Lithotripsy eye treatment
View Patent ↗A lithotripsy probe is used to break up cataracts, sinus blockages and other body masses, where the broken materials may be removed by suction. The lithotripsy probe may have a spark generator, a fluid motion generator, or other component for breaking up the body mass.
1. A method of treating a cataract in an eye, the method comprising:
advancing a distal end of a lithotripsy probe into the eye in proximity with the cataract;
activating the lithotripsy probe to break the cataract into multiple pieces by causing fluid to move forward from a nozzle at the distal end of the lithotripsy probe, wherein causing fluid to move forward from the nozzle comprises generating a shock wave in the nozzle near the distal end of the lithotripsy probe, and wherein an hourglass shape of the nozzle increases a speed of the shock wave at an output opening of the nozzle; and
aspirating the multiple pieces of the cataract out of the eye using suction.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein generating the shock wave comprises generating a spark between two wires disposed in the probe.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the spark is generated between two tips of the two wires disposed closer to the distal end of the probe than to a proximal end of the probe.
4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising inflating a balloon on the probe.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the multiple pieces are aspirated via an aspiration lumen of the probe.
6. The method of claim 1 , further including irrigating the eye using irrigation fluid dispensed out of an irrigation lumen of the probe.
7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising steering the lithotripsy probe around a corner before the activating step.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the steps are performed via a robotic surgical system to which the probe is attached.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the hourglass-shaped nozzle has a convergent proximal section, a middle throat section, and a divergent distal portion ending at the output opening.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the hourglass-shape causes the forwardly moving shock wave at the divergent distal portion to leave the output opening at a higher speed than at the convergent proximal section.
11. A method of removing an unwanted structure from an eye, the method comprising:
advancing a distal end of a probe into the eye in proximity with the unwanted structure in the eye;
generating a spark within the probe to produce a forward moving shock wave force in a fluid in the probe, wherein the forwardly moving shock wave breaks the unwanted structure into multiple pieces, and wherein the forwardly moving shock wave is directed from a nozzle at the end of the probe, the nozzle having an hourglass shape to increase a speed of the shock wave at an output opening of the nozzle; and
aspirating the multiple pieces of the unwanted structure out of the eye using suction.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the unwanted structure comprises a cataract.
13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the hourglass-shaped nozzle has a convergent proximal section, a middle throat section, and a divergent distal portion ending at the output opening.
14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the hourglass-shape causes the forwardly moving shock wave at the divergent distal portion to leave the output opening at a higher speed than at the convergent proximal section.