Visualization devices, systems, and methods for otology and other uses

Inventors

de Juan, Eugene • Erickson, Signe • Levering, Vrad

Assignees

Spiral Therapeutics Inc

Abstract

Devices, systems, and methods can be employed to facilitate indirect viewing into cavities such as, but not limited to, the middle ear space. Some embodiments have uses such as, but not limited to, facilitating visualization and procedures in the outer, middle, and/or inner ear in order to diagnose and/or treat disorders including, but not limited to, hearing loss and other ear disorders. In particular implementations, a surgical microscope is used in conjunction with an inverter lens and a distal lens. In some cases, the distal lens transverses a membrane or septum such as, but not limited to, the tympanic membrane. The distal lens can be an assembly combining two or more lenses, in some embodiments. For example, in some cases wide angle lenses, zoom lenses, lenses of other various shapes and/or prisms can be used in the distal lens.

Core Innovation

The invention relates to an otologic visualization system that enables visualization through a tympanic membrane into a middle ear region. It combines a surgical microscope with a stereoscopic inverter lens system and a distal lens. The stereoscopic inverter lens system is positionable external to the tympanic membrane and adjustably mounted to the surgical microscope, and the distal lens is spaced apart from the stereoscopic inverter lens system and mountable within a portion of the tympanic membrane to facilitate visualization through the tympanic membrane and into a middle ear region.

The distal lens is positionable relative to the stereoscopic inverter lens system so that an image of the middle ear region captured by the distal lens is transferable to the stereoscopic inverter lens system external to the tympanic membrane for presentation at the surgical microscope. The disclosure describes distal lens embodiments that include multi-lens assemblies such as widefield/zoom lenses and prism elements, as well as mechanical configurations for stabilization and positioning of the distal lens.

The disclosure also describes ports for instrument passage, optional light sources or light pipes, tubular distal lens designs for image alignment control, sealed or intermediate spaces to reduce fogging, fiber-optic image relay from the distal lens to proximal optics, and alternative illumination spectrums, including infrared, for tissue/vessel identification. Example system contexts include middle ear and inner ear regions and compatibility with diagnostic and treatment workflows in otologic use.

Claims Coverage

The independent claims identified are 1 and 18. Each independent claim is centered on the combination of a stereoscopic inverter lens system with a distal lens that captures images through or against a tympanic membrane and relays those images to be presented at a surgical microscope.

Across the independent claims, the core inventive concept is relaying stereoscopic visualization of a middle ear region captured by a distal lens through or against the tympanic membrane to an external stereoscopic inverter lens system for presentation at a surgical microscope.

Stated Advantages

Documented Applications