is at least 8 mm.
- 38. A method as in claim 35, wherein the moveable member has a width no greater than 1 mm in a region where the member passes through the entry incision.
- 39. A method as in any one of claims 32 to 38, further comprising implanting a lens in the pocket.
- 40. A method as in claim 34, wherein the lens is restrained in a reduced profile configuration while being implanted.
- 41. A method as in any one of claims 32 to 38, further comprising implanting a corneal graft in the pocket.
- 42. A method for transplanting a cornea, said method comprising:
creating a pocket in the cornea of a patient, said pocket having an entry incision with a width less than that of the pocket; removing a cylinder of tissue from over or under the pocket while the remaining portions of the corneal tissue remain intact to limit exposure of the interior of the eye to atmospheric pressure, replacing the removed cylinder of tissue with donor tissue.
- 43. A method as in claim 42, wherein tissue over the pocket is removed and replaced to perform an anterior lamellar keratoplasty.
- 44. A method as in claim 42, wherein tissue beneath the pocket is removed and replaced to perform a posterior lamellar keratoplasty.
- 45. A method as in claim 42, wherein the pocket is created by advancing a blade into the cornea while flattening the cornea with an applanator.
- 46. A method as in claim 42, further comprising harvesting the donor tissue with the same pocket making device that was used to create a pocket in the recipient cornea.
- 47. A method as in claim 46, wherein the donor cornea is supported on an anterior chamber maintainer while the donor cornea is cut with the cutting element.
- 48. A system for harvesting a donor cornea, said system comprising an anterior chamber maintainer adapted to support the donor cornea while a pocket forming device creates a pocket within the donor cornea.
- 49. A system as in claim 1, wherein the cutting element is deformable.
- 50. A method as in claim 1, further comprising deforming the cutting element to reduce its profile while the cutting element is advanced through the entry incision.
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/445,065 (Attorney Docket No. 022253-000100US), filed May 27, 2003, the full disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
Continuation in Parts (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
10445065 |
May 2003 |
US |
Child |
10853802 |
May 2004 |
US |