Laser-Equipped Ocular Surgery Device for Lens Fragmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional ophthalmic surgery methods for lens removal, such as phacoemulsification, are limited in achieving full-thickness fragmentation and can cause tissue damage due to excessive force or turbulent fluid flow, and require expensive equipment, making them unsuitable for all surgical settings, especially in underdeveloped areas.
Innovation Solution
A surgical device with a cutting element that transitions from a retracted to an expanded configuration, featuring sectioning elements with distal loops that can be aligned and splayed to surround the lens, allowing for precise fragmentation and extraction without damaging ocular structures, and can be manually powered without electronic control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional phacoemulsification is used for lens removal, then lens fragmentation and extraction can be achieved, but tissue damage occurs due to excessive force or turbulent fluid flow
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical ultrasonic fragmentation system with a laser-based energy delivery system. The laser delivers energy to the lens through the irrigation/aspiration needle, causing thermal fragmentation of the lens without requiring mechanical contact or turbulent fluid flow, thereby reducing tissue damage while achieving effective lens extraction
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses the irrigation/aspiration needle as an intermediary to deliver laser energy to the lens. The needle serves as both the fluid delivery mechanism and the laser transmission medium, allowing energy to be focused on the lens without requiring direct mechanical contact between the laser source and lens, thus minimizing harmful mechanical forces
2Reliability
If phacoemulsification is used for lens removal, then lens extraction can be achieved, but expensive and bulky capital equipment is required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates multiple functions into a single handheld device: the irrigation/aspiration needle performs both fluid management and laser energy delivery, eliminating the need for separate phacoemulsification machinery. This multi-functional approach reduces equipment complexity and cost while maintaining lens extraction effectiveness
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the core essential function (laser energy delivery through fluid needle) from the complex phacoemulsification system, removing the bulky capital equipment while retaining the essential lens fragmentation and extraction capability through a simplified handheld device
3Manufacturing precision
If conventional mechanical instruments are used for lens fragmentation, then lens extraction can be achieved, but full-thickness fragmentation is not ensured
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical parameter used for lens fragmentation from mechanical force to laser energy. The laser delivers concentrated thermal energy that penetrates the lens tissue uniformly, ensuring complete full-thickness fragmentation without being limited by the mechanical force constraints of conventional instruments
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables minimally invasive, full-thickness lens fragmentation and extraction with reduced risk of tissue damage and equipment costs, suitable for various surgical settings, including those with limited resources.
Implementation Method 1
Energy-delivery instruments are limited in their ability to cut sections of the lens that are physically close to other delicate anatomical structures such as the capsular bag. For instance, a laser is generally not used to cut the posterior edge of the lens
Data Source
AI summary
A surgical device for cutting a lens within a capsular bag of an eye. Related methods, systems, and devices are also provided.