Systems, methods, and computer-readable media for enhancing the reliability of a pneumatically driven surgical tool by providing a redundant, backup pneumatic circuit for supplying the surgical tool with pneumatic pressure at a normal pressure.

The present disclosure generally relates to surgical instruments having adjustable stiffness, and more particularly, surgical instruments having adjustable stiffness for ophthalmic surgical procedures. In one embodiment, a surgical instrument includes a probe, a slidable support sleeve, and a rotatable knob. A stiffness level of the probe may be adjusted by rotating the knob, thereby causing linear displacement of the support sleeve along a length of the probe. The knob may further include a dial depicting a series of settings representing different eye sizes and corresponding to preset positions of the support sleeve relative to the probe. Thus, a user may select an optimal stiffness of the probe for a particular eye size by rotating the knob to the corresponding setting.

A system for delivering an intraocular lens (IOL) is disclosed, including: a handpiece including a barrel defining an elongate passage, a pushrod disposed inside the elongate passage, and a plunger coupled to the pushrod; and a delivery unit coupled to a first end of the barrel, the delivery unit including a delivery tube and a lens holder coupled to the delivery tube, the lens holder including a lead haptic shelf arranged to receive a lead haptic of an IOL that is contained inside the lens holder, wherein the lead haptic shelf is configured to fold the lead haptic of the IOL over a body of the IOL while permitting the IOL to travel under the lead haptic shelf when the IOL is displaced from the lens holder to the delivery tube by the pushrod during delivery of the IOL into a patient's eye.

A system for delivering an intraocular lens (IOL) is disclosed, including: a handpiece including a barrel defining an elongate passage, a pushrod disposed inside the elongate passage, and a plunger coupled to the pushrod; and a delivery unit coupled to a first end of the barrel, the delivery unit including a delivery tube and a lens holder coupled to the delivery tube, the lens holder including a lead haptic shelf arranged to receive a lead haptic of an IOL that is contained inside the lens holder, wherein the lead haptic shelf is configured to fold the lead haptic of the IOL over a body of the IOL while permitting the IOL to travel under the lead haptic shelf when the IOL is displaced from the lens holder to the delivery tube by the pushrod during delivery of the IOL into a patient's eye.

In one embodiment, a fluid dynamics system includes a solenoid valve including a valve body, which includes a valve cavity having a direction of elongation, a first channel, and a second channel, a solenoid coil disposed in the valve body around the valve cavity, and a plunger comprising a magnetic element and configured to move back-and-forth along the direction of elongation between a first position and a second position in the valve cavity, selectively opening the first channel and closing the second channel when the plunger is in the first position, and closing the first channel and opening the second channel when the plunger is in the second position, and a controller configured to control the solenoid coil to selectively move the plunger between the first position and the second position, and to selectively maintain the plunger in the first position and the second position.

In one embodiment, an irrigated medical system includes a medical tool, an irrigation line configured to fluidically connect an irrigation reservoir storing irrigation fluid to the medical tool, and provide at least some of the irrigation fluid to the medical tool, a force sensor configured to be coupled with the irrigation reservoir, and provide a signal responsively to a force exerted by the irrigation reservoir on the force sensor over time as irrigation fluid in the irrigation reservoir is depleted, and a controller configured to find an irrigation rate of the irrigation fluid flowing in the irrigation line responsively to the signal.

An optical fiber for transmitting a light beam by a light source including a proximal portion configured to receive the light beam from the light source, the proximal portion having a first numerical aperture, a distal portion configured to emit the light beam to illuminate a surgical field, the distal portion having a second numerical aperture, and a central portion extending between the proximal portion and the distal portion, the central portion having a third numerical aperture. The optical fiber is configured to receive the light beam at the proximal portion at the first numerical aperture and output the light beam from the distal portion at the second numerical aperture, wherein the second numerical aperture is greater than the first numerical aperture.

Systems, devices, and methods for surgical illumination and imaging of ophthalmologic structures within a human eye are disclosed. In various embodiments, an emitter, imaging sensor, and a system control image processor are configured to irradiate ophthalmologic structures with near infrared light, detect near-infrared scatter from the irradiated ophthalmologic structures and visible light in real-time and generate or otherwise cause an image to be displayed on the user display that includes the detected near-infrared scatter from the irradiated ophthalmologic structures displayed in real-time. In one or more embodiments, the image is a virtual image of the irradiated ophthalmologic structures generated at least based on near-infrared light scattering coefficients of the irradiated ophthalmologic structures. In certain embodiments, the image displayed on the user display includes the detected near-infrared scatter from the irradiated ophthalmologic structures overlaid on a real-time view from a surgical microscope.

Systems, devices, and methods for surgical illumination and imaging of ophthalmologic structures within a human eye are disclosed. In various embodiments, an emitter, imaging sensor, and a system control image processor are configured to irradiate ophthalmologic structures with near infrared light, detect near-infrared scatter from the irradiated ophthalmologic structures and visible light in real-time and generate or otherwise cause an image to be displayed on the user display that includes the detected near-infrared scatter from the irradiated ophthalmologic structures displayed in real-time. In one or more embodiments, the image is a virtual image of the irradiated ophthalmologic structures generated at least based on near-infrared light scattering coefficients of the irradiated ophthalmologic structures. In certain embodiments, the image displayed on the user display includes the detected near-infrared scatter from the irradiated ophthalmologic structures overlaid on a real-time view from a surgical microscope.

Methods of treating an eye for an ocular condition such as placing a composite depot comprising a xerogel with embedded degradable particles into an anterior chamber of an eye to deliver a therapeutic agent. The xerogel is a hydrogel after exposure to intraocular fluid and is degradable. The degradable particles comprise the therapeutic agent and hydrolytically degrade in the anterior chamber to provide a controlled release of the therapeutic agent into the eye. Materials and processes for making depots are provided as well as alternative methods of their use.